Who were you
before society told you
who you shouldn’t be?
That’s who I want to help you reconnect with.
Over here, we are forever obsessed with
reclaiming girlhood
for the women who grew up too soon.
Many of us lost out on the joy of childhood & the beauty of girlhood because we:
Had to be strong before we ever felt safe.
Were taught to be low-maintenance, likeable, or quiet.
Never got to explore joy without strings attached.
Were taught we had to grow up too fast.
Weren’t allowed to explore beyond our assigned gender.
Learned that our bodies were “not right”.
Became caretakers instead of curious kids.
And as a result, we’ve reached middle age without truly knowing ourselves, what we desire, and how to create the dreams of our younger selves.
Until now.
Hiya! I’m Teri
Recovered Good Girl, body image educator, photographer, author, & speaker
As a (now recovered) Good Girl, I spent decades of my life wasting time & energy on trying to shrink my body & self, only to always be both never enough and always too much. I learned early on that my body would never be valuable for how it looked, so I made sure I was valued for the service I provided. I turned into a high achieving, hustle-til-you-crash, people-pleaser who silently hid any parts of myself that might make others slightly uncomfortable or angry: my body, my voice, my ideas, my dreams. When I turned 37, I could barely recognize myself. My body had changed because I had forgotten to show her respect beyond just how she looked, I had lost touch with my purpose & passion because I was following someone else’s version of success, and I found myself extremely depressed and falling apart at the seams, my husband pleading with me to go see a therapist.
Little Teri, the younger version of me that I had been pushing into the shadows, was screaming to be heard.
With time & attention, I began to listen. Using the experience I had gained from my career as a boudoir photographer, the education I collected from my certification in Applied Positive Psychology, and the continual self growth work through reading, podcasts, Human Design & Clifton Strengths, I began to find my way back to myself. Through the never linear, but always exciting journey, I came to realize:
My Body is My Buddy
Softness does not equal weakness
Rest is Rebellion
Curiosity gets me further than Criticism
Romanticizing Life is Gratitude in Action
Community, Play & Creativity is Magic
My Dreams are my Maps
Rhythms > Routines
Being “Good” isn’t as important as Being Kind
I can never Love my SELF as long as I hate my BODY
I get to define BEAUTY in my own terms
And for the last decade, I’ve been helping other recovering Good Girls, People Pleasers and Grown Women reclaim what girlhood means to them. Whether that’s creating a beautiful, inviting experience through Body Image Bootcamp to shed the negative body image, collaborating with them to create one of a kind portrait experiences that kick the inner bully to the curb, or using words - spoken or written - to help rewire neural pathways (what I call Brain Magic) and heal the child within, everything I do is to help folks feel safe enough to be soft, seen & celebrated for who they truly are.
If this sounds like something you might be into, scroll down to see what resources will help you find your way back to yourself!
What girlhood means here:
Saying YES to softness. Dressing how you wanted to as a child, but never could. Letting yourself play, rest, create, and dream. Making beauty & wonder part of your every day. Creating rituals that honour the younger you that’s asking to be seen, heard & safe. Learning. Trying. Failing. Learning again. Embracing the natural elements and allowing the natural elements to embrace you. Making messes and having fun. Dreamy. Free. Expansive. Rebellion in the form of reading, writing, art, & rest. Remembering who you were. Belly laughs with friends and licking ice cream in the summer. Feeling the wind in your hair and reading poetry that moves your soul. Taking things slow. Embracing all things soft - even your body. Curiosity, compassion, and creativity are the values that show up in everything. Dreaming big. Watching clouds. Counting stars. Listening to crickets. Petals, poems & past memories. Giggling into the night, eating homemade cookies, and feeling the sun on your skin. It’s allowing yourself to Mother and allowing yourself to Child. Trying something new and laughing your way through the uncomfortable parts. Telling your story without censors or fear. Meeting yourself where you are and then moving towards the most authentic and aligned version of yourself. Parenting yourself through fear. Like what you like. Wear what you want. Do your makeup, style your hair, take off your bra, get a tattoo, learn a language, put art on the walls, love yourself with everything you’ve got. Girlhood means reclaiming your soul’s early voice ~ intuitive, wild, innocent. Seeing the beauty in everything ~ including yourself.
Heal through…
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Free Resources
Watch the infamous Tedx talk: 5 Reasons You Look Bad in Photos or download the various scripts + guides to help you move closer to body & self acceptance!
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Community
Join The Wandering - my little community focused on helping folks rewrite the hyper-independent narrative and help you find your soul-friends! In this space, we meet once a month with monthly topics, I drop workshops, courses, challenges, & love notes. This work is helluva lot easier when you aren’t walking alone!
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Photography
Ready to challenge your view of yourself? Join me for a Body Embrace session or checkout my past photography projects to help you see the beauty in diversity!
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Reading
Dive into body image headfirst with my book The Geode Theory: Chipping Away at Body Image, learn how I managed to let go of shame from my younger years in Homecoming: Tales of Travel, Discovery & Self Acceptance, or find the right words to move you through whatever it is you are struggling with in 2200 Characters or Less!
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Courses & Workshops
Ready to step into the knowing of how your body image impacts different areas of your life? Peruse the difference courses & workshops I offer. From body image & photography to Body Image Bootcamp, you will find the tools, resources, & education you are looking for at the link below!
What’s coming up?
6 WEEKS TO EMBRACE YOURSELF IN PHOTOS (AND LIFE)
Tired of cringing at photos of yourself? Ready to actually love the way you look—without the mental spiral? This six-week experience is designed to help you shift from self-criticism to self-celebration, so you can see yourself in photos the way others already do.
Through hands-on workshops, mindset shifts, and confidence-boosting exercises, you'll learn how to feel more at ease in front of the camera—whether it’s for selfies, professional headshots, or those candid moments that always seem to catch you off guard. We’ll explore why you see yourself the way you do, break through the myths that hold you back, and give you practical tools to pose, express yourself authentically, and—most importantly—own your presence.
5 REASONS YOU LOOK BAD IN PHOTOS : THE TEDX TALK
Listen as I dispel the secrets behind why we hate the way we look in photos in this TedX Winnipeg talk!
“You can stay uncomfortable where you are or get uncomfortable where you are going - but only one of those gets you closer to where you want to be.”
— Teri Hofford
I am no stranger to the discomfort that comes with swimming upstream to stay true to one’s authentic self.
Read more about my story with change here!
FROM THE BLOG
WHAT OTHER FOLKS
ARE SAYING
“Meeting Teri is an experience in itself . You know when you meet someone and you just want to be around their energy... this is one of those people.
What sets Teri apart is how she will navigate the complexities of self-image and empowerment. Teri tackles the hard questions and challenges the status quo. She encourages introspection and growth, understanding that true transformation arises from confronting discomfort. With her laughter, funny phrases, kindness, and boundless passion, she's not only reshaping boudoir photography but also paving the way for a more inclusive and compassionate world. Teri isn't just someone to follow – she's someone who's changing the world, one photograph at a time. I have met her a few times, been in an interview with her YouTube channel, she pushed me to look at things differently, I have read her books and taken her classes. I just wanted to shout you out and just fan girl a bit. YOU WILL CHANGE THE WORLD you already have.”
—Ashley Klemm, Ashley Klemm Boudoirs
“So often when we want to make a change we are confronted with the Squidge…an intense feeling in our bodies that we either ignore in an effort to stay in our comfort zone OR choose to listen to and see where it takes us.”
In fact, I made a whole damn podcast about it.
More of a video lover?
Take a walk through the videos on youtube - from candid chats about the realities of being a creative, video series to help the photographer wanting to improve their diversity, to helpful tips to master your mind!
Diversify the bodies you see in the media by giving me a follow!
How did I lose my girlhood? Well, it’s a long story, but I don’t think it’s that uncommon.