Care Philosophy & Values

At The Body Grief Coach, my work is rooted in liberatory harm reduction and disability justice, centering autonomy, dignity, and care for all bodyminds and lived/living experiences.

This work is also shaped by an ongoing commitment to unlearning harmful and extractive frameworks, and to equity and justice in practice. Care is shaped by the systems we live in, and I continually reflect on how harm and inequity can show up in wellness, grief work, and care spaces. This means staying engaged in learning and unlearning, remaining accountable, and tending to the ways harm can arise, even with good intentions.

Liberatory Harm Reduction

Harm reduction is often framed in the context of substance use, but I embrace a liberatory approach that expands beyond that. People navigate harm in many forms, including systemic oppression, trauma, and ableism. This means:

Respecting autonomy. You are the expert in your own body, needs, and choices.
Minimizing harm without coercion. Support should reduce suffering, not enforce "one right way" to heal.
Meeting people where they are. Care and tools should honor each person’s circumstances without judgment.
Rejecting carceral and punitive approaches. Healing should focus on support, not control or punishment.

Disability Justice

Disability justice, as envisioned by Black, Indigenous, and queer disabled activists, is a collective movement for liberation. It is not just about inclusion but dismantling systems that create and sustain oppression. I integrate this by:

Centering disabled, Mad, and chronically ill folks. We are not an afterthought but leaders in our own care.
Honoring interdependence. Care networks, peer support, and community are essential.
Challenging ableism. Productivity culture, cure narratives, and systems that dehumanize disabled people are actively unlearned.
Creating access. True access goes beyond accommodations to build spaces where disabled people are welcomed as they are.

Commitment in Practice

This commitment is not just theoretical; it informs every aspect of my work:

Coaching & Peer Support. Offering non-coercive, accessible support that prioritizes lived experience over pathology.
Yoga & Somatic Practices. Making movement accessible and adaptable, while unlearning harmful, colonized frameworks often present in wellness spaces.
Community Spaces. Fostering peer-led, non-hierarchical spaces where all bodyminds are valued.
Continual Learning & Accountability. Engaging in ongoing education, reflection, and repair, and being open to feedback when harm occurs.

Living, grieving, and caring are liberatory acts, and no one should have to navigate them alone. This space is here for those who have been marginalized, silenced, or told they are “too much” or “not enough.” You are welcome here, exactly as you are.