Hidden Gems: Meet Rebecca Christ of Be ThySelf

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Christ.

Hi Rebecca, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My name is Rebecca Christ (Pronounced: K-rist, as in “Christ-mas”). I am a cisgender white, queer/bisexual woman.

I grew up in the Greater Metro area, went to undergrad in Flagstaff, AZ, and now live near Downtown Phoenix with my spouse, two furry pups, and one kitty cat.

As for my professional background, I hold Master’s degrees in Social Work and Public Administration and have been in public service for 15 years. Starting in direct practice, doing one-on-one work with clients and serving in community mental health positions, then moving into more macro-level social work in the federal government and higher education sectors.

I am a faculty member at Arizona State University’s School of Social Work’s Integrative Health Initiative (IHI), teaching since 2014. The IHI program is focused on teaching health practitioners how to treat the whole person using holistic, mindful, and integrative approaches.

Last year on 2/22/22, we founded “Be ThySelf,” a teaching and coaching service focused on providing training & support to create a mindful, holistic, and trauma-informed approach to well-being. My intention with Be ThySelf is to share the same skills I teach in the University setting with the larger community – providing people with real-life tools for managing stress and practicing holistic self-care.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When we first purchased the LLC for Be ThySelf last year, I began experiencing daily migraine attacks, vertigo, all-over body pain, and extreme sensory sensitivity. I was diagnosed with Chronic Migraine disease & Visual Snow Syndrome and was initially put on medication that gave me terrible mental and physical reactions – it was horrible!

We had just started a business about wellness & mindful embodiment skills, and it seemed the universe was asking me to put these skills to the test. I could no longer ignore my neurological issues, and I had to face how disabling they had become.

So… I went “under the blanket” – I took a year and prioritized my health as I have never done before. I kept telling myself to trust the flow – that this dream of Be ThySelf was a seed underneath the soil, germinating as I healed my body and spirit.

With the help of my family and friends and an incredible holistic healthcare team – I am grateful to report that my life looks a lot different today than it did one year ago. While there is currently no “cure” for Migraine disease or Visual Snow Syndrome, I now have much better tools for managing my symptoms. I am experiencing fewer attacks with less severity. Hallelujah!

Over the last year, amid my healing journey, I also had the privilege to help build several new undergrad and graduate courses at Arizona State University – all focused on integrative health modalities. Watching the next generation of professionals open to the power of mindfulness and holistic wellness has been a gift. This work has kept my fire burning for the ways that Be ThySelf will continue to share these skills with the larger community.

My healing journey has reinforced the importance of holistic, integrative healthcare & having accessible tools for managing stress, trauma, and pain. Now, more than ever, I want to share these same tools with my community!

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Be ThySelf, LLC?
With Be ThySelf, I will bring the classroom to you: providing real-life, accessible skills for managing stress that your team can use immediately. Everything we do at Be ThySelf works from a trauma-informed perspective – meaning that we recognize the widespread impact of trauma and actively work not to retraumatize ourselves or others.

As a Licensed Master Social Worker, I am passionate about supporting other professionals in developing themselves as leaders by engaging in their wellness and self-care. While we are often told to “practice good self-care,” rarely are we given practical tools for how to do that in our day-to-day work. Burnout is a significant problem, and too often, we see fabulous professionals leave their work because of a lack of support around their self-care and wellness needs.

My approach to coaching & teaching blends clinical social work training in trauma-informed approaches, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and the latest evidence-based practices in holistic wellness.

Our services:

*1:1 & Small Group Coaching
*Stress Management Courses for Businesses & Non-Profits
*Wellness @ Work Coaching Groups
*Professional Skills Training & Continuing Education Courses

Stay connected with us: www.BeThySelf.org | IG: @Be.Thy.Self.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
This Spring, Be ThySelf will offer a virtual, donation-based “Self-Care Support Circle!”

The Self-Care Support Circle will be a compassionate space to connect, tend to our self-care needs, and learn tools to soothe the nervous system. Our group will be trauma-informed, meaning that we recognize the widespread impact of trauma and work to avoid retraumatizing ourselves and others.

We will host the series on Insight Timer, a free wellness platform that offers thousands of meditations, courses, and live offerings. Follow us on Insight Timer & receive an invite to the “Self-Care Support Circle”: linktr.ee/be.thy.self

Contact Info:

• Website: www.BeThySelf.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.thy.self/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethyself/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeThySelf/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/be.thy.self

Image Credits
Estevan Bellino at Built From Scratch Studios