Styling Life with Dr. Erin Tremblay
I'm not sure what my life would be like without knowing Erin - not only is she one of my dearest friends, she's been a part of my care team for many years. Her wisdom & expertise have helped me recover from years of debilitating chronic pelvic pain, soothed my anxiety, & prepared my body for pregnancy. As our doula, she's made us feel safe, preparing us for the journey of giving birth & supporting us in creating intentions & boundaries around such a life-changing transition.
I'm in awe of how she moves through life at her own pace, trusting what she knows is best for her. Her perspectives on living with pleasure & unconditionally loving yourself mirror & strengthen my own, & it's an honour to share her words here with you. May they bring light to your day & inspire you as you style your life with delight.
Erin wears the Celestial Dress in Amber.
Can you please tell us a bit about who you are?
Absolutely :)
Official things: I am a Doctor of Acupuncture, a birth Doula, and I have a membership platform through Patreon that offers online classes about approaching health through pleasure.
I am so devoted to holding and witnessing people in their big life transitions.
I am a nerdy kitchen witch obsessed with plants, movement, community, and pleasure.
What do you do?
I listen to people. I get to sit with people in their deepest vulnerabilities, hear their truths, and sit with them in the big/joyful/messy parts of life.
I got the most amazing feedback the other day: I hold up a mirror so people can see the beauty and strength in themselves that they couldn’t see before... It was a thunderclap moment for me and helped me to understand what my work really is.
What inspires your career?
My first instinct to answer this question was :
Beauty – in nature, in everyday objects
Pleasure – in the mundane and the epic
When I thought about it longer though, I realized that even more than those (and they are big inspirations) is when people tell me the stories of how being supported and encouraged to listen to themselves, to listen to their own pleasure, has changed their lives.
What’s your dream for your business? What do you hope it will grow into?
My business is in many ways exactly where I want it to be. I have just started my online membership, and I am really excited to grow that into a delicious support and resource for lots of people.
What does personal style mean to you?
For me, personal style is about being clear about what I love and being intentional with what I wear and how I surround myself.
I think it should be about pleasing yourself. You know...wearing fabrics that make your body feel delicious and styles that feel like art and let you live your life the way you enjoy.
I think it should tell your story. For example, I love looking around my home and seeing the beautiful rug my parents got me for my birthday; which we bought from the artist herself (who made it from wool from her own sheep). I want to see the art from past lovers and the sculpture I got from a street artist in Paris. There is that piece that took me years to get my hands on and the sweet and meaningful gifts from loved ones when I was going through a really hard time. It all holds my story.
Erin wears the Ethereal Blouse in Storm & Luna Trousers in Amber.
How would you define your style in 1-4 words?
Hmm... art, texture, natural, and crisp.
What role does clothing play in your life?
For me it is living, breathing art and, equally important to me, it is the backdrop of how I live my life. I strive to make it something that supports and improves my life rather than demands something from me.
Do you have any outfits or other rituals you turn to when you need a boost of confidence?
I do have a couple of outfits that help when I need a boost (that I got from Flopsy Life actually!)
In terms of rituals, I will take time alone to see myself through my own eyes again, dance to great music, or when all else fails just walk brazenly like I own absolutely everything around me :)
What rituals or routines do you have for staying grounded?
At this point probably too many to list!! I have rituals with the phases of the moon, rituals with the phases of my menstrual cycle, rituals with the seasons... I guess that is how I stay grounded: by honouring seasons.
What values & principles guide your life?
That I trust nature.
That I trust slow medicine.
That I am devoted to healing and community.
What does balance mean to you? How do you find it?
For me, balance isn’t a destination. It is a cyclical thing.
So, I try to find balance overall but allow “too much” or exuberance of some things at certain times.
I have found it the most through studying and supporting my own menstrual cycle. It shows you there are times for different things and that if you fully devote yourself to those times, it cycles around again and balances out in really beautiful ways.
Erin wears the Solara Blouse in Charcoal, Luna Trousers in Pinstripe & a vintage shirt.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced (in business, life or both)? How did you move through them?
The biggest challenges recently have been really huge losses in my life. In the past three years, I have lost several people who were my closest, most dearly loved people.
I am moving through it by really diving into the grief. Instead of burying it or telling people I was okay, I am trying to be courageous in my honesty, really allow myself time to feel it all and keep practising receiving (which can truly be so hard).
What impact do you hope to make in this world?
I hope to deeply support people to heal and find their voice/pleasure/power. I hope to support connections and community. I hope to add a little more love and radical acceptance to the small corner of influence I have. I hope to help people be fully free in their bodies and self-love.
What would you say to your younger self?
This is such an emotional question. I wish I could show her how it feels at this age to be so at peace with yourself. To reassure her that beautiful things will happen and the hard things will have solutions and their own beauty and lessons. I think overall, I just wish I could show her how beautiful she is and that she didn’t need to take things on with so much seriousness and responsibility. That she could just be free to be her full self.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Yes – thank you so much for this!! I love all the things you are doing right now in your business and I am just so honoured to be interviewed!!
If you live in Calgary, you can book an in person session with Dr. Erin here or here. Her online offerings are equally magical & available worldwide. If you're looking for birth support, you'll find information on doula services here.