49. Louamy Sepulveda: Finding the Middle; Sobriety; Remaining Teachable and Willing; Challenging Old Narratives

Louamy Sepulveda (she/her) is a partner, an advocate, a therapist, a comedian, and a friend. She is a rapper, a wellness guide, an encourager, an empowerer and a connection-creator. Louamy describes her health and wellness journey as a beautiful off-the-rails ride. She has experienced many moments that felt like quicksands of deep stuckness, as well as colorful moments where chambers of new breath unlocked. She has shifted her perspective from being weight-loss obsessed, to working towards a healthy and peaceful life. She describes herself as a rookie when it comes to this new way of living. 
 
Louamy's first real hike was in 2021. She hiked up Mt. Tamalpais in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was a 9 mile hike with 2000 ft elevation change. As a Bronx native, that was a huge deal for a girl that didn't want to walk up the block to the bodega. Life has been filled with firsts for these past several years. She is currently living in Philly, as a new resident in a new city.  She has been a psychotherapist and has been working in community mental health for 8 years. She received her MS from Pace University. Louamy is a gastric sleeve surgery recipient, a romantic at heart, and has been sober for 1,372 days.
 
Louamy is a forever learner of new ways. She can be loving and compassionate to her body after being so mean to it for a long time. She prays to remain teachable and willing through life's twists and turns. She is a lover of music, art, dance, and comedy. As a proud Puerto Rican, she does this freedom work for her lineage- the ones before her and the ones to come. Grateful for every breath and every step, Louamy knows it's just the beginning. Louamy is powerful, strong, brave, bold, determined, diligent and kind. When she asks you how you are doing, she really wants to know. Louamy is a force and a beautiful, bright energy.

Louamy talks about life being more colorful instead of so black and white. She is honest about being tired of not remembering before she got sober. Louamy is more intentional about being in the present moment, relinquishing self-centeredness and understanding that we can't do this life journey by ourselves. She talks about staying sober is all about taking it day by day, praying, connecting with other people and having support. Lou consistently checks in with herself every morning to see what comes up for her and what she needs for the day. Louamy beautifully says that this journey is finding the middle, not living in extremes and not wanting to put everything in a box. She has been witness to people changing and states that it requires work and action. "What are you doing and also, what are you not doing?" AND having compassion for yourself in the process. We talk about how there is so much generational pain...where does it go? If one person doesn't stop the continuation, it continues and it is SO important for us to help stop the cycle. Louamy says it's an inside job to shift the narrative. "This work is not only for me." Louamy is a HOPE-GIVER and a healer and she teaches people that they can have power over their lives. "Healing people heal people." She remembers that her body has shown up for her for all of these years. Louamy knows for sure that it gets better! "If we get better, it gets better."

Lou lives on Lenapehoking land.

Book recommendation:
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Get Rooted by Robyn Moreno

Find Louamy @therapist.comedian.rapper 
Look for all of Louamy's wisdom on this IG page.

When in Philly, check out Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books  www.unclebobbies.com