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Eating Disorder Recovery and Mountain Climbing

DrDorie — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 17:47:56 +0000

Eating Disorder Recovery and Mountain Climbing:

5 Steps to Help Your Clients Reach their Eating Disorder Recovery Summit!

Eating disorder recovery is like climbing a mountain – I was reflecting about this as I reached the summit of Bergen Peak in Evergreen, Colorado (see video below)! It was a long and sometimes difficult journey, but my traverse was eased by those who had created a trail to reach the summit. In addition, I was prepared, carrying the essentials that I needed with me in my backpack, and wearing the right gear. But it all began with my commitment to embark on this journey, and trusting my Inner Guide for Inspiration to complete this climb.

During my own eating disorder recovery, I learned five essential principles, and practicing these principles on a daily basis gradually allowed me to let go of eating disorder behaviors and embrace a new life of freedom! Now, as a Licensed Addiction Counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, I share these five principles with my clients. These principles comprise the method I created, Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ – and I provide training and certification for Eating Disorder Recovery Coaches and Treatment Clinicians to be able to help their clients. EDIT™ Certified professionals are like mountaineering guides, using these five EDIT™ Principles as steps to the summit of eating disorder recovery success.

1. Love Your Self – Commit to the Recovery Journey!
Even if clients have some ambivalence, emphasize their worthiness to recover and live the life they truly want to live! Give your clients essential tools to begin their recovery journey – these are specific EDIT™ Worksheets you’ll provide in an initial session. Using the hiking analogy, you’ll give your clients a backpack (which will be filled in the next steps), and a map (so they don’t feel likely they’re blindly wandering into the unknown). Some clients might wonder, “What about my bathroom scale? And a mirror?” You might explain that a bathroom scale would be a heavy item to carry, and use EDIT™ Worksheets to help them find freedom from weighing (or measuring their bodies in any way). As for the mirror, you can suggest that this journey of recovery will involve discovery of their True Self, which can’t be seen as an image of the body reflected in a mirror. Hold the vision of your clients as their True Self until they can envision this themselves.

2. Be True To Your Self – Enjoy Nourishment for the Whole Self!
This includes the body, mind, heart and soul – or, the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of recovery. Introduce the concept of listening to one’s Inner Wisdom, or Intuitive Therapist (IT) within themselves. Start with the EDIT™ Worksheets which help clients access their Intuition, and then guide them with the EDIT™ Worksheets for Intuitive Eating and Intuitive Exercise (or Mindful Movement). Using eating disorder recovery as a mountain climbing metaphor, emphasize the importance of water, meals and snacks, and assist your clients to add these to their backpack for their recovery journey. To further support the body, your clients need adequate hiking shoes or boots, and trekking poles can make it easier on the knee and hip joints. Remind your clients that this recovery journey is not a sprint, and encourage them to take lots of breaks along the way.

3. Express Your Self – Attend to Thoughts, Feelings, and Authentic Needs!
This is a critical step on the eating disorder mountain climbing journey. Guide your clients to gently notice their thoughts and feelings, and assist them to be curious about their authentic needs (shifting from ED to IT). There are essential EDIT™ Worksheets which facilitate this process. Sometimes the path may be very clear and clients can proceed with ease… celebrate your clients’ successes! And then the path might disappear. have your clients wandered into the weeds (filled with thoughts from the ED mind) instead of the Way of Recovery (filled with hope and encouragement from the mind of IT)? Prepare your clients when the Way gets challenging, such as climbing through scree (broken rock fragments and loose stones that are often at higher elevations, especially nearing a mountain summit). This is when clients are concurrently climbing high and yet “slipping back” to address core issues. Affirm that the Way has challenges, and moving through these leads to workable solutions and more freedom from ED! Offer EDIT™ Worksheets to guide clients to develop healthy coping skills and explore those deeper issues. Clients may appreciate having a journal in their backpack, so they can take note of their challenges and successes on their recovery journey. Sometimes, life can get messy, so be sure that your clients have toilet paper and a trowel (to dig a hole and bury the s*** left behind)!

4. Give To Your Self – Become Full-filled from Within!
Many clients struggle with the concept of “enough.” They might strive to be “good enough,” always striving yet never arriving, it’s “never good enough.” This can be mimicked through ED behaviors, such as restrictive eating to reflect an inner emptiness, or binge eating in an attempt to fill a hole inside. Meanwhile, basic needs are barely being met. It’s like your clients are going in circles near the mountain top, unaware of who and where they really are, looking outside themselves for approval instead of pausing to realize their own Self-validation. Clients will never feel “good enough” listening to the voices of the world, also hearing the chatter from the mind of ED and the inner critic, which keeps them spinning. What would happen if you guided your client over to a couple of trees, where they can hang a hammock (which you thoughtfully put in their backpack)? Encourage your client to truly pause – and just be in the moment. This can be a challenge for clients, so assist them through visualizations and other EDIT™ skills. It’s like there is a spring-fed well that can suddenly appear anywhere your clients are, as long as they can be still and know their Intuitive Therapist is with them. This Inner Wisdom can spring forth, providing full-fillment from within, and clients can finally experience and appreciate their enough-ness. Guide your clients to affirm, “I AM good enough, always have been, and always will be!”

5. Believe In Your Self – Reach the Summit of Recovery Success!
By practicing the first four EDIT™ Principles, clients can begin to see the summit… only to realize that when they reach it, there is another summit that becomes visible. In the eating disorder recovery mountain climbing analogy, this is known as a “false summit.” It’s like working sooooooo hard, only to realize that you haven’t arrived to the top, and there’s still seemingly sooooooo much more to go on the journey. Somehow mustering more strength, the journey continues. But where is this strength coming from? Is it the small-s false self, who can experience moments of freedom from ED by controlling the ED behaviors, reaching a false summit? Or is it the Capital-S True Self, who has found a renewable Energy Source with Infinite Power and lasting Freedom from ED, which is always available by staying aware of one’s Mind? This is the Mind of one’s Intuitive Therapist and True Self, rather than the limited mind of the false self, still caught up in striving-yet-never-arriving, vulnerable to relapses with ED. Remind your clients that they have a compass (another recovery tool you tucked into an easily accessible side pocket of their backpack). The false self’s eyes are limited, but the Eyes of the Soul can see the Way (even in the dark). Clients might feel hopeless, like they’ll never reach the “real” summit, but with their Inner Compass, they Way is clear. At last, the mountain top is reached! Clients are so Grateful, often feeling Joy that they haven’t experience in years or decades. On top of this mountain, they have a 365º view of the world around them. They see other summits they can rise up to, and valleys they can venture into very deeply. They realize that the journey of recovery can continue, by proceeding with the Confidence of their Intuitive Therapist as their ongoing Guide in Freedom.

“Love Your Self, Be True To Your Self, Express Your Self, Give To Your Self, Believe In Your Self,” you remind your clients, as they conclude their work with you. They smile and nod their head, knowing that this EDIT™ Message is always within their True Self.

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Article may be reprinted with the author bio below.

©2020 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. She is the President of the EDIT™ Training Institute LLC, which provides training and certification in her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™. She also provides sessions for clients who struggle with these issues, either in person or by phone/video. Learn more at: https://www.drdorie.com

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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 – GET CERTIFIED – ATTEND ONLINE RETREAT

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Dr. Dorie’s COVID-19 Story

DrDorie — Wed, 20 May 2020 23:33:50 +0000

Dr. Dorie’s COVID-19 Story:
How I Survived & Hoping This Helps YOU!

Grocery Store List for April 22, 2020:

Mask on – check
Sanitize shopping cart handle – check
Stay 6-feet away from others – check
Avoid touching face or eyes – check
Select a few essential items – check
Go to self-checkout – check
Get sneezed on – wait, what?

That’s right. I did everything right – but being sneezed on by someone as I went into the self-checkout was not part of my COVID-19 prevention plan. As I ventured through the 4-foot wide entry into the self-checkout area, a man at the first checkout station turned away from the person next to him, and sneezed. Right. At. Me. Not into his elbow. Right. At Me. He was wearing a bandanna tied across his face, but we were only about a foot away from each other when he turned towards me. I don’t think he knew I was entering the self-checkout area, but he could have sneezed into his elbow anyway. Instead, I have no doubt that the nano-meter-sized-droplets from his sneeze easily came through the thin material of his bandanna. Right. At. Me.

“I’m in trouble,” I thought, although my self-talk was a bit more colorful than that! Despite my concerns that I’d already been exposed to the coronavirus and all the hand-washing and sanitizing wouldn’t change that, I proceeded with…

Post-Shopping Grocery Store List:

Sanitize hands before unlocking car – check
Load groceries into back of car – check
Sanitize hands again – check
Get into car and remove mask – check
Sanitize hands again – check
Sanitize wallet and credit card – check
Sanitize phone (even though I didn’t touch it) – check
Sanitize exterior snd interior of handbag – check
Unload groceries and sanitize packaging – check
Wash produce – check
Wash hands – check
Take a shower – wait, what?

A shower following grocery shopping wasn’t part of my usual protocol. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt. Unfortunately, there was no way I could “clean inside” (I’ll pass on drinking or injecting bleach, thank you). I’d had a cough before the “Grocery Store Incident,” as I now call it, but my cough started getting worse a few days later. Next came sneezing and a runny nose. “Maybe it’s allergies,” I tried to reassure myself. When I suddenly lost my sense of smell and taste, and felt extremely fatigued, I was bordering on panic. I’m not usually an anxious person – as a Mental Health Clinician, I can look at my own “worry thoughts” and be curious about their basis in fact, which usually results in my realization that I’m thinking of a “worst-case scenario” and I can let the worry thoughts go. However, in this case, my worry thoughts were based in fact: I had several of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.

I eased my worry by staying rooted in other facts: I had a few but not all of the COVID-19 symptoms; I did not have more serious symptoms such as a fever or shortness of breath. While realizing that I was feeling out of control over my own body and what the coronavirus might do to me, I focused on what I could control: drinking lots of fluids, resting, and scheduling a telemedicine call with my physician. She indicated that it did sound like I’d been exposed to COVID-19 at the grocery store, and that I was displaying enough symptoms that she recommended home quarantine for at least another 2 weeks. She also said to track my oxygen saturation levels with a Pulse Oximeter.

Medicine Cabinet Checklist:

BandAids – check
Antibacterial Ointment – check
Ace Bandage – check
Aspirin – check
Ibuprofen (Advil) – check
Acetaminophin (Tylenol) – check
Thermometer – check
Blood Pressure Reader – check
Pulse Oximeter – wait, what?

“It’s the device they put on your finger when you come in for an office visit,” my doctor said. “It measures your heart rate, and the oxygen levels in your blood.” She continued, “The normal oxygen saturation is 98-99% and if yours drops below 90% you need to get to the hospital for supplemental oxygen.” I could feel my anxiety rising. “I don’t have a Pulse Oximeter,” I said, “so what am I supposed to do? Can I just pay attention to my breathing and if it becomes difficult, then come to the hospital?” She explained that the decrease in oxygen saturation can sometimes be unnoticeable, until it is dangerously low. As we finished the call, I began to realize why this virus can be so deadly – you might not even know that it’s literally taking your breath away until it’s too late.

I was determined to get a Pulse Oximeter ASAP. I went online and found that the earliest delivery to my home was at least a week away. I ordered one, hoping that it might arrive sooner. I live in a small mountain community outside of Denver, where we as neighbors look out for each other. I reached out to my community to let them know that I was presumed positive for COVID-19, and asked if anyone had a Pulse Oximeter I could borrow. I am so grateful that one of my neighbors dropped one off at my front porch right away!

When I first checked, my oxygen saturation (I’ll say O-sat for short) was between 95-97%. However, it was gradually decreasing, and two days later it was between 92-94% when I went to bed. In the middle of the night, I was shocked to see my O-sat was only 85%! I could hear my doctor’s voice in my head, “if yours drops below 90% you need to get to the hospital” – “but I don’t want to go to the hospital!” I thought, in a panic. I remembered something that Chris Cuomo had said on his show “Cuomo Prime Time” broadcast by CNN. He got COVID-19 and was quarantining in his basement, and stated that his doctor recommended doing “breathing exercises.” Chris would take deep breaths (as deep as he could), and then hold his breath (as long as he could), as a way to fight back against shortness of breath and as an attempt to improve his lung function. Even though it hurt to breathe deeply, and I couldn’t hold my breath long, I tried a few rounds of this. I also remembered hearing that patients in the hospital were being turned onto their bellies to improve lung function. I tried laying on my belly, too. I was able to get my O-sat up to 87-88% doing this. I didn’t sleep much that night, concerned that if I slept my O-sat would drop too low and I wouldn’t know it. I said an affirmative prayer that my body had healing wisdom, and I called forth all of this healing wisdom to help me through the night. By the morning, my O-sat was between 91-93%! Later that day, it was up to 95%. The following day, and ever since then, it has stayed between 98-99%, and I am very grateful for this respiratory healing!

But I wasn’t “out of the woods” – not even close. My fatigue became even more extreme. I forced myself to get out of bed and go to the kitchen for water. Then, I’d walk to the sofa and lay there for a while. I also forced myself to get some nutrition in my body. Thankfully, I had stocked up on soup, with pull-top lids. That’s all the energy I had – opening a can, pouring it in a bowl, heating it in the microwave for a minute, eating what I could. Next, the headaches began. Ibuprofen didn’t help at all. A friend suggested essential oils which help her clients with migraines, but to no avail for me. I couldn’t read anything, so my emails piled up in my inbox, unregarded. Even listening to television hurt my head. I remembered something that one of my neighbors had said, “Get outside for fresh air and sunshine if you can!” I had a mild fever, 99.8º, and being in the sun made me feel more feverish, but I sat on my back deck most of the afternoon anyway. Another friend who works in the medical field suggested that I take Aspirin, because researchers were discovering that the virus alters how blood clots, with some people having strokes and pulmonary embolisms; Aspirin can thin the blood somewhat and might address the clotting issue. I tossed and turned in bed that night, going from sweating and throwing all of the covers off, to freezing and turning my electric blanket on.

The next morning, I had no fever, although my headache and cough persisted. Another new symptom arose – a sore throat, and I started losing my voice by the end of the day. I wondered, “When will this end?” I’d heard others report that their symptoms, even though not hospitalized, lasted about a month. With hospitalization, especially if a ventilator becomes necessary, the recovery time is much, much longer. Many people never come out of the medically-induced coma , nor off of the ventilator, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. I felt extremely grateful to be recovering from this deadly virus, so what if it would take a month or more! I started noticing little improvements every day. In my morning meditations, I could feel a connection with people suffering from COVID-19, and would send some of my recovery energy their way. Then, the fatigue would return with a vengeance, for about a day. Then it would wane for 2 or 3 days, then return for half a day. It’s been almost a week now since I’be been blindsided by fatigue again – hooray!

The only residual symptom is pain when I breathe deeply. I’m doing some easy movement now (walking my dog, about a mile). I’ve observed that my “inner critic” has been showing up with judgments, “Really? Only a mile? That’s pathetic!” Fortunately, I can gently notice that voice, and let it float on by. Most people are aware that I’ve been sick, and they have been very supportive. However, some people keep saying, “You mean you’re not better yet?” Instead of internalizing unhelpful comments (from myself or others), I affirm my progress. I’ve gone from getting out of breath just getting out of bed, to moving a little in my house and then needing to rest, to being able to walk my dog for a hundred or so yards, to walking a quarter mile but having to stop to catch my breath, to walking a half a mile without stopping, and now walking a mile without stopping. I used to be able to run for 3 miles (my lungs hurt just at the thought of that), or hike for 3 miles (ditto). I live in the beautiful wilderness of Evergreen, Colorado, which I can still enjoy taking my mile walks, or just sitting on my back deck. I am trusting my healing wisdom within, not trying to “force” my recovery with the progress my inner critic dictates I “should” be making, nor in the timing that others may think “should” be happening.

This reminds me of my eating disorder recovery, which I wanted to control – what I was going to do and how quickly I was going to do it. But it was only in letting go, and trusting my inner healing wisdom (which I call my Intuitive Therapist, or the Voice of God), that I finally found freedom from ED. Who was I to think that I knew more than the Omniscient Voice of God? Whatever healing that you may be seeking, your answers are within. Eating disorders, addictions, or COVID 19 – your Inner Wisdom, Spirit Guide, Intuitive Therapist (IT) – or whatever you wish to call IT, is here for you. As the Creator of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ I AM here for you, to help you hear IT within yourself. So are all of the EDIT™ Certified Professionals you can access through the EDIT™ Directory. We are all in this together!

To summarize, here are a few essential things that I did, which kept me out of the hospital, and may have saved my life:

I borrowed a Pulse Oximeter to monitor my oxygen saturation (O-sat) levels (below 90% is getting dangerous)
I laid on my belly when my O-sat dropped to 85% since this has helped patients in the hospital
I did “breathing exercises” (deepest inhale possible, holding as long as possible) as recommended on CNN
I took one Aspirin a day, as suggested by my friend in the medical field, to possibly prevent clotting issues
I got out of bed and moved around the house a little, even though I didn’t feel like it, to improve blood flow
I sat outside in the sunshine, and wonder whether extra Vitamin D was helpful, since some research shows this
I didn’t “push myself” too hard, allowing my body to heal in its own way, honoring my Wisdom Within
I gently noticed any judgment from others (or my inner critic) and affirmed my awesome healing progress
I continue to share my recovery energy with those in need through meditation and prayer
I ordered a Pulse Oximeter and now have one in my medicine cabinet if I ever need one again!

*****

Article may be reprinted with the author bio below.

*****

The post Dr. Dorie’s COVID-19 Story appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

Coronavirus and Eating Disorders

DrDorie — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 23:39:12 +0000

Coronavirus and Eating Disorders:
Impacts and Action Steps

FREE WEBINAR – MONDAY, MARCH 16
Click the link below to watch recording:
https://www.drdorie.com/coronavirus-webinar/

Coronavirus news is pretty much anywhere you look. What about the coronavirus and eating disorders? As COVID-19 spreads across the United States and around the world, how are people with eating disorders being impacted? Are there specific steps that those in recovery from eating disorders can take, not only to reduce the risk of the coronavirus but also to prevent their eating disorders from worsening as a means of coping with anxiety, fear, powerlessness, loneliness, and other intense emotions? Can counselors, psychologists, social workers, dietitians, recovery coaches and other health professionals – as well as friends and family members – offer unique assistance?

Impacts of the Coronavirus on People with Eating Disorders:

As those of us involved in the treatment of eating disorders know, one of the causes of eating disorders is “trying to be in control when things feel out of control.” According to numerous news updates, the spread of COVID-19 is far from “under control.” Here are a few things that I am noticing in my clients, as well as what my supervisees and mentees are reporting in their client populations. It is my hope that this information can give you insights into what interventions can be implemented:

Anorexia Nervosa and Coronavirus: Extreme anxiety due to disruptions in eating disorder rituals and routines; avoidance of gyms and increased exercise outdoors, even in poor weather; worsening restriction through the justification that grocery shopping in crowds is unsafe; worsening isolation due to fears of coronavirus community spread; worsening of co-morbid issues such as Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Substance Use Disorder; much higher risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19 if the coronavirus is contracted, due to underlying health issues related to Anorexia Nervosa.
Bulimia Nervosa and Coronavirus: Extreme anxiety due to disruptions in eating disorder rituals and routines; avoidance of gyms and increased exercise outdoors, even in poor weather; worsening restriction through the justification that grocery shopping in crowds is unsafe; hoarding of binge foods which can worsen binge/purge behaviors; worsening isolation due to fears of coronavirus community spread; worsening of co-morbid issues such as Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Substance Use Disorder; higher risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19 if the coronavirus is contracted, due to underlying health issues related to Bulimia Nervosa.
Binge Eating Disorder and Coronavirus: Extreme anxiety due to disruptions in eating disorder rituals and routines; hoarding of binge foods which can worsen binge/purge behaviors; worsening isolation due to fears of coronavirus community spread; worsening of co-morbid issues such as Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Substance Use Disorder; risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19 if the coronavirus is contracted, due to underlying health issues related to Binge Eating Disorder.

Action Steps that People with Eating Disorders Can Take:

Of course, you’ll want to follow the guidelines to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, as offered by your local and state government, as well as the National Center for Disease Control and International World Health Organization. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist with more than 25 years of clinical experience, here are a few strategies that I can suggest for those with eating disorders to reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus while also practicing Self-Care as an essential aspect of eating disorder recovery:

Name your emotions while realizing YOU are NOT your emotions: For example, “I feel afraid,” rather than personalizing the emotions, such as, “I AM terrified!” Separate the feeling (fear) from your Self. YOU are not fear, terror, etc. You may FEEL afraid, terrified, etc. – but like waves in the ocean, these feelings can come and go, when you avoid attaching to them and let them go. In addition, you can FEEL more than one emotion at once – try to name some supportive emotions you may also feel, such as, “I feel hopeful, creative, loving.” Acknowledge that some emotions FEEL more comfortable than others. Become aware of emotions which are based on the past or the future, rather than the here-and-now. These are some core practices of mindfulness-based therapies, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Realize that YOU are NOT your emotions. As Pema Chödrön is quoted as saying, “You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”
Be aware of attaching “facts” versus “fiction” to your emotions: For example, “I feel afraid because the coronavirus is killing millions of people (fiction), and eventually we’re all going to get it (fiction), and there is nothing I can do to avoid getting it (fiction), and everybody is going to die (fiction)…oh my gosh, I’m terrified!” You can see how “fiction” can spiral into catastrophic thinking, and extreme emotions. One of the basic principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is that events result in thoughts that trigger emotions. If we have “irrational thoughts” about events, this can cause unhelpful and intensely painful emotions. Pausing to notice thoughts, and focusing only on facts (without added fictional stories), is essential. “The coronavirus has killed thousands of people worldwide.” Fact. “I feel worried.” Emotion based on fact. “There are steps I can take to stay safe.” Fact. “I feel relieved.” Emotion based on fact. “My eating disorder won’t make the coronavirus go away.” Fact. “My eating disorder can worsen my risk of getting the coronavirus.” Fact. “I intend to stay focused on recovery and Self-Care.” Fact. “I feel empowered.” Emotion based on fact.
Stay connected with your eating disorder recovery community: Many support groups are now being offered online, through chat rooms and video conferencing. Check with local and national eating disorder organizations for more information. I offer “virtual therapy sessions” through HIPAA-compliant platforms, so you don’t need to leave your home in order to have a session with me, here in my state of licensure in Colorado. Most therapists, dietitians, and even medical doctors are able to offer tele-health services in your state. Health and Life Coaches have been conducting sessions-by-phone for years, and there are no boundaries created by state lines (coaches can provide services anywhere in the world). Through my business, the EDIT™ Training Institute, people have become certified as Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinicians and Recovery Coaches. Find an EDIT™ Certified Clinician or Coach Here

Action Steps to Help People with Eating Disorders:

Someone you love may be struggling with an eating disorder, and you may be noticing that their behaviors are becoming worse, possibly as a way of coping with the coronavirus outbreak. Or, you may be a mental health clinician or health coach who is aware that underlying health issues (such as eating disorders) can worsen the severity of the coronavirus. Here’s how you can help, even if you don’t have training to provide support, recovery coaching, or therapy to those with eating disorders:

Friends & Family: Be a role model for someone in recovery. Demonstrate coronavirus precautions such as hand washing, while illustrating how to avoid obsessive/compulsive behaviors. Offer to grocery shop together, while showing how to appropriately use hand sanitizers and exhibit social distancing. In nice weather, go to a park and take a walk together, or practice gentle movement such as yoga, using online instructional sources. Offer to cook meals and eat together. Keep your own thoughts and emotions in check (refer to the points in the section above). Be compassionate if the person you love does use their eating disorder behaviors as a means of coping. As them if there is anything else that you can do to help. Download FREE EDIT™ Resources or become an EDIT™ Certified Peer Support Provider to learn additional skills
Clinicians & Coaches: People with eating disorders and other mental health issues really need your help right now! Many of you may be working from home for a period of time. You can use HIPAA-compliant audio and video conferencing to have sessions with your clients while they remain in their own homes. Here are a few resources to consider: doxy.me, wecounsel.com, zoom.us. Since coaches are not bound by HIPAA regulations, you can use Skype, FaceTime, or a standard phone call. Be aware that clients with a previous history of eating disorders may have a recurrence as a means of coping. Or, clients with Substance Use Disorders may not be able to obtain alcohol or other drugs, and they can develop eating disorders as a replacement. Are you equipped to diagnose and treat, or coach clients with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder? The EDIT™ Training Institute offers FREE EDIT™ Resources and ONLINE EDIT™ Certification to become an Eating Disorder Recovery Coach or Treatment Clinician.

If a higher level of care is needed, Eating Disorder Treatment Centers report being equipped for the coronavirus.
We’re all in this together! Let’s be hopeful, inspired and creative. We can make a unique difference for others.

FREE WEBINAR – MONDAY, MARCH 16
Click the link below to watch recording:
https://www.drdorie.com/coronavirus-webinar/

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Article may be reprinted with the author bio below.

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

Improve Body Image in a Swimsuit

DrDorie — Wed, 22 May 2019 20:02:15 +0000

Improve Body Image in a Swimsuit

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.
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Spirituality in Recovery from Addiction and Eating Disorders

DrDorie — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 19:51:13 +0000

Five Myths about Spirituality in Recovery

Why Spirituality in Eating Disorder and Addiction Recovery is Essential and How to Unmask the Myths

During the 25+ years that I have been a clinician specializing in the treatment of eating disorders and addictions, I have witnessed about 75% of my clients reach a place of freedom which I call “complete recovery.” These clients experience an identity beyond the image in the mirror, a truly healthy relationship with food and fitness, the ability to effectively cope with emotions, and a life which is congruent with their authentic values. These clients may occasionally have “eating disorder thoughts,” but no longer act on them, viewing these as “messengers” pointing to an unmet need. Is it for nutrition, relaxation, or connection? Perhaps introspection, intuition, or meditation? These clients have fully embraced the process of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ – and as they continue to practice the EDIT™ Principles, they experience ongoing recovery and lasting freedom.

The other 25% of clients that I worked with who did not fully recover had one thing in common – they were unable to find a concept of spirituality which they could integrate into their recovery and their lives. These clients may have had other issues which needed to be addressed (for example, trauma healing), before they could explore spiritual concepts. Or, they may have been blocked by some common myths about spirituality:

Myth #1: Spirituality is the same thing as Religion

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2010, the five most widely practiced religions of the world were Christianity (2.2 billion), Islam (1.6 billion), Hinduism (1 billion), Buddhism (500 million), and Judaism (14 million). I find it interesting that in the 2 weeks around the timing of my blog post (April 22, 2019), each of these religions has a religious holiday – Easter (April 22), Ramadan (begins May 5), Hanuman Jayanti (April 19), Theravada New Year (April 19), Passover (April 19-27). This means that about 76% of the world’s population was, is , or soon will be in the midst of religious rituals. Is this what spirituality is all about – finding a world religion that one can practice, along with the majority of people on this planet? It’s estimated that there are about 4300 religions which are currently practiced, so surely there must be a religion for everyone. However, religion is not the same as spirituality. Religion may be a way that a person chooses to express their spiritual beliefs, but religion is not required to be a spiritual person. When I guide clients in recovery with the EDIT™ method, I use the term “spirituality” and encourage clients to explore what this term means to them – either with or without a specific religion.

Myth #2: Atheists or Agnostics can never recover

The same Pew Research Center study conducted in 2010 revealed that about 1.1 billion people around the world had no religious affiliation. That’s about 1 in 6 people. So, if myth #1 was in fact true (spirituality equates religion), and if spirituality is a necessary component of recovery (as I have found in my own research) – then we could conclude that non-religious folks are doomed to be mired in their eating disorder or addictive behaviors for the rest of their lives. Well, thank goodness that myth #1 is just a myth! Some have incorrectly stated that those who are Atheist or Agnostic form the world’s 3rd largest religion. While it is true that if this group held specific religious beliefs, they would fall in 3rd place behind Muslims. However, these non-religious folks may in fact hold non-religious spiritual beliefs and practices. In my clinical work, I enjoy using the EDIT™ concepts to guide this group to move beyond religion, to find a spiritual path that is right for them on their journey of recovery.

Myth #3: Spirituality in Recovery requires the 12-Steps

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935, by “Bill W.” and Dr. Bob” in Akron, Ohio. Since that time, the AA fellowship of men and women in recovery from alcoholism has spread worldwide. The 12-Steps are guidelines for fellowship participants, which are considered a “spiritual program of recovery.” The 12-Steps have been applied to other types of addictions, including gambling, sex, and food addiction. There has been extensive research conducted at treatment centers which use a 12-Step model, now considered an “evidence-based practice.” So, does this mean that the 12-Steps are the only way to effectively incorporate spirituality into recovery? Perhaps if this was the only research that had been conducted about spirituality in recovery. In fact, the field of Spiritual Psychology (also known as Transpersonal Psychology) has conducted numerous studies which incorporate a wide range of spiritual practices – including mindfulness and meditation. Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are two newer methods which incorporate evidence-based mindfulness practices, and show promise for addiction recovery. EDIT™ has roots in these evidence-based practices, and when I’m guiding my clients in recovery I offer a variety of effective ways to explore spirituality in recovery.

Myth #4: Any Non-Christian Spiritual Practice is “cult-ish”

Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the United States (about 75% of Americans polled in 2015 identified themselves as Christian). Sadly, other religious or spiritual practices which are in the minority are often misunderstood, and mistakenly considered “cults.” Cults are considered to be relatively small groups of people with obsessive religious beliefs or spiritual practices. Some view cults as “evil,” and think that its members have been “brainwashed.” This fear-based concept is sometimes what creates a sense of separation between Christians and “others.” Of course, the opposite is true – in countries where Christians are in the minority, they are the “others” whose spiritual practices may be considered “strange” or cult-like. Throughout the world, one person’s religious or spiritual practice could be “right,” while another’s would be “wrong.” When guiding my clients to explore what spirituality means to them, I encourage them to be curious about all religions and spiritual practices. Instead of dwelling on differences, I guide clients to look for the “common threads” in all. Developing a sense of connection with everyone and everything is a type of spiritual practice, which we might call LOVE. The first EDIT™ Principle is “Love Your Self” (and with a Capital-S, this involves physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of who we are) – in a deeper way, this involves loving others as Self.

Myth #5: Spirituality through Nature implies “tree-hugging”

And Birkenstock-wearing while mantra-chanting. Actually, none of the afore-mentioned is needed to enjoy spirituality in the wilderness. One can enjoy walking in a park, sitting on a beach at sunset, or just touching the leaf of an indoor plant. Native Americans incorporate deeply spiritual traditions which involve nature. Going back to what I previously mentioned about the world’s major religions having a holiday at similar times in the Spring, many Native American tribes hold “thunder dances” at this time of year. The first crack of thunder is honored through a spiritual ceremony, and there are numerous other nature-inspired spiritual practices throughout the year. Although I do not have this heritage, I intuitively knew as a young girl that I felt drawn to be in nature. I loved hiking, camping, and yes – hugging trees! Now, when I’m guiding my clients with Wilderness Therapy (applying the EDIT™ Principles while in nature), I always smile when someone walks up to a tree and gives it a big hug 🙂

*****

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

Eating Disorder Recovery – False Self vs True Self

DrDorie — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 16:28:37 +0000

Hungry Wolves: False Self vs True Self in Eating Disorder Recovery

You may have heard the Cherokee story, about two wolves who are fighting. One wolf is evil, and the other wolf is good. The legend states that both wolves are within each of us, and the wolf that wins the fight is the one we feed.

The wolves could also be considered “selves” – one “false self,” and the other “true self.” Well-known psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott is credited with coining these terms in the 1960s. The true self is the original sense of self at the time of birth, which continues to be “fed” throughout healthy development. The false self is “born” in an attempt to compensate for inadequate nurturing, and is “fed” by adhering to other people’s opinions and demands.

Psychotherapist Stephen Cope explains, “The false self is born when the environment does not welcome the self to be as it is… When we are separated from our capacity to be with life the way it is, especially in our early development, our capacity to self-soothe is severely impaired. Our need for soothing and confirmation from external sources will be chronic and insatiable.”

Eating disorders are an example of this false self, obsessively seeking to self-soothe. The wolf of this false self has an insatiable hunger, which binge eating cannot satisfy, nor starvation deny. The wolf is “fed” through eating disorder behaviors, but it’s never enough. Amidst the false self’s obsession, the other wolf is forgotten. It’s as if there is no true self. The false self – eating disorder – becomes one’s identity.

Cope continues, “The false self, though initially an effective adaptive strategy, can eventually become a learning disability. It requires us to shut down our connection with the direct feedback from our bodies, our biocomputers… Our ideas about who we should be can be so powerful that they deeply impair our capacity to see who and how we really are. Over time, the ego becomes so invested in the false self that it begins to believe in its reality. Any threat to the false self, then, or any obstacle to the manifestation of its demands, becomes a threat to life itself. We will defend, to the death, whatever we consider to be ‘me.’ ”

No wonder our clients often resist treatment – and sometimes die as a result of their eating disorders. If their eating disorder is who they are, then who would they be without it? Having forgotten about their true self, the fear is that without their false self, there would be no self. They cling to their eating disorder like their life depends on it, even though their eating disorder is taking their life away.

It is essential to guide clients to realize that their eating disorders are not who they are. It is equally essential to assist clients to discover their True Self, hidden beneath the false self of their eating disorder (note that I deliberately capitalize “T” and “S” for emphasis). Recovery is about remembering and “re-feeding” one’s True Self.

*****

BLOG ARTICLE – is an excerpt from a full article published on the Gürze/Salucore Eating Disorders Resource Catalogue website, at this link: https://www.edcatalogue.com/hungry-wolves-false-self-true-self-eating-disorder-recovery/

PRESENTATION – on this topic which offers 1 CE (through NBCC), learn more and register on the Gürze/Salucore Eating Disorders Resource Catalogue website, at this link: https://gurze.thrivecart.com/false-self-and-true-self-ce

DOWNLOAD HANDOUT – which goes with the presentation here: https://www.drdorie.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Hungry-Wolves-Handout.pdf

©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 Eating Disorder Recovery – False Self vs True Self appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

Self-Care for Eating Disorders Recovery

DrDorie — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 01:30:55 +0000

Self-Care for Eating Disorders Recovery

We all know we “should” practice Self-Care, but do we? Or, does Self-Care feel like yet another obligation on your mile-long to-do list? Self-Care does require a little bit of work at first – to come up with ideas for your Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Self-Care practices, and to plan the time for them.

The work will be worth it, because Self-Care for eating disorders recovery is a proactive practice, which can help prevent eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. Self-Care goes beyond coping skills, which are designed to be used as an intervention when faced with triggers. Self-Care is a foundation to rely upon on a daily basis, so that things that used to trigger you have no power over you any more. Self-Care is a way to ensure that you are “filled from within,” so you have no need for binge eating, excessive exercise, or other eating disorder behaviors.

To make things less work for you, here are a few Self-Care ideas to help you get started:

Physical Self-Care: some common ideas are a hot bath, massage, aromatherapy, soothing lotions, naps; some healthy ideas are scheduling (and keeping) doctor’s appointments, dentist’s appointments, therapist’s appointments; and of course, intuitive eating and mindful movement practices!
Mental Self-Care: this can be anything that sparks your intellectual interest, like taking a class you’ve wanted to sign up for, or learning a new language; anything that gets that eating disorder mind to take a break!
Emotional Self-Care: journal writing in the morning can be a great way to “check in” with how you’re feeling, so that you’re emotionally aware and can better address your needs throughout the day; you might also try art therapy as another healthy means of expression; make regular plans with friends/family to enjoy heartfelt connection – you can also do this with nature, or animals (pet your cat, or play with your neighbor’s dog)!
Spiritual Self-Care: some people consider spiritual practice to be a religious practice, but spirituality doesn’t have to involve religion; become curious about what would “feed your hungry soul,” and help you turn up the volume of your recovery guide, also known as your Intuitive Therapist; try reading some books about spirituality, soulfulness, meditation, or intuition – one of my recent favorite books is “Seven Thousand Ways to Listen” by Mark Nepo!

Self-Care for Eating Disorders Recovery is what the 4th Principle of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ is all about. Click on the worksheet image below to download and print!

*****

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 Self-Care for Eating Disorders Recovery appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

Intuitive Messages in Eating Disorder Recovery

DrDorie — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 11:24:57 +0000

Intuitive Messages in Eating Disorder Recovery

Our clients get stuck in eating disorder recovery because they can’t hear their intuitive wisdom which is there to guide them on a healthy path. We as eating disorder clinicians and recovery coaches can solve this “hearing problem” by helping our clients learn how to listen to the intuitive messages within them and all around them. This EDIT™ Worksheet which can be a “hearing aid” for your clients:

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

I’d like to introduce you to Amanda Grace Caldwell, who is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician. Amanda Grace was a Counselor Intern under my supervision at Positive Pathways from January, 2014 through December, 2015. She is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, who works with clients in Houston, Texas. You can contact Amanda Grace with any comments or questions, including how to get started with individual sessions (see bottom of article).
– Dr. Dorie

The emphasis of the Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ approach is to guide our clients to shift from the voice of the Eating Disorder (ED) to the healing wisdom of the Intuitive Therapist (IT) within themselves. Through practicing the Be True To Your Self principle, clients discover how to become “Intuitive Eaters,” finding freedom from eating disordered eating. In addition, clients learn how to be “Intuitive Exercisers,” where they can truly enjoy the movement of their bodies, and actually have fun with fitness. As a first step towards Intuitive Eating and Intuitive Exercise, we can guide our clients with perspectives about Intuitive Living – the ways in which their Intuitive Therapist (IT) is trying to “speak” to them through a variety of messages, if they pay attention.

We live in a society rich with information. Whether it’s in a magazine, television show, online or even in a conversation, we hear and see messages everywhere. The voice of the Eating Disorder (ED) is formed from these external messages – dictating how to look, what to eat (or not eat), and most decisions in general. Our clients look outside themselves for guidance, wondering, “Who should I be?” Then, our clients seek approval from outside sources, questioning, “Am I good enough?” Recovery is about “turning up the volume” of the client’s inner guidance – the voice of their Intuitive Therapist (IT). Ultimately, clients will be able to “go within” to make decisions and receive validation.

Clients may be so used to looking outside themselves for guidance, that this concept of “going within” may be very unfamiliar to them, and it may also feel unsafe. This worksheet is a step towards paying attention to intuitive messages, and beginning to trust them. Clients need guidance to notice some of the internal and external messages they are currently hearing and seeing, which reflect their “Intuitive Knowing.” When used appropriately, this exercise helps clients make choices and empowers them to take the next step needed for their healing.

The first step in this exercise is to look at the internal messages a client might be hearing. It’s important to use their language when describing intuition. For some clients, they might best relate to the idea of a “gut feeling” or a “still, small voice.” When I describe intuition to clients I sit with, I explain that it’s the inner voice we hear when the world goes quiet. If your client has a difficult time tapping into their inner voice, try to introduce solitude or stillness into your sessions. Help them find the space to connect with what might be inside of them. Guide them to list five internal messages they have recently received, for example: I’m feeling guided to become a teacher; I have a sense I need to break up with my boyfriend; I really need more time to write in my journal.

When guiding clients to trust their intuition, it’s important to also help them realize that they don’t want to completely ignore the messages from the outside world. Although clients can sometimes internalize these external messages in a harmful way (feeding the voice of ED), clients can also use these external messages to bring healing and freedom along their journey (in alignment with the wisdom of their IT).

The second half of this worksheet focuses on the external messages clients might experience. These messages can be defined as signs, fate, coincidence or happenstance. Help your client explore what comes to mind and encourage them to write down all that they become aware of. As you walk through this exercise, the light bulb will start to go off for clients as they begin to connect the dots and become aware of themes. For example: I keep seeing that commercial on TV and it makes me think of my friend Suzy – maybe I need to call her; That’s the third time someone has mentioned that book – I guess I need to read it; I was re-routed due to construction today, and noticed a new park I’d love to go explore.

The final step of this exercise is to help clients integrate the internal and external messages they have seen and heard. When evaluation all that has come to one’s mind, connections can be made. Clients are empowered when they realize the answers they needed were with them the entire time.

At one point in my life, it was an internal and external message that helped me make a big decision. I was in Colorado at the time, pursuing my counseling degree, but I was homesick for my friends and family in Texas. I wasn’t sure whether to stay or go home. While on a trip to Houston, when all was quiet, I heard a voice say, “You’re not done.” At the end of that trip, I was driving to the airport to head back to Colorado when I noticed a billboard sign that said, “Come to Life.” It was an advertisement for Colorado. These messages told me what I needed to do. I needed to stay in Colorado. Clients can find the same validation I did when they begin to make meaning out of the messages they hear everyday.

*****

Want to enhance intuitive messages? Contact Amanda Grace Caldwell, MA, LPCC – the author of this blog article. She is an EDIT™ Certified III – Eating Disorder Treatment Clinician who meets with clients in Houston, Texas. EMAIL AMANDA GRACE

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 Intuitive Messages in Eating Disorder Recovery appeared first on INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach.

Eating Disorders: Complete Recovery

DrDorie — Sun, 20 May 2018 16:54:45 +0000

Eating Disorders: Complete Recovery Is Possible!

Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ can lead to complete recovery from eating disorders – which means having a healthy body image; a clear sense of values and identity beyond one’s body; the ability to intuitively and mindfully enjoy all foods without restricting, binge eating, or purging; effective ways of coping with a range of emotions; regular Self-Care practices; relapse prevention skills; and a strong presence of one’s “Intuitive Therapist” to guide ongoing recovery.

My name is Dr. Dorie McCubbrey, the Creator of EDIT™ – which I developed during my own eating disorder recovery. Practicing the five principles of EDIT™ led to my freedom from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, and continuing to live these principles in my own life allows me to stay free. This is how I know that complete recovery is possible! Also, as a Licensed Addiction Counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, I’ve been using the EDIT™ process with my clients for more than 20 years, and have guided thousands on their journeys of complete recovery from eating disorders.

I truly believe that by practicing the five principles of EDIT™, anyone can find freedom from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or other issues with food, exercise and weight. Here’s a “taste” of each of the five principles, and what freedom can feel like:

Love Your Self: You look in the mirror, and truly LOVE what you see – your radiant essence, your compassionate heart, your creative mind, and your strong body. You are free from society’s standards of what others think is “ideal,” and you fully embrace your True Self!

Be True To Your Self: You live your life in alignment with your “Intuitive Therapist” – your own inner guide to eating, exercise, and all decisions in your life. You trust your intuition for the type and amount of food your body needs. You rely on your intuition for the flow of mindful movement. You go within to access intuition for relationship guidance, career choices, and moment to moment needs.

Express Your Self: You have skills to safely and fully experience a range of emotions as they come and go through the day. You view your emotions as “messengers,” pointing to areas in your life you need to address. You approach all emotions with curiosity, knowing they are guiding you on your healthy path.

Give To Your Self: You incorporate Self-Care throughout your day, to “feed your true hunger” – spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. When you are “nourished from within,” there is no need for eating disorder behaviors of any kind.

Believe In Your Self: You wake up every morning, excited for the opportunities in your life! You live as if you’ve never had an eating disorder. Occasionally, an old “ED” thought might pop into your mind, but rather than acting on it, you naturally become curious about it – as “IT,” your “Intuitive Therapist,” takes over. Your ED-IT transformation is what complete recovery is all about!

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

Recovery Skills Archives - INTUITIVE THERAPY™ | Healthy Weight Loss | Eating Disorder Recovery Coach

Eating Disorder Recovery and Mountain Climbing

Eating Disorder Recovery and Mountain Climbing:

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Dr. Dorie’s COVID-19 Story

Dr. Dorie’s COVID-19 Story: How I Survived & Hoping This Helps YOU!

Coronavirus and Eating Disorders

Coronavirus and Eating Disorders: Impacts and Action Steps

FREE WEBINAR – MONDAY, MARCH 16 Click the link below to watch recording: https://www.drdorie.com/coronavirus-webinar/

Impacts of the Coronavirus on People with Eating Disorders:

Action Steps that People with Eating Disorders Can Take:

Action Steps to Help People with Eating Disorders:

FREE WEBINAR – MONDAY, MARCH 16 Click the link below to watch recording: https://www.drdorie.com/coronavirus-webinar/

Improve Body Image in a Swimsuit

Improve Body Image in a Swimsuit

Spirituality in Recovery from Addiction and Eating Disorders

Five Myths about Spirituality in Recovery

Why Spirituality in Eating Disorder and Addiction Recovery is Essential and How to Unmask the Myths

Eating Disorder Recovery – False Self vs True Self

Hungry Wolves: False Self vs True Self in Eating Disorder Recovery

Self-Care for Eating Disorders Recovery

Self-Care for Eating Disorders Recovery

Intuitive Messages in Eating Disorder Recovery

Intuitive Messages in Eating Disorder Recovery

Eating Disorders: Complete Recovery

Eating Disorders: Complete Recovery Is Possible!

Dr. Dorie’s COVID-19 Story:
How I Survived & Hoping This Helps YOU!

Coronavirus and Eating Disorders:
Impacts and Action Steps

FREE WEBINAR – MONDAY, MARCH 16
Click the link below to watch recording:
https://www.drdorie.com/coronavirus-webinar/

FREE WEBINAR – MONDAY, MARCH 16
Click the link below to watch recording:
https://www.drdorie.com/coronavirus-webinar/