A Journey Through Eating Disorders Support & Recovery

Not surprisingly, a major focus of therapy for people who have eating disorders is helping them to develop healthier ways of coping with and releasing negative emotions that do not “hurt” their bodies. Learning to give up these self-harming behaviors and live in ways that are consistent with their most cherished values is not easy, but it is doable, with…

I often ask my clients to think of their meal plan like the blueprints for building a house. Some parts will be more tedious than others (like sorting out wood for framing) and there will be lots of repetition (just think how much hammering goes into building a house). Some parts will be scary and require support (there’s a reason…

Experiencing a significant loss such as losing a loved one, a pet, a relationship, or a job can bring on feelings of grief that can be extremely overwhelming. Typical feelings associated with grief include sadness, anger, guilt, numbness, and confusion. In addition to these emotions, individuals who are grieving may have changes in their appetite, weight, and/or have difficulties with…

It is likely you have been on either or both sides of this conversation. Most of us have found ourselves either receiving care from a loved one during a season of mental illness, or providing care for someone we love who is struggling through their own hard season. Both positions are important ones. Working up the courage to be vulnerable…

Eating disorders can be consuming and overwhelming. The process of recovery is often described as a roller-coaster of emotions that can lead to successes, slips, and burn out. There’s opportunity and growth in the journey making it a really interesting ride! Although your relationship with food needs to be restored and healed, eating problems aren’t really about food. They are…

We all have our idiosyncrasies around eating. So when do our behaviors around eating become a problem? When are our eating patterns considered disordered and when are they considered an eating disorder? What defines “normal” eating and is there even such a thing? Is the fact that I eat virtually the same thing for breakfast every day problematic? Does having…

I Walk for my family and the millions of families who have been experienced the devastation of a loved one with an eating disorder. I Walk for the phone calls I receive every day from mothers crying that their child is very sick and no one will listen. I Walk for the families that have loved ones lying in hospitals…

It seems like I am experiencing my feelings, now that I am no longer binging and purging my emotions”. This is a common phrase and even more common thought that many eating disorder clients have once they enter recovery. Eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa are often temporary and unhealthy coping mechanisms to numb…

I've read numerous articles about parental support and involvement in recovery for their loved ones with eating disorders. There's an abundance of research, support groups, and books guiding parents through the recovery process with their child. But there seems to be a gaping void for spouses. Little attention is given to this relationship when, as an adult, spouses are often…

My story and recovery journey are a winding road, sometimes confusing, even to me.  But luckily, I look forward to spending the rest of this journey healthfully figuring out recovery and life for myself. While sharing my story makes me feel vulnerable, I hope that even for one person, it will make them feel less alone.  My hope is for…