Jason Smith: [00:00:00] Hi. Welcome to Bari Nation, where we support the bariatric community with humor, humility, and honesty.
April Williams: You've just tuned into a podcast that welcomes you into a community, a resource center, and a safe place that powers your [00:00:15] journey towards personal wellness.
Natalie Tierney: Our goal is you leave us today feeling hopeful, inspired, and ready to live your best bariatric life.
April Williams: Hi friends. [00:00:30] Welcome to the Bari Nation podcast. We have the honor of connecting again with one of our most favorite humans on the planet. Lora Grabow. Hi friend. Hello, friend. It's so good to be here. It is excellent to see your face again, and you just [00:00:45] reminded me or let me know. April is your four year kind of anniversary of connecting with Berry Nation way back in the day when it was east to West WLS.
Lora Grabow: Yes, yes. I was referred to you and [00:01:00] you reached out and said, Hey, will you do a podcast? And it was in April of 2021 that I recorded my first podcast with all of you, east to west with, we were east to west. You weren't even very into.
April Williams: I know. I cannot believe when you said that I [00:01:15] was floored. It feels like it was a second ago.
Mm-hmm. And at the same time, a lifetime ago. And the reason I say that is I am not the person I was four years ago. Today, Jason and Natalie are not the people, and part of the reason [00:01:30] that we have been able to grow so much is because of your wisdom and your education and the things that you. Teach us right in Berry Nation on this podcast every day that we have an opportunity to connect with you.[00:01:45]
We really do learn something new and we are just so grateful for, for you and everything that you do for this community.
Lora Grabow: And, and I'm so grateful for the community. Um, I think you know this part of the story, but I'd love to share it with the listeners as well. How, uh, you know, [00:02:00] how Berry Nation, um, became a gift to me.
I was transitioning out of. In office work, if you will, as we all you know, things got switched up with Covid back then and loved the surgical center I was working with here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but [00:02:15] really felt in a way a calling to reach more people outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan with this passion I have for head work and community.
And I thought I was gonna continue to do groups at the surgical center here in Grand [00:02:30] Rapids, in person groups. And that came to an end that I was not expecting. And I was so sad because I've always known, even though I do do speaking for my, my colleagues and speak to other provider, [00:02:45] I always knew my passion was patients.
My passion is to walk alongside patients and give them that missing piece. And I love doing that in a group setting. So I was so sad that I wasn't going to have that [00:03:00] opportunity anymore. And then we met and I was on your podcast and you decide to launch this amazing support community, and you're like, do you wanna be part of it?
And I'm like, yes. Yes, yes, yes and yes. And I [00:03:15] continue to get to do groups now. I'm so fortunate. Four groups a week in the nation community. Yes.
April Williams: Oh, it was, you know, the, we say this often, and I hear this [00:03:30] from members in the community all the time. I needed this little bit of information today. I needed this nugget. I needed this conversation, right? I needed this today. And I am a true believer in that the universe delivers what we need if we are genuinely asking for it.
Mm-hmm. [00:03:45] And. At the time that we met, we were thinking about launching what is Berry Nation today. Uh, and I remember you were one of our beta tests. We were in beta tests for like a year. Yeah. I feel like it was a very long time. Yeah. It was so long. And just figuring out [00:04:00] really what, what you had said, what are these transitional moments in our bariatric life, the right, where are the moments that we are right.
Looking to become something. Someone else, it's that pre-op stage. It's that commitment stage, right? It's when [00:04:15] things kind of start to feel like they go off the rails and the support that you lead in Berry Nation are really grounded in those transitional stages. You lead a bariatric beginner's support group, so for people who are thinking about surgery or in the pre-op, pre stage and process, or a newly post-op.
You [00:04:30] lead a general support group, which is a wonderful place to just pop in and, and share a struggle. Celebrate a win. Then you lead an emotional eating support group and you need lead a life and maintenance support group. So you're really covering all those big transitional bases and I love every [00:04:45] minute of it.
It's so awesome. I am a, I'm a frequent flyer in your group so I can speak to the power. I always leave your group and any group in variation feeling so much better than when I went into it. There's always something that I'm [00:05:00] like, Ooh, okay. Or sometimes there isn't anything that I need. And I realize on those days too, I leave with so much more than, than what I, than what I had when I first, first joined
Lora Grabow: April.
I know you share, um, this belief [00:05:15] that I'm gonna share. Um, and that's how Berry Nation was formed. Patients need other patients. Right? Yes. Yes. I'm trained as a bariatric therapist, or we can say obesity medicine provider. Like that is my specialty. You know, the mental health [00:05:30] component of this journey of obesity.
Yep. I'm not a patient and there is nothing like patients connecting with other patients. I can't bring that in a one-on-one session. Yeah. And [00:05:45] you know, anyone out there who's, who's on this journey right now, or thinking about the journey you need to be in community. I can't say that enough. You know, over 20 years in this pre, in this field, walking [00:06:00] alongside patients, you need a place where you can go and you can be emotionally safe, and you can just talk about your stuff with someone who gets it.
Because, yes. Mm-hmm. You may have a spouse or partner that supports you, or a parent or a [00:06:15] friend, but they can't say, I understand how you feel. No, there's nothing like patients talking to patients, and that is why I say community is treatment. And I [00:06:30] love that it's one of the pillars of Berry Nation. Yes.
'cause our patients are learning so much about the role of protein and the role of nutrition and the role of, um, movement. And that movement should be cardio and strength [00:06:45] training. Yes. Those and hydration, you know, vitamins. Treatment. Treatment, treatment plan. What about connecting with other patients?
April Williams: Mm-hmm.
Lora Grabow: Right? Mm-hmm. Is that what added to the treatment plan? Mm-hmm. Because I would say, and maybe I'm a little [00:07:00] biased, it's just as important and if not more important than getting your protein in.
April Williams: It is the only reason I have been successful throughout my journey if I would not have had a community like Berry Nation to, to [00:07:15] do, and, and this is a teacher word of me, but it's like that synchronous support I.
Yeah, there are millions of Facebook groups out there, right? But it's people saying random things. It's not in the moment connections. I don't get to look somebody in the eye on Zoom [00:07:30] and, and say, I'm really struggling with this. Or to be able to offer somebody advice. And what makes the variation communities so powerful is you have more than 70 opportunities a month to do that.
To look somebody in the eye, to share a [00:07:45] common space at the same time with other people who are going through it. And just. Hold your discomfort, hold your pain, hold your joy, hold your immense happiness in this journey. Mm-hmm. [00:08:00] You don't get that in a Facebook group, and until you've experienced it, it's hard to know the value.
But once you have. That becomes almost invaluable, and then you really get to internalize, oh, this is where I get to practice the work. [00:08:15] Because let's be real, we all know what we need to do, right? Our surgeons gave us a list, a binder, right? We went through classes. We know what we need to do. We just don't know how to do it.
And in Berry Nation, we get the place to practice the how with [00:08:30] peers and experts. 'cause there have been plenty of groups, Laura, that I've been in with you, where I've said something and you've responded with, let's hear from everybody else that's here. And then after everybody has kind of given their insight, you step back and you go, okay, so here's what I'm hearing from my [00:08:45] professional experience.
Let's work on reframing this. Let's think about this a different way. So it's just this like wonderful gift that I get every time I am live with you in a group in Buried Nation.
Lora Grabow: Yes. Absolutely. And I love that you said it's where you get to practice the work, [00:09:00] because when you're talking about showing up and holding space, um, for tension and difficult emotions and having a safe place where you can, um, celebrate wins, but also talk about the hard right.
And what the struggles are and they, they [00:09:15] don't cancel each other out. Yeah. Guess what that is the treatment. Yes. Because how our patients have handled that for years is turning to food. Yeah. Right. They have a long [00:09:30] history of putting a smile on saying everything's okay. I'm fine. They're great at helping other people, but receiving help, no, I got it.
I'm good. I can do this on my own. I don't, you know, my, my, you know my weight problem's, my [00:09:45] problem. I'm, I don't wanna bother anybody with it. Nope, I got it. I'm good. That has not work, right? Mm-hmm. So that's that head work piece I'm so passionate about. So in group, patients learn to lean on each other. Yeah.
They learn to [00:10:00] name what is going well. They learn to name what is hard. They learn to feel feelings, right? Yeah. And share things that nobody else would understand except a patient.
April Williams: Yeah. And, and when you share the [00:10:15] hard things, when you say the scary things out loud, in a safe place like that, and the only thing you're met with is understanding and love and empathy.
It's the most mind-bending experience in the most [00:10:30] positive way because you finally have found this place that you get to show up authentically and get real true love and support back. No judgment, no shame, just mm-hmm. We see you, we hear you. We understand [00:10:45] that. Mm-hmm. And we value you even a little bit more because you've been brave enough to share that.
Yes. Right. The, the stories of struggle are so valued in Berry Nation and it's hard to find in some other places, uh, in the online world. [00:11:00] Oh,
Lora Grabow: absolutely. And like you said, yeah. Especially the support groups facilitated by experts. It's just a whole nother level of community. Yeah. This treatment. Yeah.
April Williams: Yep.
Yes it is. Well, Laura, [00:11:15] you and I are gonna continue this conversation. I have another question I wanna ask her, and that will be in the bonus episode of this episode. So if you are a member of Berry Nation or if you are a supporter of the podcast on Patreon, you're gonna get access to that. But before we go, I wanted to let you know [00:11:30] watching and listening, Laura is joining us as an official expert partner in Berry Nation.
She's been unofficial for four. Then we were like, oh my gosh, how have we never done this before? So Laura is our newest expert partner in [00:11:45] Berry Nation. And what that means is if you work with Laura, if you've taken classes with Laura, if you have a connection to Laura, you can now access a discounted monthly membership rate in Berry Nation.
And that means you get to continue to learn to connect, learn, and grow with Laura in [00:12:00] variation. So let me be the first to, I guess, officially welcome you second for the, I know how many times to the expert in.
Lora Grabow: I'm glad we're making it official, and I think it's the perfect time because then you know, the last six months I've expanded my practice in bringing on two [00:12:15] other clinicians.
So you know, anyone who works with my colleagues, Christie or Kate, you know, we're all one practice. They'll be given that discounted membership. So we're really excited about it because we're promoting information all the time.
April Williams: Oh, I know, and Christie is another expert who [00:12:30] leads in variation and, and yeah, her, the support that she leads is just absolutely invaluable in the community.
So just another way that we are continuing to help every patient who needs it in every stage of this journey. Laura, if people want to [00:12:45] learn more about you wanna connect with you, they want information on your practice or on the courses that you offer, where can they find you?
Lora Grabow: Well, absolutely. Um, I hope you're following me on social as well.
I'm just at bariatric therapist on Instagram. I do still do a professional Facebook as [00:13:00] well. That's just my name, Laura Grabo and Lmsw. Um, head on over to my website, Laura, sign up for my Head Work Matters newsletter. Then you'll hear about all the offering. So. I send that out the first of the month and I would love to welcome [00:13:15] you to, um, just to my community, to my head work community, 'cause head does matter.
April Williams: It's the the missing piece, as you say all the time. And friends, we'll make sure all of this information is linked in the show notes. So if you just open up the show description, all that contact [00:13:30] information will be there. And if you heard something from Laura today that you absolutely love, or if she said something that you're like, yes, this has been the missing piece for me, drop a comment on whatever platform you're listening, listening, or watching on that lets us know that this episode is resonating with you.[00:13:45]
Alright, friends, we gotta wrap this up, but like I said, I get a. Keep conversating with Laura and the bonus episode. But my friend, thank you so much for joining me today. Thank
Lora Grabow: you so
April Williams: much for having
Lora Grabow: me back. I love it, and I love that it's been four years. I do too. Yeah. Cheers to four [00:14:00] years. Let's celebrate that.
Let's celebrate. Awesome. Thanks, Friend. Bye-bye.
April Williams: That wraps up another empowering episode of the Buried Nation [00:14:15] Podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode, keep the conversation going by joining the Bari Nation Membership community where you can attend live support events, access on-demand resources, and find a caring community.
Natalie Tierney: Join us@barination.mn.co.
If you [00:14:30] found this podcast valuable, help us produce it by becoming a $5 monthly supporter@barinationpodcast.com.
Jason Smith: And just remember at the end of the day, you've got this. We've got you. And we'll see you next time. Bye [00:14:45] everybody.