My Philosophy for Coaching & Recovery

Full recovery is possible, where full recovery means more than just cessation of symptoms or temporary remission. However, I also believe that it is 1000% okay if you do not reach full recovery, at least according to how others might define it, as there are so many individual factors and privileges, or lack thereof, that come into play. Your vision, and the quality of life that feels meaningful to you, is what I care about helping you to reach. And also, this might change and evolve as you go.

As a coach, my most important role is helping you to access and strengthen your Healthy Self, Wise Mind, or whatever words resonate for you - the wise, deeper part of you that never truly disappears but which can become buried over time - so that it, not me or anyone or anything outside of you, can heal and re-integrate your eating disorder self.

The question throughout recovery transforms from “What am I recovering from?” to “What am I recovering to?”

Recovery means having to transform and replace something that has helped you and that has been a big part of your life - not simply an illness that is holding you back.

Recovery happens gradually by taking successive steps, and I cannot stress the 'gradually' enough. It can be a long journey with many ups, downs, relapses and plateaus, where the maintaining of motivation, patience and hope can be so difficult. This is where strong, empathic support can make such a difference.

The recovery journey is unique for everyone, and takes many different paths and phases.

The recovery journey may turn out to be one of your greatest teachers and sources of growth.

I fully align with the principles of Health At Every Size® and the reality that you cannot judge the severity of someone's eating disorder or disordered eating by body size or weight. I also acknowledge the heartbreaking reality of how differently individuals are treated in our society, even by the eating disorder community at times, based on size and weight, and that this cannot be discounted or trivialized when individuals are terrified of weight gain or working to accept their current weight. I dream of and work for a culture where one’s weight, size and health are viewed as neutral to who we are.

As a recovery coach I am simply a guide, while you are the expert of you who chooses your destination and path. As your guide sometimes I will nudge you forwards and sometimes I will rest with you, and I will present different paths forward that I know of from my trainings and experience. However, it is your path and pace to choose. Part of my goal is to help you to become more deeply in touch with your own inner compass.