Photo by Naomi Slater
Andrea Koehler, Founder of Any Shape or Form: As a dancer who didn’t dance for 13 years because she didn’t have the "right dancer’s body", the damaging effects of Body Image issues are up close and personal for her. It wasn’t until she was 37 that she came to understand that she did have a "dancer’s body", simply because she loved to dance. Andrea created Any Shape or Form to help people identify and break down the limits they place on themselves because of the image they have of their body and to empower them to rewrite their story about what is possible - who they are, what they can be, what they’re worth, and what they’re truly capable of. This world is better when people do the things they love, that “light them up”. When you are ‘lit up’, you shine. When you shine, others are inspired to shine alongside you – in Any Shape or Form. Andrea and Any Shape or Form provide events and education, 1:1 coaching, speaking and presentations around the topic of Body Image. She is dedicated to people loving themselves unconditionally.
Philosophy: It’s a question of self-worth. It’s a question of knowing that you, as a human, are valuable, worthwhile and important to this world. Period. End of sentence. Body image is one’s perception of self (how we feel about ourselves and our worth) reflected by how we feel about our body and how it fits into social norms.
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Lily Verlaine is one of the original members of The Atomic Bombshells, and has performed as a soloist in Europe, Asia, Australia, Los Angeles, New York, New Zealand, Chicago and at The Portland Art Museum. She is the artistic director behind many successful theatrical events in the Pacific Northwest including the beloved annual holiday event, "Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker."
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After attending an alternative high school in Vermont, Claire enrolled at Brown University. Brown's thriving feminist community offered Claire a new way to think about the world and led directly to her current career. Her studies were focused in both the Gender Studies and Modern Culture and the Media departments. She was also an active member of the campus Women's Center. After college, Claire moved to Seattle to begin work in the publishing field. During that time, she also worked as a researcher, charting the second wave of feminism for a documentary film. It was shortly after this that Claire joined with Rachel Venning and founded Babeland (originally known as Toys in Babeland).
Rachel Venning and Claire Cavanah opened the first Babeland store in Seattle WA, in the Fall of 1993. Their mutual interest in sex-positive feminism inspired them in this joint venture. In 1998, Claire and Rachel were chosen as "Business Women of the Year" by the Greater Seattle Business Association. In 1996, Claire and Rachel presented their first "Sex Toys 101" workshop. This led to followup workshops, and eventually to the publishing of their book Sex Toys 101 in 2003, followed by Moregasm: Babeland's Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex. Rachel and Claire were chosen by Out magazine as one of the greatest gay business success stories of 2003.
Dr. Sonia Borg, Ph.D., MPH, MA, CHt: Helping Individuals and Couples to Have the Best Sex of Their Lives
Dr. Sonia is a sex therapist, hypnotherapist and best selling author.
She has been seen on Discovery Channel and featured in Cosmo, Glamour,
Self, Men's Health, and more. She shares her life changing information
through books, online workshops and as part of a private practice in
Lahaina, Hawaii.
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Jimm Harrison is a master essential oil aromatherapist and beauty science educator, consultant, and author. He teaches courses for CCCE at Bastyr University, writes for national beauty magazines, speaks at National and International trade conferences and is a natural beauty and fragrance consultant for spa and product formulation.
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Kim Anami is a sex and relationship coach. Explore her bodacious retreats, e-courses and 1+1 offerings at: www.kimanami.com