The Messages I Learned About My Body (and Worth)
There was a time I couldn’t even look in the mirror without cringing or fixating… or immediately looking away. Not because of any one particular thing, really — but because I felt completely disconnected from who I was inside this body.
I didn’t see a person. I saw an object. A shape to be judged, tweaked, perfected, or punished.
I grew up believing my body didn’t really matter. Truthfully, I believed I didn’t really matter — at least not on my own. I found my value in how well I could show up for others, how agreeable I could be, how “nice” and “easy-going.” I learned early that shrinking my needs, opinions, and even my physical presence made life smoother. It kept me liked, kept me safe.
Until, somewhere along the way, I’d shrunk so small I didn’t recognize myself at all.
From Disconnection to Embodied Healing
After years of people-pleasing and hiding from myself, my body finally started screaming in the only language she knew: pain. I was photographing weddings — ironically surrounded by love and celebration — and would suddenly get so nauseous I couldn’t stand up. It became a daily struggle. There were weeks I could barely eat. I lost weight, strength, hair, energy… I was undernourished in every possible way.
Looking back, I see it so clearly. I’d been running on empty, pouring myself out for everyone else, anxious about every other person’s experience — completely shut off to my own. My body was waving a red flag, begging me to pay attention.
My healing started with tiny steps. Medication that helped me eat again. Therapy to untangle years of self-abandonment. Yoga that gently coaxed me back into my own skin. I started feeding myself — body and soul — with real nourishment. I began to hear my gut, trust it, follow it.
And slowly, something profound shifted: I realized how important my body was. How important I am. This body wasn’t just a vessel to move me from place to place or a billboard for other people’s approval. She was my oldest friend, my fiercest protector, the keeper of my stories.
Creating WMNKND: Body Empowerment Photography for Women
As I pieced myself back together, I felt something spark to life inside me. I was finally feeling again — happy, yes. But also angry, sad, relieved. Alive.
That’s when WMNKND was born. I wanted to create a space where other women could see themselves the way I was finally seeing myself: as someone who matters. Someone worthy of taking care of. Someone whose body is not a project, but a living, sacred place.
Discover my body empowerment photo sessions here.
Why I Believe Self-Love Photo Sessions Matter
I want you to stop asking what the world wants from you and start asking what you want. Who you are. What you believe. What your unique magic is, and how much more beautifully it could shine if you stopped hiding from yourself.
I want you to see yourself through the compassionate eyes of someone who loves you deeply. To realize you are your own greatest love story. You’re the author of that story, and you can write a new chapter at any time.
This isn’t just about confidence. It’s about peace. The ability to take up space unapologetically. To see yourself — mind, body, spirit — as sacred.
3 Things I Want Every Woman to Know About Her Body
✨ Your body is not a project to be fixed.
✨ Your joy matters more than your weight… or the weight of other people’s expectations.
✨ You are worthy right now. No proving, no earning required.
Ready to Reclaim Your Body Story?
If any of this resonates, maybe it’s time to see yourself differently. That’s what my Day of Empowerment is for.
Come home to yourself. Come see what’s possible when you stop hiding.
If you’re ready to explore body empowerment photography in Kansas City, or just want to talk about your own self-love journey, book a free consultation here. I’d be honored to witness you.
