Dec 05 2023 61 mins
Content Warning: This podcast episode contains candid conversations relating to eating disorders and mental health issues. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please seek professional help. The National Eating Disorders Association Helpline is available at 1-800-931-2237. Remember, you are not alone, and there is help available. Listener discretion is advised.
Robyn Baker (who I knew back in the day as Robyn Yamanaka) is someone who I went to high school with at Los Alamitos High and the Orange County High School of the Arts many moons ago -- she was a sophomore when I was senior!
Robyn is someone I’ve always been a big fan of. When I think of that sophomore Robyn circa 1997, I see an exceptional talent and someone who is so very KIND… but I never knew, until recently, that we shared an NYU college rejection letter pain-point together until a recent Facebook post that she made about starting her new college journey studying Public Health online at Brown University. But it was that particular rejection experience that neither of us were prepared for, and one that we’ve both been working on healing for decades. Upon reading her post, I immediately wanted to discuss it on the podcast! I’m grateful she graciously agreed.
One theme we explore is the therapeutic power of creativity and its role as a tool for understanding the world around us. We delve into personal narratives on the impact of motherhood and parenthood on identity and harnessing creativity to overcome adversity. We also share an intimate discussion on the painful reality of college rejection and its impact on self-worth, drawing from our own experiences with NYU. It's a powerful conversation aimed at challenging the dangerous notion of associating admission decisions with personal worth.
Robyn Baker is a homeschooling mother of 3 and a graduate student at Brown University getting her masters in Public Health, as well as having received her Bachelors of Science from Cal State University in Fullerton in Kinesiology (for those who don’t know, Kinesiology is the study of body movement, a study often related to Physical Therapy and Dance!).
Robyn has worn many hats over her 42 years of life including singer, actress, personal trainer, Pilates teacher, yoga instructor, author, restaurant hostess, business owner and recovery coach. She's grateful for all the wisdom and opportunities she's been blessed to acquire and experience over the years. She is an advocate for eating disorder recovery, size/body diversity and health equality and accessibility. She hopes to one day create a health care system that truly values all lives.
On a personal note, while it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other in person - I am so impressed with her online presence, her activism, her nuance sharing of parenthood and giving voice to the many issues she is so passionate about. A brilliant example of how creativity can infuse every corner of your life in powerful and dynamic ways.
Welcome to the podcast, Robyn Baker.
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Introduction voice-over: Sara Cravens
Or find our host Scott Barnhardt on Instagram.