Dr Katia Arroyo does not believe in shrinking. Not in body, not in voice, and certainly not in purpose. But before we get into her story, we have to share just a bit more about this series and its importance!
The Curvy Boss Spotlight is a storytelling feature series dedicated to amplifying plus size professionals whose work deserves recognition. From psychologists and educators to founders, executives, and creatives, this ongoing series centers expertise, leadership, and lived experience, highlighting the many ways plus size people are shaping industries beyond fashion and social media.
Each spotlight goes deeper than a highlight reel, offering a quote-forward, narrative look at how these leaders show up, take up space, and redefine success on their own terms.
Curvy Boss Spotlight on Dr Katia Arroyo
A psychologist, trauma-informed educator, and founder of Reflection Psychology and The Relational Trauma Therapist, Dr Katia Arroyo Carrion has built her work around presence, embodiment, and nervous system safety. Her approach to healing is grounded, accessible, and deeply human, especially for those who have been historically overlooked in traditional mental health spaces.
This Curvy Boss Spotlight centers plus size professionals whose work deserves recognition, from educators and executives to founders and creatives shaping their fields. And Dr Katia Arroyo’s work does exactly that, reshaping what authority, professionalism, and leadership can look like.
Showing Up Without Shrinking
For Dr Katia Arroyo, showing up begins long before she enters a therapy session or hits “publish” on educational content. Her days are intentionally paced, designed to support regulation and presence.
“A typical day for me is a balance between structure and attunement,” she shares. “My work as a psychologist requires presence, regulation, and deep listening, so I’m intentional about how I move through my day.”
She begins by grounding herself, checking in with her body, and setting clear internal boundaries around how much energy she gives and where. That intentionality extends into how she understands confidence itself.
“Showing up isn’t about performing confidence,” she explains. “It’s about inhabiting my space fully.”
As a curvy Latina woman in professional spaces, that embodiment has required unlearning deeply ingrained messages about taking up less room.
“Owning my space has meant unlearning the idea that I need to take up less room physically, emotionally, or intellectually,” she says. “I allow myself to be visible without over-explaining or shrinking.”
Whether she is in the therapy room or moving through the world, her presence is rooted in self-trust rather than approval, a shift she describes as both grounding and liberating.
Redefining Professionalism on Her Own Terms
One of the most persistent challenges Dr Katia Arroyo has faced is the narrow and often unspoken expectation of what professionalism is supposed to look like.
“As a plus size, curvy Latina woman, I was directly and indirectly told that I wouldn’t be successful or taken seriously unless I fit a narrow, Barbie-like image,” she shares.
Early in her career, that pressure showed up everywhere, from how she dressed to how much space she allowed herself to occupy.
“There was pressure to shrink myself physically, stylistically, and emotionally in order to be perceived as credible,” she says.
Over time, she realized that conformity was not only unsustainable, it was incompatible with the work she wanted to do.
“The work I do requires authenticity, presence, and trust, not aesthetic sameness,” Dr Katia Arroyo explains. “I leaned into my expertise, my cultural identity, and my lived experience, and I allowed my visibility to be part of the work rather than something to hide.”
Today, what once felt like a barrier has become a point of connection and strength.
“Showing up fully and unapologetically became an act of both self-respect and resistance,” she says. “My difference allows me to connect deeply, challenge outdated norms, and create spaces where others feel seen, safe, and represented.”
Representation as Authority, Not Just Visibility
For much of her life and career, Dr Katia Arroyo did not see herself reflected in the spaces she aspired to enter.
“Representation for plus size women was either absent or extremely narrow,” she explains. “Visibility existed, but it was often limited to models or creators, and rarely extended into professional or clinical spaces.”
She didn’t often see plus size Latina women being publicly trusted as experts, educators, or leaders. That absence shaped her understanding of what representation could and should mean.
“For me, representation means being visible not just as a body, but as a voice, a professional, and a source of knowledge,” she says.
Her visibility as a psychologist is deeply intentional. It is about expanding the narrative of who gets to hold authority and be respected.
“I wanted to help widen the narrative,” she shares, “to show that plus size women can be trusted experts, leaders, and healers, not just aesthetic symbols.”
Making Mental Health More Accessible and Human
Dr Katia Arroyo’s platform is rooted in accessibility. Through Instagram and expanding into TikTok, she focuses on making psychological education feel less intimidating and more relatable.
“My goal is to help people understand their experiences without shame,” she says, “especially those who have historically felt unseen or misunderstood in mental health spaces.”
She shares trauma-informed education about the nervous system, emotional regulation, and body trust in ways that feel grounded and human. That same commitment to access is guiding her next projects.
“I’m developing a membership-based space designed for people who may not be able to participate in therapy due to financial, cultural, or logistical barriers,” she explains. “It will offer resources and guided content people can engage with at their own pace and at a more accessible cost.”
At the core of this work is a belief that healing should not be exclusive.
“Inspiring others is about widening access and representation,” she says. “Mental health support doesn’t have to look one way.”
Style That Supports Presence
When it comes to professional style, Dr Katia Arroyo approaches it the same way she approaches healing: with intention.
“Professional style starts with comfort and fit, not trends,” she says. “When clothing fits your body well, it allows you to be present rather than distracted or self-conscious.”
Tailoring, she notes, is one of the most underrated tools for plus size professionals. She also prioritizes balance, pairing structured pieces with softer fabrics to feel both polished and grounded.
“Letting go of the idea that professional clothing has to hide my body was a huge shift,” she shares. “When I dress in a way that aligns with how I want to feel, grounded, capable, and visible, it shows in how I carry myself.”
Her philosophy is simple but powerful.
“The best style hack is wearing clothes that support your presence, not compete with it.”
What’s Next for Dr Katia Arroyo
Looking ahead, Dr Katia Arroyo is focused on deepening impact rather than expanding for expansion’s sake. Alongside growing her educational platforms, she is exploring the connection between trauma, embodiment, and fashion.
“How we inhabit our bodies, how we dress them, and how visible we allow ourselves to be are deeply connected to safety, self-trust, and healing,” she explains.
Fashion, for her, becomes another pathway back to the body, another way to take up space with intention.
She describes herself in three words: quirky, grounded, embodied. And when she celebrates a win, she does so quietly, spending time with family, friends, and pets.
If she could host a dream dinner, Frida Kahlo would be at the table without question. Kahlo’s relationship with pain, identity, and self-expression continues to resonate deeply with Dr Katia Arroyo’s own work around embodiment and visibility.
A Final Word
Her advice for anyone stepping into their purpose is clear and compassionate.
“Don’t wait until you feel fully confident to take up space,” she says. “Clarity and confidence often come after you begin.”
“You don’t have to shrink, over-explain, or look like what’s already been approved to belong,” she adds. “When you show up aligned with who you are, you create space for others to do the same.”
Want to be featured next?
Know a plus size professional doing powerful work or are you one yourself? The Curvy Boss Spotlight is always open to founders, executives, educators, clinicians, creatives, and leaders across industries who are building, leading, and influencing with intention. If your work centers impact, innovation, and representation, we want to hear your story.
In addition to the Curvy Boss Spotlight, The Curvy Fashionista also features dedicated spotlights for plus size influencers and creators as well as plus size models, because representation matters across every lane. Whether you’re shaping culture, creating content, or showing up visibly in front of the camera, there’s space for your story here.
