Why R.I.S.E.?
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA, 2016), 40-60% of elementary school girls (ages 6-12) are concerned about becoming too fat and engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors. With the best-known contributor to eating disorder behavior being body dissatisfaction, recent studies are showing the median onset of eating disorder behaviors as 12-13 years of age (NEDA, 2016). These statistics are very real and alarming. It is our responsibility to bring awareness and education to our young ladies growing up in such a culture.
It is said that a culture is formed by the stories our children are told. It is time for us to form a new story of self-love, acceptance, compassion, respect and value. We have the opportunity to empower this generation with a new message. What an honor it is for R.I.S.E to be a part of this new story.
Traci’s onsite school trainings focus on:
Understand eating disorders
Learn the triggers of an eating disorder
How to identify an eating disorder at school
Effective intervention strategies
Prevention and early awareness strategies
Building a body-positive campus culture
Traci’s Journey to R.I.S.E.
For more than 30 years, Traci Haynes has dedicated her career as a Registered Dietitian to helping others build healthy, balanced relationships with food and their bodies. Her professional journey began with a personal mission—motivated by her grandfather’s diabetes and a deep curiosity about nutrition. What started as a desire to help others soon became an exploration of her own complex relationship with food, body image, and self-worth.
Growing up, Traci struggled with body image and disordered eating, a battle that intensified through adolescence and early adulthood. After the birth of her second son, she entered treatment for anorexia nervosa—a turning point that would not only transform her personal recovery but ultimately define her professional calling.
Throughout her early career, Traci explored many areas of educating patients on the vital role of nutrition in the body’s overall health, strength, efficiency and longevity. Yet, it wasn’t until her own recovery that she discovered her true purpose: helping others heal from eating disorders. Encouraged by her therapist to embrace her lived experience as a strength, Traci immersed herself in specialized training and mentorship, eventually earning her Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS)credential in 2018—a milestone she describes as one of the most meaningful achievements of her life.
Traci’s passion for prevention and early intervention led her to create R.I.S.E. Strong, an education and awareness program designed for adolescent girls. Launched in 2015, R.I.S.E. empowers girls in grades 4–8 to value and care for their whole selves by learning to fuel their growing bodies, engage in joyful body movement, practice body gratitude, positive self-talk and self compassion. What began as a simple presentation and a few bracelets has evolved into a powerful movement that inspires confidence and resilience in young women navigating today’s challenging culture of body ideals and social pressure.
Today, Traci continues her work in private practice, providing compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals and families affected by eating disorders. She is deeply committed to helping clients find peace with food, trust in their bodies, and confidence in their worth.
Guided by the words of Maya Angelou—“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”—Traci strives to ensure that every client and every R.I.S.E. girl feels seen, heard, and valued. For Traci, this work is more than a career—it’s a calling born from both struggle and hope, and one she considers an incredible privilege.
