Exploring Body Acceptance through Self-Portraiture
The Be Your Own Beloved E-Course
Are you ready to see yourself with compassion in photos?
Do You Struggle with Seeing Yourself Photos?
Do you struggle with seeing yourself in photos? Do you find yourself taking them, reacting to them and putting the camera away?
Well I'm here to tell you its not you or your body that is the problem. Nor is it your camera skills or creativity. You are not the problem.
The problem is the messages we've been taught about our body, about the ways we 'should' be seen, photographed. We've internalized 'body standards' of what makes a 'worthy' body and those messages leave the majority of us out of that.
But our bodies are worthy...no matter what. And it's time we reclaim our power back from those bulls*t body standards!
For the last 10+ years I've been helping people shift how they see themselves through the lens. By picking up the camera and reclaiming our power back through it. By creating a new narrative and telling the old one to take a hike.
Here's the thing about our relationship to photos...we can't do the work by reading about it or theorizing around it. It is an experiential process. We heal by taking the photos. This program is designed to help you put your body acceptance into action and do the work to make that shift in how you see yourself.
You are invited to join Be Your Own Beloved and to begin a journey to see the person in the photograph with compassion. Yes, we'll need to wade through some of the self-critique as we walk towards compassion and a more neutral relationship with ourselves in photos. But don't worry, I'll help you navigate how to break out of the cycle of critique and give you tools to choose a new path.
This class is about self-portrait photography but it is also so much more. In Be Your Own Beloved I'll guide you through 30 days of selfie activities and help you open up the door to seeing yourself with more compassion.
This class can be a doorway to a new way of seeing yourself: with more kindness, more self-compassion and to begin to treat yourself with the same reverence that you would someone who is beloved to you.
You deserve that same reverence, that same appreciation. Yet for so many of us, it tends to be the opposite.
We think we aren’t photogenic. We see photos of us as proof of stories that keep our negative self-image thriving. We stop after taking one photo that we don’t like, closing the door to seeing ourselves with kindness.
Yet this is why taking self-portraits has so much potential to be healing.
Why hundreds of folks from around the globe have found transformation in their self-image and body acceptance through this class.
Because we get to decide what we take as the truth of how we see ourselves.
We hold our own map towards self-love or self-hate & we have the opportunity to guide our own way there.
The whole experience was much more transformative than I'd dare hope, and was exactly what I needed. I wanted it to be this transformative, but figured I'd probably come away disappointed. But these 30 days helped pull together what I've been trying to accomplish in a decade of therapy to heal my body image because it took those concepts of self-love/self-compassion/body neutrality and translated them into an embodied practice.
I can't/won't say I'm totally healed and at peace with myself because I know it's an ongoing journey, with ups and downs, but my word do I feel like I've made enormous strides. I'm still just really astonished. And I'm so so grateful to you, Vivienne.
-Kelsea Habecker
The Course
Be Your Own Beloved is an adventure into exploring self-portraiture as a body acceptance practice We will create space during this month to cultivate self-compassion through self-portraiture!
It is structured as a 30-day photo adventure designed to cultivate self-compassion through the practice of taking self-portraits.
The way the course is structured is gentle but the effects of taking part are powerful! Each activity will take only minutes of your time but you will notice, when we take these little steps each day, they add up to create something pretty powerful during the month as a whole. Not only that, but through the process of taking a self-portrait each day, we begin to re-write the stories that are tied up with our relationship to our self-image.
You can just do the activities (which is more than enough by the way) or you can dig deeper and explore the worksheets and the resource library to support you even more in the process.
While we will be focusing on our own self-compassion adventure, we’ll be doing so in a community space! You will be welcomed with open arms into a beautiful community from around the world.
What you'll need for class:
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A camera of any sort! A DSLR, point and shoot or iPhone are all great options.
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Access to the Course Flickr Group (its not mandatory to participate in the Flickr Group but is a really powerful, enriching experiences so I encourage you to at least come visit the group). This is also where I provide feedback & encouragement on your photos.
How it Works
Your task in taking the Be Your Own Beloved is to check out the self-portrait activity delivered to your inbox and to explore it through your camera. Essentially your task is to just show up in the process. Your inner critic will try to convince you to that your photo needs to be 'perfect' but I'll be there to reassure you that whatever photo you take that day is worthy, wonderful and is enough.
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The rest of the elements of the class are designed to support you in that process.
Daily Self-Portrait activities in your Inbox
30 Activities delivered over the month to your inbox. They come to you, no need to sign in anywhere...the goal being to get you to help you feel inspired to pick up your camera and take your photo of the day!
Community Space to Share Your Photos
A vital element to this process is doing the work in community. We have a private community space on Flickr where we gather each day and share our photos. As you'll find in the testimonials below it is a big part of the magic of the class. I'm there to support you and getting to see everyone walking this journey alongside you is incredibly powerful, inspiring and healing.
Live Community Calls
We have two live community calls during the month. It is a space to ask questions, share how the process is going for you and connect with the community of folks walking this path alongside you.
Resources to Explore
There are additional (and optional) supports for you on your journey including daily worksheets, a video resource library with 10+ videos to explore and a collection of supportive resources I've curated for you!
The Flickr Group was incredibly supportive and loving. I have never used Flickr and had no idea what to expect. The feeling of safety and trust is incredible. People’s willingness to be vulnerable is so compelling – such an honour to be trusted and supported and seen and accepted. Amazing.
-TB
I did not expect all of the support and love that I felt from the other participants. I didn’t know that this would be such a safe place. It was helpful for me to see and hear about other people's struggles, to realize that we all battle the same demons, to understand that I am not alone. It was so powerful to share in everyone’s story, to revel in their bravery and to cheer them on.
-DI
So much beauty shared. I have been absolutely astounded by so much positive energy.
-Deborah
Be Your Own Beloved + Coaching Session
As a companion to your Be Your Own Beloved experience, you can now book a 45 minute Coaching Session with me during your Be Your Own Beloved class. I’ll give you one-one-one support around what might be coming up in the process and help you find more resilience and empowerment around your relationship with photos.
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Cost: $250 CAD (Approx $196 USD)
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You can use the coupon code EARLYBIRDPLUS to get the discount for this option!
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About Vivienne
I’m Vivienne, your guide in this online class. I created Be Your Own Beloved after many years of using the camera as a tool to find my way back from a deep struggle with negative body image and self-hate. The curriculum in this program is derived from the same tools that I used to heal how I saw myself and find my own voice of how I saw myself (outside of my inner critics voice).
I want you to know that when you sign up for Be Your Own Beloved, I’m going to be in this journey with you, cheering you on and leaving supportive comments on your photos. Of course I’m also available to answer any questions that arise. You’ll also see me participating alongside you in class as I believe if I’m asking you to show up in the photo activity, I had better be willing to as well…and there’s always new awakenings that happen for me too). I SO look forward to getting to know you through this class and don’t hesitate to email me if any questions are arising!
FAQ
Here are the most frequently asked questions.
If there’s anything else you’d like to know, please Reach Out
