The Story of You.

Content Warning: These stories contain mentions of body dysmorphia, body image struggles, and gendered violence. If you find any of the below triggering, please find a list of helpful and free resources below:

DV/SV: 1800 RESPECT

Mental Health: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues: Butterfly Foundation 1800 ED HOPE

The beautiful Rebecca, embodies this journey of self-discovery and healing, she is someone who when you meet you feel like you’ve known her for years - she radiates light and warmth but underneath there was a lot of pain. She told us “I want to see myself and feel proud of my body”.

Rebecca has struggled with body image issues for most of her life, constantly feeling different to her family and friends, suffering with heartbreaking fertility issues, fluctuating in weight due to medications and having to put on a front around others to hide the pain she was in. These experiences left her feeling as if her body had betrayed her, and that she was broken and unworthy.

When Rebecca came to our studio, her vulnerability was immediately apparent and she spoke candidly about her past experiences, her hopes for the photoshoot and her desire to see herself through kinder eyes and her openness revealed the depth of her emotional burden, rooted in her painful experiences.

Upon viewing her images, she was unsure at first and was quick to discount images. However, as the session progressed, she began to embrace the process and we could see something in her brain switch. This shift was a beautiful evolution, as Rebecca started to see herself in a different light, moving away from self-doubt and criticism. The viewing session was a profound moment for Rebecca. When she saw her photos, she was in complete awe. For the first time, she looked at images of herself without focusing on imperfections. Instead, she saw a beautiful, strong woman, reminiscent of how she felt on her wedding day. This experience fundamentally changed how Rebecca viewed her body, transforming her self-perception and boosting her confidence. She told us “all I saw was this goddess of a woman and I’ve never ever thought of myself that way”.

Thank you so much to Rebecca for trusting us with your incredible heart and body, we are constantly blown away by the profound stories of body journeys and reclamation from the people we meet here at Crooked. It is so important to constantly keep working to challenge the narratives that have burdened so many of us, and empower women and non-binary folk to see themselves through a kinder lens and paving the way for future generations to grow up in a world where beauty is defined by diversity and authenticity.