Reclaiming the Black Body

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.