Meet Niashay Whitaker, LMHCA

Niashay Whitaker, LMHCA

At Sunrise Nutrition, we recognize that a large barrier to communities of color seeking food and body care is the lack of representation in the field. In an effort to make health care more accessible and to put black, indigenous and POC voices in the forefront, we will be featuring healers of color who believe strongly in the power of Health of Every Size. Today, we are featuring Niashay Whitaker, who practices in Tacoma. Read on about her personal journey with her body and how HAES has helped:

Please introduce yourself and share with us the therapeutic work you enjoy doing. What drew you to Health at Every Size and body inclusivity/diversity? 

Hello my name is Niashay Whitaker and I am a licensed therapist working in the Tacoma area. I enjoy social justice orientated, holistic work. Growing up as a black women in Seattle in all predominately white schools I received a lot of comparison and body shaming. I fell victim to diet culture and hated every minute of it. I began doing my own work to heal the relationship I had with my body and found my niche working with Eating Disorders. My therapeutic work grew my understanding of HAES and body diversity. I learned that often times people see health one way, which leads to further body stigmatization. 

What are some tips for people who are new to HAES messaging? 

My tips for people who are new to HAES is to do your own work to address your weight stigma or fat phobia. Explore the messages you have received about body size and what you have internalized. 

When not being an amazing healer, what do you like to do in your free time? 

In my free time I love to hang out with my amazing kid and husband.