Becoming a Fat Positive Counselor:

This course aims to help counselors “unlearn” systemic and institutionalized fatphobic ideals that impose great harm on clients experiencing body image issues. The course focuses on the basics of fat positivity, fat liberation movement past and present, anti-fat bias and the racist beginnings of Fatphobia, diet culture, body image, and how to help our clients work toward their body image goals using a fat positive lens. While the information in this course is applicable to any client experiencing general body image issues, it is geared toward expanding empathy for clients who are plus size and helps to define the plus size experience to build counselors’ empathy when working with clients of size. We will explore the impact of fatphobia on clients of size in every facet of their life to identify common areas where clients experience the most distress. Lastly we will walk through the process of guiding clients through the healing journey of creating an improved relationship with their body and body image. I will provide some lived experience as a fat identified, queer, multiracial mom and we will also discuss current discourse on topics like social media impacts, GLP-1s, and book recommendations for counselors and clients. I look forward to helping you on your fat positive journey! 

Hi Friends! My name is Sofia (pronouns she/her) and I am a fat femme queer multiracial mom and counselor. I love connecting with other humans and am super passionate about educating folx about the fat experience. I’d be honored to be a part of your fat positive journey! I have both the lived experience of existing in the world as a fat femme queer multiracial woman and the professional expertise of having worked with clients on body image and acceptance for 5+ years.

By the end of this course you will feel confident in working respectfully with clients of size and helping them toward their body image goals.