Women Branching Out: Lisa Claudia Briggs
Very happy to have Lisa Claudia Briggs of Intuitive Body here with us today.
Lisa helps empathic intuitive women lose weight of all kinds and learn to live beautifully in their bodies. Her approach is medical-meets-mystical and brings in both her background and training in Psychology/Clinical Social Work and her training with shamans and Chinese medicine masters.
You can learn more about Lisa and how she works by signing up for a complimentary copy of her e-book “The IntuitiveBody Beautiful 21-Day Turnaround” here. The e-book includes 21 days of simple sacred rituals for living beautifully in your body.
Here’s Lisa …
Tell us about you and your business. Who do you love to serve and why?
What I really love is working with women who are ready to leave a very specific “season” of their life, or a specific identity … sometimes they know what it is and sometimes they don’t. But they feel the rumblings and even if they are uncomfortable or in pain, they also have a sense of excitement once they catch the scent of where they might be able to go. I love to launch them into the next phase.
I was trained very clinically as a licensed psychotherapist 25 years ago. But in the last 10 years I’ve worked to develop my intuitive, clairvoyant and energy healing skills. So Intuitive Body is a hybrid of all of those pieces. The mystical-meets-the practical. Women typically find me when they feel disconnected from their bodies … around weight or eating, or wanting a more loving relationship with their body.
But the body issues are just the gateway … it’s what gets their attention and moves them towards a bigger identity shift. It’s the best work I could imagine, still after 25 years.
You provide a lot of advice on your blog to help empathetic and highly sensitive folks stay grounded. How does being sensitive or intuitive play into emotional eating?
I believe that when you are a sensitive/empath or an intuitive, it means that you feel everything deeply. You feel your own emotional ebbs and flows plus you feel what everyone around you is feeling. That’s a gift and a curse.
Being that “open” can mean you feel bombarded by emotional energy, a lot of the time. And you may not even be aware of it. You may not realize that when you’re in a bad mood that you may have “caught it” from somebody else.
For women like us (I fit in this group), eating more or weighing more can both help to make one feel more “solid” and not so vulnerable to outside energies, but can also be a way of soothing when somebody is in empathy overwhelm. When you’re feeling all of this stuff, it’s too intense. It’s too much, and eating can be a way of managing it.
Learning how to stay grounded, “in your body” helps to prevent taking on the emotional energy of other people without using food or weight. Learning to be aware of how one is sensitive and how to create better energetic and emotional boundaries is really helpful … for everyone- being on the internet, social media … we all pick up and absorb so much energy and it’s very draining.
You say that finding a way clear of an eating disorder is like a personal “soul-call” or fire-walk. What do you mean?
When somebody is ready to let go of long-held ways of being in relationships, of coping with difficult emotions, of how and what they say “yes” or “no” to, all of these things are enormously challenging. Eating-related issues are very much about learning how to navigate relationships differently, to create new boundaries. To take care of yourself differently … maybe to stop giving so much, to people please less.
Somebody who is giving up old ways of eating and being in their body needs new ways of dealing with all of the feelings that are going to come up. And … create new rituals of loving self-care, including what to eat.
I think of it as a firewalk or soul call because any and all of these things will ask you to face old fears … and really show up … to learn to be seen and heard, in ways that have been avoided until now.
Doing this work requires great courage and a trusting, loving relationship to guide you through. Guiding somebody through this kind of walk is a beautiful experience and deeply moving for me personally and professionally.
You have degrees in Psychology and Clinical Social Work and have trained with shamans and the Chinese medicine masters. How have those experiences influenced how you approach the work you do with women today?
I am very lucky. Hugely blessed to have had the training I’ve had and the mentors who have loved and taught me so much. What I know is that this work is not science, it’s art. It’s a little of this and a little of that. It’s a bit of a concoction and the art of it is finding what each person most needs at each moment in time. I’ve trained with people from the most humble (and gifted) to the most flamboyant … and it’s all added to the pot. I love to learn, love to watch those who really know something. Few things light me up as much as being around that kind of bright light.
When someone comes to work with you for the first time what can they expect?
I believe they can expect that even when they are feeling not particularly bright and shiny, that I will quickly see their beauty and their gifts. What I really love in an initial session, is being able to give somebody something … a perspective, a view of themselves that nobody has shown them before. It’s not about slapping a happy-face on it, but I can always see a piece of where they are going, what their strength and particular beauty is. They can expect to feel hope and some creative possibilities starting to bubble.
What changes have you seen in the lives of your clients when they start to change their relationship with their bodies?
This question brings up a lot of emotion for me. I’ve seen so much, things I didn’t really expect to see. Women who conceived after several miscarriages. Big changes in careers. More love … partnerships, marriages, babies, healing with families of origin.
The ability to ask for what they want, what they need, what they expect … in balanced ways. In ways that all of their relationships evolved and became more respectful … people saw them differently. I’ve seen illnesses heal … what looked like autoimmune diseases clear up when food changes were made. I’ve seen women go from feeling like horrible guilty mothers, to strong loving parents whose kids reconnected with them in beautiful ways. And I’ve seen women leave painful relationships when it was time, when they knew they wanted something better. I’ve seen women say goodbye to friendships that could not support them in healthy ways.
I’ve seen women stop hating their bodies, stop hurting and punishing their bodies, lose the weight they wanted to, gain the weight they wanted, and to lose what felt like the most shameful secrets in the world. I’ve seen freedom.
What are most empowering aspects of having your own business?
I was raised by generations of entrepreneurs, including my mom. My youngest son is graduating high school, my oldest son is entering his last year of college and I am grateful that I could be home for them every day. And that I have had so much freedom, not just with time, but to change my work as I learned new things and wanted to bring in new pieces. To be able to now work globally … most of my clients are via Skype and to be able to have that kind of reach … is so powerful. And to know that I have shown my sons that if they choose they can do it their own way someday too.
Finish this sentence. I believe …
that women have so much beauty, so much love and wisdom, so much heart and that finding ways to have full access to our Divine Identity … is worth everything.
Lisa Claudia Briggs, MSW is the founder of IntuitiveBody.com and a devoted Mentor, Intuitive, and Psycho-spiritual therapist for talented beautiful women who feel things deeply. Using her unique medical-meets-mystical approach, Lisa loves helping women lose ALL kinds of weight. Known for a high success rate, Lisa’s Intuitive Body approach allows her clients to find simple, sacred solutions to live more beautifully in their bodies and relationships while learning to trust their intuitive wisdom. Lisa wrote “Recovering Beauty”, a home-study retreat, to share everything she knew about weight loss and body acceptance for empathic intuitive women. Her Intuitive Body blog was named “Top 50 Emotional Eating Blogs” in 2012. She has been in practice for 25 years and lives in Massachusetts with her husband, teenage sons, and varying numbers of small terriers. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Sign up for a complimentary copy of her ebook “The IntuitiveBody Beautiful 21-Day Turnaround” here.
“…create new rituals of loving self-care, including what to eat.” This statement rocked my world. I am thinking now what kind of rituals of self care can I create for me and in the kitchen. Lisa’s work is so important because we all get to look deeper into the why we feel what we feel and how we can transform that deep feelings in a way that will empower us. Thank you for this interview. Awesome
Hi..rituals are exactly where the transformation can occur! They let us create little anchors during the day to keep us “in” our body, vs getting swirled around in others’ energies, our own thoughts or overwhelm and keep us grounded in ways that let us create what feels best.. everywhere! So glad you liked the interview and hope you got the freebie b/c it’s filled with rituals and 21 ideas for ways to love yourself up that I think you’ll like.. xox Lisa
Great interview, Lisa’s warm and loving personality shone all the way through. Thanks for bringing her here. I can relate to this concept because I’m a “mild empath” (if there’s such a word lol) and feel everything so personally that food really helps to absorb it all. Or, more precisely, I use food to absorb it all… Very interesting approach, a lot of food for thought here!
Hi Andrea.. there is definitely an empath-contiuum (or if not I just created one) so even if you are on the “mild” end..and find yourself taking things personally and using food to change the way it “hits” your energy/emotional self…this perspective can help. Please let me know if I can answer any questions.. xox Lisa
Thanks Lisa. What would be your one very best approach to change from using food as “defense system”? So if I were to sit down today feeling exasparated of everything I absorbed and just want to get my energy up, how can I change from food to something else?
– Andrea
hi Andrea.. that’s a big question.. but one thing you can try (and there is a lot more in both the complimentary ebook The 21-Day Turnaround plus my Ebook, Recovering Beauty for sale on my site, is to use journaling as a way to move emotion and energy out of your body..
Love and blessings..
Beautiful post! I love and respect the work that Lisa does. Weight can be a layer of protection build around past wounds, fears and beliefs. Understanding those and the energy blockages is key for shedding that layer of protection – just manifested into weight.
I stay grounded by practicing daily meditation, deep breathing when in the “swirl” and often just removing myself from the energy when it is too much. Awareness of my own energy is key and trying not to absorb the others. Loved this!
Pam.. these are all great ways to stay present and not take on the “weight” of the world, or absorb energy of others.. the drama, the free floating stuff that we are around all the time. Daily practices .. what I call the Daily Essentials.. are key..
Love,
Lisa
I love this concept of being grounded in yourself and acceptance to lose weight. Lately, I have been rethinking of why I wanted to get in shape. And really it truly does have less to do with food and action and more behind the why. I applaud Lisa for her work.
I love that you incorporate energy dynamics into your teachings. I’ve been working very intensively with a spiritual teacher and energy healer for the past 6.5 years and I’m just starting to be able to recognize when a way that I feel isn’t actually me at all, but rather energy or a being I’ve taken on. I can’t think of anything more fascinating that coming into recognition of who we truly are! I really enjoyed this interview!
so glad, thanks Emily.. being able to discern what is and isn’t “us”.. is big and allows you to really make choices to protect and stay in what is you, or to make adjustments at the source.. much easier than taking others’ energies on or trying to change them..
Love, Lisa
I liked that line..”do you want to lose weight like crazy”….That would be a good book title. I can tell that you take your work very personally and are heavily invested in your clients. Thanks for another great share Christie.
Funny.. didn’t know I even said that.. probably would be a good book title.. filing away for later..I do take the work personally although keep my agenda out of the way for my clients.. only want for anyone I work with to have a more expanded sense of choice.. to not be bound to choices and relationships and ongoing habits that just ain’t working..
love, Lisa
Dear Christie,
Thank you for bringing us Lisa ! I love this article, as an intuitive, there are so many great nuggets of wisdom here, I especially love Lisa’s work in bringing out the light and gifts in her clients. So so important to have gifts of light and healing reflected back to those to provide healing. Thank you!
Christie, thank you for this great post! As a recovered anorexic/bulimic and an intuitive, I understand how challenging it is to create these new boundaries, heal and become whole. I stay grounded through guided visualizations i create where i anchor myself to the earth…like feeling roots from the soles of the feet going deep into Mother Earth. Seems to really help me a lot in staying grounded.
So glad for you, Belinda.. and yes, grounding with roots into the Earth are one way I also recommend in work with clients.. bringing the energy of Mother Earth back up the roots up the legs and into your body/energy helps also! Staying grounded is big big big.. you are totally right. xox
Beautiful, fascinating interview with an amazing woman!! I really enjoyed this very much–Lisa does SUCH incredible work, and it was great to read more about her and her background!! I especially resonated with, “I believe they can expect that even when they are feeling not particularly bright and shiny, that I will quickly see their beauty and their gifts.” It is soooo vital to work with someone who can see all the “bright and shiny” that you insist isn’t there! And these transformations really are like fire-walking, I think that is so cool to see it that way because it takes so much courage to shift eating disorders; it is indeed like reprogramming a relationship. Thank you for this Christie!! And three cheers for the beautiful, magical Lisa!
Eyenie.. you are a love.. thank you for all of this..really grateful for your generous support.. and you know I love you and your gifts right back… xox
I love learning more about Lisa and her work.
I love this line: I believe they can expect that even when they are feeling not particularly bright and shiny, that I will quickly see their beauty and their gifts.
What a gift Lisa is!
Tracey.. thank you.. It’s so helpful to know what people relate to.. but I think for any of us who have experienced moments or long stretches of NOT feeling bright and shiny.. having a sacred space and loving eyes, is a gift. And providing that is the big turnaround.. the space where things can really happen and all of the fancy techniques can become so powerful.
Love to you,
I am a big fan of Lisa’s work. I love her approach and the way she blends all of her learning into a unique gift that she offers to all of us.
Thanks for the lovely post and the opportunity to learn more about her.
Leah.. thank you.. love to you .. xox
‘Hi Christie- Loved learning more about Lisa and her work:-) Enough said:-) “I believe that women have so much beauty, so much love and wisdom, so much heart and that finding ways to have full access to our Divine Identity is worth everything.” I mentally cleanse my energy throughout the day. Very much enjoyed this post! xo Dana
Hi Dana.. love knowing that you are already doing something that keeps you clear and “clean”.. makes such a difference as you already know.
Love and thanks, Lisa
Imagine my happy surprise to find one of my favorite businesspeople here! The very first time I interacted with Lisa, she immediately saw the “bright and shiny” where I saw none (and wasn’t even looking for it). She truly has a gift that amazes me every time we connect. Your interviews, Christie, are so insightful and wise — I look forward to reading every single one.