Seeing Beauty Sessions

SEEING BEAUTY SESSIONS EPISODE 26: Consent, Self Love, & Healing with Coral Neubauer

At 16 Coral found herself as many teens do at a party with friends. They had been drinking {as many teens do}, laughing, and enjoying the evening. As people trailed off to bed Coral hadn't been designated a spot to sleep and found herself in the living room with another boy from the party. That's when the night became one she'd never forget. She remembered feeling "dirty, confused, and alone" as she puts it. She had'nt given consent and after months of depressions, blame, and shame she finally realized what had happened and that it wasn't her fault. Coral's experience of sexual assault happens to so many girls and women and culturally as a society people tend to blame the victim.

It's something that needs to change and today Coral and I are breaking it down and she's sharing her journey of healing and sharing how she's now become a voice to other young women. This is one episode every person needs to hear. We need to teach our children about consent and we need to teach them how to use their voices and let them know it's ok to say no, it's ok to stop midway and change their minds, it's ok to say yes if it's a wholehearted yes! 

Sexual assault happens far to often, 1 in 4 college women will be the victim of completed or attempted sexual assault, 1 in 33 men will be victims within their lifetime. LGBTQ communities are at even higher risks and 80% of victims are under the age of 30. We have to do better when it comes to education and consent.

SEEING BEAUTY SESSIONS EPISODE 24: Healing A Broken Heart with Carla Marquart

Growing up Carla was used to living a life with a heart condition, she had it since she was little but her world was thrown for a loop when in her mid-thirties she had to make a choice between her and her unborn baby. After years of checkups and good health, it all came to a screeching halt. She had a husband & a nine-year-old daughter she loved at home… Her heart was giving out and she needed to make a choice, save herself or save her baby. So she had to make the most heart-wrenching choice she ever had to make. I remember that time clearly because I had done a photography session with her and her family days before she had to go have the abortion.

I remember being with them, there was this feeling of “we don’t know what’s going to happen or if she’s gonna make it after surgery.” I knew what they needed most was just to be together and have fun… It was a super fun colorful session and we all had so much fun! Then she went through heart surgery and I wish I could say that’s all that happened after that but it’s not.

Be sure to check out Carla's beautiful images on the blog as well.

Drea Aguilar spent most of her life without a mother and after her awakening, she came to the realization that she herself wanted to become a mother. After a traumatic birth and suffering from postpartum depression she began healing and learning to love & accept herself. Through her challenges, she's now helping other women heal the motherhood wounds and teach other mothers about conscious parenting. Drea is a beautiful and powerful example of what a Philipino woman is and she's got a big mission to share today on Seeing Beauty Sessions.

SEEING BEAUTY SESSIONS EPISODE 13:  Scarred & Beautiful with Piper Garner

Recently I interviewed Allison Garner, we met in a coffee shop and she told me her story and shared a bit about her daughters story and that Piper would be a great fit for the podcast. I’ll admit at first I was a bit hesitant having such a young girl on the show however after meeting with Piper and hearing the work she’s doing to heal at such a young age I found it to be an important story to share. At the young age of 12 Piper found herself going through severe depression, losing friendships, and she began to cut herself as a way to attempt to feel “something”. On this Episode of Seeing Beauty Sessions Piper shares her story of years of self-harm, getting help, healing, and finding purpose in her young life. This is an episode every young person and parent needs to hear. Some of the things she revealed to me I had no idea teens of today are faced with, it’s an eye opening real raw moment with Piper and I’m so grateful she was willing to share her experience with all of us.

SEEING BEAUTY SESSIONS EPISODE 12: Learning To Cope with Allison Garner

Allison Garner is sharing it all on the podcast today. Allison grew up in a home where she was often left alone and grew up with an alcoholic mother and narcissistic father so food became her friend and emotional eating became the way she learned to cope as she grew up. In her twenties she picked up drinking as a way to deal until one day she found herself in her thirties and barfing in the family mini van at a Packer Game. After that she knew it was time to take control of her life and find new ways to cope. Find out how Allison turned it all around and how she’s using her life experiences to help others in a powerful & transformative way!

I'm so grateful to be here with todays guest because just a few years ago she may not have been able to be here with me. In college Tia had struggled with anorexia and at rock bottom hit a fragile 80 lbs. Tia's need for control and desire to be perfect lead to the destruction of her body and today she shares with us her triumphant story of how she found love for herself and her body and hows she's showing up in the world today because of what she learned through her journey.

Seeing Beauty Sessions Episode 10: Fighting Cancer & Winning with Anne Sims. 

On this Episode of Seeing Beauty Sessions Anne shares what doing a boudoir session with me over seven years ago changed her life as she knew it. She shares her battle with cancer and it leading to the downfall of a toxic relationship and how it all lead her to an amazing man she now calls her husband. 

Today's guest was a client of mine when I was first beginning in photography, I photographed her two young girls who are now all grown up. Gail's here to share with us her powerful story of surviving breast cancer, healing after a double mastectomy and changing laws. The incredible work she's doing is helping other women get notified by their doctors that they have dense breast tissue, helping them detect cancer sooner. Gail's  helping bring awareness, education, and demanding laws be changed where things just aren't working. If you're a women listening this is one you're not gonna want to miss. I had no idea until Gail shared her story that dense breast tissue is a thing... This awareness is helping save lives. Her story is powerful, inspiring, and well... grab some tissues, you've been warned.

Words cannot express the love I have for our next guest. She started out as my son’s girlfriend but ended up being so much more… Over the years we’ve remained connected and close and witnessing her growth and transformation through heartache & pain has been a miracle to say the least. Heather’s not only been working through the pain of growing up in an abusive, violent, and alcoholic environment but is now helping others heal through her art. I’m so proud of the work she’s doing in the world and she’s only getting started at 25 years old. This old soul has an incredible mission in this life and I’m excited to be able to play a small part of her journey. This is one Seeing Beauty Session You Don’t Wanna Miss!

Today's guest is a published author, speaker, spiritual psychology & sexuality coach and so much more! I first met Kat at a workshop in Bali where we shared an incredible 11 day's together doing deep healing work, I've had the pleasure of photographing her and it’s been amazing watching her path unfold. She's a bright light in this world and I'm happy to have her share her incredible story of love & acceptance with all of us today! On this episode of Seeing Beauty Sessions Kat shares it all… sex, addiction, relationships, loss and how the pain she experienced became the catalyst for the incredible work she's doing to help so many today. 

On this Episode of Seeing Beauty Sessions Jennifer Geissler opens up about her marriage, her relationship with her body, and how through it all she learned how to put herself first.

In this episode Shaena shares her struggles with body image, relationships, self-care, illness and the journey that transformed her relationship with herself. "In my early twenties I become more aware of how the women in my family thought about their bodies and realized “I don’t wanna be 80 and trying to fit into the same damn dress.”