Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jo Lamm.
Hi Dr. Lamm, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
First of all, I absolutely love what I do! I don’t call it a job because it is something that I truly enjoy and that fulfills me on so many levels. Let me start at the beginning. I grew up in an alcoholic home. This came with both challenges and opportunities. There was chaos and uncertainty much of the time, and my two sisters and I coped by supporting each other the best we could and hanging out with friends. It wasn’t all bad; my parents were very loving and affectionate when they were around and when my dad was sober. However, I did have a lot of anxiety as a child. To manage my anxiety, I tried to control anything and everything. This was exemplified by my OCD, perfectionism, perfect grades, bossiness, stubbornness, insistence on being the leader, etc. Transitions and changes were very hard for me. I remember refusing to get into the car when we were headed out for a vacation. I finally gave in when my parents agreed to let me sit in the front seat. I was quite a charming little kid, or, shall I say, difficult?
There were some positives that came with having a dad who was an alcoholic. For example, my sisters and I went to Al-A-teen and family therapy, which sparked my interest and curiosity about human behavior and the psyche. I also believe that my sisters and I developed certain skills as a result of living in a stressful, unpredictable household. For example, all three of us have immense compassion and empathy for others, as well as a certain depth and spirituality that is fostered when you grow up in a chaotic environment.
My dad still drinks today, and I continue to work towards acceptance instead of maintaining the false hope that I can somehow save him. The little girl that tried so hard to make him stop drinking still shows up once in a while, but her voice is much quieter, and I know how to soothe her now, instead of falling apart. My parents are still married, and by some miracle they still truly love each other. Despite everything, we are a very close and loving family. I consider myself very blessed and fortunate.
My mom was my inspiration for pursuing my dreams. She grew up on a farm, which went under, so her parents got an apartment in a hotel above a restaurant where her mom worked seven days a week, and my mom had to start waitressing at age nine! As an adult, already accustomed to hard work, my mom was a special-education teacher and waitressed at night as a second job since my dad didn’t work. During this time, she also went to graduate school and earned her Doctor of Education Degree. She became Principal of a middle school. My Mom is brilliant, kind, hardworking, and she happens to have the best laugh ever! She loves to laugh at herself; which is good since she is rather
gullible and prone to goofiness (this, too, I got from my mother).
I am a voracious reader, usually reading two or three books at a time. Writing is also a hobby, and a necessity, for me. I read and write to escape, define, and ground myself in, reality. Writing poetry, specifically, allows me to express emotions, ideas, and opinions (and I’ve got a very strong ones). Some of my poems have been published in literary magazines. I’ve also had a memoir going for years. Whether or not it ever gets published remains to be seen.
Some of my favorite authors are: (in no particular order) Anne Lamott, Bernardine Evaristo, Audre Lorde, Dereka Purnell, Wally Lamb, Melissa Febos, Bessel van der Kolk, Kristin Neff, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Louise Erdrich, Gloria Steinem, Sophie Kinsella.
Another thing I cannot do without is yoga, which is a lifestyle for me. In our country, we’ve mistaken yoga to be an exercise for thin and bendy people. This is a huge misunderstanding. The yoga poses themselves were developed as a precursor for the monks to be able to sit for hours of meditation. Yoga is about coordinating movement with breath, philosophy, and meditation. I teach a variety of styles of yoga, and my teaching is always body-positive, trauma-informed, and modified so that any Body, at any age and with any amount of experience (including no experience), can safely and comfortably participate. Since I’m insatiably curious and love learning new things, I’m always in some sort of training or another. Currently I’m finishing up Tantra Yoga Teacher Training. The Sanskrit word tantra means “to weave,” so Tantra Yoga is a complex style of yoga that weaves together many different techniques, such as mantra, yantra, chanting, asanas, mudras, pranayama, etc. Ultimately, these techniques or methods are used to join individual consciousness with universal consciousness. My teacher says we are all divine beings having a human experience.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe that the challenges I’ve faced have shaped my character and made me who I am today, so I have no regrets or resentments. When I was twelve years old, I ended up losing some weight after being sick, and somehow the weight loss became an addiction. I spiraled into an obsessive fear of food and gaining weight. It wasn’t by choice; it felt like I forgot how to eat normally. I was severely restricting my intake and became dangerously underweight. I remember going with my friends to a pizza place and bringing in one rice cake for my own meal. I didn’t care what anyone thought; having pizza was not an option. At the time, I had never heard of anorexia, so I assumed that I had lost my mind and was crazy.
Eventually, I was hospitalized for eating disorder treatment. The gift in this experience was that I absolutely flourished in treatment; not necessarily in the weight restoration part, which I fought tooth and nail, but in the process of treatment, which included both individual and group therapy. By the end, I was in love with the process of exploring emotions and dysfunctional family patterns. I decided that I would become a psychologist when I grew up, and my decision never wavered. My determination and motivation to become a psychologist got me through some rough times as a teen and young adult.
Anorexia was not done with me, however. Eating disorders are like any addiction where relapse is a very real threat. My last bout of a combination of both inpatient and outpatient treatment was in 2009-2010. Working toward recovery has been an incredibly difficult journey. In my last treatment, I discovered the healing power of yoga and incorporated it as a lifestyle and into my career by becoming a teacher.
I am proud to say that I am now in full recovery. However, I am cognizant of the danger of slipping back into old habits and relapsing. Recovery is an active process I work at daily. I’m also an advocate and volunteer for many organizations that support eating disorder awareness and recovery, as well as organizations promoting positive body image and weight-neutrality, including the following: Alliance for Eating Disorders (AED), Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC), National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), Yoga for Eating Disorders, and
Health at Every Size (HAES). As you know, we’re big fans of tula soul.
For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I chose the word tula because it means ‘balance’ in Sanskrit. I later learned that it means ‘wind’ in Finnish (wind has the spiritual meaning of change, it implies movement, and I am part Finnish on my maternal side). Recently, a client of mine who is from the Philippines informed me that ‘tula’ means ‘poem’ where she’s from. I have been writing poems since I was in fourth grade and have had poems published recently so it was delightful to learn that fact! I love when the Universe gives you little gifts like that; reminders that you are part of something much
bigger than yourself.
I work exclusively with women as a certified holistic life, wellness and spiritual coach, as well as an advanced yoga, pilates, barre, meditation, and mindfulness teacher. I strongly believe in the importance of integrating the mind/body/spirit in healing, so I incorporate practices that address all three areas. I also utilize my thirteen years of experience in private practice as a psychologist specializing in trauma to inform my practice.
My mission is to help women celebrate their identity; find balance in body, mind and spirit; boldly use their voice; proudly take up space; and begin to experience enlightenment.
I also enjoy doing presentations and workshops on topics such as the following: what happens to a traumatized brain; body image and disordered eating; communication skills; how to be an ally for BIPOC individuals; addictions; setting appropriate boundaries; poetry circles, etc.
I was honored this year to be voted Best Local Business Person of 2022 on Alignable Business Network!
I’ve always been a passionate social activist, I volunteer for an organization called Humanize My Hoodie, which, “Debunks racist myths, invites conversations, and empowers marginalized communities to be seen, heard, and valued.” https://www.humanizemyhoodie.com/ I also volunteer for the Eating Disorders Coalition http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org/ which advances the recognition of eating disorders as a public health priority throughout the United States.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My very first memory was when I was two years old and me and my older sister Leah, just thirteen months older, went with my dad to meet our baby sister at the hospital. Leah and I were dressed in fancy, lacy dresses and we click-clacked our way down the hospital hall floor in our black shoes. Finally, we came to the window behind which seemingly hundreds of babies rested in little bins. Dad picked me up so I could have a better view, and there she was, my baby sister. I knew it was her because she had a bright, white halo glowing over her. None of
the other babies were glowing, so I knew my sister was chosen, special. My little sister and I are best friends today, and I call her my angel. There were many years where we barely spoke due to her battles with alcoholism, which nearly took her life. Having her back in my life is one of the things I am most grateful for.
Pricing:
- For workshops: negotiable
Contact Info:
- Email: jo@tulasoul.com
- Website: https://www.alignable.com/plymouth-mn/dr-jo-lamm
- Other: https://www.tulasoul.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjo77
https://my.yogaalliance.org/people/jo-l-e-ryt-200-ryt-500
https://www.spiritualclassifieds.org/minnesota/minneapolis/spiritual-coaching/dr-jo-l
Image Credits
All photos by Jim Lamm
