Friday, July 12, 2013

From Client to Therapist

Well. Apparently I haven't posted in here since the TV show. I thought I'd give a little update for anyone interested.

I'm 27 years old now. I have been doing very well in my recovery for a few years now. I graduated in April of this year with my masters in social work and am now a therapist! I work with children, teenagers, and adults with a variety of mental health concerns, including eating disorders.

It's amazing to go back in posts and see the change in cognitions, attitude, motivation, etc. There sure has been a lot of growth. No pun intended. ;)

Eating-disorder wise, I always like to say I'm recovering, not recovered. The reason for that is that I believe it's a disorder that can be learned to be managed. Some people report never feeling anxious over their eating or body, but that's not me. I still continue to feel anxious (definitely not to the extent as it was years ago!!!) occasionally about my body, but in reality, who doesn't? Even people without an eating disorder have body image concerns. In a society that's constantly telling us that we need to CHANGE something about ourselves...whiten your teeth, slim down, firm up, wear slimming clothes...how can we not have some discomfort with ourselves? And for those people who do/did have an eating disorder, the disorder may have been a way to attempt to find some sort of control, and thus, it may resurface under stressful situations or during events that are perceived as being out-of-control. As a recovering person, I still find myself feeling more anxious about my body during stressful life events, conflict, life transitions, etc. But what's more important is how I react to those events. I consider myself recovering because I do not act on urges I may have. For those that are interested in this concept, ask your therapist about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

I'll try to update this more regularly. I'll leave you with a question: do you consider yourself recovered, recovering, or are you still struggling? How will you know when you are recovered?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Hi :)
It amazes me how people with any mental disorder recover and how they turn their lives around. It's the bravest thing that we'll ever do.

I wish you all the best!

justlittleoldme said...

I consider myself recovering, but everyday is still a struggle. I agree that it isn't something that just appears and disappears, it's something you have to learn to control!
anorexia dies, or you do.
Good luck with everything, it looks like you're doing really well!
Keep going x

Unknown said...

Recovery from Eating Disorder is a long term process that really needs the help of the people who are around you. It is not enough just being strong by yourself but being love and being understand by people you love.

A is for... said...

Veronica Rose,

You wrote that beautifully, and I completely agree. Thank you for your kindness. I wish you all the best as well!

Justlittleoldme,

"anorexia dies, or you do." WOW-that is a powerful statement. You're right, there does have to be a change within for full recovery. Thank you for your comment. I wish you well and happy as you deserve to be.

Jerome Figueroa,

You're 100% correct. It requires understanding, adjustments, sensitivity, unconditional love, boundaries, and most importantly, perseverance and self-love. Thank you for your thoughts! I hope you are well!

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing. I know it can't be easy opening up about this struggle in your life. I hope you continue to inspire others. Best of luck in your life!

Lana Lynch | http://focustreatmentcenters.com/treatment-centers/chattanooga/residential-eating-disorder-treatment/

A is for... said...

Yo misma-

Tu blog me parece muy interesante. Espero que se encuentre bien. (Pido disculpas por mi pobre EspaƱol)

Lana Lynch-

Thank you for the kind words, Lana. I hope life is treating you well.