Testimonial

I don't think I could sum up our 6 months of work in 2 paragraphs and fully grasp all the ways Kaitlin changed my life, but I'll try.

She gave me the strength to say I need, first and foremost, to recognize the person in the mirror, which meant figuring out what I wanted to look like and who I wanted to be. I came out as non-binary, I cut and dyed my hair, I bought underwear for the first time in 5 years, I bought myself clothes that made me feel like myself, including buying men's jeans. I stopped binging and restricting over and over. I learned to view all food as food or fuel in some way. I stopped beating myself up for my daily ice cream, and started enjoying it. I learned to stop and listen to my body. Am I actually hungry or am I bored, tired, thirsty? Will this food satisfy me? What kind of exercise do I want to do? What will make me feel good?  I learned to make peace with food. I learned to make peace with my body. I learned that I was worthy NOW, and not when I lost weight. I put the scale in storage. I haven't weighed myself in months, because the scale isn't going to tell me anything about how my body feels or what my body needs. 

My before and after isn't a story of a weight loss transformation. I don't even know if I have lost weight. My before and after is an emotional transformation. My dysphoria is gone. I know the person in the mirror. I don't care what my weight is. I started therapy. I am learning to run after what brings me joy, and leave behind what doesn't. I am learning to move my body in ways that feel good and affirming. I'm not physically hiding behind the kids in pictures anymore. For the first time ever, I belong in my own skin. - AR