Redefining Power, Healing, and Womanhood

By Dr. Sera Lavelle  

I’m Dr. Sera Lavelle, a clinical psychologist and the founder of Bea Better Eating, an app dedicated to helping people heal their relationship with food through the power of AI therapy and hypnosis. For nearly two decades, I’ve worked intimately with women navigating the emotional terrain of eating and body image—unpacking generations of shame, self-doubt, and disconnection. My mission isn’t just about changing how people eat. It’s about changing how we care for ourselves in the process.

So when people ask me what it means to lead with legacy in mind, I pause—not because I don’t know, but because legacy, to me, is sacred. It’s less about building a personal empire or achieving visibility, and more about what continues long after you’re gone. It’s about the subtle cultural shifts we ignite in others, the healing we set in motion, the safe spaces we build that allow people—especially women—to finally exhale and just be. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave behind.

From Disruption to Replacement

We often hear about “disrupting diet culture,” and yes, disruption has its place. But disruption alone isn’t enough. What’s the point of tearing down a broken system if we don’t build something better in its place?

My goal with Bea isn’t just to be a counter-voice to harmful narratives about food and body image—it’s to build a new standard. One rooted in self-compassion, emotional awareness, and the science of the subconscious mind. I want people to feel safe in their bodies again. I want women to remember what it’s like to make choices from a place of intuition rather than fear, and to connect with food as nourishment—not punishment.

Hypnosis is one of the most powerful tools I’ve found in helping people reach this place. It quiets the noise, the self-judgment, the lifelong programming. Through guided sessions in Bea, users access that deeper, wiser part of themselves—the part that already knows how to heal.

Redefining Power for the Next Generation

Power, for many women, has been a complicated subject. We’re often taught that to lead, we must be louder. Tougher. Sharper. We must hustle harder, say less, take up just enough space—but not too much.

But I’ve learned something different in my years as a therapist and founder: you don’t have to be loud to be powerful. You don’t have to have all the answers. You just need to ask the right questions. Leadership, for me, is about creating environments where others can rise—not because they’ve proven themselves, but because they’re safe enough to be themselves.

Within my therapy practice, my team, and at Bea, I intentionally foster spaces where women can drop the armor. Where they’re invited to explore, to speak, to be messy and real and growing. I believe that when you truly believe in someone’s potential, and you give them space to express it, their best work becomes a natural outpouring.

This is how we shape the next generation of women leaders—not through perfection, but through presence. Through empathy. Through giving them permission to lead in a way that reflects who they truly are.

Stepping Into Power — Gently, Boldly, Authentically

To the woman stepping into her power for the first time: I see you. I know how easy it is to feel like you’re supposed to already “have it together.” But the truth is, leadership is not about certainty. It’s about curiosity. It’s not about barking orders or climbing ladders—it’s about finding your fire and tending to it carefully.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• You don’t have to know it all.

• You don’t have to lead like anyone else.

• You just need to trust your instincts.

• Ask questions that make people think, pause, and feel.

• Surround yourself with those who light something up inside of you—people who reflect your values, not your insecurities.

Power rooted in compassion is the kind that endures. It doesn’t burn out. It radiates.

The Legacy I Hope to Leave

In the end, I hope my legacy isn’t measured by accolades or app downloads or titles. I hope it’s felt in the quiet moments—when a woman eats a meal without guilt for the first time in years, or chooses rest over restriction, or steps into a room and doesn’t shrink.

I want to be part of a cultural shift where healing is celebrated, not hidden. Where softness isn’t mistaken for weakness. Where our daughters inherit a different narrative—one that tells them they are enough, just as they are.

If I’ve done that, then I’ve led well.

Connect With Dr. Sera

@bea.heals instagram

@drseraspeaks instagram

www.linkedin.com/in/seralavelle