Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

Do you find yourself using food as a way to self-soothe, regain control or to navigate strong feelings? Do you find that the safest place in your body is "in your head?" or "with your thoughts?"  Perhaps you've heard the phrase "being in your body," but it feels tricky to know where to start. Perhaps you want to reconnect to your inner voice but are struggling to locate it or need help with being heard. 

I would invite you to notice what happens inside when I ask you to recall a time where you felt a little more empowered or had a felt sense of security, rootedness, or control. Who was there or who would you have liked to have been there? What was the season? As you recall that, do you notice yourself being a little more or less in your head? Does any part of you feel a little less tense or easier to be with? Would it be ok to notice that and stay curious together as to what comes next, if it moves and in what direction it goes?Is there any part of you that doesn't believe you have that sense of control? If so, what do you notice when we attend to that part of you together now?" Let's let that part know we will keep checking in."

Together, through interoception (the felt sense of noticing and naming emotions and sensations within), you may notice an ability to differentiate hunger , thirst, and satiety cues. You may notice yourself differentiating feeling physical sensations from emotional sensations. You may find these sensations and feelings easier to be present with. You may also gain access to the parts of you that need your attention, care , and presence - the wounded parts within that are driving symptoms today.

Do you have an inner critic? A strict part with rules about food that is polarized with a rebellious part that seeks freedom? If we could invite them to sit with you at the dinner table, sharing their perceptions one at a time, what would they have to say? How are they helping you navigate safety, or conversely, what would happen if they didn't exist? How old is each part, where are they in proximity to one another, and who gets along with whom? 

Ego states (also known as parts work or shadow work) allows you to explore your inner defense mechanisms, or coping strategies that you developed as a way to navigate safety. Although you may view these parts as maladaptive now, I encourage you to explore them with curiosity and non-judgment, as they once played an instrumental role in navigating safely. By allowing these parts of you to be present, you will build insight into how previous experiences are contributing to behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions you carry today, thereby fostering empowerment and self trust.

As opposed to narrative content, expressive arts like drawing or painting allows you to tap into repressed emotions and subconscious thoughts. You may find it easier to put your experience on paper, or conversely, you may find yourself feeling more. Expressive arts also helps with catharsis, or the release of tension.

In many cases, extended Phase 2 - Preparation of EMDR is used to build interoception (noticing and naming sensations and feelings) and other coping skills prior to the desensitization and reprocessing phases of EMDR. During Phase 2, we may also use constricted processing, or EMDR to select and target more manageable experiences without having to go into the full memory network.

"To recover from disordered eating, we must be willing to go beyond the food itself to discover the presence of the real hunger that underlies the urge to eat compulsively.

In order to recover from disordered eating, one needs to discover the deeper meanings of their hunger." - Anita Johnson, PhD