Leoh Blooms (he/they/she) is a queer, nonbinary trans writer, mentor, sex educator, and mental health advocate living on Duwamish land in the greater Seattle area. Their book, Heal Something Good, is available for free at the website HealSomethingGood.com, and the 15 year anniversary edition of their first book, Not Otherwise Specified, is available on Amazon.
Leoh feels privileged to have paved the way for deeper conversations about the stigma and impact of mental illness by being one of the first bloggers to speak openly about their own mental health in online formats starting in 2002. He was a consultant on the Showtime series, United States of Tara, where his life and experiences were used as a springboard for the main character played by Toni Collette.
Leoh has spent the last decade focused on mentoring clients 1-on-1, tending to his community named Blooms in the Garden, holding workshops about our body’s own Built-In Chill, explaining how power dynamics can be a healing art, advocating for alternative lifestyles, and speaking to groups about the Mind/Body Connection, recovering from chronic illness, gender journeys, bite-sized self & community care, and creating a balanced, joyful life. He uses writing and painting as healing arts and encourages his clients to find and blend modalities that work for them.
Leoh is committed to cultural humility and recognizes how white supremacy, institutionalized racism, and injustice impact the body/mind and contribute to illness in many forms. He stands behind equity and tries daily to do less harm than the day before.
Features
Seattle, WA
leoh@leohblooms.com
www.leohblooms.com
SUMMARY:
Leoh Blooms (he/they/she)is a non-binary trans writer, artist, and mentor with a focus surrounding bite-sized health and wellness techniques, gender, sex education, the mind/body connection, mental health, undoing unhealthy family patterns, using kink as a healing modality, and alternative relationship structures such as polyamory. Leoh speaks about mental health at conferences and holds workshops on a variety of health and relationship topics.
Under their previous name, Leah Peterson, they have essays in published books, interviews and How-Tos in print magazines, a self-published memoir and health manual (both available on Amazon), and a number of pieces for the web since 2002. As a ghostwriter, they have written about a variety of subjects including tech, media, finance, and business since 2014.
Leoh has also worked in photography, print design, web development, web design, project management, community management, business development, and front-end development using tools such as WordPress themes and plugins, and Photoshop 2024. Leoh has knowledge of Wix, FileZilla, Drupal, Joomla, Google Adwords, SEO best practices, Illustrator, InDesign, Canva, Jotform, and Prezi. Leoh is passionate about community building using tools such as Mighty Networks, WordPress, Blogger, podcasting/Audacity, Videocasting/Skype, Zoom, Linkedin, Patreon, Substack, Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest, Instagram, and Yelp.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Mentor, Writer, Community Builder
Aug 2013-Present, Virtual
Mentoring Practice: 1-on-1 work with clients up to 30 hours per week, helps clients thrive by mentoring from topic-based curricula units they created.
Community: created Blooms in the Garden, an online space where queer, trans, chronically ill, and/or neurodivergent folks can find accountability, creativity, and community by attending virtual coworking, art, meditation, writing, and special interest workshops hosted by Leoh.
Essays: personal essays published in Shondaland, Sinister Wisdom, MindBodyGreen, A Beautiful Perspective, Lesbians are Miracles, PULPmag, Salty, Ravishly, Blogher, Huffington Post, TueNight, Medium, Patreon, and Substack
Workshops: teaches subjects relating to relationships, mental health, physical health, and power dynamics.
Cofounder: Harmonic Stasis Wellness Center
Mar 2015 – Dec 2016, San Diego, CA
Wrote healing manual, Heal Something Good, created branding, marketing, print, and social media campaigns, developed and taught self-care and family relationship workshops, energy (Reiki) practitioner and mentoring in 1-on-1 client work. Built a client base of over 150 prior to closing due to business partner’s move.
Brand Manager, Graphic Design, Content Strategy, Writer
April 2013-Aug 2013, San Diego, CA
LAMP Host, Short-term contract work
Designed and ran online ads, participated in advertising strategy, backend work in Drupal
Website and Graphic Designer, Content Manager, Strategy
July 2012-April 2013, Virtual
Wire Briar, LLC, Short-term contract work
Designed sales funnels and artwork, participated in targeted advertising strategy, backend work in WordPress
Community Founder, Writer, Social Media Manager, Event Coordinator, Website Designer, Content Builder
2005-2018, Virtual
Built online communities, managed social outreach, created marketing and social events, and created content for now retired websites: RealMental.org, DandyGoods.com, FlawedbutAuthentic.com, BloggerNetwork.org, Craft.Leahpeah.com, LA Angst, LA Bloggers Live
Wrote and edited for CoolMomPicks, TastyKitchen, TryHandmade
Co-Founder, Project Director
2005-2007, Simi Valley, CA
Crawberts.com Web Development
Oversaw Client Relations, managed multiple concurrent projects in Basecamp, designed graphics, and did front-end programming with backend WordPress, CMS
Project Director, Assistant to the President, Web Design, Print Design
2004-2006, Sherman Oaks, CA
International Diversified Products
Managed calendars and travel, created marketing for online and print, wrote fundraising appeals to high-level clients and celebrities, supported non-profit youth group arm of IDP, managed website with backend WordPress, Office Suite
Project Director, Office Manager, Assistant to the President, Web Design
2003-2004, Solana Beach, CA
Gordon Training International
Managed calendars and travel, managed front office, interfaced with clients, managed website in WordPress, Office Suite, BlueHornet and Goldmine
TueNight
Post Date: March 22, 2023
Essay:“Topography”
Lesbians Are Miracles No.4
Post date: April, 2021
Essay: “The Power of Wearing What You Want”
Shondaland
Post date: March. 26, 2020
Essay: “Self-Care for the Kinky”
PULPMAG
Post date: Feb. 26, 2020
Essay: “Being The Feast, Discovering, And Delighting In, The Genderqueer Body”
PULPMAG
Post date: Nov. 21, 2019
Essay: “I Use Kink To Heal Past Trauma”
A Beautiful Perspective
Post date: Nov. 1, 2018
Essay: “The Mental Health Implications Of Denying Someone’s Gender”
MindBodyGreen
Post date: Oct. 25, 2018
Article: I’m Genderfluid And Here’s What I’d Like You To Know”
Ravishly
Post date: Oct. 23, 2018
Essay: My Drug-Induced, Near-Death Visit From Jesus”
Essay Collection edited by Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays With Morrie on Medium
Post date: Oct. 22, 2018
Essay: Experimenting With Kink Helps My Emotional Healing”
Salty
Post date: Oct. 15, 2018
Essay: Two Queers Walk Into an Open House”
Editor’s Pick/Featured Story on Medium
Post date: Oct. 15, 2018
Article: What Postpartum Depression Will Tell You”
Medium
Post date: March 1, 2017
Essay: Mismatched Boots
Huffington Post.com/
Post Date: May 21, 2010
Guest Post: How to Keep Close Ties with Teens and Tweens
Work it, Mom!
Post Date: Feb. 17, 2008
Column: Good Food, Bad Food
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: February, 2004
Column: The Joys of Puking at 30,000 Feet
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: January, 2004
Column: Cell Phone Protocol — For You
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: December, 2003
Column: When I Became a Madam
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: November, 2003
Column: Crab Salad With Creamy Crap
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: October, 2003
Column: Dude, Like, Duh
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: September, 2003
Column: False Advertising
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: August, 2003
Column: Lucky Stars, Bad Signs, and Planets in Retrograde
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: July, 2003
Column: Spoonvivor
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: June, 2003
Column: Undressing
Writer’s Monthly, Post Date: May, 2003
Article: Nuvia Crisol Guerra, Civil Disobedience
Union Tribune
Post date: March 13, 2012
Article: Perry Vasquez, More Real Than Life
Union Tribune
Post date: March 7, 2012
Article: Alexander Jarman, More Real Than Life
Union Tribune
Post date: March 6, 2012
Interview: Justice Fergie On Race and Blogging
Leahpeah.com
Post Date: Sept 28, 2011
Interview: Mocha Momma / Kelly Wickham On Race and Education
Leahpeah.com
Post Date: Sept 13, 2011
Interview: Stormtroopers in Love with Red and Jonny.
Fray, Issue 2, Print Date: Dec., 2008
Interview: Going Under.
Fray, Issue 1, Print Date: Dec., 2007
Interview: Natalie Zee Drieu from Craft Magazine Blog
LAB Magazine, Print Date: March 2007
Interview: Michael “Nick” Nichols from National Geographic
JPG Magazine, Issue 9, Print Date: March 2007
Interview: Melissa Summers: Not (So) Afraid Anymore and a Whole Lot Wiser
Huffington Post, Post Date: February 2, 2007
Interview: “Feminist” Is An Eight-Letter Word: Talking with Gloria Steinem
Huffington Post, Post Date: September 13, 2006
Leoh’s Blogger/Author Interviews series, which was featured in Maggie Mason‘s book, Nobody Cares What You Had For Lunch:
- JenB [1.8.2007]
- Meg Hourihan [1.2.2007]
- Rebecca Blood [12.7.2006]
- Kristen Chase [11.7.2006]
- Brandon Rogers [9.12.2006]
- Anil Dash [9.7.2006]
- Derek Powazek [7.17.2006]
- Laid Off Dad [7.10.2006]
- Amanda Brumfield [7.3.2006]
- Pierre Kim [6.26.2006]
- Jason Scott [6.19.2006]
- Jason Kottke [5.31.2006]
- Morphing Into Mama [5.15.2006]
- Sarah Brown [5.2.2006]
- Byrneunit [4.24.2006]
- Not Martha [4.18.2006]
- Christopher Monks [4.10.2006]
- Melissa Summers [4.2.2006]
- Schmutzie [3.27.2006]
- Fluid Pudding [3.20.2006]
- Alice Bradley [2.13.2006]
- David Sasaki [2.9.2006]
- Tracey Gaughran-Perez [2.6.2006]
- Mimi Smartypants [2.2.2006]
- Jon Armstrong [1.31.2006]
- Heather Champ Powazek [1.5.2006]
- M. Kennedy [12.12.2005]
- Jeannette Walls [5.5.2005]
- Julie Jackson [10.28.2004]
- Heather Armstrong [10.7.2004]
- Matt Haughey [6.2.2004]
- Emese Gaal [5.25.2004]
- Margaret Berry [5.18.2004
- Andy Behrman [5.6.2004]
- Matthew Baldwin [5.2.2004]
- Laurie Notaro [4.7.2004]
- Carl Nelson [2.3.2004]
After reading Leoh’s first book, Not Otherwise Specified about living with a dissociative disorder, award-winning writer Diablo Cody asked them to be a writing consultant for the Showtime series she was developing with Steven Spielberg, The United States of Tara, starring Toni Collette playing a woman with DID. You can watch the promo for the series here.
Leoh did a video series of interviews for Alpha Mom with blogging greats like Arianna Huffington, Amalah, Yvonne, Catherine Connors, Eden Kennedy, Melissa Summers, Leah, Angela, JenB, Karen Walrond, Grace Davis Alice Bradley, Tracey Gaughran-Perez
Leoh was sent to meet Juan Valdez and cover the coffee trade in Colombia by Blogher in 2008, doing video and blog posts to report on the trip. Blogher also sent Leoh to the Republican National Convention in 2008 to do a video series with Mary Katherine Ham. 
Leoh was moderator of the international The Art of Crafts panel plus conference wrangler for Amy Sedaris at Blogher 2007. She was also moderator of the Using Other Forms of Media – Photography, Audio, Video, Art – To Enhance Your Website panel at Mom 2.0 in 2010. Leoh spoke on the panel Sensitive Topics and Outreach at Blogher 2006 about being public about living with mental illness.
Testimonials
“Leah Peterson never stops creating. She’s a quintuple threat: writer, artist, consultant, mother, and all-around rock star. She’s proof that inspiration is contagious; just being around her makes me feel like I want to do more and be more.” 
“Leah’s warmth, intelligence and incisive humour makes watching one of her interviews a real joy. She’s witty without being condescending, and probing without being prying. I love watching her speak, and working with her has always been a delight. Would that more interviewers and speakers had her style and charisma!” 
“I’ve appeared on many panels in my career, and can honestly say that I’ve never seen a better prepared moderated than Leah Peterson. Leah asked insightful, thought-provoking questions and kept the discussion focused and on-track.” 
“Leah was a wonderful video interview series producer. She was organized and prepared for her interviews and then was a first-take-Sally on camera. On-camera interviews are tough and Leah was a natural.More importantly she made the subjects feel comfortable and was able to bring the best out of them on camera.” 
“I have learned so much from working with Leah and she’s also helped me uncover and reinforce things I already knew that I didn’t quite know I knew. She’s an incredibly gifted teacher and listener -she hears what I’m saying even when I have trouble finding the words to say it. I sleep better, work smarter, play more joyfully, and love with more tenderness and appreciation.” 
“Leah’s been our biggest asset at The United States of Tara. As a consultant, her open and honest answers to our never-ending onslaught of intrusive and far too personal questions have proven immeasurably invaluable. We’re lucky to have Leah’s innate ability to explain even the most complicated psychological dynamics with clarity and a healthy dose of humor.” 
“Leah Peterson has real talent that comes through in her writing and speaking engagements. I’ve found her to be a great moderator: organized and insightful in her questions. In her writing for CRAFT, I’ve found them not only impeccably written but beautifully crafted as well. She has a way of bringing her fun personality into her writing that is truly unique.” 
“It has been such a beautiful experience, uncovering bits of me that I did not know I had; protections and layers that I did not know I had built. Leah has taught me how to be self aware, soothe my anxieties and fears, recognize my emotions and where they may be stuck. Every time I walk out of her office, I am lighter, a little more myself, and a little more resolute in taking the next steps in my story. I want everyone I know to experience Leah, her love, and her touch. She is amazing.”