Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabelle “Izzy” Atkinson.
Hi Isabelle “Izzy”, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
If there’s one theme that’s followed me throughout my life, it’s the power of using my voice.
As a little girl, I loved singing. In college, I studied broadcast journalism because I was drawn to storytelling — to using words to make people feel something. What I didn’t realize then was that my voice would eventually become the foundation of my life’s work : helping others feel seen, heard, and connected to themselves.
But my path here wasn’t linear. For years, I struggled silently with body dysmorphia and disordered eating. On the outside, I looked confident and strong — people often told me they admired my body — but behind closed doors, I felt small and unworthy. In my early twenties, I decided to tell the truth. I wrote a vulnerable post on Instagram, admitting that despite how things looked, I didn’t love my body. That one act of honesty changed everything. It opened the door to my purpose.
From there, I began hosting women’s circles in Boston — intimate gatherings centered around body image, relationships, and grief. These spaces became sacred — a place where women could share openly, release shame, and leave feeling seen and empowered. I also became involved with The Soul Project, a nonprofit that empowers women and girls, where I later served as President for several years.
At the same time, I became a personal trainer, specializing in working with women healing from eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and disordered relationships with food and exercise. I created The BodyLoveSoul Method, a coaching program designed to help women reconnect to their bodies, rewrite their self-narratives, and find strength through compassion rather than punishment. Over the years, I’ve guided dozens of women through that program — helping them transform not just their bodies, but their relationship with themselves. That work remains one of the deepest honors of my career.
Parallel to my wellness work, I also spent years in corporate America, where I began noticing a gap in leadership — the lack of humanity, empathy, and understanding in how leaders supported their teams. I decided to change that. I pitched and developed The Empowerment Project, a leadership program within my firm, where I coached dozens of colleagues over two years to communicate more effectively, set boundaries, and lead from authenticity and compassion. That experience confirmed my belief that healing and leadership are deeply connected, and that growth in one creates growth in the other.
In 2023, I launched my podcast, Make It Make Sense with Izzy, as another way to use my voice — this time to share my personal stories and lessons, helping others feel less alone in theirs.
A little over a year ago, I followed my intuition and moved to San Diego. I didn’t know exactly why — I just had a deep feeling that my expansion was here. What I didn’t expect was how much I’d have to lose in the process. During that transition, I went through heartbreak, major health challenges, trauma, and an unexpected career reset. I arrived with almost nothing, unsure of who I was. But I kept showing up — to events, to new spaces, to myself. Even when I had no stability beneath me, even when I was drowning in depression and felt so lost, I stayed committed to connection & putting myself out there. I’m naturally a community builder — I love people, and I love helping others rise. So I continued to put myself out there, and through that, opportunities began to unfold in very unexpected ways.
One of those surprises was modeling. Within a year, I was walking in international fashion shows and shooting campaigns — something I never saw coming. It’s been such a full-circle experience: to move from years of hiding my body in shame to now celebrating it on runways and in front of the camera. Modeling has become another extension of my healing — a way of saying, this is me, in all seasons and all forms, and I deserve to be seen.
All of the struggles and challenges I’ve faced have become the foundation of my purpose. They taught me empathy, resilience, and the power of authenticity. I love to teach, to mentor, and to help others feel seen in their own experiences. I’ve learned that vulnerability and truth-telling have the power to change lives — they certainly changed mine.
Today, I lead trauma-informed workshops, host breathwork experiences, and run empowerment programs. I work in corporate America in project management and business development. I’m also a permanent jeweler, which allows me to connect with my local community in a creative way. I model, I’m a content creator, I host a podcast, I speak publicly, and I’m currently studying to become a certified clinical trauma-informed hypnotherapist to help others with subconscious reprogramming.
I’m a woman who wears many hats — and proudly so. My journey is a reflection of what I believe: that women don’t have to fit themselves into a box to be successful or fulfilled. We can be it all — strong and soft, corporate and creative, grounded and free. My hope is to inspire other women to rise into their own authenticity, embrace every part of who they are, and know that they, too, are capable of becoming everything they’ve ever dreamed of.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. My journey has been anything but smooth, and I think that’s what’s made it meaningful.
Healing from an eating disorder was one of the hardest, most painful experiences of my life. It required me to face the roots of my shame – to look at where my self-hatred came from and why I carried such cruel beliefs about myself. Recovery wasn’t linear. It was messy, humbling, and filled with moments where the shame felt unbearable. But it also taught me how to meet myself with compassion.
When my self-worth was low, I often found myself in relationships that mirrored that — connections where I was asked to be smaller or quieter, to shrink parts of myself to feel loved. A massive turning point came at age 30, when I went through a breakup with someone I thought I would marry & had spent almost a decade of my life with. That relationship, while deeply painful, was not healthy for me. Choosing to walk away became an act of courage and self-respect. But it was also incredibly confronting — as a woman in her 30s, I was faced with the societal pressures of where I “should” be: married, settled, maybe starting a family. Instead, I was starting over. That period forced me to rediscover who I was outside of anyone else’s expectations and to begin redefining what love, and self-love, really meant.
At 29, I was diagnosed with PCOS, which brought another layer of challenges to my life. Navigating a chronic condition means constantly tuning in to my body — and that hasn’t always been easy, especially with my history. It’s required me to deepen my relationship with myself in ways I never imagined, and to practice radical patience and care even when my body feels unpredictable or uncomfortable.
And then there’s the chapter of moving to San Diego — one of the hardest and most transformative seasons of my life. I followed my intuition here, certain that it was where I was meant to be. But almost everything fell apart in the process. I went through heartbreak, health issues, and financial struggle. I was flat broke — on food stamps for a period of time, with no stability or safety net beneath me. I was battling depression and anxiety, unsure of who I was or how to rebuild.
Part of that heartbreak was the continuation of healing from a psychologically and emotionally damaging relationship dynamic — one that left deep marks on my sense of safety and trust. It’s been an excruciating process, and it’s still something I’m healing from. But this chapter has also been one of profound growth — learning how to reestablish safety in my body, how to trust myself again, and how to honor what I truly deserve in love and in life.
Throughout my 20s and 30s, one of the biggest themes in my journey has been facing myself — again and again. I’ve faced my fears, failed more times than I can count, and started over more times than I ever expected. There have been seasons where everything I built came crashing down, but each fall brought me closer to truth, strength, and purpose. The work I do today was born from those moments — from learning how to sit with discomfort, listen to my intuition, and keep showing up even when I didn’t have the answers.
This season of life has taught me resilience, humility, and faith. It’s reminded me that starting over isn’t a failure; it’s an act of courage. My 30s so far have been filled with beauty, but also with tremendous change, grief, and transformation. And through it all, I’ve learned that even in the hardest moments, you can rebuild and that every challenge has only brought me closer to myself, my purpose, and strengthened my self-worth.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The work I specialize in is helping women — and people in general — feel seen, understood, and reconnected to themselves. I approach everything I do through a trauma-informed and holistic lens, recognizing that healing, leadership, and self-connection all begin with awareness and compassion. My work centers around guiding individuals who are struggling within their bodies, their self-esteem, or their sense of worth — helping them rebuild trust with themselves, advocate for their needs, and reconnect to their power.
There are so many layers to what I do. I’ve worked with women in eating-disorder recovery and body-image healing through my signature coaching program, The BodyLoveSoul Method, which remains one of my proudest creations. I’ve hosted countless healing workshops and women’s circles for those navigating grief, trauma, and self-rediscovery. Becoming a breathwork facilitator has also been deeply meaningful, because breathwork gives people a way to reconnect with their bodies and release trauma in a safe, embodied way.
I’ve had the opportunity to bring this work into both personal and corporate settings — hosting large-scale breathwork and empowerment events within companies, bridging wellness and workplace culture. I believe that bringing embodiment and nervous-system awareness into professional spaces helps people lead and connect more authentically.
I’m proud of the years I spent helping grow and expand The Soul Project, a nonprofit that empowers women and girls. I supported strategic development, helped build programs, and broadened our community reach. I’ve also facilitated healing workshops with organizations like We Are Empower, which supports young people grieving the loss of a parent.
One moment that stands out in my career was working with one of my first ever clients — the #1 female U.S. professional squash player — during her eating disorder recovery journey. Supporting her healing while witnessing her strength and success was an unforgettable reminder of why I do what I do. She went on to share her story on a global-scale and it was so incredible to witness.
At the heart of my work, I’m a teacher, mentor, and facilitator — but more than anything, I help people remember that the answers they’re searching for are already within themselves. I help them learn to trust their body’s wisdom and embrace their authentic truth. I believe that each person is their own secret sauce — their uniqueness is what makes them powerful.
What differentiates me from others in this space is that I live what I teach. Everything I share comes from lived experience — from my own healing, my failures, my resilience, and my willingness to face myself over and over again. I’ve done the work, and I continue to do the work. Life has been my greatest teacher, and it’s what allows me to show up authentically and meet others exactly where they are.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a single moment or title — it’s the way I help people see themselves clearly, reconnect to their worth, and realize that who they are — right now, as they are — is something to be seen and celebrated.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are so many ways to work with and connect with me, depending on what you’re seeking.
I work with clients one-on-one as a trauma-informed life coach, supporting individuals who want to heal, grow, and reconnect to themselves. Together, we explore everything from emotional healing and self-worth to confidence, boundaries, and embodiment.
In San Diego, I host community workshops and experiences that range from healing grief and trauma to cultivating embodied confidence and empowerment. I also facilitate breathwork events that help people release stress, regulate their nervous systems, and reconnect with their bodies. I have recently been creating immersive breath work musical experiences, pairing music from artists like Odesza, with breath work, and it has been very loved by the community.
For organizations and teams, I offer corporate breathwork sessions, leadership workshops, and public speaking engagements that bridge wellness and workplace culture — helping leaders and teams communicate, connect, and lead from a more human-centered place.
Beyond my coaching and facilitation work, I’m also a content creator who loves collaborating with aligned brands and clients on projects rooted in authenticity, empowerment, and holistic living. I’m available for modeling collaborations and brand partnerships, as well as permanent jewelry pop-ups and events, which have become one of my favorite ways to bring community together in a creative, hands-on way.
You can also support me by tuning into my podcast, Make It Make Sense with Izzy, where I share stories and reflections on healing, growth, and self-discovery. Listening, subscribing, leaving a review, or coming to one of my workshops or breathwork events are some of the best ways to support my work and mission.
No matter the space — whether through coaching, collaboration, creativity, or conversation — my goal is always the same: to help people feel seen, supported, and connected to themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.izzyatkinson.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/izzy.atkinson/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/3YAnIKCxs8S1MIHK2uxLFb?si=37de88db890f450c
