From Self-Objectification to Self-Recognition with Lisa Haukom

Have you ever looked back at photos from five or ten years ago and thought, "I looked amazing—what was I so worried about?" Or do you find yourself hovering over the delete button, unable to see what your friends insist is a great photo of you? In this episode, photographer, author, and creator of The Photo Club, Lisa Haukom, reveals why you literally don't recognize your own face—and how that disconnect is keeping you from showing up fully in your life and business. We explore the concept of self-objectification (living as an observer of yourself rather than inhabiting your own experience), the neuroscience behind why non-mirrored photos feel "wrong," and Lisa's transformative 30-day photo practice that helps women finally see themselves clearly. To add more impact to the narrative, I got vulnerable about navigating self-image changes during pregnancy, and even participated in one of Lisa's exercises live on the podcast. This is a raw and honest conversation about the pressure cooker we create for ourselves and how to find space between reactive thoughts and the truth. Key Talking Points:In this episode, we discuss… The difference between experiencing a moment versus living as an outside observer of yourself being observed The neuroscience behind why your brain rejects non-mirrored images that show your "true" face to others How taking daily photos without deleting them using the back camera can revolutionize your self-perception Why your brain auto-corrects your appearance in the mirror and how flipping photos upside down reveals what you actually look like How women create impossible expectations about being "ready" or "perfect" before showing up—and why that needs to stop Simple changes like turning off overhead lights, cleaning your lens, and shooting at eye level that transform your relationship with images How keeping the "bad" photos creates the space needed to build empathy for yourself and recognize patterns Time Stamps: [1:35] Lisa’s introduction and her message for listeners [2:46] The “pressure cooker” of self-image and personal history [5:15] Discovering self-objectification and its impact [8:28] Lisa’s 30-day photo practice and self-acceptance [10:48] The disconnect between self-perception and others’ views [13:55] The neuroscience of self-image and the mirror effect [15:07] The journey of re-parenting and preparing for motherhood [28:05] The importance of documenting life and self-reflection [35:08] Lisa’s current projects: Photo Club, Substack, and her book Connect with Lisa Haukom: Website: Substack Social: Instagram Work with Lisa: Photo Club Connect with Ashley Graham: Thank you for listening! Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more expansive content and stories here. Follow Ashley Graham (@simplyashleygraham) and The Conscious Publicist (@theconsciouspublicist) on LinkedIn. If you loved this episode and want to further support the show, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcasting platform!Apple | Spotify | Blog | Business Copyright 2026 – The Conscious Publicist® – All Rights Reserved