Transforming the toxic narratives around bodies, weight and health into a reality of love and justice, starts here.

Our course offers essential knowledge and tools to combat body shame and oppression, and will give you the confidence to activate change from within, and build a more inclusive world for us all.

Does this sound familiar?

 You've been trying to lose weight and "get in shape" for years and nothing works no matter how hard you try, right? You're wondering, "what is wrong with me?" and comparing yourself to others who seemingly have it all together– the "perfect" body, the "healthy" routines, the flawless relationships. You beat yourself up for not being able to just "get it together" and buckle down on eating "clean", exercising daily and making "wellness" a priority. You wonder, "Why is this so hard for me? There must be something broken within me."

And even if you're not consciously bought into the idea that losing weight will make your life better, there's this belief that feels stuck inside your body that being smaller will make you better– more loved, beautiful, worthy, successful.

You think, "If I can just stick to that diet, that fitness program, engage in all the right wellness culture protocols, I will be good enough, I will feel better, I will be worthy of love and respect."

But you’ve been there, you’ve bought in, and you still don’t feel better, in fact you probably feel worse– empty, disconnected, alone, not enough, tired and perhaps unwell. You’re ready to get off the hamster wheel, but you’re not sure where to begin, because everywhere you turn, diet culture and anti-fat messaging are there, trying to pull you back in.

Without the knowledge, resources and support to ground into, it’s difficult to stay connected to what you want to believe, which is: you are worthy, loved, seen and respected at any size, in any body.

Path to Repair is for anyone who is:

⪼ Feeling consumed by thoughts about eating or not eating food, body image, and general shame about not being good enough

⪼ Stuck in all or nothing thinking, “if I already had the cookie I might as well eat whatever I want and start over tomorrow"

⪼Feeling burnt out by dieting and looking for something different, but not sure where or how to start

⪼ Needing guidance and structure for how to ditch old food and negative body patterns, so they can heal from diet culture, body shame and food obsession

⪼ Finding themselves stressed in the morning and can't get out of the house on time because of appearance anxiety– having a bad hair day, feeling like nothing looks good on their body, makeup/skincare routine takes a long time

⪼ Struggling to limit exercise– not able to rest, having persistent thoughts of "I should be working out more," or "I need to earn my food"

Obsessing over numbers with regards to food, weight and exercise

⪼ Promising themselves they’ll "be good" at the birthday party but find themselves obsessing over the dessert table instead of enjoying the event

⪼ Avoiding activities they enjoy because of fears about how they look; e.g. dance class, the beach, swimming, sports, or being in photos

Ready to stop spending precious time and money on unhelpful and unnecessary solutions or quick fixes

 

Pause, breathe & imagine what it would feel like to…

  • Show up to a dinner date feeling fully present, confident and worthy of taking up space

  • Look in the mirror and smile back at yourself instead of picking your body apart

  • Set boundaries and stand up to Aunt Karen's “you probably shouldn’t be eating that" comment at this year's holiday party

  • Make dinner based on your cravings and body cues, versus what you think you "should" or "shouldn't" eat

  • Move your body in ways that feel nourishing and liberating, rather than punishing

  • Feel confident to speak out about the harms of dieting, eating disorders and our culture’s appearance ideals, and strengthen your voice to spread awareness about the freedom and joy that is available to us when we choose liberation

  • Free up the mental space to finally pursue your passions– the things that light you up!

  • Heal the wounds keeping you stuck in a negative relationship with your body, and break the generational pain so that your children (or those closest to you) don't take on your struggles with food and body

 
 

Here's what you get when you embark on the Path to Repair:

⪼ 6+ hours of pre-recorded audio and video interviews with experts within the fields of body liberation, social justice, eating disorder care and prevention and more, with space for critical thinking + reflection. Closed captioning provided.

⪼ 5 fundamental lessons, including visual and audio presentation, built to take you through the core knowledge and steps necessary to move from body oppression to body liberation

Embodiment practices such as body-centered meditations, breathing techniques and self-regulation skills, meant to help you deepen your learning, healing and integration of the course work.

Worksheets that correspond to the lessons, so that you can easily implement what you're learning and take action that aligns with your personal healing goals

⪼ Invitation to our private Slack community, where you’ll be able to connect with other folks in this space to share resources and ideas, gain and offer support, and ask our team questions throughout your journey!

 
 

The course is open for enrollment! You can start any time, and work through it at your own pace.

Scholarship spots are available for folks who need a little extra love and support to enroll in the course.
Priority will be given to those who identify as fat, Black, indigenous, a person of color, queer, disabled, trans, or any others with marginalized identities.
Inquire with our team here.

Here's how some other folks have been forever changed by the course:

What makes our team special:

⪼ We’ve got a combined 20+ years of experience working in the field of eating disorder prevention and support.

⪼ We deeply believe that if we want to build a world where people are free from eating disorders, then we need to unlearn and un-do all of the ways in which our culture perpetuates anti-fatness and body shame.

⪼ We endeavor to bring a justice lens to all that we do. We don’t promise to always get it right, but we do promise to always remain humble, curious, accountable and open to feedback and invitations to do better.

⪼ We’ve got our own stories of healing, growth and recovery, so we know first hand how difficult it can be to do it alone (the good news is, you don’t have to– now you’ve got us!)

Holli Zehring, Chief Executive Officer

My journey from an eating disorder survivor to CEO has been filled with ups and downs, failures and setbacks, and so much learning. The eating disorder made it appear as though I was trying to shrink my physical self, but in reality I was living small.

When I left treatment and went back home, I started experiencing symptoms again and I felt so alone. There was one support group in town and it was not very helpful. When my mom asked me what I needed to continue to recover, I told her I wanted a place to go that people understood what I was going through and could find community. This was how our non-profit, Ophelia's Place, was born.

I have led countless support groups, answered calls from loved ones and people looking for help, and presented on eating disorders, diet culture and body image in conferences and classrooms. I am a certified Enneagram coach, in the process of getting my trauma and resiliency life coaching certification, and I have learned just as much, if not more, from the thousands of people who bravely share their most intimate stories and pain with me.  

Holly Lowery Davis, Chief Operations Officer

I grew up thinking that in order to be "healthy" and beautiful, I had to be thin. The reality is that the smaller I got, the more social currency I had– from feeling like I belonged to receiving attention from peers and partners. I could sense that as I shrank, my social worth grew. ⁠

However, as I continued down the slippery slope of dieting → disordered eating, my happiness, connection, relationships, dreams, and sense of self also shrank. It wasn't until I woke up to all of these cultural narratives I was buying into, and the harms they were causing myself and others, that I was able to start breaking free from them. ⁠

That's what led me to this work. I've coached dozens of clients in recovery from their own eating disorders and body image struggles, presented these issues to doctors, therapists, psychiatrists, teachers, nurses, coaches and more since 2017, and led over 150 support groups for folks in recovery and their families.

 
  • The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.

  • How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

  • Because most of the course requirements can be completed on your own time, it's pretty flexible. We've estimated the following: 5x lesson presentations: 1 hr each (5 hours); worksheets and embodiment practices that correspond with the lessons: 1 hr each (5 hours); Listening/ watching the expert interviews and completing the discussion questions: 1.5 hrs each (8-10 hours). All of these components together total approximately 20 hours.

  • We are unable to offer refunds for this course, as once you have access all materials are available for life. This applies to all payment options.

  • While we don't have a concrete age requirement, we do suggest that the course is best suited for those 18+. Of course, younger folks who have a passion for this work and feel ready to dive deep into these materials are always welcome. Regardless of age, we suggest making sure you have a solid community of support to reach out to, if and when the course materials end up bringing up some discomfort.

  • While there is no one-size-fits-all way to know if you're ready for this course content, we do recommend that students be in a place in recovery where they are: (1) supported with a safe community/ network of folks who can offer help if something within the course is triggering (2) resourced with some self-regulation skills to be able to move through any anxiety or uncomfortable feelings that may arise Please do not hesitate to reach out to our team for more support and tools along the way if you are feeling like you need more support. Email us at director@opheliasplace.org

  • Yes, absolutely! Providers who've taken the course have said that it has increased their understanding of the patient experience, and the nuances of eating disorders and body oppression. The elements of this course help build a solid foundation of understanding around core concepts like Health at Every Size, letting go of weight as a determinant for health, deconstructing weight bias and understanding the socio-cultural factors that can contribute to eating disorders and disordered eating. Please note however, that this is a starting point; it is not a substitution for accredited training in the treatment of eating disorders.

  • 1000% yes! We love that you’re looking for ways to better understand and support your loved one through healing.

 
Get going on the Path to Repair

A life of food freedom and body appreciation awaits.

ummmm, yes–
you are worthy of this investment in yourself.

 

Have questions about the course?! We’ve got answers.

Send us a quick message & our team will be in touch 😊