Consent

Boudoir can be a setting that can allow you to explore your sexuality and reclaim your power if  someone tried to take that from you. Trauma can hurt your sense of self-worth. But you are not damaged; you are resilient and capable of healing. Your boudoir shoot  is a place to feel safe, seen, and heard. 

Sometimes, life does not give us space to hold the trauma we have experienced. It becomes up to us to create that space. Trauma often holds us back from fully accepting ourselves. And while a boudoir session is not a magical fix that will heal years worth of trauma with a few hours in the studio, it can be a part of that journey back to getting in touch with your whole, true self and rediscovering who are outside of your trauma.

We often call these places of profound emotional expression, these opportunities to facilitate a new type of healing, a “safe space“. And it is. You will be respected and empowered, and your autonomy will be prioritized. But a better name might be “brave space“. It takes courage to be vulnerable, and to move through those moments of exposure in a new way. It takes a huge amount of bravery to feel safe and worthy enough to try this new thing. You are taking a step forward, listening to the emotions you are experiencing, and writing a new story about yourself.

Our trauma response is often to shut down our vulnerability and avoid it at all costs. Boudoir can involve intimate or revealing poses, which can trigger emotions. You will be emotionally supported through your experience. You are in control. In this environment, you are given a way to use your voice. Your needs and desires are respected and honored. You will not only be asked for consent and how you are feeling every step of the way, but you will also be supported and encouraged to clearly express yourself.

Through this process, you will be able to release fears and build a sense of security. You will be empowered to work through whatever thoughts and feelings come up in a controlled environment. This time of healing is fragile and sacred, and being in a welcoming and inclusive space where communication and consent are valued is powerful. 

You deserve to fall in love with yourself, whether again or for the first time. Your appearance has nothing to do with your value, but it can be enlightening to see yourself through the lens of a camera and understand that even the parts of you that have hurt in some way are beautiful. They are beautiful in their imperfect strength and incredible resilience. 

Your beauty is inherent. Whatever you have been through, perhaps it began to dim your light. You may feel like an echo of your true self. Through capturing your essence, and allowing self expression and art to fulfill their capacity to heal, you can begin to see your inner light again after a dark time. Let your light shine.