By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C Many individuals who struggle with eating disorders have a harsh inner critic. Some folks also struggle with perfectionism and “all or nothing thinking.” One example of “all or nothing thinking” and self-criticism in eating disorder recovery is as follows:
Many people believe that being highly self-critical will help them to succeed or is motivating in some way. However, if you think about a small child who was learning something for the first time - do you think that a parent being highly critical would help that child to learn? Often, it’s easier for folks to visualize being kinder to others than to themselves. Eating disorder recovery can be tough at times - and being hard on oneself can serve to only make things feel more painful. However, the way we speak to ourselves can become habitual, so it can take some time and practice to change our relationship to ourselves. The following are a few ways to practice more self-compassion in eating disorder recovery. 1. Start to notice the things that trigger you to be self-critical.
2. If self-compassion feels inaccessible at first, think about how you can start by speaking more neutrally to yourself.
3. Think of your best friend or a small child in your life and how you would speak to them.
The Bottom Line Like any new skill, practicing self-compassion (and thus changing your relationship with yourself) can take time and practice. If you are struggling with motivation to work on being kinder to yourself in eating disorder recovery, consider doing a pro/con list and looking at the ways that harsh self-criticism may be negatively impacting you. You cannot shame yourself into healing. You deserve to treat yourself more compassionately. Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator Eating disorders differ from other mental health disorders as they often require a multi-disciplinary approach. What that means is that multiple specialties may be needed to monitor and reduce symptoms. Having a multi-disciplinary team can improve and speed up recovery outcomes and treatment goals, especially if team members collaborate with one another frequently. Here are some people who may be a part of your eating disorder recovery treatment team:
Please note that eating disorders often require specialized and unique care and treatment plans, so your team may look different than what’s outlined above! This is just a general list of people you may consider when putting together a treatment team. You can also download this graphic that outlines the first four treatment team components that were listed above. Check out some of our other blogs!
*Disclaimer: The information is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for your independent medical decision-making nor a recommendation or endorsement for any particular treatment plan, organization, provider, professional service, or product. The information may change without notice. No claims, promises, or guarantees are made about the completeness, accuracy, currency, content or quality of information linked. You assume all responsibility and risk for any use of the information. Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator This year, eating disorder awareness week is from Monday, February 26 to Sunday, March 3, 2024. Eating disorder awareness week helps to promote education about eating disorders and get people connected with treatment options. I wanted to provide some statistics to emphasize that eating disorders do not discriminate - they are happening all around us and they are impacting people of all races, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations. The second half of this blog will dive into warning signs and symptoms of eating disorders.
These statistics help to illustrate that eating disorders don’t have a “look” and that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to have an eating disorder. Eating disorder symptoms can also differ from person to person. A lot of people think of eating disorders as weight loss, restricting or purging, but there are many other warning signs that someone may be struggling with an eating disorder. Some other common symptoms and symptoms:
These are some of the specific symptoms around food and body image that someone with an eating disorder may exhibit. One of the things that makes eating disorders unique and complex is that they often co-occur with another mental health disorder. For example, someone with an eating disorder may also be experiencing a mood disorder, OCD, trauma, or an anxiety disorder. Finding a specialist who can treat both the eating disorder and the co-occurring disorders can be difficult to find. It’s so important to see someone who truly specializes in eating disorder treatment. At The Eating Disorder Center, our clinicians can assess and treat eating disorders and some co-occurring disorders. We can provide a one time assessment or ongoing therapy or coaching services for yourself or for a loved one. Please contact us today to see how we can help support your healing journey! Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com *Disclaimer: The information is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for your independent medical decision-making nor a recommendation or endorsement for any particular treatment plan, organization, provider, professional service, or product. The information may change without notice. No claims, promises, or guarantees are made about the completeness, accuracy, currency, content or quality of information linked. You assume all responsibility and risk for any use of the information. References:
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator People struggling with bipolar disorder can experience mood fluctuations that may be severe and that can impair everyday functioning. While we cannot prevent all contributions to clinically impairing mood fluctuations, such as a potential genetic predisposition, we can take a look at other areas of a person’s life to reduce the intensity or frequency of mood fluctuations. Some other factors that can contribute to the intensity and frequency of mood fluctuations in folks with bipolar disorder include stress, major life events or life changes, and lack of regular and plentiful sleep. This blog will outline some priorities to focus on when it comes to reducing or maintaining symptoms of bipolar disorder. Some priorities include:
These priorities can be things to think about or conversations to have with your loved ones and/or treatment team. Remember that no two people are the same, so these priorities may have to be shifted or altered to best support someone’s journey with bipolar disorder. My hope is that this provides a starting place for thinking through how to prevent and decrease triggers of bipolar disorder and live a more fulfilling life - with less mood swings that interfere with daily functioning. Working with professionals who are highly knowledgeable about bipolar disorder can feel refreshing and hopeful. Check out our other blog posts about bipolar disorder: Our practice sees individuals with bipolar disorder for virtual therapy in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. If you are struggling with bipolar disorder click the link below to schedule a free 15 min phone consultation with a therapist. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California, serving those in cities including Palo Alto, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Jose, and Beverly Hills. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
*Disclaimer: If you are having thoughts of death/harm to yourself or someone else, call 988 or text HOME to 741-741. If you need immediate assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. *Disclaimer: The information is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for your independent medical decision-making nor a recommendation or endorsement for any particular treatment plan, organization, provider, professional service, or product. You assume all responsibility and risk for any use of the information. Eating disorders often require specialized treatment. We have created a brief guide that gives clinicians an overview about how to be eating disorder informed. Download the the FREE guide below!
Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator One thing that can be challenging for people struggling with food and body image can be grocery shopping. As grocery shopping is something that most of us can’t avoid, there are some ways to make it easier. 1. Going at non-peak times For people who may get anxious about being around a lot of other people, one thing that can help is going grocery shopping when you wouldn't expect a lot of other people to be going grocery shopping. For example, weekday mornings may be an ideal time to go grocery shopping as most people would be at work/school. I have also found grocery stores less crowded on weekend mornings compared to weekend afternoons and evenings. With not as many people at the grocery store, it can be easier to search for the items that support your lifestyle and your recovery. Additionally, there will likely be more access to the people who work there if you have questions or are having trouble finding a product. Going at non-peak times can also alleviate the pressure of finding a parking space, if you drive to the grocery store. 2. Having a list prepared One thing that can take some of the pressure off of grocery shopping is creating a list of foods, drinks, etc. that you are looking to buy. Here are some steps to help create a list.
For this list, you can add the items you are looking to get to the “Notes” app on your phone or hand write the items on a piece of paper. *Please note that this tip can vary depending on where you are in your recovery journey. Work with your therapist, dietitian, and/or coach to determine if this tip is appropriate. 3. Be as regulated as possible Grocery shopping can be a stressful task for people with eating disorders. Another tip to go grocery shopping is to be as prepared as possible. This may include eating a snack or a meal beforehand and drinking plenty of water so you are not hungry or thirsty while you are grocery shopping. You can even bring a water bottle or a snack if needed. Also paying attention to your energy level is important. Are you feeling tired? Do you need to take a nap before grocery shopping? Another thing that may be helpful is going grocery shopping with a friend or a loved one. This can provide some co-regulation and general support if you find yourself struggling to get some of the items on your list because of diet culture or other societal/individual pressures. Other ideas can include engaging in some mindfulness before entering the grocery store. This can look like doing some deep breathing or a quick meditation.
In conclusion, there are things that we can do to make going to the grocery store a little easier. If this is something that you struggle with, this could be a great conversation to have with your treatment team. Note: Aside from people struggling with food and body, some people who are neurodivergent or who struggle with sensory input may also benefit from the tips in this blog post. Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Olivia Kline, EDC Administrative Assistant Content Warning: This blog post discusses trauma. Please practice self-care in whatever way works for you. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can be defined as experiencing neglect, physical and/or emotional abuse, or other adverse experiences before the age of 18. ACEs are considered a public health crisis and are connected to experiencing mental and physical health problems later in life (Rienecke et al., 2022). These experiences can be measured through a questionnaire that asks about early childhood experiences; participants answer with a “yes” or “no”. The number of yes’s are added up giving a total score 0 through 10. In a nationally represented sample of over 200,000 adults, 23.5% reported one ACE and 15.8% reported at least four ACEs (Rienecke et al., 2022). These stats show the prevalence of ACEs, although this is something that is not talked about often, at least in my experience. As a psychology major graduate and current graduate student in a clinical mental health counseling program, the connection between ACEs and risk for mental health disorders makes sense. However, I wasn’t aware of the long-term effects or prevalence of ACEs until I read Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris’s book “The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity.” This book enlightened me about the long-term impacts of ACEs and to how they are linked not just to mental health issues, but to physical health problems too. Learning more about the effects of ACEs sparked my curiosity in how they may have a role in eating disorders, as it relates to my current work. Guillaume et al. (2016) conducted a study examining the association between ACEs and clinical characteristics of eating disorders. To investigate this, researchers used a questionnaire that analyzed the following characteristics: restraint, eating, shape and weight concerns, and daily functioning. Childhood trauma was also assessed using a questionnaire. The results suggested that there is an association between clinical aspects of eating disorders and reported childhood trauma. A dose-response effect was also discovered, which means the more childhood trauma an individual experienced the more eating disorder symptoms they reported. Reading and learning about this association can bring up many different emotions. Relief is a common feeling, as many feel like they further understand an underlying association to what they are struggling with. This can also be overwhelming or anxiety inducing as it’s a lot to take in and digest. These are all valid reactions. Given the impact of ACES, there are also studies that have researched how to achieve the best outcomes within these situations. Research recommends that clinicians should utilize trauma-informed care and trauma-focused interventions when treating individuals for eating disorders who have adverse childhood experiences (Brewerton, 2022). Here, at the Eating Disorder Center all of our clinicians are trauma-informed, making us unique from other practices. At the Eating Disorder Center we realize that clients all have backgrounds and layers related to their eating disorders, which is why trauma-informed care is so important. The Eating Disorder Center can help you start your recovery journey or support you through recovery! We have therapists that can help in MD, DC, VA, & FL, as well as coaches worldwide that can assist you through your journey. References:
Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT for short, is a treatment modality that has research to support its effectiveness for the treatment of suicidality, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and self harm behaviors. It has four sections, also known as modules, which are mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation. All of these components are helpful to the process of recovering from an eating disorder. One skill in the emotion regulation module of DBT is learning to cope ahead for future situations that may be triggering. For a lot of folks in eating disorder recovery, the holidays can be an activating time. Here are some ways that the holidays can bring up eating disorder thoughts and behaviors (please note that this list is not exhaustive):
There are five steps in the cope ahead skill. I will outline the steps below and then I will walk you through an example.
Example:
**It’s important to note that it is not helpful to beat yourself up for binge eating and that binge eating and other eating disorder behaviors may be a resilient attempt at coping with experiences of oppression, trauma, difficult emotions, etc. AND in the long-run it is likely not serving you. This skill can be practiced for any event or situation that may trigger a problematic behavior. If you are not sure where to start, you can think about the eating disorder behaviors that you engage in and what potential holiday situations may increase the likelihood of those behaviors occurring. Another note about this skill, we want to begin to use this skill when we are feeling regulated (ventral vagal nervous system state) and not activated in order to strengthen the adaptive coping neural networks in our brain. For an introduction on what DBT is and how it can be applied to eating disorder recovery, please check out this blog: Want more? The majority of the therapists at The Eating Disorder Center have extensive training and experience in using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as an effective treatment modality for eating disorders. Contact us for a free 15-minute consultation today! References: DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition by Marsha M. Linehan. Copyright 2015 by Marsha M. Linehan. *Disclaimer: The information is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for your independent medical decision-making nor a recommendation or endorsement for any particular treatment plan, organization, provider, professional service, or product. You assume all responsibility and risk for any use of the information. Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator Those pesky eating disorder urges can often come at times when we are busy and need to focus on other tasks (for example being at school or at work). It can be nice to have some coping skills in your back pocket for when these urges arise. If you are able to, practice these coping skills before the urges come up and you are needing to use them. This way, you are able to build adaptive neural networks in your brain for those coping skills. Meaning, when you need them, they will be easier for your brain to retrieve (similar to the concept of “muscle-memory”). But first - what’s an eating disorder urge? An urge is a strong desire to do something, so an eating disorder urge is a strong desire or impulse to engage in eating disorder behaviors (such as binge eating, restricting, purging, body checking, etc.) An eating disorder urge is often associated with a feeling or a thought. For example, someone might have the thought, "I don’t like the way that I look.” That thought may contribute to an urge to restrict food intake. Below is a description of four coping skills that can be helpful. Not all skills for work everyone, so I invite you to try them out and see which one helps to decrease the intensity or the eating disorder urges. Remember that it likely won’t work on the first try - these skills need to be repeated so our brain can access them more easily when we need them! Coping Skill - Container
Coping Skill - Deep Breathing
Coping Skill - Distraction
Coping Skill - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Exercise
If you have a therapist or coach on your team, I invite you to practice these coping skills with them in session so you have space to process these skills and tweak them (if needed) to better fit your recovery goals. Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Caroline Roberts, EDC Psychology Intern There is absolutely no such thing as not being “sick enough” for eating disorder treatment. All individuals struggling with their relationship to food and their body are deserving of treatment and support. Also one individual may show signs and symptoms that are completely different from what another individual is experiencing, and that’s okay. There are multiple factors that can affect how someone personally experiences an eating disorder, including body type, age, gender, race/ethnicities, and socioeconomic status. With so many confounding variables that surround an eating disorder, no two experiences should be compared. With an eating disorder, it is commonly mistaken that an individual has to show certain kinds of physical symptoms to be considered “sick,” however an eating disorder is a mental illness. Symptoms can occur in the form of unhealthy thoughts and fears correlated to eating. Therefore, it’s important to remember that there are many symptoms you may be experiencing that aren’t revealed in the physical form! Additionally, eating disorder recovery isn’t linear. There are going to be good days and bad days. These good and bad days look different for everyone. It’s important to note that just because you have a good day does NOT mean that you are not struggling or deserving of treatment and support. The good days should be acknowledged and celebrated, but with the notion that you still can be “sick enough” to have additional support throughout your nonlinear Eating Disorder recovery journey. Many eating disorders go undetected because of these comparisons and misconceptions. If you find yourself experiencing restrictive, obsessive, and negative thoughts toward food, weight, and/or exercise then you may want to consider seeking support! Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, DC, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
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