Being the Resource I Needed When I Started My Unmasking/Deconstructing Journey a Few Years Ago

Let me explain.

I know what it’s like to struggle to eat food, to move my body, or to be “motivated”.

I know what it’s like to know what to do for yourself but not have the ability to do it.

And I know the neurological and physiological differences for those of us who are autistic, adhd, traumatized, etc. impact every aspect of our daily lives.

So I also know how harmful so much of the “health and wellness” industry is because of this lack of nuance and understanding.

That’s why I’m here; to help you filter out the bs and feel better- brain, bautie, and soul.

I started my TikTok account in the middle of an undiagnosed autistic burnout, no idea where I was going.

Now that I’m out of burnout and see how things have fit together and where I can make an actual difference in how people feel each day, my path is clear.

I’ve shied away from talking about certain aspects of my profession, especially nutrition, for fear of triggering anyone while simultaneous getting triggered myself from seeing the misinformation about nutrition and the physiology of audhd folks.

When I just wanted to feel better, I listened to so many people who seemed confident in what they were saying but had other agendas or were simply mis or under-informed.

The things I tried, combined with their advice, usually made me feel worse - physically and mentally.

I had to become a certified coach a trainer to read between lines and get the truth. To get the “whys”.

And you deserve access to the truth, too even when that’s not popular.

As a certified personal trainer, I’m a trained professional for muscles and movement.

As a certified health coach, I’m a trained professional for managing stress and wellbeing through “lifestyle” meaning I’m also trained in general physiological needs like nutrition, sleep, the body’s stress response, and how to help manage various chronic diseases and illnesses like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain, through these existing needs.

And because of these credentials, I’m also bound by a code of ethics and confined to my scope of practice – staying in my own lane, so to speak.

There are many facets of coaching and training that do not translate to neurodivergent folks, and I eliminate or adjust those to better work for us. As an example, executive functioning is not known or talked about; therefore, most coaches won’t understand the difference between executive dysfunction and “lack of motivation,” which is already an awful place to start. Factor in trauma and the way that impacts the brain, and it isn’t as straight-forward as the message I’m taught to spread. But I get that, and so I don’t spread that message.

And last, this is not to be elitist, but I have been really nervous about increased distrust for science, evidence, and credentialed professionals. There’s a big difference between opinion and active research versus solidified facts and evidence, and they shouldn’t be passed off as the same things.

Discernment shouldn’t be so difficult in these spaces, but that’s just where we are.

Speaking of discernment, things that grind my gears… the nervous system doesn’t suddenly get “regulated” and we move on – it’s constantly in flux and learning how to balance it is a personal process that involves understanding the physiology of stress and stress hormones, your personal triggers, etc.

Also, the body isn’t guaranteed to immediately release years of trauma from one stretch in the psoas muscle. Somatic release helps, but is one part of healing, especially if you’re disconnected from your internal and don’t even know what you’re releasing.

Okay I’m going to stop… for now but you get it.

Basically, I want you to know you have a trusted resource for movement, nutrition, and stress management; a place where you know you can get safe, evidence-based information without hidden agendas, triggering language, or trendy tidbits that lack the nuance to truly help.

Stay regulated,

Shauna