I Do This Work Because:
Our bodies are naturally diverse and encompass a wide range of shapes, sizes, and weights. Not only can you not tell anything about a person’s health and well-being from looking at their body, but another person’s health is none of your business. Further, the pursuit of health is not a moral imperative, and health is strongly affected by social determinants, including oppression, that individuals have no control over.
These beliefs are different from the current leading beliefs of our nutrition, fitness, wellness, and healthcare industries. Yet the most marginalized among us have been clamoring to be heard on these issues for decades. Through my work, I am following their lead and actively trying to dismantle our dominant culture in order to build a better, more equitable one.
I invite you to join me.
About Me
I’m Shohreh (rhymes with foray), and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I live and work on land in Austin, Texas that is the unceded territory of the Tonkawa and Comanche tribes.
I’m a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Certified Personal Trainer, and the host of the Redefining Health & Wellness podcast.
One thing that people tend to notice about me right away is that I am unapologetically myself. I am the same person in real life as I am on the internet and on my podcast. But it wasn’t always that way. I used to be obsessed with following the “rules” and hitting expected milestones.
Back when I was an attorney, I felt like I was two different people—“Real” Shohreh and “Work” Shohreh. As Work Shohreh, I had to run everything through filters. Was I dressed appropriately? Did I come off as too aggressive or arrogant? Would my colleagues be embarrassed by me or judge me? When I was in Work Shohreh mode, I had to shrink my personality to fit in.
Meanwhile, Real Shohreh—mixed-race, queer, neurodiverse Shohreh—was screaming inside to be heard. I daydreamed about getting more tattoos and dyeing my hair purple. I felt stifled creatively and hated the brain space that was being taken up by thinking about how not to step on my colleagues’ toes.
I didn’t want to have to hide Real Shohreh anymore. I wanted to be accepted and embraced as my authentic self.
Even though I got really good at being Work Shohreh in the office, the act was always exhausting to perform. So I eventually left my legal career and started my own health and wellness coaching business to give myself the space to be me (and to help others do the same).
I know what it’s like to stuff down your own wants and needs because you feel like you have to conform to fit in. I also know what it’s like to live your life according to the number on your Fitbit or the label on the back of the food package. The arbitrary rules I had to follow to survive as an attorney mirrored the restrictive food and exercise rules I felt like I had to follow to survive in a culture of dieting and weight stigma.
Perhaps there’s a No-Excuses-Exercise You, Chooses-Salad-To-Please-Others You, or Losing-Weight-Instead-Of-Focusing-On-Your-Passions You overshadowing the Real You? What if you could lay down some of the heavy burden you’ve been carrying that you never should have had to shoulder in the first place?
Using a weight-inclusive, Health At Every Size® (HAES®)-informed approach, my coaching is an opportunity to examine and shed the ill-fitting rules of diet and wellness culture so the Real You no longer has to scream to be heard.
It’s possible for you to move beyond just surviving to a place where you’re truly thriving. Together we can work on separating out what beliefs were socialized into you versus what you actually need to feel well. And while you may not be able to reveal your authentic self in every area in your life, I promise it will always be safe to shine as your authentic self with me.
Credentials: Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. ACSM Certified Personal Trainer. Certified Online Trainer. Juris Doctor.
Relevant Continuing Education: How to Write About Gender webinar – McKensie Mack. Motivational Interview Training for Weight-Inclusive Providers course – Be Nourished. Whiteness At Work webinar – The Adaway Group.
Love Languages: Glitter. Rainbows. Dogs (I have two—Alamo and Peppermint). Hot tea. Hiking. Trapeze. Thoughtful gifts. Afternoon naps. Cake. New tattoos.
Influences: My work has not been created in a vacuum. My content and coaching are influenced by the work of many wise culture makers, including (but not limited to) Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, Lindo Bacon, Sonya Renee Taylor, Kelly Diels, Ijeoma Oluo, Christy Harrison, Kristin Neff, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and my incredible community.
Values-Driven Business
I work to own my various privileges and provide an inclusive space where all body shapes and sizes, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities are valued and welcome. That doesn’t mean I won’t ever get it wrong (I definitely will), but I promise to listen to those who have been impacted by my mistakes and learn from them to do better in the future.
Additionally, I recognize that there are many systemic factors at play that lead to wealth disparity in our society, and I am committed to making my coaching as accessible as is financially feasible. I provide services at a range of price points, I offer payment plans (and do not charge extra fees or interest to access them), and I also have sliding scale coaching spots and pay-what-you-can consultation calls available for those who need them.
