Clients’ View of What Worked in their Recovery
 
 

November 19/97
Clarissa
29 years old

living common-law
employed as an accountant
compulsive-overeater since childhood

• I tried all diets and programs, nothing worked.
• After six months of counseling I lost 30 pounds without dieting.
• I eat three meals a day and I crave less.
• Walking to and from work gives me exercise.
• I feeling my feelings now and they do disappear.
• I faced issues in counseling sessions and cried a lot.
• I see how I don’t tell my mother, grandfather and sister what is really going on inside me.
• I wish there was a show on television about compulsive-overeating, like the ones about bulimia and anorexia.
• I see myself in recovery with some setbacks.
• Recovery has been gradual.
• My motivation for getting help : tired of being overweight.

 

December 18, 1997
Sarrie
37 years old

Married with two children
Employed as a nurse
non-purging bulimia

• What I liked about my first counseling session was that I didn’t have to go through a detailed diet history or a detailed family history.
• At the first session you also told me that I was addicted to food. It helped to know this.
• At the first session you explained (with a diagram) how food was used to stuff feelings and numb out and how by not eating those same feelings can resurface.
• Through the eight week group you emphasized (and still do) how important meditation is to recovery.
• Your honesty with your own recovery helped me.
• Your swearing made you more human!
• Your belief in your program and how it can lead to recovery. You walk the talk.
• How you never pressure to keep booking appointments.
• How you say give it at least a year for recovery to really begin.
• Some helpful lines or expressions:
• "There is no magic cure, Sarrie".
• "Feel the feelings".
• "If I kicked you in the shins, would you eat because of it or just feel it?"
• "The feelings just melt away".
• "Mind fucking"
• "Is it worth it" (to overeat).
• "I won’t stop eating" not, "I can’t".

 

March 10, 1998
Lonnie
17 years old

single, lives at home
High School student
Started with anorexia, then bulimia

• Adding the forbidden foods.
• Sit there and feel it.
• Curl-up in a ball and feel scared, or hurt and it passes, the pain goes away.
• I realized that all the feelings need to be felt.
• Practicing that "one brownie is okay", and going on with the day.
• Not counting calories, just eating more low fat. Having a banana and not junk food.
• The more recovered I am the more confident I feel.
• Knowing bingeing and purging ruined my whole day.
• I’ll start tomorrow never worked, I start now I have dinner and don’t skip it.
• Asking for help and strength to higher being.
• Meditating.
• Yoga.
• Asking for dreams to teach me, help me understand myself when I am feeling something uncomfortable.
• Everyday just gets better.
• Talk more to my mom - I don’t try to do it on my own - therapist said it doesn’t help to protect my mom better if she deals with how I am feeling. I’m not scared to tell her now.
• Writing sayings and put them on my bedroom wall like:
• Feel it.
• I’m perfect with my imperfection.
• Emptying my container, meaning I am feeling my feelings (I don’t need to explain it to friends).
• Anger is acknowledgment that life matters. I got this from a book.
• If I binge or purge it’s okay - the sayings keep giving reassurance that I’m not weak, builds up my confidence gradually.
• Finding a program that works for me three meals a day with something from every food group.
• It is a lifestyle change.
• Therapist said wanting recovery - that is what I get, wanting. Now I say I am recovering and I am.
• Awareness of my mind-fucking.
• Journaling.

 

March 15/98
Cherry
28 years old

married with two children
employed as a school teacher
bulimic, then non-purging bulimic

• Three meals, fruit for breakfast works best, eating carbohydrates in the morning makes me crazy for more.
• Meditating daily.
• Was attached to losing weight then I let it go of that and reminded myself to just keep doing program then suddenly I was down twelve pounds.
• Telling my truth, i.e. with friends, clients at work.
• Using awareness and acceptance to change other patterns like smoking.
• Journaling daily - gets my thoughts and feelings out.
• I tell my truth - for example, I had a girlfriend I just couldn’t help anymore. Her husband was physically abusive and she wouldn’t leave. Normally I would have kept listening. Now I told her I just couldn’t be there anymore. I tell my husband how I am feeling now. For example, we only had a joint account and I finally opened my own account and told him.

 

April 13/98
Rona
26 years old

single
employed as a nurse
anorexic for eight years

• Guidance of my therapist helped a lot.
• Sharing my feelings.
• Listening to my inner voice.
• Following my intuition.
• Trusting the Universe.
• Meditating.
• Therapist encouraged me to stretch.
• Feel the fear and do it anyway.
• I now have the confidence and courage to take risks.
• I believe in myself and my abilities.
• I know I am on my path, ready for the next step.
• I can find the answers inside me.
• I am still learning and growing.
• Beginning to accept myself.
• Awareness, acceptance and change does happen.
• I am coming closer to being what I am.
• I am living my truth.