At Head 2 Toe Strength, our work is grounded in helping people build lives rooted in capability, self-trust, and identity. This week on UpLift Women’s Wellness, Bethany Busch and Auria Zahed dive into a topic that sits underneath so many of those conversations: representation in media—and how what we see shapes who we believe we’re allowed to be.

If you’re new here, you can learn more about our approach to strength and identity on our Who We Are page and our core philosophy at Our Philosophy.

The Scully Effect: The Power of a Single Role Model

We opened the episode with the “Scully Effect”—the documented phenomenon where Dana Scully from The X-Files inspired an entire generation of women to enter STEM fields. A 2018 report found that nearly two-thirds of women in STEM cited Scully as a role model, and regular viewers were significantly more likely to consider a STEM career.

Why does one character matter so much?

Because in the 1990s, girls simply did not see women in STEM roles. Representation creates cognitive permission. Without it, entire futures stay invisible.

This is exactly why, in our coaching work—from Strength Coaching to Performance Coaching—we emphasize models of what’s possible, not just instructions on what to do.

Why Representation Is a Psychological Need, Not a Luxury

Representation isn’t “nice to have.” It shapes how young brains interpret the world.

When kids repeatedly see certain identities cast as leaders, innovators, athletes, or achievers—and others cast only in narrow roles—they absorb messages about:

Who matters
Who is capable
Who gets to belong
Who gets to dream big

The absence of representation often leads to early internalized sexism, racism, shame, and lower self-esteem. And it doesn’t just affect girls or marginalized identities—it shapes how boys and men understand women’s value too.

This is the same pattern we see in adults we coach through identity, perfectionism, or body-neutrality work inside our Mental Health Therapy or Mirror Talk Workshop. What you see repeatedly becomes what you believe.

Mirror Neurons: The Science Behind “If You Never See It, You Never Know It”

We also dig into mirror neuron science, which explains why visual role models matter. Humans learn through watching. Seeing someone who looks like you—gender, ethnicity, body type, background—expands your brain’s understanding of what’s possible.

One striking example: Barack Obama’s election. For millions of Americans, simply seeing an African-American man in the highest office permanently broadened their internal sense of possibility.

This is representation functioning as neurological scaffolding.

Hollywood, Beauty Standards, and the Harm of Narrow Casting

Even with improvements, Hollywood still pushes a narrow idea of what women “should” look like. We discussed:

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Maya being criticized for aging
Freddie Prinze Jr. escaping similar scrutiny
Jennifer Lopez being praised for her body more than her accomplishments
Social media creating even harsher, artificial beauty norms

When bodies are treated as a woman’s primary value, her achievements get buried under commentary about her face, shape, or age.

This is why we advocate for body-neutral, capability-focused conversations inside our coaching spaces, including Nutrition Coaching and Private Virtual Training. Your body is an instrument—not an ornament.

Personal Stories: Representation That Changed Our Lives

Bethany shared her experience of having to “bust through the door” in male-dominated spaces and how she hopes her presence helps other women see themselves in those rooms.

Auria talked about the quiet role her mother’s curvy body—and positive self-talk—played in shaping her own healthy body image. Representation doesn’t always come from media; sometimes it comes from home.

And then there’s Lisa Fernandez. One encounter at age 12 changed the trajectory of Bethany’s entire athletic and educational path. Proof that you never know when you’re becoming someone’s role model.

Why Do We Treat Pop Stars as Our Default Role Models?

We questioned why society elevates pop stars—even those who openly say they never signed up to be role models—as the gold standard. Often these young women are styled, polished, and branded by adults who decide what “appeals.”

This brings us back to the heart of the episode:

Your role models should reflect your personal values—not someone else’s standards.

Representation teaches us what’s possible, but values decide the direction.

Final Thoughts

Representation isn’t just about fairness. It’s about visibility, identity, possibility, and mental health. When we broaden who gets seen, we broaden who gets to dream.

To keep exploring these topics, check out more episodes on our Podcast or articles on our Blog. And if this conversation stirred something in you personally, you might resonate with our foundational series, Strong Foundations.

Thanks for being part of a community that believes in possibility, representation, and real conversations.

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