The Body Grievers® Club

In this finale episode of Season 2 I talk with my personal physical therapist, Danny Shapiro. Daniel Shapiro is a Dutch trained Physical Therapist and specializes in manual therapy. He has developed his own pain elimination techniques that have helped people get rid of pain and get back to enjoying life quickly. Daniel has been helping people who want to stay active and continue doing their favorite activities for many years to come.Daniel believes that everyone who wants to stay active, mobile, and retain their independence should have access to care that doesn't require painkillers, injections, or surgery.He is currently licensed to work with all NY, NY & FL residents. If you'd like to learn more about how Daniel Shapiro can help you get back to feeling and living great again, check him out on social media or his website https://projectphysicaltherapy.com/about/IG: officialdannyshapiroTikTok: officialmusclewhisperer

Arielle Juliette from Madison, WI is the owner of Dance Life, an in person and livestream dance community specializing in body positive and fat positive belly dance, burlesque, ballet and cardio classes for adults. Arielle believes that dance is for EVERY single body, especially those who feel left out of a traditional class, and that movement should be fun! Arielle is passionate about Health At Every Size and spreading the body liberation message, and loves to help her students declare a truce with and connect positively to their bodies.To learn more about Arielle, follow her on social media or at her website www.madisondancelife.com

In this episode, Bri & guest Kate Rosen discuss the nuances of being a fat performer and hurdles they have faced in the industry.  They also discuss the parallels to vocal work and body image work as the importance of fat-positive representation in the media.Kate Rosen is passionate about helping others discover greater joy in singing.She has taught hundreds of students with all sorts of different goals and dreams.  Some have gone on to musical theatre programs at schools including the University of Michigan, or have been selected as a classical soloist for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.  Others have found their voices so they can enjoy karaoke with friends, finally get into the top choir at school, or just feel more like themselves.A lifelong learner, Kate is level 2 certified in Somatic Voicework™ with Jeanie LoVetri, has studied Musical Theatre Coaching with Nate Plummer of Stagedoor Unlocked, and has studied vocal anatomy and science with The Vocal Instrument 101.  She has also studied Transgender Voice and Speech Training for Teachers with Liz Jackson Hearns, a pioneer in the area of trans voice work.Kate earned her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and her Master of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan.  She has served on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Children's Choir, and is a proud member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She’s also a member of the raddest group of voice teachers on the planet, the Speakeasy Cooperative.  Kate is an adjudicator for the Sutton Foster Ovation Awards, the Michigan branch of the Jimmy Awards.To find out out more about Kate find her https://www.katerosenstudio.com/ or on her instagram at @fatjoyvoice

In this episode, Bri interviews Elizabeth Armstrong (she/her) is a therapist in Dallas, Texas who works with people living with PCOS. She is passionate about helping women heal their relationship with their body, find freedom from diet culture, and advocate for better health care of PCOS.Together, they dissect how Elizabeth's experience of the seasonal ritual of going through clothes can to lead to body discomfort. They delve into how our childhood traumas can inform us on how we react to body change, and in result our view of our bodies. Even something as simple as shopping with a parent for new clothing can be an impressionable experience. More importantly, Elizabeth notes how body trauma does not have to be physical or violent to hurt us. The medical field, social media, and entertainment industries can amplify the alienation and discomfort when oneself reflects on their body.Elizabeth busts the biggest myths told about PCOS, and goes over the methods she uses with her clients. Her techniques and mindset are always rooted in body neutrality and the HAES perspective. Bri and Elizabeth discuss exactly what that means, why "positivity" is not incredibly helpful for self love, and how do we get there. She also goes in depth about how having a supportive partner can make all the difference in the world.For more info on Elizabeth Armstrong, you can visit her at website: https://pcostherapy.com/ & her Instagram @pcostherapist

In today's episode, Natalie Peikoff and I discuss what it is like to grieve our old bodies, especially when reminded through photos. Natalie Peikoff is a psychotherapist with Full Bloom Counseling Group in Denver, Colorado. She works with people of all ages to help them find the inner peace and clarity they deserve. Natalie thrives on meaningful human connection and brings a deeply empathic perspective to her therapeutic work. Her specialities include body image, disordered eating, anxiety, and relationship issues. Natalie is trauma-informed and works from a Health At Every Size and Intuitive Eating lens.Follow Natalie on Instagram at @kneadtotalk for a mix of therapy thoughts, self-love notes, and delicious baked goods!

In this episode, Bri speaks with certified holistic wellness coach Ivy Felicia about her journey to becoming a coach and creating a space in the wellness industry for people of all sizes. Ivy helps clients of all backgrounds realize that body peace is possible, that self-love is a choice, and that body freedom is a birthright for all. They discuss how multiple marginalized identities play a part in health and wellness, and how the traditional concept of wellness must change to reflect diverse perspectives and abilities. Ivy Felicia is dedicated to helping people strengthen their love for themselves. Ivy is a certified holistic wellness coach, a motivational speaker, a body image expert, a coach with over 5 years of acclaimed service, and a passionate public advocate for fat acceptance and body diversity. She has offered body image coaching to people of all sizes, offering body peace, and radical self-love to all who struggle to achieve it.Through the combination of her education and her own powerful journey to body peace, Ivy has developed an innovative system of Body Relationship CoachingTM. This powerful system is a unique combination of weight-neutral holistic wellness and radical self-care. By using simple strategies, mindful accountability techniques, intuitive listening, and ongoing training, Ivy facilitates shifts in mindset and perspective that help people achieve positive, sustainable changes in their relationship with their bodies.No matter what stage of life a person is in, no matter what body they have, no matter their health status, or their feelings about their image, Ivy teaches that body peace is possible, that self-love is a choice, and that body freedom is a birthright for all.For more ways to work with Bri, check out her offers on https://linktr.ee/bodyimagewithbri or on her website: https://www.bodyimagewithbri.com.And as all my podcasting friends say - this podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and cannot be a replacement for medical or mental health advice. If you like this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it. Leave a review or comment!Season 2, Episode 5

In this IGTV Live turned episode, Bri answers her followers' questions about how to handle body changes. In a society where we're constantly told that our changing bodies are bad, how do we begin to rebuild body trust? How do we manage when we find ourselves unlovable? And how do we cope with the reactions of family members and friends who've noticed our changing bodies? She answers important questions like what can we do right now to feel better in the bodies we have? And the big question, who profits off of the thought that there's something wrong with our bodies in the first place?Statistic stated in the episode that health is only made up by 30% of what we eat and how we move is from Lindo Bacon's Body Respect:https://lindobacon.com/body-respect-book/Others mentioned this episode:Natalie Peikoff - @kneadtotalk, www.fullbloomcounseling.comSeerut Chawla - @seerutkchawlaFor more ways to work with Bri, check out her offers on https://linktr.ee/bodyimagewithbri or on her website: https://www.bodyimagewithbri.com.And as all my podcasting friends say - this podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and cannot be a replacement for medical or mental health advice. If you like this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it. Leave a review or comment!Season 2, Episode 4

Rebecca Moravec is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in Denver, CO where she has been practicing therapy for over 10 years. She loves the Enneagram (She leads with an enneagram 2!) and is training to become a Certified Enneagram Practitioner through The Narrative Enneagram.  She's a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor which intersects with her work with clients healing from disordered eating. She is committed to fat-acceptance, and Health at Every Size, and to dismantling diet culture so that people may live deep and meaningful lives with authentic relationships with themselves and with others free from distraction and shame.In this episode, Becca and Bri dive into Becca's experience of needing to have her wedding band cut from her finger when it no longer fit her. They talk about how the thin ideal affects our sense of belonging and our perception of failure and explore body grief, letting go of "thinness," and processing the feelings that arise when looking at old photos. Together they discuss how exposure therapy, along with reparenting, self-care, and holding onto meaningful relationships can help body grief to fade and allow us to live fuller lives. Becca co-hosts the Two Therapists in Therapy podcast with Sarah Brill. When she's not with clients, she is reading or snuggling with her partner, Chad, and their sweet dog, Pumpkin.To learn more about Becca check out www.fullbloomcounseling.com or find her on Instagram: @MillennialTherapist.For more ways to work with Bri, check out her offers on https://linktr.ee/bodyimagewithbri or on her new website https://www.bodyimagewithbri.com. And as all my podcasting friends say - this podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and cannot be a replacement for medical or mental health advice. If you like this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it. Leave a review or comment!Season 2, Episode 3

Amanda LaCount is a well known hip-hop dancer, actress, choreographer, singer, model and influencer. She has been dancing since she was two-years-old. In 2015 she moved from CO to LA to follow her dream of becoming a professional dancer and actress. Some of her most notable performances include dancing with Meghan Trainor on RDMA, dancing on The Ellen Show with Keala Settle from The Greatest Showman, dancing with Disney's Descendants 2 cast on DWTS, dancing on 2 episodes of The Voice, dancing in Katy Perry's "Swish Swish" music video feat. Nicki Minaj, performing at Coachella with Lizzo, performing in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show at NYFW, performing as Alana (one of Ariel's sisters) in ABC's The Little Mermaid Live, dancing in Lady Gaga's "Stupid Love" music video, dancing on America's Got Talent Season 15, and most recently dancing in Netflix's The Prom with Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and Kerry Washington. In today's episode, we talk about Amanda's background growing up as a dancer. Her mom was hugely supportive of her, instilling confidence in her and a sense of defiance toward the naysayers. Amanda notes how as a dancer, it's important to have a good relationship with one's body, and how that's helped her to cultivate a positive body image. Amanda created the movement #breakingthestereotype, which promotes body positivity and the belief that any "body" can be a dancer. Her goal is to inspire a new generation of dancers with all different body types. Visit Amanda on Instagram at @amandalacount and online at www.amandalacount.com.  For more ways to work with Bri, check out her offers on https://linktr.ee/bodyimagewithbri. And as all my podcasting friends say - this podcast is for informational, educational & entertainment purposes only & cannot be a replacement for medical or mental health advice. If you like this episode, please like, subscribe & share it. Leave a review or comment!

Christyna Johnson (she/her/hers) is a weight-inclusive registered dietitian who works with disordered eating, eating disorders, and intuitive eating. She practices from a Health at Every Size ®, social justice, trauma-informed, and person-centered approach. She advocates for equity and inclusion at all levels of eating disorder treatment. She uses social media to provide education and awareness around issues that intersect with food and bodies. She is the host of the podcast Intuitive Eating for the Culture. Her other passions include plants and exploring the outdoors.In this episode, Christyna and I discuss body trauma and body terrorism, and how they impact body image and autonomy. We delve into diet culture and the "trend" of body positivity, and Christyna even shares some of her favorite brands that are committed to social justice. Interested in nutritional counseling and learning more about Christyna? Visit her on Instagram at @encouragingdietician and online at https://linktr.ee/encouragingdietitian.For more ways to work with Bri, check out her offers at https://linktr.ee/bodyimagewithbri.And as all my podcasting friends say -  this podcast is for informational, educational & entertainment purposes only and cannot be a replacement for medical or mental health advice. If you like this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it. Leave a review or comment!