Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Smith-Theodore
Hi Dawn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in a small town outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. My mother had a dance studio on the first floor and we lived up above on the second floor. I spent my childhood dancing everyday. When I was 15 years old, I developed Anorexia Nervosa. At the time, there was not a lot known about the disorder and consequently, it took me a lot longer to get better.
After graduating from college, I went on to be a flight attendant for a major airline, a professional dancer in NYC, and I eventually settled in Los Angeles where I opened a dance studio in Calabasas. I went back to graduate school to receive my Masters in Clinical Psychology. I began working a an eating disorder treatment center near my home. It was the first time that I had been around other people who had eating disorders.
I had the opportunity to combine my dance studio and the clients at the eating disorder treatment center and would take them to my dance studio to have the opportunity to dance. It was fun for them and could also be triggering looking in the mirrors. We would process our feelings after dancing.
I went on to be a Clinical Director of The Eating Disorder Center of California in Brentwood and then had the opportunity to open other programs across the United States.
I sold my dance studio after 25 years and began writing a book about dancers and eating disorders. “TuTu Thin” A Guide to Dancing without an Eating Disorder. There were no books out at the time about the subject and it was published in 2015. I have a private practice located in Agoura Hills and Santa Monica with a specialization in eating disorder and dancers. I speak to dancers around the world to help educate dancers, dance educators and parents about signs and symptoms of the eating disorder. I also have a podcast, TuTu Thin…. How to be a Healthy Dancer and Athlete and I am starting my 3rd season.
My most recent book “Mother, Men and Me” A Memoir of Anxiety, Anorexia and Affairs This is the story of my relationship mith my mother, her relationship with me and how it impacted me. I hope that it can be an inspiration for others to see that you can go through difficult things in your life and come out on the other side to live a good life,
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Life is filled with bumps in the road, but it is through adversity that we learn and grow. I have had a lot of struggles throughout my life and I am thankful for all of them as they have made me who I am today.
My eating disorder was one of the big struggles as well as my anxiety and the need to be perfect. I have learned that there is not such thing as being perfect because we are human and we make mistakes. I am thankful every day for my eating disorder as it taught me so much and I would not be where I am today without it. I feel very blessed that I survived my eating disorder and enjoy working with my clients who are struggling with an eating disorder. I understand where they are and I believe that is helpful for them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I was a former professional dancer, owned a dance studio for 25 years in Los Angeles and am the author of “TuTu Thin” A Guide to Dancing Without an Eating Disorder. I have written articles for Pointe Magazine and my book has been featured in Pointe, Dance Teacher and Dance Magazine. I was most recently interviewed by People Magazine as an eating disorder expert in the entertainment field. I am a leader in the treatment of eating disorders, adding to my psychotherapy practice the insights of a dance professional, who has personally recovered from anorexia nervosa. I have treated eating disorders for over 20 years and have a private practice in Los Angeles. I was a Clinical Director and National Director of Day Treatment Services for Monte Nido and Affiliates. I appeared on “Starving Secrets” as an eating disorder expert on Lifetime. I enjoy speaking to dancers around the world on how to be a healthy dancer from a psychological perspective as well as helping parents and dance educators on prevention and early identification of eating disorders. I am the host of the podcast, TuTu Thin…. How to be a healthy dancer or athlete in mind, body and spirit. I recently wrote my second book, “Mother, Men and Me” A Memoir of Anxiety, Anorexia and Affairs. This is my story of my life and the journey that has lead me to where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dawntheodore.com www.mothermenandme.com www.tututhin.com
- Instagram: @dawn.smith.theodore
- Facebook: @Dawn Smith-Theodore
- Twitter: @dawnstheodore
