An essential exploration of the overlooked impact of disordered eating among Black women—and a prescriptive road map to returning to wholeness within our bodies, from the clinical therapist who founded Black and Embodied Counseling and Consulting PLLC
“Lights a radical path away from trauma and blame toward healing, self-acceptance and, ultimately, joy.”—Linda Villarosa, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in America
Food has always been a political tool for the oppressor—and the Black body has always been one of its many battlegrounds.
Licensed mental health therapist, somatic healer, and eating disorder specialist Alishia McCullough understands that for far too many Black women, racial trauma’s seismic impact has disrupted their most essential relationship: the one they have with their bodies—and by extension, with their food. African Americans are disproportionately impacted by disordered eating behaviors, yet their experiences are frequently neglected by doctors and mental health experts. As a result, our most vulnerable communities are forced to navigate systems primed to dismiss their needs, leaving them without proper care, or often even the language they need to identify what’s wrong.
McCullough’s groundbreaking work radically validates the lived experiences and generational traumas of BIPOC communities. As part of a steadily growing movement among clinicians to “decolonize therapy,” her deeply affirming approach seeks to understand disordered eating patterns by examining the psychological wounds left by centuries of racism.
Weaving together crucial history, compelling client stories, guided meditation, journal prompts, and McCullough’s own journey with disordered eating behaviors, Reclaiming the Black Body offers readers a safe space to feel seen—and a powerful pathway to healing. This revealing, potentially life-saving book illuminates the way home, back to the safety and comfort found within our bodies.
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"“Reclaiming the Black Body is a powerful and profound call to not only reclaim but to re-envision Black bodies, Black wellness and Black liberation. Alishia McCullough has done a beautiful job fusing spiritual and ancestral wisdom with stats and stories to support our personal and collective understanding. It both unearthed and illuminated a lot for me on a personal and professional level."
— Rachel Ricketts, bestselling author of Do Better
Alishia McCullough‘s radical approach ignites crucial conversations around eating disorders within Black communities and paves pathways to liberation and self-love. With courage and compassion, she confronts the entrenched systems of oppression surrounding eating disorders while integrating profound wisdom.
— Patricia Duggan, licensed therapist and somatic healerWith Reclaiming the Black Body, Alishia McCullough is helping to usher in a new and critically needed wave of Black liberation; one that centers body-based freedom . . . This book is the essential tool to redeem the Black body in a sustainable way.
— Dr. Mariel Buqué, trauma psychologist and author of Breaking the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational TraumaIn the traditionally conservative landscape of eating disorders Alishia McCullough stands out as a trailblazer . . . The transformative impact of her work is evident, reaching and influencing thousands within the community.
— Gloria Lucas, eating disorder awareness educator and founder of Nalgona Positivity Pride[A] beacon of light . . . Alishia McCullough’s writing provides a sense of grounding and ease unlike any that I’ve experienced, and calls to each one of us interested in transforming the experiences of our bodies. Reclaiming the Black Body is something that everyone needs to access; we will be better as a collective for doing so.
— Jessica Wilson, dietician and author of It’s Always Been Ours: Rewriting the Story of Black Women’s BodiesAlishia McCullough is a healer, thought leader and paradigm shifter. Her work is truly ahead of its time.
— Ilya Parker, educator and founder of the Decolonizing Fitness movement“Reclaiming the Black Body is a powerful and profound call to not only reclaim but re-envision Black bodies, Black wellness and Black liberation. Alishia McCullough has done a beautiful job fusing spiritual and ancestral wisdom with stats and stories to support our personal and collective understanding. It both unearthed & illuminated a lot for me on a personal and professional level.
— Rachel Ricketts, bestselling author of Do BetterReclaiming the Black Body is a beautiful work of art. It validated so many of my lived experiences. It’s informative, refreshing, and a must-read. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
— Chrissy King, author of The Body Liberation ProjectWith Reclaiming the Black Body, Alishia McCullough is helping to usher in a new and critically needed wave of Black liberation; one that centers body-based freedom . . . This book is the essential tool to redeem the Black body in a sustainable way.
— Dr. Mariel Buqué, trauma psychologist and author of Break the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational TraumaAlishia McCullough provides a new vision for exploring eating disorders and their largely unexamined consequences on Black bodies. With depth and a great deal of empathy, Reclaiming the Black Body lights a radical path away from trauma and blame toward healing, self-acceptance and, ultimately, joy.
— Linda Villarosa, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in AmericaA powerful and profound call to not only reclaim but to re-envision Black bodies, Black wellness, and Black liberation. Alishia McCullough has done a beautiful job fusing spiritual and ancestral wisdom with stats and stories to support our personal and collective understanding.
— Rachel Ricketts, bestselling author of Do BetterReclaiming the Black Body is a must-read. Written by a Black woman with us (Black women) at the center, it’s informative, refreshing, and restorative for the soul. It’s a beautiful work of art, and I can’t recommend it enough.
— Chrissy King, author of The Body Liberation Project[A] beacon of light . . . Alishia McCullough’s writing provides a sense of grounding and ease unlike any that I’ve experienced, and calls to each one of us interested in transforming the experiences of our bodies. Reclaiming the Black Body is something that everyone needs to access; we will be better as a collective for doing so.
— Jessica Wilson, author of It’s Always Been Ours: Rewriting the Story of Black Women’s BodiesThis book is the essential tool to redeem the Black body in a sustainable way, a roadmap for an embodied Black liberation that centers us all.
— Dr. Mariel Buqué, author of Break the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational TraumaAlishia McCullough‘s radical approach ignites crucial conversations around eating disorders within Black communities and paves pathways to liberation and self-love. With courage and compassion, she confronts the entrenched systems of oppression surrounding eating disorders while integrating profound wisdom.
— Patricia Duggan, licensed therapist and somatic healerIn the traditionally conservative landscape of eating disorders Alishia McCullough stands out as a trailblazer . . . The transformative impact of her work is evident, reaching and influencing thousands within the community.
— Gloria Lucas, eating disorder awareness educator and founder of Nalgona Positivity PrideAlishia McCullough‘s radical approach ignites crucial conversations around eating disorders within Black communities and paves pathways to liberation and self-love. With courage and compassion, she confronts the entrenched systems of oppression surrounding eating disorders while integrating profound wisdom.
— Patricia Duggan, licensed therapist and somatic healerIn the traditionally conservative landscape of eating disorders Alishia McCullough stands out as a trailblazer . . . The transformative impact of her work is evident, reaching and influencing thousands within the community.
— Gloria Lucas, eating disorder awareness educator and founder of Nalgona Positivity PrideAlishia McCullough is a healer, thought leader and paradigm shifter. Her work is truly ahead of its time.
— Ilya Parker, educator and founder of the Decolonizing Fitness movementInnovative and groundbreaking, Reclaiming the Black Body asks us to consider the ways in which we are disconnected from ourselves and why. Embodiment is a lifelong revolutionary act that requires support and self-compassion. McCullough assures us that it’s worth it, and there is hope and healing ahead.
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