About Me Ali C - Ali Culliford Health

About me

My Story

I struggled with body image distress and disordered eating for almost 20 years.

I defined myself by my body. I created a ton of food rules about what and when to eat and I planned my life around exercise. Over time I became numb. I stopped feeling hunger and stopped feeling strong emotions. I developed osteopenia, experienced stress fractures, and lost my period.

What did I really want? It had nothing to do with my body. I wanted acceptance, safety, and comfort. I wanted to feel capable and good. What did I really need? I needed to be able to trust myself and trust my body. I needed to understand that my body did not define me. I needed to sit with myself long enough to understand my own thoughts, beliefs, and values.

Fast forward to today….I have three daughters. They deserve to feel confident in who they are, and I get to show them what that looks like.

So many of us struggle with self-confidence from a young age. For some (like me) this translates into eating issues, and for many others it shows up differently. Your kid has story. I want to hear it.

Confidence isn't about feeling good all the time. Confidence is trusting yourself (and your body) even when you don't."

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My Mission

I empower kids to trust themselves and to trust their bodies – which to me is the very definition of confidence. I teach them to be able to sit with emotions, to trust that their emotions are valid, and to use their emotions as information. Self-trust leads to resilience, informed choices, self-advocacy, and greater health outcomes.

I guide kids to think critically about the food and body messages they are picking up all around them. When kids can identify these messages and call them out, we can begin to dismantle diet culture one household at a time.

I support parents with the tricky conversations surrounding bodies, food, puberty, and health. I help parents get in touch with their values, lead with intention, and break cycles of intergenerational struggles.

ABOUT ME

Integrative Health Coach

I’m Ali Culliford. I live in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina with my husband, our three daughters, two dogs, and lots of plants.

I have a master’s degree in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University and earned my teaching certification and bachelor’s degree in human development from Connecticut College. I was an elementary school teacher and tutor for over ten years. I earned my health coach certification from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Guided by my training and my personal experiences, I help kids + parents feel secure in who they are.

My Approach

A Look Inside Coaching Sessions

Getting Started

We’ll look at what’s already working and what’s going well. Then we’ll shift towards what’s not working or what’s missing.

Zooming In

We'll gently dig below the surface to see what's underneath. We'll identify areas to explore and learn to sit in this space.

Taking Steps

We’ll work together to create an individualized plan for your child and/or family. We'll discuss tools and strategies and outline helpful resources.

Transformation

We'll monitor progress and troubleshoot along the way. We'll identify areas of growth and build a relationship of continued support.

getting started
Choosing the Right Services
What to expect

If your child constantly thinks about their appearance, criticizes specific body parts, holds stress around exercise, feels guilt, shame, or rigidity with food, compares themselves to others, defines themselves by their size, and/or struggles to navigate social media in a healthy way - these are your signs. They deserve better.

A Discovery Call is a free 30 minute zoom call. We’ll get to know each other and see if I might be a good fit for you and your child. There is no commitment. Book HERE.

We will become a team with your child's best interest at heart. I'll offer practical, actionable strategies to help you navigate bumps in the road as you work towards your parenting goals and desired outcomes.

When you're ready, I'll guide you to explore your own behaviors, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs - and investigate how these may be impacting your child.

Welcome! The first step is scheduling a free Discovery Call. You can do that HERE.

I work with kids and parents. I can do one-to-one sessions or family sessions.

One-on-one sessions are a great way to take a closer look at what is going on with one person. This is a great choice for moms, dads, and kids who could benefit from individualized sessions. We’ll explore your relationship with your body (and your relationship with food if relevant). We’ll identify what’s already working and what’s not, and we’ll figure out how to get you feeling better.

Family sessions are a great choice for families who want to learn how to support each other with body image work, struggle with body and/or food issues as a family system, and/or need to get on the same page when it comes to beliefs about bodies in general.

Yes! You can sign up for both at once, or you can shift from one to the other over time.

I offer virtual sessions and workshops. Local clients often have the option to schedule in-person sessions.

I am qualified to help with both. If what you need is beyond my scope, I will help you find the help you need.

You can expect to feel like you’re growing as a parent. You can expect to feel closer as a family. You can expect your child to feel more secure in their body, trusting of their emotions, and clear about who are they are.

That’s up to you! You might choose to take all of your knowledge and tools and go on your way. Or you might choose to work together some more. We can decide that later.

Yes. I’m happy to offer multiple payment options. You can see more information on my services page.

Let's GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Schedule a Free Consultation

Consultations are complimentary and non committal. I would love to hear from you if you are interested in coaching sessions, want more info about an upcoming workshop, or just want to talk.