In this episode of the Body Grievers Club, hosts Bri and Jana welcome Margaret Doherty, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to discuss her experiences with pregnancy as a person in a larger body. Margaret shares her journey toward body acceptance, the challenges she faced with medical professionals, and the lack of representation and support for plus-size pregnant women. They also discuss the importance of advocating for oneself in medical settings and the societal pressure on pregnancy. Despite the hardships, Margaret expresses the joy and fulfillment she feels as a new mother and emphasizes that every pregnancy experience is valid, regardless of body size.TIME STAMPS:01:41 Margaret's Journey to Body Acceptance03:42 Pregnancy Fears and Realities04:43 Navigating Doctor's Appointments 10:49 The Fear of Gestational Diabetes 20:20 Navigating High-Risk Pregnancy Concerns21:10 The Changing Relationship of Body Image and Pregnancy23:21 Grief and Expectations of the Body During Pregnancy26:18 Challenges with Plus-Size Maternity Clothing28:38 Hospital Experiences and Systemic Issues35:38 Advocating for Yourself in HealthcareWant more of Margaret?Instagram: @margaretd_lmftWant more of Bri?Instagram: @bodyimagewithbri Website: https://bodyimagewithbri.com/
--------
44:13
Challenges + Myths with Fat Infertility with Nicola Salmon
In this episode of the Body Grievers Club, Bri and Jana invite Nicola Salmon, a fat-positive fertility coach and advocate, to discuss the unique challenges faced by individuals in larger bodies who seek to grow their families. Nicola shares her personal journey with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), pregnancy, and body advocacy. The conversation covers common myths about fertility and body size, ways to find supportive healthcare providers, and strategies to navigate medical appointments. Nicola emphasizes the importance of self-worth and community support while challenging diet culture's impact on health and fertility. Practical advice is given on advocating for oneself and nurturing physical and emotional health during the fertility journey.TIME STAMPS:01:22 Nicola's Journey into Fat Positive Fertility05:06 Challenges and Myths in Fat Fertility10:48 Navigating Healthcare and Advocacy26:16 Anti-Diet Approaches to Fertility39:20 Final Thoughts and ResourcesWant more of Bri?Instagram: @bodyimagewithbri Website: https://bodyimagewithbri.com/ Want more of Nicola? Instagram: @fatpositivefertilityWebsite : www.nicolasalmon.co.uk Book: Fat and Fertile (available on Amazon)
--------
40:45
Reclaiming Movement + Enoughness with Hannah Husband
In episode 71 of the Body Grievers Club, hosts Bri and Jana are joined by Hannah (they/them), a neurodiverse and gender-queer fitness professional. The group chats about Hannah's experiences with ADHD and potential autism, the challenges of body image, navigating diet culture, and how movement plays a vital role in managing stress and mental health. Additionally, Hannah highlights their community, the Body Liberation Playground, which fosters an inclusive and non-judgmental space for diverse abilities. Listeners are encouraged to embrace a trauma-informed approach to movement as well as to prioritize mental and emotional well-being over societal expectations when integrating exercise/movement into their lives.01:39 Hannah's Journey Through Struggles with Diet Culture and Fitness 14:01 Reclaiming Body Autonomy through movement and self-compassion18:35 Empowering Movement and Self-Compassion **reword23:00 Practical Steps for Body Liberation26:27 Movement as a Self-Awareness Tool27:40 Trauma-Informed and Enjoyable Movement32:39 Fitness Myths and Realities37:03 Reclaiming Movement and Enoughness 41:17 Ways to Integrate Movement with AccomodationsWant more of Hannah?Instagram: @hannahhusband Get a special discount for the Body Liberation Playground HERE: https://www.hannahhusband.com/bodyliberationplayground-briWant more of Bri?Instagram: @bodyimagewithbri Website: https://bodyimagewithbri.com/
--------
49:49
The Hot Fat Guy Club: Cultivating Confidence with Alex Frankel
In episode 70 of The Body Grievers® Club, hosts Bri and Jana engage with opera singer and model Alex Frankel, founder of the Hot Fat Guy Club, to discuss topics such as body positivity, challenging societal biases, and redefining masculinity.
The conversation covers personal journeys through weight cycling, battling body shame, and navigating traditional gender expectations from adolescence to adulthood. Key discussions highlight how to embrace self-confidence and authentic self-expression, strategies to cultivate confidence, and the significance of unconditional love and self-acceptance.
00:23 The Birth of the Hot Fat Guy Club
02:02 Body Image from a Male Perspective
05:46 Learning Body Hatred
09:31 The Role of Representation
13:32 Masculinity and Fatphobia
18:41 Positive Fat Male Role Models
23:11 Self-Confidence and Self-Worth
30:23 Creating an Alter Ego for Confidence
34:16 The Hot Fat Guy Club
36:31 Exploring Masculinity and Body Image
FOLLOW ALEX:
IG: alexfrankel_the_lionhaired + @hotfatguyclub
TikTok: alexfrankel_the_lionhaired
Website: https://www.hotfatguyclub.com/
WORK WITH BRI:
Click here for the most up to date ways to work with Bri!
--------
41:00
Bariatric Surgery + Food Freedom with Jay Salazar
In episode 69 of the Body Grievers® Club podcast, guest Jay Salazar (he/him), a TikTok educator known for his comedic and political content, discusses his experiences with bariatric surgery and then subsequent journey in finding food freedom
This episode includes:
Challenges faced post-surgery, including criticism from the bariatric community
Transitioning to intuitive eating post bariatric surgery
Navigating towards body positivity
The pressures of existing in both the awareness of anti-diet and the lingering desire for weight loss
00:00 Trigger Warning and Introduction
02:33 Jay's Bariatric Surgery Journey
05:48 Post-Surgery Realizations and Food Freedom
11:40 Navigating Social Media and Criticism + Health Care
14:53 Navigating Healthcare Challenges
19:44 Facing Criticism and Finding Peace
22:14 Reflections on Body Image
24:24 The Ongoing Journey of Self-Acceptance
To Find Jay's funny + insightful content, follow him:
Instagram: @thejaysalazar_
TikTok: thejaysalazar
WORK WITH BRI:
Click here for the most up to date ways to work with Bri!
Welcome to The Body Grievers® Club – a podcast aimed to help you explore your body image.
I'm Bri a trained mental health counselor + body image coach.
I know how distressful body image can SUCK and I want to sit in that grief with you.
I want to answer your toughest body image questions.
I want to share folks who have done the work and are living their best life in their current bodies.
No matter how big your body grief is you're never alone when you're part of the Body Grievers® Club.
Be sure to follow me at @bodyimagewithbri on instagram!