Release Your Fears… There are variety of experiences and genetics that might be contributing to your active eating disorder. Here are a few. See if you relate to any… Childhood Trauma Chaotic Home Life Alcoholic Parent Parent Modeling an Eating Disorder Controlling Parent Genetics, anxiety & or depression Loss I’m sure you have your own contributing factors. The important and hopeful part is that you can relearn the thoughts that brought you to your eating disorder. You can learn to cope with uncomfortable feelings and you can choose to live a better life that you deserve. Working with a therapist is a smart way to figure out your eating disorder and what you can do about it. Until then, find yourself a good self-help book …

Reading or “Bibliotherapy” as we call it in counseling, is an excellent way to work on your own towards recovery and self- growth. Here are 3 books you will find helpful: Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body (and quiet the critic) by Connie Sobczak Starting Monday: 7 Keys to a Positive Relationship with Food by Karen R. Koenig Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders, The Supporting Self-Esteem, Healthy Eating, & Positive Body Image at Home Authors: Marcia Herrin, Nancy Matsumotoor When you can’t afford to see a therapist, if you are not ready to see a therapist or if you are in therapy right now, you can always introduce new ideas to help you reach your goals. Open a book and begin….

Disordered eating is any eating that is not balanced and nutritional. It can present itself with restricting, starving, over-eating, or fear of unhealthy food. 3 Kinds of Disordered Eating Anorexia Nervosa Binge Eating Compulsive Overeating Restricting Why? Disordered Eating is a result of feelings and thoughts that are not being addressed in a healthier way. Often when a person focuses and works hard on issues that contribute to disordered eating; the eating behavior balances out. Healthier coping skills replace the disordered eating. Self-help book titles can be found on my website! Make an appointment if you’d like to talk about your disordered eating behaviors. 626-335-0903

Picture this… A 20 year old  young women without financial or emotional support from her family nor any health coverage or very little coverage. She has a terrible eating disorder. Some coverage plus her own debt allows her start in-patient treatment. While she’s trying to recover she’s worrying constantly about her health insurance refusing her on a weekly basis and she’ll have to go home. They move her through the program too quickly; before she’s ready in order to appease the insurance company. She’s trying to cope with her lower level of care as she has graduated to the next level. She’s supposed to be proud of this but is she really? She knows it’s a farce but has no …

Being mindful works in all aspects of your life including eating. It means being aware of what you put into your mouth. Many of us have busy schedules and stress in our lives and we tend to eat on the run or overeat without thinking. If you want to become mindful, read the book. It can guide you into mindful eating and you will feel better about yourself in general. We can’t always do things on our own. Sometimes a book is the object of change… Or counseling 626.335.0903 Let’s get mindful together!

Friends can be a great support when trying to recover from your eating disorder, if they themselves are in a healthy place. If not, they will bring all kinds of unhealthy behaviors and statements that may trigger your own recovery. What to do? You want to be there for them like they were for you when you were beginning your recovery. Sometimes we have to make hard choices to protect our hard work in recovery. How to handle it: 1, Tell your friend how conversations are triggering you and as much as you want to be there for them; you’ll need to pull back for a little while to protect your own recovery. 2. Try explaining what kind of talk triggers you and give your friend a chance …