When I think of Not One More, I think of a very special young lady that we lost to her eating disorder. I was blessed to have known her and work with her as her therapist and was devastated to lose her to this disease. Since her loss, every time I smash a scale or go to an eating disorder awareness walk or event, I think of never losing another to an eating disorder again. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.
I think of:
• Not one more meal missed
• Not one more vacation not taken
• Not one more class dropped
• Not one more relationship lost
• Not one more plan cancelled
• Not one more tear shed in a dressing room
• Not one more moment of self-hate because of the shape or size of my body
• Not one more lie told about how much I ate that day
• Not one more thought telling me that I would be good enough if I was a different size
• Not one more day feeling hopeless
• Not one more day hiding my true self
• Not one more moment lost to being in a relationship with an eating disorder and not with loved ones
• Not one more precious life lost.
I consider myself one of the lucky ones – one that is blessed to be a recovered professional. I am recovered from an eating disorder as well as alcoholism and the other “isms” that go along with it. I lost a lot while I was in my eating disorder and I continue to gain so much in my life, roughly 20 years without an eating disorder. I eat intuitively and enjoy many types of joyful movement such as being in the open water or swinging on monkey bars! I embrace every chance I get to share a meal with friends, family members or colleagues.
Being recovered does not mean that my life is perfect and that I don’t have issues. It does mean that I get to deal with challenges without turning to my body or food for the answer. It means that I am still a beautifully flawed human and I can allow myself to be vulnerable, not needing to hide behind an eating disorder.
Not one more means that I will do whatever it takes, every day, to help a client, family or member of the community recover. I will help them to know that they are not alone, to know that an eating disorder does not have to be a life sentence and that becoming fully recovered is real and possible for anyone. This also means that I will continue to advocate in my state capital and our nation’s capital, for legislation that leads to more people being able to receive treatment. I am honored to be a voice for those that are not yet able to use theirs or who will never get that chance.
Not one more means that I have dedicated my life to helping others to recover. It means that I will continue to work on myself and grow so that I can continue to use my personal experience to help others.
Founded in 1996, Monte Nido & Affiliates specializes in the treatment of eating disorders for all genders and includes four distinct clinical programs: Monte Nido, Clementine, Oliver-Pyatt Centers, and Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders. For over two decades, our tenured and expert staff — which includes recovered professionals — has delivered treatment that leads to full recovery. With over thirty programs in twelve states, Monte Nido & Affiliates provides eating and co-occurring disorder treatment in inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of care. For more information, please visit: https://www.montenido.com