Fierce Compassion: Interview with M Reim Ifrach (They/Them)

M is a trans/non-binary art therapist, fat activist and artist whose work focuses on body justice, intersectional social justice and eating disorder treatment equity access. They are the Director for Walden Behavioral Care’s Rainbow Road, the country’s first virtual Eating Disorder 2slgbtqia+ IOP & PHP, which is proud to announce having over 90% Queer Staffing (as of February 2022). They also co-own and operate Rainbow Recovery where they support people through the gender affirmation process, complex trauma recovery, eating disorder recovery and body image issues. M is committed to the mission that all bodies deserve recovery and that marginalized bodies need to be amplified in the eating disorder landscape to eradicate the stereotypes surrounding eating disorders and gender. To that end M had the honor to participate in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Artful Practices for Well-being, presented at national and international conferences on the use of HAES, Intuitive Eating and Intersectional Social Justice in mental health care and teaches multicultural and diversity practice in Master’s Level Art Therapy programs. When M isn’t working they enjoy raising many animals including Pinball Wizard, their blind dog, watching all things Horror on repeat, obsessing over all things Elton John, and enjoying time with their partner. You may follow M on Instagram @queer.art_therapist This episode was recorded on the unceded land of the Hawaiian Kingdom/Kanaka people, and the unceded land of the Quinnipiac and Wappinger people aka Connecticut. Special thanks to Jai Myer (@relentlesslyeye) for the gorgeous logo and to Curt Rivadeneira (curtiv.myportfolio.com) for the intro and exit music.