I've been a fighter my whole life.
 
Fighting to be heard. 
 
To be seen. 

To be loved for who I really was.

Fighting against bullies. 

Against the dark stuff at home.

Fighting for my mental health when nowhere felt safe.
 
I had a baby young. 
 
Got into law school.

Fought the system to give me 6 months off instead of the standard 12, because I was determined to build a future for us—not live on welfare.

That wasn't our story.

I worked my arse off, earned my degree and went straight into fighting for others--
people stuck in systems that weren't built for them.
 
I had the knowledge. 
 
I had the fire.

So I stood for them until I had to stand for myself.

And I did that too--until I couldn't anymore.
 
Eventually, the fight felt like it had shattered me.

My body shut down. 
 
My brain said no more.

And yet—somewhere in the mess—a quiet voice inside whispered: "This isn't fair. You can't let this go."
 
So I kept going.

Through systems meant to help but that made things worse.

Through the bullshit and the breakdown.
 
And then... I found something different.

I found Qoya.

I found embodiment.
 
I found the connection to my pussy. 

I stopped listening to the lies in my head and started feeling the truth in my body.

That I've always been strong. 
 
That I am enough.

That I'm not broken—just a little scratched and dented.
 
And now, I fight in a new way.
 
I help women come back to themselves.

Not by battling through—but by tuning in.

By learning to feel their power.

By knowing, deeply, that they are perfect right now—not “when” or “if” or “after”.
 
I'm in your corner now.

To hold you, witness you, cry with you, scream with you, and celebrate you when you finally see yourself the way I already do.
 
If you're ready for that kind of support, raw, real, honest and deeply embodied, my coaching might be the space for you.
 
💥 Let's chat about what that could look like for you - hit reply on this email or book a free 30 min Explore Your Radiance call HERE
 
You are not broken. 
 
You never were.

And you sure as hell don't have to do this alone.
 
I'm here.

I just finished a one-on-one session with a brand new client, and I couldn’t wait to jump on here and share something I gave her as homework. It's a little experiment that could change the way you think about managing pain — and it's for any of my babes out there who are experiencing discomfort of any kind.

Let’s talk about pleasure, pain, and a new way forward.

When I first read "Pussy: A Reclamation" by Regena Thomashauer, one thing that really stood out was the way she talked about managing menstrual cramps. Instead of reaching for painkillers or just suffering through it, she experimented with using orgasm as her medicine.

She discovered that if she orgasmed every four hours, she could stay ahead of the pain. No cramps, no agony — just the flow of her body, supported by pleasure.

Pretty amazing, right?

So here’s the invitation
If you're experiencing pain — and it doesn’t have to be menstrual pain, it can be any pain at all — why not try this for yourself?

Here’s how to run your own pleasure experiment:

• Have an orgasm.
• Pause and tune in. Notice how you feel immediately afterwards. Has the pain changed? Has it lessened? Has it disappeared altogether?
• Stay curious. Rather than constantly checking in on your pain, just notice naturally when (or if) it returns. How much time passes?
• Repeat.
• When the pain returns, orgasm again. And see what happens.

The idea is to play with it — try managing your pain with pleasure for one whole day and see what your body tells you.

But wait — there's science behind this!
This isn’t just wishful thinking or some fluffy idea. When you orgasm, your body releases oxytocin (aka the "love hormone") along with a beautiful rush of endorphins — both of which are known to naturally relieve pain.

It’s the body’s own built-in pharmacy, and it’s completely free, accessible, and (let's be honest) a whole lot more enjoyable than popping pills.

Why this matters
Pain management so often feels cold, clinical, and disconnected from our bodies.
But what if — just what if — there’s a more delicious, pleasure-filled way to care for ourselves?

So go have a play. Be curious. Let your body guide you.
And if it works for you — please share it. Tell your sisters, your friends, your group chat.

Let’s hope that there’s a more delicious, pleasure filled way to care for our bodies and ease pain.

I'd love to hear how your experiment goes. Message me, comment, share — let's spread this magic far and wide.

My mum used to get these horrific migraines—the kind that meant locking herself in a dark bedroom for days, unable to move, just waiting for them to pass.

She tried everything to work out her triggers. She cut things out, one by one, trying to gain some kind of control. No coffee. No chocolate. No tomatoes. But nothing changed.

Until she went through menopause… and the migraines disappeared.

I asked her recently if she’d ever considered that they might’ve been linked to her cycle. Her response made me a little sad.

She said, “I didn’t know very much about it. You know so much more about how your body works than I did… and I didn’t even really want to know anymore.”

That moment really stayed with me.

Because here I am now, at 45, absolutely in perimenopause and also reacquainting myself with my cycle after six years of not bleeding at all.

After my breakdown, when my depression was at rock bottom, my psychiatrist suggested I skip my period. The emotional crash I’d experience during my cycle made things even worse, and he said, “You don’t have to go through that.”

So I didn’t.

I stayed on the pill, skipping my bleed for years. Then they changed the pill on me—three times. The last one was just… gone. I went to fill a script and they told me, “That one’s been discontinued since June.” No one told me.

I was due to see my doctor in a few weeks, and I thought, You know what? Let’s just stop and see what happens.

What happened was nothing. For four months. One bleed, and then silence. And now? I’m cycling again. Slowly, irregularly, but she’s moving.

And this time, I’m paying attention.

I’m tracking. Not in a hyper-controlling way, but in a curious way. I’m noticing. I'm listening. I’m more aware of my energy, my emotions, how I respond to things. I'm using what I learn from my body to plan my work, my rest, my social life.

It’s a complete shift from how I used to live.

Back then, I lived entirely in my head. In my masculine, logical, lawyer brain. Everything was schedules and strategy and pushing through. I didn’t want to hear what my body was trying to say.

Now I live in a completely different space. I’m in my feminine. In my body. In the rhythm and mess and beauty of what it means to be cyclical. I don’t see her shifts as problems anymore. I see them as signals.

I trust her.

And this is the work I support women in every day. Rebuilding that relationship with their bodies. Tuning back in. Reclaiming that deep knowing that so many of us were never taught.

Because your body is always speaking to you. The question is: are you listening?

If this resonates and you're ready to explore what it might be like to come back into connection with your body, I offer 1:1 coaching, Qoya free-dance classes and monthly women’s circles. You don’t have to do this alone.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may already know parts of this story. But today, I want to share it with you in full.

It was January 2019. I was about six months post-breakdown—one that left me unable to work as a lawyer. The kind of breakdown where getting out of bed feels impossible and every step forward is painfully slow. I was doing the work, though. I had a psychiatrist to figure out my meds, a GP, and a psychologist. I was getting better… but, fuck, it was slow.

Around that time, I started doing pole dancing classes. If you’ve ever done pole, you’ll know this isn’t “stripper stuff.” It’s strength, power, and athleticism. And yes, you’ll get bruised, yes, your body will ache—but oh, my god, you feel incredible. You feel powerful.

Through those classes, I heard about a retreat in Macedon. It sounded amazing—yoga, meditation, breathwork, and something I’d never heard of before: Qoya. I had no idea what it was, but I decided to go anyway. What did I have to lose?

The day of the retreat was stunning. We started with yoga, which was grounding, and breathwork, which was transformative. After lunch, it was time for the Qoya class.

We gathered in a circle—about 25 to 35 women—around a beautiful altar with oracle cards, rose petals, and crystals. Nicola, the teacher, began to introduce the class.

She said:

• “There are no levels in Qoya.” Thank fuck for that.
  
• “There’s no way to do it wrong.” Sweet. I can get behind that.
  
• “It’s all about finding the ways to move your body that feel good.” Now I was intrigued.
  

The class started with grounding movements—simple, gentle ways to connect with your breath and body. We stood with our feet planted, lifting our arms as we inhaled, circling them back down as we exhaled. It was like a moving meditation, and I felt myself sinking into my body for the first time in what felt like forever.

Next, we moved through body parts, circling each one to release tension. We started with the neck, letting our heads roll slowly. Then shoulders, arms, and even the heart. (How do you circle your heart? Imagine moving around the equator of your chest, letting it lead.) And then… the hips. Oh, those stiff hips. I moved, circled, and felt them begin to loosen.

When the music changed to a fun pop song, we shifted into heart-opening movements. We were encouraged to imagine our hearts as speakers, letting the music pour out in all directions. We danced with abandon, giggling as we doubled the tempo and let our bodies lead.

And then came the magic: the shadow work.

Nicola invited us to acknowledge the parts of ourselves we usually avoid—the pain, the grief, the anger—and dance with them. No choreography, no thinking. Just moving how our bodies needed to move. It was raw and cathartic. I cried as I danced, feeling emotions rise to the surface and release.

After that, we moved into shaking. With a fast, drum-heavy beat, we shook each part of our bodies—head, shoulders, arms, hips, legs—letting go of everything we’d been holding onto. We imagined giving it all back to the earth, letting Pachamama take it and transform it into something beautiful.

To bring us back together as a group, we did a fun, silly choreographed dance. Some of us followed along; others made up our own moves. It was a lighthearted way to reconnect after the deep individual work we’d done.

We finished with a joyful, playful song—an invitation to dance with the light. We spun, jumped, twirled, and moved however felt good. Like kids on a playground or friends on the best nightclub dance floor. It didn’t matter what it looked like; it just mattered that it felt amazing.

By the end of the class, I felt like a new person.

Qoya taught me that when you move your body, the endless spinning thoughts in your head quiet down. You start to feel your power, your strength, and your magic. And then you realise something incredible: your body is so much more than what she looks like. You start to appreciate her for what she does for you.

This is why Qoya became my first love, the foundation of the work I do, and the thing I always come back to.

So, it’s with a heavy heart that I’m letting go of in-person Qoya classes for now. I’ve poured so much into them, but it’s just not the right season.

But this isn’t goodbye. Qoya isn’t going anywhere. I’ll still be offering it twice a month online:
✨ First Saturday of the month at 9 AM
✨ Third Wednesday of the month at 7 PM

And Qoya will always be a part of my programs, my coaching, and my work. Because until you can feel into your body and appreciate her—every part of her, including the parts we’re taught to ignore—things won’t change.

But when you do? When you connect with her, move with her, and celebrate her? Everything shifts.

If you’ve never tried Qoya before, I’d love for you to join me. Come and feel the magic for yourself.

Imagine… Easter is rolling around, and you’re taking the kids to Wet n Wild in Queensland.

You realise you don’t have any bathers, so off you go to the shops. But this time, instead of worrying about how they look, you’re thinking about how they work.

What’s not going to ride up your bum? What’s going to keep your boobs in place and not flash every three-year-old in sight? What’s going to be sun smart?

Imagine standing in the change room, picking out what feels good on your body—what lets you move freely, what makes you feel supported—without a single thought about whether it makes you look "flattering."

Imagine… planning your wedding without shrinking yourself.

You’re engaged! You’re planning your wedding! But instead of obsessing over dieting for the dress, you’re focusing on actually enjoying the experience.

You’re fuelling your body with food that feels good, moving in ways that light you up, and when it’s time to try on dresses, the only thing you care about is how it makes you feel. Not the number on the tag. Not how "toned" your arms are. Just you, feeling like the queen you are.

Imagine… dressing for the job of your dreams with confidence.

You’re getting ready for an interview for the job—the one you’ve worked your arse off for, the one that sets your soul on fire.

You look at your wardrobe, but instead of thinking “Does this make me look thinner?”, you ask yourself “What makes me feel strong, capable, powerful?”

You step into that interview not just looking the part, but feeling it. Not because you’ve shrunk yourself down, but because you know who you are and what you bring to the table.

Imagine… walking into your high school reunion owning every inch of yourself.

It’s your 10-year high school reunion. And instead of panicking about how your body has changed since you were 18, you’re standing in front of the mirror, choosing an outfit that makes you feel like you.

Because the woman you are today? She’s lived. She’s experienced things. She’s stronger, wiser, and more powerful than that 18-year-old ever was.

Imagine walking into that room, not comparing, not shrinking, not apologising for the space you take up—just owning it.

Imagine… a holiday where your body is the last thing on your mind.

You’ve hired a boat, and you’re out snorkelling on the reef with your besties. The sun is shining, the water is crystal clear, and you’re all in your little bikinis—feeling amazing, hot, and completely in the moment.

You dive off the boat, swim like a little dolphin, and laugh until your belly hurts.

That evening, you get back to your hotel, sun-kissed and salty. The night is warm, so you throw on shorts and a tank top, head down for dinner, sip cocktails, and soak up the magic of this trip.

And not once do you think about the size of your body.

This is possible for you.

You don’t have to spend another year at war with yourself. You don’t have to wait until you hit a certain size to start living. You deserve to feel at home in your body—right now, as she is.

💡 If this kind of freedom feels like something you want but don’t know how to get—join me for my Outrageous Radical Body Acceptance group program.

It starts on Monday 17 March and I'll help you to shift the way you see yourself, break free from body shame, and start living fully—without waiting for your body to change.

✨ Check out the details here

Let’s be real, ladies—how many times have we been told we’re not enough? Not thin enough, young enough, pretty enough. The world loves to remind us of our supposed flaws. But what if, instead of buying into the noise, we said, “Nah, not today!” and started to see our bodies for the incredible, powerful, and glorious vessels they truly are?

That’s exactly what my Love Your Body More Workshop is all about. And the best part? It’s completely free, online, and happening on Wednesday, 5th February via Zoom.

This is the same workshop I’ve been privileged to run at the Seven Sisters Festival (twice a year for two years!) and the Summer Bohemian Festival. It’s become a crowd favourite, with women telling me time and time again it was the highlight of their entire festival experience.

And here’s the catch: this is the last time I’ll be offering this workshop in this format. So if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to jump in.

Why This Workshop is Different
Forget the “New Year, New Me” nonsense. This isn’t about trying to mould yourself into someone else’s idea of perfection. It’s about embracing the body you’re in right now—not because of what she looks like, but because of everything she allows you to do.

Here’s the truth:

• Aging is a privilege.
• Your body isn’t an ornament—it’s an instrument.
• She’s carried you through life’s ups and downs, and that’s bloody amazing.

Whether your body has birthed children, endured illness or injury, or simply carried you through every day—she deserves to be celebrated. And this workshop will help you do just that.

What You’ll Gain
This workshop is about helping you:

• Embrace yourself with self-acceptance and grace.
• Let go of the constant pressure to meet other people’s expectations.
• See your body as something to honour and love, rather than criticise.

Women who’ve attended in the past have shared incredible stories of transformation—like finally wearing that “unicorn” item of clothing they’ve always dreamed of, whether it’s a corset, bikini, or sleeveless top. They’ve found the confidence to step out, feeling fabulous and unapologetic.

What’s the Catch?
If you’re thinking, “What’s the catch?”—here’s the deal. At the end of the workshop, I’ll be sharing details about my Outrageous Radical Body Acceptance program.

But here’s the thing: this workshop is a standalone experience. It’s completely free, and my goal is for you to walk away feeling empowered, with all the tools you need to reconnect with your body and live authentically, boldly, and unapologetically.

Join Us for the Final Workshop
📅 When: Wednesday, 5th February
📍 Where: Online via Zoom
🎥 Recording: Can’t make it live? No dramas—the session will be recorded and sent to all registrants.

This is your chance to experience the magic of this workshop for free, one last time. So if you’re ready to stop the self-criticism and start embracing your body for all the incredible things she does, this is for you.

Click here to register

I can’t wait to see you there!

Happy New Year's Eve!
 
As the year wraps up, it's that time when we're encouraged to set New Year's resolutions—those big, ambitious goals we plan to achieve in 2025. 
 
But let's be honest, by mid-January (or early February at best), many of those resolutions tend to fall by the wayside.
 
Why not try something different this year? 
 
Instead of setting resolutions, why not choose a word?
 
A word that reflects how you want to feel in 2025. 
 
Rather than setting big goals that can feel heavy, cumbersome and like a ton of work, focus on what you truly desire. 
 
Ask yourself:

• How do I want to feel this year?
• How do I want to show up for myself?
• How do I want to show up for my family, friends, work and everything else in my world?

Start with you. 
 
First and foremost, decide how you want to show up for yourself.
 
In the past, I've chosen words like Ease and Flow, Joy, Pleasure, Consistency and Fun. 
 
These words have been little reminders to keep me aligned with how I want to feel and the energy I want to bring to my life.
 
This year, my word/s are: Big Fucking Deal or BFD for short.
 
It's how I want to show up in 2025—as the big deal I know I am, for myself, my family and my business.
 
Now, it's your turn—what's your word for 2025? 
 
What will be your guiding light for the year ahead?
 
Hot tip: Put your word on your phone wallpaper as a daily reminder
 
I'd love to hear it! Comment below and let me know.
 
Wishing you a fabulous start to the year!

​Last night I ran a free-dance Qoya class as part of my Outrageous Radical Body Acceptance program. As part of the class, we always pick an oracle card (pictured left). 
 
The card said “Just because you FEEL like trash doesn't mean you ARE trash”.
 
What does this mean to you Liz?
 
For me, it's a reminder that our thoughts are not real just because we have them. 
 
A thought is just that, a thought. 
 
An idea. 
 
Something that has popped into your mind. 
 
And it might not actually be founded on any truth at all.
 
This card is a reminder of that. 
 
Because our silly, complicated, supercomputer brains don't always get it right.
 
To be able to remember that when the negative thoughts come in is a valuable tool to help you challenge them and replace them with something more positive.
 
You are not trash.
 
You never have been.
 
You are amazing.
 
You are a true goddess.
 
And you have always been one!
 
If you would like to experience the magic of Qoya, I lead weekly classes in Sunbury and monthly on Zoom - click below to book your class!

As a special way of bringing the entire world Qoya community together, the founder of Qoya Rochelle Schieck, has created a class with the theme “Embracing Wholeness” that she has shared with us. All this week (1 - 6 October 2024) in my Sunbury and my Zoom classes we will be dancing with this theme - although I will be putting my special Liz twist to it!
 
Qoya is a blend of all the various dance, yoga, meditation, grounding and embodiment techniques Rochelle learnt as she travelled the world.  
 
Intention Setting is a moving meditation and grounding exercise.
 
Circling is a way of bringing gentle flowing feminine movement to your body and to feel into your body while you do it. 
 
The Heart Opening are belly dancing chest moves - side, back, front, other side and then following your heart anywhere she wants to take you around the room. 
 
Hip Opening is helping to connect you with your divine feminine, your sacral chakra. To find ways to move that feels good to you for no other reason than it feels good to you. Moving your hips for yourself not for anyone else.
 
Yoga as Prayer is a dancing, flowing sequence sending our love to the intentions we set at the start of the class. 
 
Facing your heavy emotions in the Shadow Contrast Dance, and instead of pushing those feelings down as we normally do, here we feel them, embrace them and move your body the way she needs to move with them.
 
Shaking, taken from watching nature docos of animals having escaped almost certain death, standing there and literally shaking through each part of your body to release all that came up during the Shadow Contrast Dance. 
 
Simple, fun, Choreographed Dance as a way of bringing the group back together, moving together and laughing. 
 
And finally, the Free Dance, where we face the light and feel those emotions and dance with them as our body needs to move. 
 
Then we Stretch as a reminder to thank our bodies for all they have done for us during the class and up until that point. 
 
We end the class with Savasana, the final relaxation, a way to allow all the learnings of the class to sink in.
 
And all in an hour and a half!! 

Ask a woman what she hates about her body and she'll answer quickly and with a list a mile long. Ask that same woman what she loves about her body and she'll pause and have to think about it. Women have been conditioned since they're born that the most interesting and important thing about them is how they look. Friends and family will tell little girls how pretty they are rather than how smart or strong they are. There are billion dollar industries, including weight loss, beauty and fashion, that feed on our insecurities to sell us their products. And I was no different, I too hated my fat body and tried diets, lotions and potions to try and "fix" it. 

Thankfully things are slowly starting to change. There has been a rise in the Body Love movement, seeking to empower women to love their bodies exactly as they are now. Women like Taryn Brumfitt, Celeste Barber, Sonya Renee Taylor and Lizzo are shining a light on the systems that lead to women hating their bodies. They are showing women that there is a different way to think about your body and that it can be positive. 

What is Body Neutrality?
For many women jumping from loathing their bodies to loving it can be a massive leap. It seems impossible, like trying to jump over the Grand Canyon. But what if there was a mid point? A landing pad to aim for in the middle of canyon that looks far more achievable? This mid point is Body Neutrality. Body Neutrality is when you can look at yourself in the mirror and there is no hate, no love, just "this is my body" and "this is what it looks like". You view your body as an instrument that allows you to live this life, rather than as an art work just to be admired. 

How do I change my perspective?
Moving through the spectrum of your feelings about your body from Body Hate to Body Neutrality is a slow and deliberate action. It takes effort to undo decades of learning that your worth comes from how you look rather than any aspect of your personality. However, it is absolutely possible because I did it. Here are some exercises that helped me on my way to Body Neutrality. 

Try to notice each time you are criticising a part of your body, stop yourself and try to turn it into something positive. Change "I hate my muffin top" to "I have the softest, smoothest skin on my belly" or from "my arms are so flabby" to "I can lift my grocery bags into the car because I have these arms". 

At least once a day, express gratitude for your body. This body is the only body you are going to get in this lifetime and so often we forget to be grateful for it and all that it allows us to do because we have THIS body. It can be for anything, "I'm grateful for my legs because I could go for a walk today " or "I'm grateful for my hands because it means I can type " or "I'm grateful for my bum because I'm comfy when I sit down".

Find an embodiment practice that works for you. For me it was Qoya, a free dance embodiment class. There is no wrong way to do Qoya. You move your body in whatever way you want and it helps you to find the joy in movement for the sake of movement rather than for any other purpose. It helps you to feel into your body and to dance with your feelings rather than thinking about them. You start to gain a new appreciation for your body and all that it can do. If dance is not your thing, try yoga, bush walking or roller skating. It doesn't matter what your chosen activity is, it's about feeling into your body and realising how wonderful it is. 

Once you achieve Body Neutrality, I urge you to keep going on towards Body Love. You're already half way there! 

Liz Reichard runs Sunranges Qoya to help women to realise their inner strength, power and wisdom through the embodied free dance practice of Qoya. To try Qoya for free, sign up to her newsletter at www.sunrangesqoya.com.au.