Trick or Treat? If you struggle with Binge Eating Disorder or Food Addiction, then Halloween can be a tricky time of year. You have to pass by all of those bags of candy in the aisles at the store, and you have to overcome the urge to buy several bags of candy “for trick-or-treaters.” Who would know all of that candy was just binge food for you?

Tricky Treats. Perhaps you actually do buy candy with the real intention to give it to the children who come by your home on Halloween. What do you do with the candy until that night? Do you hide it, so it’s out of sight, and hopefully out of mind? Do you wait until the day of Halloween to buy the candy, so that it’s not around, tempting you? Even if you wait until that day, how do you keep your own hand out of the candy bowl that night?

It’s Such a Trick. People with Binge Eating Disorder and Food Addiction often have to work very hard to fight off cravings for sweets. It’s a game of all-or-nothing — where many people with eating disorders can’t stop eating binge foods once they start, so they try to abstain from any trigger foods. But doesn’t this leave you feeling deprived? Don’t you wish you could have a few pieces of candy and stop?

It Can Be a Treat. What would happen if you really could have 3 or 4 mini-packets of candy, without binge eating? Here’s how you can make peace with Halloween candy. Try these steps for sweet success:

1. Carefully choose 3 or 4 small pieces of candy — select a few of your favorites!
2. Set them aside, and notice your thoughts and feelings as you anticipate eating the candy
3. Use an affirmation, “Food has no power over me. I am making peace with food.”
4. Plan a time when you won’t feel rushed or distracted to enjoy your candy
5. Invite a friend to have some treats with you, if you’d like extra support in this process
6. Try the “Beginners Mind” technique as you sample your first piece — tap into all of your senses
7. Notice how the candy looks, smells, and feels in your hand before you put it in your mouth
8. Lick the candy, and notice how it tastes — taste as if you are having this item for the first time
9. As you put the candy in your mouth, notice how it feels as it melts, and as you swallow
10. Notice your thoughts and feelings, and proceed in a similar way with your other 2 or 3 pieces

Trick into Treat! You can stop binge eating and make peace with food!

*****

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 10 Steps to Stop Binge Eating appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Sculley, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. I supervised Rebecca while she was working towards licensure, and co-facilitated some of her first DBT Skills Groups. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who is passionate about helping people thrive during life transitions. She wrote this article to inform people about one of her DBT groups, and although that date has passed, please read this article to learn more about how DBT can help you. You can contact Rebecca about the current individual and group sessions she holds (see bottom of article).
– Dr. Dorie

Do you want to change your relationship with food? Have you made some New Year’s resolutions and are hoping is that in 2017 you can find solutions to create a freedom point with food, eating and body image? DBT can help you!

Have you heard of DBT? Perhaps you’ve heard this term in the therapy world or have read about it online. Maybe you’re curious how DBT can help you. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of tangible evidence-based treatment that can help with a variety of issues. I especially find it helpful for people with eating disorders or disordered eating. In my experience as a therapist, I have used DBT for seven years and have found it to work wonders with people who have binge eating disorder, food addiction, restrict food, or have anorexia or bulimia. DBT can help you change your life and have the relationship with food that you have been searching for.

There are four main components to DBT. They include Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. In the DBT Group Denver (starting February 8), we will encompass all four principles and apply them to your relationship with food, as well as what’s underneath your struggle. Below I will give a brief example of how each of the four DBT principles can apply to you.

In the DBT Group Denver, we’ll use distress tolerance to find new and healthy ways to cope with stress and other of life’s challenges instead of either overeating or under-eating. Stop beating yourself up for engaging in disordered eating and find new ways to cope and heal. You will discover strategies to deal with the ups and downs in life and feel good about your choices!

For the mindfulness component, the DBT Group Denver will teach you how to be present and stay mindful rather than thinking about the past or the future in a way that triggers you to want to overeat or under-eat. Often when we get stuck thinking about the past this can lead us to sadness and depression. If we spiral and think too much about the future, we often feel anxiety. Instead, DBT can teach you how to stay present and engaged with each moment.

With emotion regulation, the DBT Group Denver will help you to regulate tough emotions as well as joyous emotions so that you can eat in a balanced and healthy way, not in a negative or disempowering way.

In the Interpersonal Effectiveness unit, DBT Group Denver will teach you how to engage with others in the way that you feel strong, assertive and balanced. You’ll learn how to get your needs met while being respectful of others needs and wants. I invite you to learn how to better your lives in many ways and find your freedom point from negativity through DBT!

*****

Looking for guidance with DBT SKILLS? Contact Rebecca Sculley, MA, NCC, LPC – the author of this blog article. She is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and has a specialty in DBT Skills. Rebecca has office locations in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. – EMAIL REBECCA 

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 DBT Group Denver: Eating Disorder Recovery appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

What is the link between eating disorders and spirituality?
Can healing an eating disorder also become a path of self-discovery?
Are eating disorders and spirituality keys to the deeper levels of recovery?

Perhaps there is a reason why the things that we consider bad, unhealthy, broken, and dysfunctional still exist. If it’s here, it is serving a purpose. Everything serves, and there is wisdom in all of it.

A common practice used in working with eating disorders is to quiet the voice of “ED” or the eating disorder. However, I believe that no aspect of ourselves should be disregarded. Instead, everything about ourselves can be embraced in order for us to transcend or move beyond a limiting, painful perception of the world.

I think re-encouraging a split within the psyche where the eating disorder is a problem only adds to the client’s feelings of internal conflict. Instead, we can include the eating disorder as a part of the client and find a deeper meaning in the experience.

As a therapist, I will often ask the following questions:

• What wants to be said or heard?
• How did the eating disorder protect you when you were younger?
• What part of the unconscious wants to become known?
• And how is it perfect that it became intolerable and caused you to seek help?

Many eating disordered clients can feel like they are living inauthentically. Maybe they are living according to family or societal standards that have been internalized or introjected.

The eating disorder can be a form of rebellion, a reaction against the socialized self, and can provide insight into how the client wants to authentically show up in this world.

By uncovering what may be underneath the voice of the eating disorder, I have seen many clients become closer to a more empowered and expressive side of themselves that is willing to set boundaries and speak their truth. Rather than rejecting the parts they don’t like and pretending they are not there only to have them resurface later, clients learn to be with the uncomfortable aspects of themselves, integrate them, and become bigger than them.

Ultimately, eating disorders and spirituality become a path toward recovery of the True Self – where clients learn about themselves on a deeper level and discover who they really are.

*****

Want to incorporate spirituality into recovery? Contact Share Holland, MA, LPCC – the author of this blog article. Share is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and has a specialty in mindfulness-based recovery practices at her office in Boulder, Colorado. EMAIL SHARE

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 Eating Disorders and Spirituality appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Sculley, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. I supervised Rebecca while she was working towards licensure, and co-facilitated some of her first DBT Skills Groups. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who is passionate about helping people thrive during life transitions. Rebecca currently meets with clients at her offices in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. To contact Rebecca, please see the bottom of article.
– Dr. Dorie

Eating disorders and stress tend to “feed each other.” Let’s be honest about that. This is often a triggering and stressful time of year; the holidays are rapidly approaching, the change in seasons can be tough, and it’s getting dark earlier. This particular year may be even more stressful due to the recent election, no matter what your political affiliation may be. It is very important that we pay attention to stress and try to prevent it from becoming too overwhelming. DBT can help you!

DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The word “dialectical” is defined as, “concerned with or acting through opposing forces.” This can mean that there are often two truths, or more than one truth in any given situation. If you live in Colorado you may have noticed that in mid- November the temperature was in the 70s! The holiday season can often bring on a dialectical feel: on one hand it is a time of togetherness and celebration, on the other hand it can feel isolating or lonely. There are mixed messages around food and holiday eating, too. We are surrounded with sweets and other decadent foods, yet our culture expects us to “be healthy.” This all adds to eating disorders and stress.

Using the Distress Tolerance and Mindfulness modules of DBT can be very effective for combatting eating disorders and stress. If you need immediate relief and want to improve a moment follow these steps. Think of the acronym IMPROVE to help guide you.

I: Use IMAGERY. You can do this by imagining a relaxing scene – either a place you have been, or create a beautiful scene in your mind and take yourself there mentally. You can also try to remember a happy time or memory and think of it fondly. Also, you can picture any hurtful or painful emotion draining out of you like water out of a pipe.

M: Find MEANING. Try to find a purpose in a painful or stressful situation, make meaning of what’s happening in the here and now. For example, “I cannot afford to fly somewhere to be with family for the holidays and this is stressful. I can find meaning in this by knowing I can create my own holiday here alone or with friends and do something to honor myself during those days. I’ll have more time to relax and traveling during the holidays can be stressful anyway!” Focus on all the positive aspects or positive reframes that you can think of – write them down.

P: PRAISE for yourself. Make a list in your mind or write it down of all the things you love or life about yourself or your life. Examples include, “I love my cat,” “I love my hair,” “I am grateful for my family,” or, “I am grateful for my health.”

R: RELAXATION. Take a hot shower or bath with nice smelling products that help you relax. Try adding lavender oil to your bath water or using pleasant smelling lotions when you are done. Breathe deeply. This is one you can do at any time of day no matter where you are or who you are with. Massage your neck and scalp. You can reach these spots and just a few moments of energy spent can relieve unnecessary tension. Change your facial expression. Even if you don’t feel like smiling, try it for 10 seconds. Practice right now as you are reading this. Even a few seconds of smiling changes your outlook, how others may see you and can create positivity around you.

O: Focus on ONE thing in each moment. Practice focusing on one thing at a time give your entire attention to what you are doing in the present moment. Let go of other distractions. You can focus in your physical body, too. Notice any stress in your body. Pay attention to your five senses. Breathe.

V: VACATION. This can be brief, or extended. You could turn off your phone for a day. Take a walk on your lunch break. Sit outside in the park. Go for a drive. Get into the mountains. Go for a hike. Plan a future vacation when you can take a few days off.

E: Self-ENCOURAGEMENT and rethinking the situation. Try statements like, “I will get through this,” “This too shall pass,” “Everything happens for a reason, ” “This will only make me stronger,” “I will be ok no matter what,” or, “Yay me!” You can make up your own self encouragement statement. The bottom line is that you are resilient and self-reliant. You’ve got this!

Remember that you CAN get a handle on your eating disorder and stress, and if you follow the steps above you will be on a path for a more peaceful existence. Take care of you and your needs. Do nice things for yourself and remember that you are number one.

*****

Looking for guidance with DBT SKILLS? Contact Rebecca Sculley, MA, NCC, LPC – the author of this blog article. She is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and has a specialty in DBT Skills. Rebecca has office locations in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. – EMAIL REBECCA 

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 Eating Disorders and Holidays: DBT Coping Skills appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Sculley, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. I supervised Rebecca while she was working towards licensure, and co-facilitated some of her first DBT Skills Groups. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who is passionate about helping people thrive during life transitions. Rebecca currently meets with clients at her offices in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. To contact Rebecca, please see the bottom of article.
– Dr. Dorie

Have you been wanting to change your relationship with food, but feel stuck or hopeless? In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, I wanted to assist people to find more freedom in their relationship with food by using simple DBT (Dialectal Behavior Therapy) skills.

Many people cope with stress and difficulties in life by turning to food as a coping mechanism. Some people may do this by binge eating, purging, or restricting foods. Many people engage in emotional eating as a way to numb their feelings, be able to feel something else instead of emotional pain or as a way to punish themselves. Does this help you get to a place in which you feel happy? Maybe for a few minutes tops. Then it becomes a dark and lonely place, most often worse off than when you started.

Instead of suffering, choose compassion for yourself by using DBT Skills, an easy way to take care of your body, mind and emotions! The first two components of DBT are Distress Tolerance and Mindfulness. Distress Tolerance is as simple as it sounds – finding new ways to tolerate stress that are healthy and safe – not detrimental to your physical and emotional health. Instead of turning towards or away from food to cope with life stressors pick an area in which to distract yourself. Here are a few ways to do this. First, distract yourself with a pleasurable activity. Below are a few suggestions:

• Go for a walk
• Go to a movie
• Read a new juicy book
• Do online research about a topic of interest
• Get into a new or old TV show
• Take a nap
• Change your hairstyle
• Organize your closet
• Take a bath
• Listen (and dance!) to music
• Paint your nails
• Play with an animal
• Go shopping alone or with a friend
• Do yard work or gardening

The list goes on and on – why not add some of your own activities to this list of distractions?

You can also distract yourself through thinking about other people. Try organizing a get together or a party for a loved one or co-worker, call a friend to tell them you are thinking about them, do an act of kindness for someone you know or ever a stranger by lending a hand to someone in need. Whatever you chose to do, you are sending a message to yourself that food does NOT control you, you have paused and made the conscious choice to do something nice for others rather than hurting yourself.

The next component of DBT that can help combat ED behavior is to practice Mindfulness. Maybe you have heard of this and it seems daunting. It doesn’t have to be! Here is a simple suggestion to kick off a mindfulness routine or to continue practicing one you may have in place. A key component to being Mindful is to practice being non-judgmental. You may find this hard to do at times, that’s ok, DON’T JUDGE YOURSELF. That’s the first place to start. By accepting yourself for who you are, what you look like and how you feel, no matter what is the hallmark in not judging others or other situations. Practice removing your own inner judgement by using Radical Acceptance Coping Statement (also part of Distress Tolerance). Here are a few to try:

• It is what it is.
• I love and honor myself no matter what.
• I am doing my best.
• There’s no use in fighting the past.
• Even though I’ve made mistakes, I am still a good person.
• I embrace all of my qualities.

Next, find a saying or mantra to say to yourself next time you want to binge or skip a meal, and choose YOU! Take several deep breaths and try saying:

• I love my Self!
• I am worthy of all I want!
• I am healthy!
• I am powerful!

Repeat this to yourself as many times as it takes to avoid making a hurtful choice. You have the power to start fresh and choose what you know in your heart and mind is best for you.

*****

Looking for guidance with DBT SKILLS? Contact Rebecca Sculley, MA, NCC, LPC – the author of this blog article. She is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and has a specialty in DBT Skills. Rebecca has office locations in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. – EMAIL REBECCA 

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 DBT and Eating Disorders Prevention 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

Eating in the Light of the Moon, by Dr. Anita Johnston, is a book that speaks to one’s relationship with food, particularly naming what may feel true about food, eating, and weight for those who identify as women. Dr. Johnston offers wisdom here that may apply to those who experience disordered eating, as well as to anyone who has wondered about the concepts of true nourishment or food as a metaphor.

During a recent lecture for a group of professionals in the eating disorders field, Dr. Johnston named that so often, one may try to push away an eating disorder, to get rid of it, and to eradicate disordered eating patterns from one’s life as fast as possible. However, Dr. Johnston points out that the disordered eating itself is not actually the problem, nor is getting rid of the disordered eating going to illuminate why these eating patterns arose in the first place. Rather, disordered eating is actually pointing to a much deeper relationship with food, with getting what one wants in the world, and with feeling deeply nourished and satisfied. Dr. Johnston advocates that disordered eating instructs us to metaphorically “dig here” at the roots of the disordered eating to uncover what may be buried beneath the symptoms that initially present themselves.

In Eating in the Light of the Moon, Dr. Johnston takes the approach that disordered eating and frustrating relationships with food may be metaphors for needs not being met in life. She challenges readers to question what an insatiable hunger may really indicate – whether this is actually a hunger for food or whether it may be a hunger for another form of nourishment (e.g., love, spirituality, feeling valued). She writes about how the foods craved or the foods resolutely eschewed may provide clues about what one may truly desire in life.

Dr. Johnston leads readers back to the body as a source of wisdom and as a valuable ally in unraveling the experience of disordered eating. Rather than being something to control, to keep hidden, or to attempt to escape, body sensations and cravings provide information that can actually assist in understanding the root causes of disordered eating. Johnston invites us to come back to the body’s sense of intuition and emotions, and to explore where one may have dulled their own empowerment in trying to silence these sensations through disordered eating.

Additionally, in Eating in the Light of the Moon, working with dream imagery becomes a helpful tool on the path of eating disorder recovery. Johnston also emphasizes working on speaking one’s truth, journaling, and delving into shadow material as tools for transformation.

*****

Looking for guidance with METAPHORS in recovery? 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 concepts from the book, “Eating In The Light Of The Moon,” into their sessions.

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 Metaphors Of Eating Disorders: Eating In The Light Of The Moon appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

I’d like to introduce you to Share Holland, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. I supervised Share while she was working with me at my previous office location in Denver. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who incorporates mindfulness into recovery. You can contact Share with any comments or questions, including how to get started with individual sessions (see bottom of article).
– Dr. Dorie

What happens for you when I tell you this: You should lose weight. You should gain weight. You should eat more green vegetables and less carbs. You should exercise more. In other words… You are not OK as you are. How does that feel?

Lisa Dion, the creator of a neurobiological-based form of play therapy, says that when we hear a “should,” our sense of Self is threatened. When shoulding on yourself, or when others should on you, your Authentic Self is directly challenged. You’re denying who you are in the moment and not seeing your own wisdom. This can create an internal dilemma between who you are and who you think you should be. The result is that the autonomic nervous system becomes activated trying to handle the discrepancy (Dion, 2015).

Most clients in eating disorder recovery are already receiving a ton conflicting “shoulds.” These endless shoulding on yourself voices will often activate the trauma response in the body, especially when their actions don’t happen to match up with their perceived “shoulds.” If clients in eating disorder recovery are hearing endless “shoulds” regarding food, their weight, and following a specific plan, their nervous systems may be over-activated to the point of fight, flight, freeze, or collapse. Because their sense of Self is threatened, they are operating out of fear and are caught in their lower parts of their brain. These clients may not be able to access their prefrontal cortex and cerebral cortex, which are the parts of the brain that can hear rationalization and reasoning.

This is why I would postulate that nutrition plans, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychoeducation do not always work. These reason-based approaches can only reach the outer parts of the brain, which are not able to take in new information when a client is stuck in fear and their nervous system is dysregulated. Shoulding on yourself and others can make eating disorder behaviors worse, not better. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate out of any other mental illness (Sullivan, 1995, p. 1073-1074). Something needs to change!

I believe that the common practice of trying to be rational with the eating disorder as if it’s a problem that needs to be fixed, solved, or eradicated is outdated. Given what we know about the brain, this cognitive approach can only help to a certain degree.

As a therapist, I don’t believe that clients should be different than they are – I look at the deeper wisdom in the eating disorder, guiding my clients to reflect about how their eating disorder was the best strategy that was created to deal with reality at the time. By seeing their eating disorder as brilliant strategy rather than an illness, many clients begin to feel safe enough to share their struggle, start shifting away from the fear response, and change their perspective of the eating disorder and ultimately of themselves.

As soon as we allow what is, without judgment, we, as therapists can begin to untangle the shame and secrecy associated with this disorder, releasing clients from the added pressure of “shoulds.” Eventually, when the pressure to change and be different is lifted and the nervous system is calmer, I begin to ask clients:

What are other ways that help you feel calm or connected?
When do you feel loved? What helps you love yourself?
What do you value? Where do you have a felt sense of purpose?

The truth is, clients already know all the answers – they are often hidden underneath all of their “shoulds.” As therapists, we are simply offering them a way to reconnect to that which they already know.

References:

Dion, L. (2015). Integrating extremes: Aggression and death in the playroom. New York, NY: Aviva Publishing.

Sulivan, P. (1995). Mortality in anorexia nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152(7), 1073-1074.

*****

Want to stop “shoulding” on yourself? Contact Share Holland, MA, LPCC – the author of this blog article. Share is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and has a specialty in mindfulness-based recovery practices at her office in Boulder, Colorado. EMAIL SHARE

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 Disorder Recovery: Shoulding on Yourself or Others 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.

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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 Rebecca Sculley, who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. I supervised Rebecca while she was working towards licensure, and co-facilitated some of her first DBT Skills Groups. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who is passionate about helping people thrive during life transitions. Rebecca currently meets with clients at her offices in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. To contact Rebecca, please see the bottom of article.
– Dr. Dorie

Do you ever feel like you are going on auto pilot? Maybe you are “going through the motions” in your daily life. Perhaps you are expected to multi-task but you struggle completing things. Give yourself permission to SLOW DOWN! This is the first step in being mindful! Yes, it’s as easy as that….

Another way to start being mindful is to pay attention to your breath. You may have heard that before – and yes, it’s as simple as that! Take a few moments right now, and JUST BREATHE. To be mindful, simply NOTICE your breath. Don’t try to force or change your breath, just notice it. Notice your inhale, and your exhale. Notice the pace of your breath. Notice the depth of your breath. Stop reading for a moment right now, and JUST BREATHE. Notice the way your body feels as you pay attention to your breath. Hopefully you will feel more relaxed, that way you are better able to pay attention to your surroundings, be present and MINDFUL!

Another helpful way to practice mindful breathing is through “square breathing”. Count to 4 as you inhale, then hold your breath for 4 counts, finally exhale for 4 counts. Repeat. It’s called “square breathing” because you can imagine drawing the four edges of a square in your mind as you count to 4. Or, some people like to trace the shape of a square on their leg as they count. Repeat again as many times as you would like.

Breathing is just one way to practice mindfulness. My clients report that it is the EASIEST way to be mindful. We all have to breathe, right? So we’re simply applying mindfulness to something we already do. Mindful breathing can help with stress management, the release of  tension from the body, and an inherent improvement in the ability to regulate intense emotions. Try this idea as a reminder to breathe mindfully – when you are driving (or riding your bicycle or walking) and you come to a stop sign or stop light, let this be a signal to STOP and BREATHE.

YOU can be a master of mindfulness. Slow down and get started now! There’s no time like the present.

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Looking for guidance with DBT SKILLS? Contact Rebecca Sculley, MA, NCC, LPC – the author of this blog article. She is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician, and has a specialty in DBT Skills. Rebecca has office locations in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. – EMAIL REBECCA 

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 DBT Group Denver – Mindfulness Tip appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.