Harm reduction: What Is It? An Ode to Indigenous and BIPOC women
Mar 19
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Finding myself disappointed with where traditional eating disorder treatment centers were heading, I became disillusioned with their rigidity and punitive measures. I reflected on my own experiences in those settings, memories of punishment and shame resurfacing. They taught me nothing. I recovered from my eating disorder in spite of these places, not because of them. As I began working in my private practice, I found myself searching for something different—something more human. That’s when I discovered Gloria Lucas.
I had heard about harm reduction early in my career—but always with a tinge of disgust, as if it was something we shouldn’t take seriously. In truth, harm reduction is a framework that focuses on reducing the negative consequences of behaviors without judgment or punishment. Instead of forcing people into strict recovery models, harm reduction meets them where they are, offering support and safety without shame.
I remember first encountering harm reduction in the context of drug addiction and being struck by the idea that there were places where people could use safely. Currently our society isn’t equipped to eradicate these issues, but we can make people safer. When I started my private practice, I began to wonder if harm reduction could apply to eating disorders too—and it turns out that Indigenous and BIPOC women have been practicing this for centuries. Their work isn’t being shared.
The unlearning that began in my graduate program extended into how I understood eating disorders. They aren’t black and white, despite what traditional treatment centers have led us to believe. Eating disorders encompass every facet of a person’s being. That’s why discovering Gloria Lucas and her work through Nalgona Positivity Pride (NPP) was so transformative. NPP is an unconventional eating disorder awareness organization that shines a light on the often-overlooked societal factors that perpetuate unrealistic and oppressive beauty and health standards. NPP offers a vital space for BIPOC individuals to celebrate and embrace their bodies and identities—challenging the whitewashed narratives that dominate traditional recovery spaces.
Harm reductionists opened my eyes to the possibilities of recovery. Not through rigid treatment models, but through a harm reduction lens grounded in compassion and ancestral wisdom. They showed me that healing doesn’t have to come from punishment or control. It can come from understanding and honoring the complexity of trauma and body image. That’s why I feel compelled to study this framework and honor the Indigenous and BIPOC women who built it. I exist because of them—their resilience and their healing practices. My white privilege gives me a platform, and I believe it’s my responsibility to use it to uplift their work, not to appropriate it.
If this resonates with you, if you’ve felt let down by traditional treatment or disconnected from your own healing—I invite you to join me. Let’s explore a different path together, one rooted in compassion, curiosity, and deep respect for the wisdom that’s always been there.
Check Out Nalgona Positivity Pride (NPP):
