There’s not much else I can add to this amazing woman’s story.  I will say that her bravery to face something that scared her is inspiring.  I can’t imagine being in her shoes – knowing that something big needs to change – and having the courage to step up and face it head on.  Most of us shy away from the hard things, hide under the covers and hope it all goes away.  It won’t.  The hard things come back – what are you going to do then?  Hide?  Run this time?  Or, face it and tackle the challenge?

Here’s what she had to say about her session!

1) Why did you decide to invest in a boudoir photo shoot?  Originally it was for my fiance, I was going to give it to him the day of the wedding before we were actually married. But then we broke up and i wanted to postpone. It was a bad breakup and is only just now getting settled. I ended up keeping the date and going forward with it because i wanted to do it for me. I wanted to have some sort of control over my life again

2) How did you feel about yourself before your photo shoot?  Insecure, like i couldn’t do anything right. Scared i was never going to be able to get my life together and be happy on my own. I had planned a whole wedding let alone a whole life. Granted it wasn’t going to be a good life but it was going to be with someone and i wasn’t going to be alone. I felt lost, like the person I had been for the last three years wasn’t me, so I didn’t know who I was.

2A) What was your biggest challenge when it comes to the image you have about yourself?  My weight. I was a much healthier weight back in 2011. I was working out and eating well and still wasn’t to m weight goal. I was shy 20 lbs and I plateaued. That was the year I met my first emotionally abusive boyfriend and I really started to let myself go. I stopped living for me and was living for him while he rejected me. This (somehow) only made me want his approval even more. After 2 years off and on I was finally able to break it off. About a year later I met my current ex, but I had completely let myself go and had gained 80 lbs. I had stretch marks where I never had before and I hated my body and myself for letting it get so bad.

3) How did you feel about yourself after your photo shoot?  Centered. You made me feel amazing, like i had done everything perfectly. I had done everything right and I felt satisfied with myself for the first time in a long time. You made me feel like i could do anything. I could model if I wanted to. I could conquer the world. You made me feel like I was the first person to ever do so perfectly in a photo shoot. Obviously that’s not true, but that is exactly how you made me feel. Instantly supported and best friends.

4) Describe your session in 3 words?  Refreshing. Insightful. Inspiring.

5) What was your favorite part of the boudoir photo shoot?  The immediate feedback from you. I would do something and I was immediately validated for doing it well. That was something I hadn’t gotten (or given to myself) for the past year.

6) What would you say to other women who are considering a boudoir photo shoot?  Just take the jump. Leap of faith. You need it more than you could ever know. You will get more out of it than you ever thought you could out of 4 hours. Maura, you need to bottle the feeling after and sell it like heroine.