(Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash)

‍I incorporate a fat liberation approach in my work.  At its most basic level, fat liberation advocates for equal treatment for people in larger bodies. (You can read a short history of the movement here) Fat people deserve the same treatment, access to basic needs, care and opportunities, as those in thin bodies. Seating should fit all bodies, clothing should be accessible to a variety of body types and abilities, medical care should be accessible and free from anti-fat bias. Seems pretty basic right? Fat people are people, treat them as such. Unfortunately we are swimming in a culture that is obsessed with thinness (among other things). That obsession has caused us, as a society, to stop seeing people in larger bodies as humans. Fat people are blamed for their fatness, admonished for not being thinner, and vilified if they stop pursuing thinness.

The marginalization and discrimination of fat people in our society can extend to the therapy/treatment world. I have heard stories from friends and clients where therapists didn’t understand why clients in larger bodies would not pursue weight loss, why attending an event where food is present is more than just a little uncomfortable, or how it feels to have society at large wish you didn’t exist. The eating disorder field is not immune to anti-fat bias either. When I was in treatment for my eating disorder as teenager there was a girl in a larger body on the unit that was on a more restrictive meal plan than the rest of us. Take that in: in eating disorder treatment a patient with and active eating disorder was put on a restrictive meal plan. That’s all kinds of fucked up. I wish this was a rare occurrence. 

This shit goes back far and it goes back deep. The origins of anti-fat bias can be traced back to the sixteenth century. In her book, Fearing the Black Body, Sabrina Strings connects the rise of slavery to the formation of anti-fat bias. White people developed a racial hierarchy where they remained on top and reinforced the idea that black people were less than. How else can you justify the forceful removal of an entire people from their country and justify inflicting untold horrors onto an entire population? This book is a great intro road map into just how we found ourselves here and how racism is at the heart of it. This is why we can’t talk about our relationship with our bodies without unpacking how oppression continues to play a role in it. These hierarchies are everywhere and they all influence how we feel about our bodies. 

There is a lot to learn and there is a lot to unlearn. I’m learning too. Don’t feel like you need to have all this shit figured out right now. This will be a continual energy and practice for all of us as long as oppression exists. Find your people who “get it”. Read their work, listen to their stuff, share your stories. If you are looking for a place to do that with others, consider joining a therapy group, creating a meetup group,  or starting a book club. (If you are looking for a group you head over to my services page to learn about some of the group offerings). There’s a growing community of like minded people out there. You don’t have to do this alone.

Every Body Therapy is a size inclusive therapy practice for ALL bodies. And I mean all bodies. Your body is welcome as it exists today. This is a place designed to help you make peace with your body, build trust with your body, and to let go of notions that there is something “wrong” with your body. I’m glad you are here.

Group Openings!

Group therapy is a great way to explore issues that are important to you with others who “get it”. Fat liberation/Body liberation work is hard and having a group of people who support you in it is crucial. I’m excited so share Every Body Therapy has two groups available. Each group will be limited to no more than 12 members at any given time to ensure everyone has room to share and be heard. 

The Anti-Diet Support group is designed for you to build your community of other anti-diet warriors to explore how diet culture creeps into our everyday lives and how to fight it. For those wanting more structure, the Body Trust group has themes each week surrounding the work of Body Trust founded by Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant. We will explore topics like finding pleasure, reclaiming movement, reckoning with your eating and more.  If you are interested in either group, please reach out to me for more information and to get your name on the list.

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