Welcome to the blog space of the Looking Glass community, where we post our own and others’ reflections and perspectives on eating disorder issues, journeys of recovery, and other helpful tips and tools.
The countdown to the holiday season has arrived. For some this is a really exciting time of year and for others it can bring about quite a bit of anxiety. Whatever your feelings are about this season, one thing we know for sure is that it is filled with lots of socializing and eating. Here are a few things I recommend you do to make the holidays more merry and less stressful.
But…do I really want to recover?
Throughout the past years filled with multiple attempts at recovery, it was always this same, tenacious thought that would throw me off the path. Knowing that you need to let go versus actually letting go of your eating disorder...
It’s been said that there’s great strength and power in community. At the Looking Glass Foundation, we definitely believe in that. It’s with our bighearted community of people and organizations, that we truly can make a difference in the lives of others, in the lives of those fighting this dreadful disease. It is with our community, that we can put an end to eating disorders.
One of these organizations is Sympli, a Canadian fashion manufacturer dedicated to helping women feel "wildly comfortable in their own skin".
Question: What are ways that I can assist my child with meal support during his/her recovery?
Answer: Support tends to look different for everyone and what works for one person doesn’t always work for another. Even in my practice, one of my recommendations can cause someone to turn a major corner in their journey to recovery and that same recommendation may fall completely flat on the next person who walks through my door.
Last August, I experienced my first foray into the Looking Glass Summer Camp. This past August, I was lucky enough to attend a second time. Both years I got asked a lot of questions following the week at Camp. Friends and family were eager and excited to hear about the time I had. Last year, I tried to explain in detail how incredible Camp was and why. Somehow though, after these interactions, I felt some of the magic of Camp leave me, like I had somehow explained it away. Not wanting to repeat that experience this year, when asked how Camp had been, I would pause, feel my body ground into the earth, a solidity and peace washing over my body, a smile passing over my lips, and would say, “It was wonderful”.
I’ve been on the other side of my eating disorder for a few years now, but some of the insights and realizations I have gained about why I struggled with anorexia for so long are only just beginning to become clear. Fortunately, my understanding of how and why I am able to stay strong in recovery is also increasingly apparent to me. I’d like to share with you three key lessons that I have been able to internalize and master through my recovery process, that keep me healthy, positive, and resilient in times of stress.
Question: Thanksgiving is coming up and I am anxious about how to navigate the meal time with me family. Any suggestions?
Answer: The holidays are always a challenging time when you struggle with an eating disorder. Food is often the main focus of Thanksgiving, which makes the whole weekend feel overwhelming.
At this year’s Emmys, one of host Jimmy Kimmel’s big jokes was to hand out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the audience. Sounds great, right? Except that it was accompanied with a quick quip, "I know these award shows are long and you haven't eaten since Labor Day." The joke being that it is common knowledge that celebrities do not eat. Even if we look past the dangerous misconception of how eating disorders operate (i.e. the idea that re-feeding along will solve what is a complex psychological, physical, and emotional disorder), even if we forgive Kimmel’s delivery, jokes like this are cheap and unoriginal.
Navigating the road to recovery from an eating disorder is no easy path, never mind taking into account the world around us. Daily we are exposed to images that could be potentially triggering to someone who has experience within the realm of eating disorders, and no other industry is quite as rampant as the fitness and diet world.
Question: My girlfriend is struggling with Anorexia and I just don’t know how to support her. Can you offer some advice for loved ones?
Answer: Having a loved one struggle with an eating disorder is an incredible challenge – not only do you feel like you have to witness their struggle but you too can end up feeling helpless to the disorder that is running your loved ones life (and therefore sometimes your own life as well).
Looking Glass Foundation respectfully acknowledges that our work takes place on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
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