A Journey Through Eating Disorders Support & Recovery

My smartwatch keeps telling me my heart rate is elevated these days. It also keeps alerting me about a new headline regarding COVID-19, inclement weather, or some other less-than-pleasant event. It feels inevitable that certain elements of our new reality will affect my stress level. Here are nine helpful ways I’m managing my stress these days using self-care. 1) Disconnect…

As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and begin to define our “new normal”, it’s important to acknowledge the impact these times can have on individuals suffering from an untreated eating disorder, as well as those who are in recovery.  The related uncertainty and stress can trigger or exacerbate eating disordered behaviors. Additionally, shelter in place mandates provides increased opportunities for…

I used to think that recovery was getting to a place in my life where I was no longer engaging in behaviors. I believed it to be the moment when I would love my body no matter what, and I would be happy and bullet proof and a self-help guru. I believed that recovery was this magical place where I…

We are in a situation that most of us have never experienced. Amidst strict CDC recommendations to help contain the novel coronavirus COVID-19, many of us are practicing “social distancing” for the first time. Self-isolation, physical distancing, quarantine, and shelter in place actions are significantly changing the way we live our day-to-day lives. For many of us, staying home can…

Today I celebrate four years recovered, four years free from my demons, four years of living life without my eating disorder. To celebrate my recovery anniversary, I decided to write a letter to myself who was starting on her recovery journey, and had no idea what these past four years would hold. Dear Amy, Today you learned that what you…

If you’ve been working on recovery from your eating disorder, you are probably well aware of the importance of staying connected. But how does this work if you’re socially distancing? Here are three areas that you can focus on during this time. Connecting with Self. Social distancing is offering us a rare opportunity to have extra time to connect with…

I’ve loved ballet for as long as I can remember. As a toddler, I would use the safety rail on my bed as a ballet barre while wearing a tutu and ballet slippers, leading my mom to eventually ask me if I wanted to start taking dance classes. From my first class, I was hooked. For the majority of my…

When times get hard, especially like the trying times we're going through now, it can be easy to allow anxiety and fear to overwhelm us. However, it is during these very times that we can use our best coping skills to help us through. No matter where we are in our lives; in or out of recovery, currently seeking treatment,…

The rules governing an eating disorder include a focus on body distortions, obsessive thoughts and a quest for perfection. When our body speaks, but our mind is not listening, conflict is created. Sustaining recovery requires reclaiming an authentic connection with ones’ own self - that includes awakening the ability to envision new ideas and bring forth unique solutions and options…

Movement and exercise play a complicated but important role in eating disorder treatment. Exercise, perhaps more than any other aspect of an eating disorder, has a very complicated and controversial relationship with recovery. So…can I exercise during my eating disorder recovery? The short answer is, “maybe.” The challenge is in recognizing how to reap the benefits of exercise without allowing…