In Session With Marc David: A 42-Year Old Mother Works with Her Long Term Eating Disorder
Are you ready to transform your relationship with food in a lasting and meaningful way? What if you could help others find the path to greater freedom and joy with food as well?
A Mother Works with Her Long Term Eating Disorder
In this episode of The Psychology of Eating podcast, Marc David, Founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, talks to Rachelle, who has been dealing with bulimia for nearly 30 years. Rachelle began binging and purging as an adolescent going through some difficult life changes. Despite her considerable efforts to overcome her disordered eating, she’s still struggling with it all these years later. This is compounded by the fact that she’s hidden her disorder from her 4 children, and has shared only minimal details with her husband. Now, she seeks Marc’s counsel to help her find a path towards greater self-love and a more peaceful relationship with food.
Key Insights:
- Challenges with food often start in one's adolescence and can continue even decades later. However, the duration of an eating disorder shouldn’t be equated with one’s ability to overcome it. Growth and healing are possible at every age.
- An eating disorder can manifest as a coping mechanism to deal with a traumatic event or stressful situation. Working with the trauma event(s) is a key first place to begin on the path to healing.
- When an eating disorder developed as a childhood coping mechanism to stress or trauma, later in life we can find this part of ourselves is still stuck in childhood.
- A woman's relationship with her mother – or her daughter – can often determine her relationship with food. Therefore, doing inner work - whether with a psychotherapist or other skilled practitioner - can be very helpful in understanding the familial dynamics of one’s eating patterns.
- Stepping out of shame and guilt, and cultivating honesty with oneself (and ultimately with others) is vital as we walk a more intentional path around food and body.
With his dual training in clinical nutrition and psychology, Marc David has spent the last 40 years helping people around the world heal their relationship with food. As the Founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, he reaches millions each year through his books, speaking engagements, celebrated podcast series, and his internationally-acclaimed Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training.
Having your own challenges with food and body? Post your questions in the comment box below or get in touch with us directly at [email protected]
