It’s a few days before Memorial Day Weekend, and “Swimsuit Season” is about to begin. Will you venture out to the beach in a bikini, will you be seen in a swimsuit at the pool? Or, will this be yet another summer that you “hide” underneath long-sleeved t-shirts and ankle-length crop-pants, hoping that no one will look at your body, which you deem “disgusting”?

As an eating disorder clinician, it breaks my heart when I hear my clients criticize their bodies in ways that they never would say to another person – not even their worst enemy. Sadly, some of my clients were told by their parents, siblings, or so-called friends that they were “chubby,” that they “needed to get the fat off,” or that they were “such a stick” and needed to put on some weight. If it’s not people my clients know, it’s the “comparing game” played with models, celebrities, and other “ideal” images portrayed in the media.

As someone who has struggled with body image issues, which only fueled the fires of my eating disorders, I am so grateful to be free of the extremely detrimental effects of body shaming. I’d like to share a few things that helped me to improve my body image, so that I could feel comfortable and confident in a swimsuit. Guess what – it had nothing to do with changing my weight, or anything else about my body. It had everything to do with changing my MIND.

Having a positive body image has nothing to do with how you look and what you weigh.  It has everything to do with what you THINK about how you look and what you weigh.  How else can you explain a situation where you “felt fine” and then suddenly “felt fat”?  Did you instantly gain 50 pounds?  No!  But you may think you have. Or, that you have 50+ pounds that you think you “should” lose. Perhaps you think you’re “too skinny and scrawny.” The key is to imagine feeling good in your body.  Size has nothing to do with this.

As previously mentioned, it’s a few days before Memorial Day. I invite you to CHALLENGE the body myths that you have. Gently notice where these judgments came from? Are they helping you to live the life that you truly desire? Who set the “rule” that you have to look a certain way in order to wear a swimsuit – isn’t that why there are so many sizes and styles? Who determined the “weight criteria” to lay in the sun or swim in the ocean – will there be a scale at the beachfront?

BODY IMAGE TIP: TRY THIS VISUALIZATION:  Read through it first, and then guide yourself through it.  Close your eyes and just breathe, relaxing into the moment.  Imagine the last glimpse you had of yourself in the mirror.  Now, get a deeper sense of your body, beyond the image in the mirror.  What physical sensations are you aware of in your body?  Notice the beating of your heart, the movement of your breath, and any other sensations amidst your body’s seeming stillness.  What are the various things that you can do with your body? Imagine all of the different ways your body can move – walking, bending, stretching, running, lifting, climbing, and so much more. How does your body serve you and others? Get a sense of what your body allows you to do and be, and you interact with people throughout a typical day. What is the purpose of your body, at its current size?  Move beyond any judgments about your body’s size, and notice the advantages of being exactly the size you are right now. How can you be your best Self, in your current body? Pause now, and reflect about what it means to be in your body, in this moment. As you imagine wearing a swimsuit, notice the immediate thoughts that come up. Just notice them, without attaching to them. Reflect about where you learned these thoughts. Imagine what it would be like to be free of these thoughts. After all, these are not really YOUR thoughts. And, if you are going to claim a thought which is not your own, how about this one: “YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO WEAR A SWIMSUIT YOU LOVE, AND GO TO YOUR FAVORITE OCEAN (lake, river, pool, backyard sprinkler), AND LOVE YOUR EXPERIENCE!” Why “weight”…

*****

Article may be reprinted with the author bio below.

©2019 by Dr. Dorie McCubbrey. Dr. Dorie is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Licensed Addiction Counselor who is passionate about training professionals to effectively guide clients in recovery from eating disorders, through her Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ Certified program. She also provides sessions for clients who struggle with these issues, either in person or by phone. Learn more at: https://www.drdorie.com

*****

Dr. Dorie’s UnDiet™ can help undo the damage that diets can do – including negative body image.
LEARN MORE

Want more that this “taste” of EDIT™? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized programs for people in recovery from eating disorders and who struggle with weight issues, and  EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED

The post Improve Body Image in a Swimsuit appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

It’s Valentines Day, a day to celebrate LOVE! Most of us associate this day with the love for an intimate partner, but this can be a day to celebrate any kind of love – for your friends, family, companion animals, nature… and how about loving that image in the mirror?

This blog post is designed to accompany a video, where I share a little bit about my own journey of recovery from heating disorders, and how to improve body image by practicing the first principle of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ which is Love Your Self. You can view the video on my Facebook Page

That may seem easier said than done! I discovered how I could love certain parts of myself, like my personality, or my hobbies. Regarding my body, I hated the image in the mirror for many years, and avoided looking in the mirror as much as possible.

But I was determined to make peace with that image in the mirror, because a “messenger on my path” kept saying, “I Love You!” to me (that’s a story for another blog post). The bottom line is, I decided to listen to this messenger, and try to say “I Love You!” to my own reflection in the mirror.

I started with things I could like about my body, even if it was something like my fingernails. Eventually, I began to appreciate other parts of my body, recognizing things that my body allowed me to do, regardless of shape or size. For example, having strong legs to carry me throughout the day.

Finally, I realized that I was feeling “split” – I was developing a sense of love for the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of my Self, but still had criticism about my body. How could I love only certain parts of my Self, when all parts made up the whole Self? To love any part, I knew I needed to love the WHOLE of my Self, including my body!

That was a breakthrough for me. My body wasn’t “ideal” according to society’s standards, but that didn’t matter! What a relief to let go of striving to be a “perfect” (yet false self), and to come to a place of seeing my True Self in the mirror, and loving what is!

Click on the image below to download and print the EDIT™ Worksheet
to help you learn how to improve body image and Love Your Self 

*****

Article may be reprinted with the author bio below.

©2019 by Dr. Dorie McCubbrey. Dr. Dorie is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Licensed Addiction Counselor who is passionate about training professionals to effectively guide clients in recovery from eating disorders, through her Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ Certified program. She also meets with clients at her treatment center, Positive Pathways PLLC, located in Evergreen Colorado. Learn more at: https://www.drdorie.com

*****

Want more that this “taste” of EDIT™? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED

The post How to Improve Body Image appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

How does the media influence your body image and the development of eating disorders? Specifically, how does society’s “ideal standard of beauty” affect your attitudes about your body image, weight, shape and size? How does the “pressure to look perfect” affect your behaviors with eating and exercise, possibly feeding your eating disorder? Based on the images that you see in magazines, on television, and in social media – how do you feel about your body, right now?

Ugggh! I look so flabby. I need liposuction!
My body is OK, but I’d look better with breast implants!
Getting older is Hell. I hate the wrinkles on my face. Botox me!

In the movie entitled, “America The Beautiful,” our beauty myths are revealed, so we can challenge them and discover our True Beauty beyond the mirror of society’s ideals. The movie follows the true story of a young model, as her career rises and falls. Her story helps us to examine the obsession with youth and beauty – and the damage that occurs when women try to live up to the impossible standards of physical perfection.

The narrator of this movie is a middle-aged, balding, African-American male – who finds himself caught up in his own beauty myths as the story unfolds. His role shows us that everyone is vulnerable to the messages in the media about beauty – women, men, young, old, all races, all social classes. Take a moment to reflect about how the media has influenced you at different times in your life, as well as others you know.

Imagine for a moment that you live on an island which has no “beauty standard,” where each individual is valued for their unique bodies and traits. There are no comparisons made between people, wishing one looked more like the other, because each person knows their intrinsic value, exactly as they are. There are no advertisements for products designed to change your appearance, because who you are is already “perfect.” Free of any messages about how you “should look,” how do you think you would feel about your body?

Wow, look at my thighs! I have such strong legs!
My breasts are such a sensual and wonderful part of me!
Ah, such lovely lines of wisdom on my face! I am True Beauty!

Although we do live in a society with “ideals,” it’s who we really are that is ideal. 

*****

Try this EDIT™ Worksheet to see your True Beauty!
CLICK THE IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT

*****

Article may be reprinted with the author bio below.

©2018 by Dr. Dorie McCubbrey. Dr. Dorie is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Licensed Addiction Counselor who is passionate about training professionals to effectively guide clients in recovery from eating disorders, through her Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ Certified program. She also meets with clients at her treatment center, Positive Pathways PLLC, located in Evergreen Colorado. Learn more at: https://www.drdorie.com

*****

Want more that this “taste” of EDIT™? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED

The post Media Influences on Body Image and Eating Disorders appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

The first EDIT™ Principle involves Self-Love – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. People with eating disorders typically only hear the critical chatter of their Eating Disorder (ED) mind. However, this is their “false self” – ED is NOT who they really are! We all have a compassionate voice within, which we might call the Intuitive Therapist (IT). As EDIT™ Practitioners, we model the voice of IT until clients can her IT within themselves. The EDIT™ process involves having ED-IT dialogues with clients. Here’s what this might sound like:

ED (false self) – “I’ll love myself when I look the way I should.”

The false self believes that the body is its identity, and that self-love implies body-love. Therefore, the only way to have self-love is to have a body which conforms to ideal standards. However, these standards are elusive, and even if they are attained, somehow it’s still not good enough. Ultimately, it’s never good enough.

IT (True Self): “I love my whole Self, exactly as I am.”

The True Self has spiritual, emotional, mental and physical aspects. There is an honoring and an acceptance of the entire Self – exactly as it is in the moment. There is no need to “fix” anything. There is freedom from the ideals of society, and no effect due to opinions of others. The True Self is already “good enough,” always has been, and always will be.

Try this “taste” of EDIT™ – ED-IT Dialogue

Click on the image below for a downloadable worksheet which you can use to guide clients to see themselves as more than their eating disorders, and more than their bodies. Discover Self-Love from this perspective of the True Self.

Scroll below the image for guidelines about using the worksheet.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT

Ugghhh! My thighs are so fat and disgusting…
I shouldn’t have eaten that, now I’ve got to get rid of it…
I’ve had this eating disorder my whole life, I’ll never get better…

Have you heard your clients make statements like these, or something similar? That’s the “Voice of the Eating Disorder” – or, ED. Explain this to your client, saying something like, “That’s ED talking right now. ED makes critical statements, like the ones you just said.” You can further explain to your client that ED can seem to dominate their mind, as if ED thoughts are the only thoughts they think. In early stages of recovery, the voice of ED can be very loud, chattering on and on with judgments and criticisms – but it’s often like background noise in your client’s mind, because they may not be aware of everything ED says. However, because these are the dominant messages in your client’s mind, the voice of ED can be very destructive to their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. These ED thoughts are what drive ED behaviors – as you re-read the three examples above, can you think of ED behaviors that might follow those thoughts.

Encourage your client by saying something like, “You are not ED! You have another voice within you, which gently counters the voice of ED, and encourages you on a path of recovery.” This “recovery voice” is what you are modeling for them as their therapist, especially when you offer compassionate feedback or guidance to take that next small but healthy step. When you are speaking to your client in this way, you are likely accessing your own intuitive wisdom. In this sense, you are modeling the “Voice of the Intuitive Therapist” – or, IT. Intuitive wisdom goes beyond the analysis and thought processes of the logical mind. And while intuitive wisdom is typically heartfelt, it goes beyond raw emotion. From a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) perspective, you can consider the Intuitive Therapist (IT) as the “Wise Mind.” Here are some words of wisdom that IT might say:

Wow! There are so many amazing things about you…
That was exactly what you wanted, and it’s OK to have eaten it…
Complete recovery is possible, by taking one small recovery step today…

In a session with your client, you might find yourself engaged in an ED-IT dialogue with your client. They reveal the critical messages which keep them stuck in their eating disorder behaviors, while you try to counter these messages with intuitive wisdom. Note that you’re not just saying the opposite of what your client says. For example, you would NOT want to have a dialogue like this:

ED’s critical thought: Ugghhh! My thighs are fat and disgusting.
Opposite of ED: Your thighs are not fat, they are beautiful!
ED’s critical thought: You’re lying to me. Anyone can see how fat my things are.

What happens if you say the simple opposite of ED to your client? They don’t believe you. In part, this is why basic affirmations are not effective to shift the deep rooted inner critic. These “opposites” or what might seem like affirmations can actually make the client’s ED voice even stronger. Your client feels stuck. And you as their therapist feel stuck! Let’s look at another example. Refer to the ED-IT Dialogue worksheet:

ED’s critical thought: Ugghhh! My thighs are fat and disgusting.
IT’s compassionate reply: Another possibility is that your thighs are strong.
ED’s argument: How can they be strong when they’re so fat and gross?
IT’s nonjudgmental observation: That’s interesting… so what does strong look like?
ED’s retort: Lean, toned, muscular legs!
IT’s curious query: What would happen if you noticed how strong your legs feel?

In this example, you as the therapist are guiding the client to shift away from how the body looks to how the body feels. This is one way to model intuitive wisdom for your client. Remember, as the Intuitive Therapist, you are guiding your client to go within themselves to access their “hidden” parts – from their mind and body, into their heart and soul. The above example guides clients to go into their bodies to feel sensation, and hopefully into their hearts to feel emotion as well. Going to a deeper level – the level of the soul – you might say something like this:

ED’s critical thought: Ugghhh! My thighs are fat and disgusting.
IT’s compassionate reply: Another possibility is that your thighs have a beauty you can’t see with your body’s eyes.
ED’s argument: My eyes see just fine. And they see fat thighs!
IT’s nonjudgmental observation: That’s interesting… that’s what your body’s eyes see. But what do the eyes of your soul see?
ED’s retort: What do you mean, eyes of my soul?
IT’s curious query: What would happen if you closed your eyes for a moment? I’ll guide you to see with your soul’s eyes…

Now, you have your client’s interest – and trust – and you can guide them with a visualization to imagine what their soul’s eyes might see. Perhaps their soul doesn’t have any labels to describe thighs from a physical perspective. Perhaps their soul can sense the amazing experience of “having a body.” Perhaps their soul feels gratitude for their whole Self, exactly as it is in this moment, serving a spiritual purpose on the physical plane. Meet your client where they are – and gently guide your client to explore the deeper parts of themselves.

Complete this ED-IT Dialogue worksheet in a session with your client, filling in the text bubbles for the conversation. Suggest to your client that they refer to this worksheet as an example, so they can practice their own ED-IT dialogue. Encourage your client to write ED-IT dialogues in their journal, and consider using different color pens to represent the different voices of ED and IT. With practice, your client will be able to “talk back to ED” in a consistently compassionate way, using their own voice of IT to guide their next healthy steps of recovery!

©2018 by Dr. Dorie McCubbrey. Dr. Dorie is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Licensed Addiction Counselor who is passionate about training professionals to effectively guide clients in recovery from eating disorders, through her Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ Certified program. She also meets with clients at her treatment center, Positive Pathways PLLC, located in Evergreen Colorado. Learn more at: https://www.drdorie.com

Article may be reprinted with this author bio.

The post Love Your Self appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

Love Your Self – it might seem like a great concept, but how can you put it into practice, when you struggle with body image issues? You might think, “I will love myself when ___.” Fill in the blank: I lose xx pounds, my thighs don’t jiggle, I have flat abs, my arms are toned, I can fit into my skinny jeans… When I sculpt/mold/change my body into… what?

The perfect body. What is this, anyway? Would your body ever be good enough? Or, despite the changes that you make to your body, would you continue to have body image issues? What if your body is already good enough, just the way it is?

The body others love. Whose love are you really seeking? Is it worth it to become someone you are not in order to get others’ praise? If others love your body, would you love your body? Or, would you continue to have body image issues? What if your body is already lovable, just the way it is?

The body that is fit. Who determines what fitness is? If you can run a mile, 6 miles, or 26 miles? What does fitness look like? Even if you’re a fitness model, would you still have body image issues? What if your body has its own powerful abilities, just the way it is?

The body that fits in. Are you looking to fit into society’s standards of beauty? Do you really want to just blend in with the crowd? If you look just like everyone else, would you be happy? Or, would you still have body image issues? What if your body is beautiful in its own unique way, just the way it is?

The body that gets what it wants. Want a new job, new relationship, new life? Do you want your body to be used like a lure to get these things? Would you keep changing your body until you get them? Even if you could use your body to get what you want, would you still have body image issues? What if you are more than your body, and by being your True Self you can attract anything you desire?

Your True Self is your Whole Self – body, mind, heart and soul. Pause for a moment to reflect about these different aspects of your Self – and see if you can find one quality about each that you like. Maybe you value your heart-quality of being a good friend. Perhaps you appreciate your mind-quality of being a good writer. Possibly you enjoy your spiritual-quality of connection with nature. And, you just might like your smile.

Liking Your Self is a great place to start – keep thinking of one new quality you like about your Whole Self every day, and Loving Your Self will follow!

*****

©2016 by “Dr. Dorie” McCubbrey, MSEd, PhD, LPC, CEDS – the Owner & Clinical Director of Positive Pathways and Creator of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™.  

Interested in a FREE consultation with Dr. Dorie? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE

The post Body Image Issues: How to Love Your Self appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Emily Johnson, who is a Registered Psychotherapist and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. Emily completed her internship and continued to work under my supervision for several years, at my previous office location in Denver, Colorado. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate clinician, who is passionate about helping athletes in recovery from eating disorders. She is an amateur athlete who has overcome her own eating disorder, and finds “intuitive exercise” to be a healthy part of her recovery.
– Dr. Dorie

There are many things about the world of fitness modeling that makes an eating disorders therapist cringe. Most notably, there’s the very strict dieting, and also the large amount of time spent on intensive workouts at the gym. Less obvious – but extremely concerning – are the body image issues that arise from quests for physical perfection, as well as comparisons with other fitness models, along with judgments during competitions and photo shoots. And then there are those who are not fitness models, but who compare themselves to the images of fitness models in magazines. Stacking yourself up against another person, who may or may not be healthy in their pursuit of perfection, is never helpful.

As an eating disorder therapist, I’ve worked with many current, former, and prospective fitness models, and while I do believe that some people can navigate that world unscathed, for many it is a slippery slope into dangerous waters, and many don’t know how far down they’ve gone.

So what makes the difference between a healthy approach to fitness modeling, and an eating-disordered approach to becoming a fitness model? The most important thing to consider is the motivation for fitness modeling. Is it the external validation? A desire to look like someone you saw on the internet or in a magazine? To make an ex-partner jealous? A desire for the “perfect” body? Or, for the enjoyment of challenging yourself?

Another area to consider is eating. If you are a fitness model, ask yourself how you feel if or when you eat something not on your meal plan. Would you even dare let yourself? Do you shrug it off, or do you try harder the next day to cut calories, reduce carbs, or spend an extra half hour working out to compensate? And if you do go off your meal plan, does that mean the rest of the day is blown and you might as well eat as much as you can before tomorrow when you vow to be extra strict?

Answering “yes” to questions like these is a red flag that you are heading into an unhealthy relationship with food, disordered eating, or a full-blown eating disorder – carefully justified  within the structure of training and meal plans.

Perhaps you’re not a fitness model, but you can relate to the quest for body perfection. You may be waiting until you get in shape to feel better about yourself, to be more confident, to start dating, to try something new, and so on. Maybe you tell yourself, “I’ll wear that when…”, or “I’ll hang out at the beach when…”, or “I’ll start dating when…” These are signs of an unhealthy body image. These are the motivations that will lead you on an elusive quest for happiness, when the key is to learn how to love the body that you have.

If you read this article and wonder if you might have a problem, or know you have a problem, there is hope. It is possible to have a healthy relationship with food, feeling freedom from rigid meal plans. It is possible to go to the gym because you want to, not because you have to – and to find enjoyment in the challenge, not in how others judge you. It is possible to love your body regardless of what weight, size, or body fat percentage is.

*****

Looking for guidance with INTUITIVE EXERCISE? EMILY JOHNSON, MA (the author of this blog article) is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and is currently employed by an eating disorder treatment center. Although she does not work with clients unless they are patients at the center, Dr. Dorie is available to meet 1-on-1 with athletes with eating disorders.

Interested in a FREE consultation with Dr. Dorie? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE

The post Fitness Modeling and Eating Disorders appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Juli Teng, who is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. Julie was a Counselor Intern under my supervision at Positive Pathways from June, 2015 through May, 2016. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who is currently employed at a health center in Canada. Although she does not meet with anyone who is not a patient at the center, I can incorporate metaphors of eating disorders into my sessions with clients. Evergreen, Colorado is the perfect place to explore nature and animal metaphors!
– Dr. Dorie

What is Somatic Counseling?

Translated literally, “soma” means body. Somatic counseling is a form of psychotherapy that views the body as an integral part of the counseling process. Body psychotherapy is considered to be one branch under the larger umbrella of somatic counseling. Somatic counseling is derived from a rich lineage of psychologists, clinicians, bodywork practitioners, psychologists, dancers, and philosophers. The theories and perspectives of psychoanalysis, existential, humanistic, and gestalt psychology, expressive arts, neuroscience, and Eastern philosophy and spirituality all contribute to the practice of somatic counseling today. The founders of somatic counseling observed that the body often holds key wisdom that can be invaluable in understanding the psyche and in facilitating personal growth and transformation.

On both subtle and overt levels, the body has witnessed and experienced all that has happened in each person’s life and holds its own memories and insights about these experiences. Accessing and honoring this information from the body in psychotherapy provides a wealth of knowledge that may not be part of more traditional “talk therapy” sessions. The information held within the body may also not readily be available to conscious awareness, though it may be influencing a person through illness, overwhelming emotions, or a sense of “stuckness.” Allowing the body to have a voice in somatic counseling through using specific techniques allows this information to enter cognitive awareness and provides an opportunity to process and work with it in a deep and profound way. Somatic counseling encourages a true integration of body, mind, and spirit in therapy. (Source: United States Association for Body Psychotherapy)

What are the benefits of working with a Body Psychotherapist?

Working with a body psychotherapist can be very beneficial for any issue typically addressed in more traditional forms of counseling: stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, addictions, trauma, eating disorders, and much more. Body psychotherapists integrate dialogue into sessions and address therapy issues on the cognitive and verbal levels, just as in traditional therapy. In addition, body psychotherapists offer the added benefit of not only supporting the voice of the mind and emotions, but also welcoming the body to “speak” and offer its perspective in sessions. Body psychotherapists use many different techniques, depending on what would be most beneficial for the client. These include awareness of breath, tuning into body sensations, relaxation, meditation, visualization techniques, conscious movement, and expanding spontaneous postures and gestures that may arise in therapy.

A major key to the benefits of body psychotherapy is the recognition that awareness of the physical body can create meaningful change in one’s life. Through body psychotherapy, hidden patterns can be seen more clearly, as well as points at which someone may be repeating the same patterns over and over again in his or her life. These patterns show up on the physical level and can be utilized in the therapy session to better understand their purpose. The body also provides insight into how these stuck patterns can be shifted and moved, pointing the way to change through physical sensations, movements, and insights that arise through attending to one’s physical presence. Body psychotherapy aids in getting to know the body on a deeper level than is often supported in daily life and inviting one to experience a sense of wholeness in ways unique to each individual.

How can Body Psychotherapy be useful for eating disorder recovery?

Body psychotherapy has a great deal to offer to assist people in eating disorder recovery. Often, when people experience eating disorders, there may be disconnection between mind, body, and emotions. The body may be viewed as a source of pain and something that needs to be controlled. There may be a sense of mistrust of the body, its urges, its hunger and fullness signals. One may also feel cut off from a sense of nourishment. Eating disorders arise in complex ways and in response to a myriad of circumstances. Disordered eating behaviors can provide a coping mechanism for these circumstances in the best way one may know how at the time. Body psychotherapy can facilitate deeply honoring the reasons why disordered eating may be arising and reconnecting with the purpose served by these patterns.

Body psychotherapy offers an avenue to shift from opposing and fighting the body to aligning with the body. Through the experience of tuning in to what messages the body has to offer and what needs it is trying to express through disordered eating behaviors, it is possible to experience recovery from eating disorders. Additionally, body psychotherapy offers the opportunity to feel more at home in the body, to view the body as a valuable tool, a resource, and an ally, and to repair the disconnection between mind, body, and emotions. Body psychotherapy approaches eating disorder recovery through facilitating embodiment, helping you work toward a mutually beneficial and compassionate relationship with your body and the experience of true nourishment.

*****

Looking for guidance with SOMATIC COUNSELING? JULIE TENG, MA (the author of this blog article) is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and is currently employed at a health center in Canada. Although she does not work with clients unless they are patients at the center, Dr. Dorie is available to meet with clients who wish to incorporate mindfulness of the body into their recovery.

Interested in a FREE consultation with Dr. Dorie? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED

The post Somatic Counseling and Eating Disorders appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Jamie Doak, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician who works with adolescents in Denver, Colorado. She was a Counselor Intern under my supervision at Positive Pathways from September, 2014 through May, 2015. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, and you can contact her with any comments or questions, including how to get started with individual sessions (see bottom of article).
– Dr. Dorie

Teenage girls who diet are often depicted as shallow and vain, and are made fun of in many movies and TV shows. However, dieting is a warning sign that an adolescent has a negative body image or is developing an eating disorder. One in three teenage girls engage in fad diets, fasting, or take diet pills or laxatives to lose weight – and nearly half of 1st-3rd grade girls say that they wish they were thinner (Source: National Eating Disorders Association).

Other signs that your teenager may have negative body image or is developing an eating disorder are:

• Dramatic weight loss or drastic fluctuations
• A preoccupation with weight, food, food labels and dieting
• Excessive drinking of fluids or denial of hunger
• Avoidance of meal times or situations involving food
• Withdrawal from friends and activities
• Self-induced vomiting or abuse of laxatives
• Excessive, rigid exercise regimen
• A change in dress, such as oversized clothing to cover the body or revealing clothes to flaunt the weight loss(Source: Elizabeth Easton, PsyD)

If you think your teenager has an eating disorder, there are ways that you can help:

1. Intervene Early. The sooner you are able to talk to your teenager, the sooner you will be able to figure out the level of care your teenager needs whether that is changing up how your family talks about food and bodies or finding a therapist who can provide some treatment strategies for your child.
2. Ask Questions and Listen. Avoid accusing your teenager of having an eating disorder or implying that there is something wrong with the way they are eating – this will likely cause your teenager to become more secretive. Instead, ask questions and listen to their answers. “I noticed you’ve been skipping breakfast recently. What’s going on?” “I heard you talking to your friend about going on a liquid fast. What interests you about that diet?”
3. Be Supportive and Get Help. If you are worried about your teenager’s health after having a conversation with them, get help. Talk to your primary care doctor and seek a therapist who can talk to your teenager about the symptoms of their eating disorder and other issues that might be contributing to it. While parents and guardians will always be the primary support systems, sometimes adolescents hear information better from someone who is not in their immediate family.

The important thing to remember is that it is not your fault that your teenager has an eating disorder and it is not theirs either. Positive body image and a healthy relationship with food is possible for your teenager and you are the most important partner in their journey to recovery.

*****

Looking for guidance with body image? JAMIE DOAK, MA, LPCC (the author of this blog article) is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician who works with adolescents in Denver, Colorado. You can contact her with comments or questions, or to become a client! – EMAIL JAMIE

Interested in a FREE consultation with Dr. Dorie? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED

The post Eating Disorders & Body Image Tips for Parents appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Jamie Doak, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician who works with adolescents in Denver, Colorado. She was a Counselor Intern under my supervision at Positive Pathways from September, 2014 through May, 2015. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, and you can contact her with any comments or questions, including how to get started with individual sessions (see bottom of article).
– Dr. Dorie

Do you wish you could lose 5, 10, 20 or more pounds?
Do you feel unhappy with your looks, no matter how thin you become?
Do you use eating disorder behaviors (meal skipping, purging) as a quest for thinness?

If you answered “YES” to any of the above questions, then The Body Project can help. The Body Project workshop, which is a described as a “dissonance-based body-acceptance program is designed to help high school girls and college-age women resist cultural pressures to conform to the thin-ideal standard of female beauty and reduce their pursuit of unhealthy thinness. The Body Project is supported by more research than any other body image program and has been found to reduce onset of eating disorders.”

At Positive Pathways, two of our therapists are trained to deliver The Body Project workshop. Our therapists are available to provide this workshop at schools in the Denver area – at no charge! In addition, our therapists can provide the concepts form The Body Project on a 1-on-1 basis as part of individual therapy, to help heal eating disorders and body image issues.

Why is a workshop like The Body Project necessary?

• While the average American woman is 5’4 tall and weighs 140 pounds, the average American model is 5’11 and weighs 117 pounds.
• In 1995, before television was first introduced to Fiji there were no cases of eating disorder. Sixty-five adolescent schoolgirls were followed over three years and after the introduction of British and American television, 12.7% of the girls had developed high eating disorder after one month and 29.2% after three years. Self-induced vomiting as weigh control went form 0% in 1995 to 11.3% by 1998.
• A study found that after just three minutes spent looking at models in a fashion magazine, 70% of women reported feeing depressed, guilty and ashamed of their bodies.
• In a survey of 548 girls in 5th grade through 12th grade 59% of girls reported dissatisfaction with their body shape and 66% expressed a desire to lose weight.

The Body Project defines the thin ideal as the thin, toned, busty woman we see in the media and is careful to distinguish between the thin ideal and a healthy ideal. The goal of a thin ideal is to attain thinness that is neither realistic nor healthy at any cost. With a healthy ideal the goal is to health, fitness, longevity and feeling good about how our body both works and feels.

The Body Project is effective because it helps women to distance themselves from this unrealistic beauty standard by identifying the costs of pursuing it (money, health, time, relationships) and recognizing who ultimately benefits from women conforming to a thin ideal (diet industry, media, fashion industry, cosmetic industry).

Once women feel disconnected from the unrealistic image of beauty that is being promoted in the media and internalize that their suffering to achieve the thin ideal only puts money in the pockets of the (usually male) CEOs of fashion and cosmetic corporations, they are better able to resist and reject this unattainable beauty standard. Beauty, health and bodies come in all shapes and sizes!

All statistics in this article come from The Body Project: http://www.bodyprojectsupport.org

“Don’t change your body to get respect from society.
Instead let’s change society to respect our bodies.”
-Golda Poretsky

*****

Looking for guidance with body image? JAMIE DOAK, MA, LPCC (the author of this blog article) is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician who works with adolescents in Denver, Colorado. You can contact her with comments or questions, or to become a client! – EMAIL JAMIE

Interested in a FREE consultation with Dr. Dorie? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions.  She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED

The post Eating Disorders and Body Image: The Body Project appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.