Reclaim You- Navigating Relapse in Recovery

 

Episode 41: Navigating Relapse in Recovery with Gabby Morreale

 

Like, follow and leave us a comment on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

In this episode, Sarah and her guest, Gabby Morreale, discuss how to navigate relapses while in recovery from an eating disorder. They explore the difference between recovery and being recovered, and emphasize the importance of self-compassion and working with the inner critic. 

They also discuss common times for relapse, such as major life changes, stress, and seasons of life when bodies naturally change. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the significance of having a strong support system and a multidisciplinary team to help navigate relapses and slips..They emphasize the importance of being kind to ourselves, about the feelings of isolation that can come with an eating disorder and how to work with them.

Takeaways

  • Recovery from an eating disorder is a unique and ongoing process, and it is important to define what recovery means to you.

  • Relapses and slips are common in eating disorder recovery, and it is important to approach them with self-compassion.

  • Having a strong support system and a multidisciplinary team can be instrumental in navigating relapses and slips.

  • Challenging shame and working with the inner critic is supportive in maintaining recovery and preventing relapses. Be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion.

  • Eating disorders can make you feel isolated, but you are not alone.

  • Reach out for support and remember that there are people who understand and care.

  • Consider seeking therapy from professionals who specialize in treating eating disorders.

Be sure to check out Gabby and her team of clinicians at recovered and restored!

Visit their website at www.recoveredandrestoredtherapy.com, on Instagram and on Youtube.

Thanks for listening to Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy!

To learn more about Reclaim Therapy and how to work with a therapist on the team, head to www.reclaimtherapy.org.

Be sure to comment, like and subscribe here, or on YouTube and come follow along on Instagram!

  • [00:01] Sarah: Hi there. Welcome to reclaim you, a podcast published by the Reclaim therapy team. Join us as we share stories, tools, and insights on how to reclaim you in the wake of trauma, disordered eating, and body shame. Grab your coffee, tea, or your favorite snack and get cozy, because we're about to dive in. Hey, everyone. Today, my friend and colleague Gabby, who's the owner and clinical director of recover and restored eating disorder therapy center, is joining me on the podcast. She and her team provide virtual eating disorder treatment in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, and South Carolina. Gabby and I are talking all about how to navigate relapse and eating disorder recovery. So let's dive in. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to reclaim you. I'm here with Gabby today, and we are chatting about something that just feels so important for folks who have been in recovery from an eating disorder, and that is how to navigate relapses while in recovery. So welcome. Gab.

    [00:57] Gabby: Hi. Thanks for having me.

    [00:59] Sarah: Thank you so much for coming on. I'm really looking forward to our conversation.

    [01:03] Gabby: You too.

    [01:03] Sarah: So to get started, I've been asking everyone, what does reclaim you mean to you?

    [01:08] Gabby: So I love this question, and I love your podcast. So I'm so happy to be here. So I know that it could mean many things to different people, but when I think of reclaim you, I think about getting your life back, feeling empowered and feeling like your best self again after recovering, whether it's from an eating disorder or just a really challenging season in life. The words that kind of come to mind when I just think of the word reclaim is hopefulness, beauty, and redemption.

    [01:39] Sarah: Redemption. What a good word.

    [01:41] Gabby: Yeah.

    [01:42] Sarah: So I know that, of course, eating disorders are a passion of yours from professional and lived experience. And so we were chatting about relapse and how normal it is and also how hard it is, and we thought it'd be a great topic to record on.

    [01:58] Gabby: Yeah.

    [01:59] Sarah: Just to start, I looked at some.

    [02:00] Gabby: Yeah.

    [02:01] Sarah: And found that over a third of people were relapsed from an eating disorder within the first few years. And Gabby and I were talking beforehand, before we started recording, we both said, like, yeah, that's probably a really low number because it's not reported as much.

    [02:16] Gabby: Totally. And even thinking about that, like, to do all that work, it probably feels so discouraging, but it's right. And, like, you can get back on track, you can still recover. And I know people hate when you say this, but it's part of recovery.

    [02:31] Sarah: Yeah, for sure. It's like that meme on Instagram that's like you expect linear, but it's like all over the place. Do you know what I'm talking about?

    [02:40] Gabby: I totally do. And isn't that just life? Right? And we're recovering while doing everyday life. It's going to be hard. We're going to have setbacks.

    [02:48] Sarah: That's for sure. That's for sure. And I think it can start us out with this question. Do people recover or are they recovering? Is it recovery or is it recovered? Where do you land on that?

    [03:00] Gabby: Well, I guess I have a little bit of a hot take. And I'll say I share this with lived experience, and I acknowledge that this is based on my both professional knowledge and my lived experience. And if you don't like it, it's okay. This doesn't have to be where you fall. So for me, I kind of think these words, although they kind of mean different things, can be used interchangeably. For me, as someone who has recovered, I identify with both of these terms. There are times that I will say that I'm in recovery, and then there are times where I will say I'm recovered. I think that recovery is so unique to each person that for some people, it's going to look like air quote, full recovery. I know no one could see me because we're a podcast, but I'm putting quotes around that where maybe you never have an eating disorder thought again. And that's amazing. But also, for some people, it might just be harm reduction. For some people it might be quasi recovery, and for some people it might just look messy for a long time, but they're still taking those steps to try. And I think that's recovery.

    [04:03] Sarah: Right.

    [04:03] Gabby: And the term recovered can also be so unique to the person. And I think language is important. I strongly believe that each individual gets to define it for themselves. And as someone who is, quote air quote recovered, I think we need to kind of normalize it.

    [04:20] Sarah: Yeah, I think it really depends on the person. Right. I think of life in the culture that we live in, where dieting and weight loss and fitness and whatever are the go to default of what health looks like. It can feel so hard to feel recovered. I'm doing air quotes, too.

    [04:41] Gabby: Air quotes.

    [04:41] Sarah: And we're doing air quotes this entire episode. To feel recovered when there's triggers and pulls and hooks everywhere. Literally everywhere, right? Everywhere you look outside of your house, on a podcast, on Instagram, on TikTok. So it feels important that it is whatever you feel like it is. And that to engage in recovery is to, I think, engage in your resilience as a human to these hooks and these triggers and looking for the glimmers of life outside of what's normalized and glorified in our crappy culture.

    [05:17] Gabby: Totally. And I'll say as someone who is recovered or in recovery, as I share, like, using it interchangeably, it's not that I never have an eating disorder thought again. Right. I do still have those thoughts, but they're not embedded in who I am anymore. They don't have those hooks. That's such a good term because that is how it can feel. It's a thought, right. For me, they're just thoughts when they happen. I don't find my identity in my eating disorder anymore. I don't want that to be a part of my life or who I hope to become or anything like that, where when I was in my disorder, it was very embedded and enmeshed in who I was. So I think for me, it's not that I love my body every day and that I've never, ever engaged in a symptom. No, I'm human. I'm going to make mistakes, but it doesn't have that hooks. It's not all consuming, it's not overwhelming. And I do have some peace and some freedom about it.

    [06:13] Sarah: Totally. And it's embracing that for the journey of life, right. Because, yes. Who knows what the next season of life is going to bring? No one knows, right?

    [06:22] Gabby: We really don't. And I think when it comes to these terms, like being able to define them for yourself, it's just a way that we can help clients and we can help ourselves have autonomy. And autonomy is just such a huge part of recovery. So I think you get to decide what recovery looks like for you. And if you're in treatment, your treatment team can guide you in that, but it's ultimately up to you, and I'm sure they will respect your language.

    [06:46] Sarah: Yeah. And I'm just thinking of, like, part of recovery isn't part of it coming back? I'm thinking about the word reclaim, like reclaiming you coming back to who you are and what fits for you and what feels right for you. So this feels like part of it. Of how do you navigate tough times in your life or tough times in your recovery or tough times in general. How do you navigate that? By staying authentic to you and what you need and your boundaries and what feels right for you in those moments, even if sometimes it is leaning into behaviors and having little slips or whatever that might look like.

    [07:18] Gabby: Absolutely, totally. And just knowing that it's okay.

    [07:22] Sarah: So I'm curious for you, when folks maybe call or folks that you're seeing or you've worked with or on the Internet or whatever, say that they've relapsed. What a relapse look like in eating disorder recovery.

    [07:35] Gabby: So again, just like how defining recovery recovered is so unique to the person, I think a relapse will as well. But I'll share what I commonly see, and I'm sure you see a lot of this, too, as well. I think that it can look really different for everyone. But when the disorder starts to impede on our functioning and our everyday lives in a way that could be defined as a relapse, I use this term with clients called recovery aligned behaviors. So when you're struggling to engage in those behaviors more than you're not, or more than what feels aligned with your recovery values, I think it's a sign of relapse. I think feeling like part of your identity, again, just being consumed by the disorder. We're kind of in relapse territory. And again, it's okay if I'm saying these things and you're like, oh, that might be me. Right? Like, I am feeling consumed or overwhelmed. Okay. Right. Like, lead with grace and compassion. Eating disorders are complex, exhausting, debilitating. They're just awful. Right. It's not your fault. And both Sarah and my team would honestly be so honored to help you. But I think if it's starting to just take over, and I think if you've had an eating disorder, if you're in an eating disorder now, I think you know what I mean.

    [08:50] Sarah: And it can feel kind of complicated going from relapse versus slips into old behaviors. And I feel like everything, there's so much nuance to these conversations because there's such a spectrum. Like, a spectrum of behaviors, right. And so sometimes you have a slip, right. And you purposefully do whatever behavior it might be, right. And then it's like, oh, man, I did that thing. Let me get back on course, or let me shift towards whatever the next recovery alive behavior. I love that term. Like what that is. So it's a spectrum of acknowledging where am I on the spectrum of really engaging with the eating disorder versus my values and why I've fought so hard to be where I am today. Right?

    [09:34] Gabby: Yeah, absolutely.

    [09:36] Sarah: So what do you feel like? Are some common times that relapse could happen for folks in the recovery process?

    [09:43] Gabby: Yeah, I think it can depend on the person and kind of like, what their triggers are and things like that and kind of like how their disorder started. And again, just like, so unique and tender. But I think some common times are changes, like major life changes, times of stress. Some of those life changes might look like moving graduations, loss of a loved one, divorce, postpartum. Which, let me just pause there, because I just personally went through postpartum, or I am still kind of totally still are.

    [10:18] Sarah: Postpartum.

    [10:19] Gabby: She'll be ten months more, I think I read that it's technically, like, two years. Yeah. Society tells us, like, six weeks, which is quite what. Right? Yeah. Right. So wherever you are, if you are in this spectrum of postpartum and you have recovered from an eating disorder or you are recovering, I just want to send you so much compassion and also tell you that it's okay, that it's hard. Right.

    [10:44] Sarah: Because it is.

    [10:45] Gabby: It's really. Yeah. Yeah. I remember just feeling so disconnected from my daughter was here, and I was so happy and thankful because Sarah knows I went through a lot to get her, and I'm so thankful. But I was like, who the **** is? Like, I really just felt so disconnected at times from my body. And also, I was lucky enough to breastfeed and also, like, pumping. So my body was being used really differently after it had just been used incredibly differently to grow a human, which is miraculous but really weird. It's so. That's weird.

    [11:26] Sarah: It's so beautiful.

    [11:28] Gabby: Miraculous. Cool. Weird, right? So just readjusting of being in awe of my body, of, like, wow, my body did that. That is amazing. And someone is literally depending on me for their livelihood now and forever, but really more so for their nutrients, and they have to use my body to get it. And then I had to start pumping once I went back to work, and there were just so many things that I just really didn't feel good in my body, and I had to go back to the basics of, like, okay, what do you need to take care of you? And I think it was okay that I didn't shame myself for feeling bad. It's okay if you don't have great body image all the time, especially in postpartum. But in general, no one, or I'll say most of us, don't wake up every day and love our bodies, but we want to get to a place where we can at least be neutral or respect our bodies or treat them in a way that we're not taking things out on them. Totally. So I think if you're in postpartum and you are feeling disconnected from your body, or you are just kind of, like. I think for a little, I loathed my body, which I hadn't felt that in a really long time. A really long time. And I felt guilty for a while because I was like, you got what you wanted. I got what so many people that I knew were fighting for, but I was like, but that doesn't change this discomfort and this disconnect and that I want to feel good in my body again or at peace with it, and I had to do the work, and it's okay.

    [13:05] Sarah: Yeah. I love that you said, going back to the basics.

    [13:07] Gabby: Right.

    [13:07] Sarah: Because I think that's what it can come down to. You can be doing recovery for forever, years, and still come back to the basics.

    [13:16] Gabby: Right. Like, what did I need? Right. Like, checking in on ourself, checking in on our needs. I think that's a big piece of relapse prevention of what's going on. Like, how Sarah shared on that spectrum. That's such a good way to put it. Where are we falling? Are we having slips? Are we deep in it? Wherever we are? What are our needs in that moment? Because a lot of times, we're using our eating disorder to fill a need. So let's figure out what that is. And it might not be one thing. It's not often ever that simple.

    [13:42] Sarah: But, like, only it was right.

    [13:45] Gabby: If only it was right, that would be amazing. But, yeah, just going back to the basics. So, postpartum mamas, if you are listening, it's okay. If you're having a hard time, don't shame yourself, because that only feeds the disorder. Right. Like, in getting stuck in that shame spiral, and then it kind of, again can bring up old stuff and lead to relapsing. So I think I would say, just be really gentle with yourself and know that whatever you're feeling towards your body, whether it is that awe and you're tapping into that and that's amazing, or it's that disconnection, let's just go back to what we need and checking in on ourselves and figuring out what we need to get back on track. It's okay. I think in addition to postpartum, like I said, divorce can be a big one. Loss of a loved one. Grief is, like, so heavy and prominent and a huge cause for eating disorders. I think also, any traumas, transitions. One thing that comes up a lot, I think, and, sarah, I'm sure you see this with clients is weight changes.

    [14:45] Sarah: Right?

    [14:45] Gabby: Like, we have to acknowledge that our body may change in recovery. It may not. We don't know. And as therapists, Sarah and I aren't here to tell you where your body is going to fall, you have ultimate autonomy over your body, but more so, like, if it changes, right. And it changes in a way that doesn't feel good for you, it's okay. Right. And learning to embrace that change or even talk about the discomfort and whatever you're feeling around these changes instead of using your disorder to counteract those changes is part of healing.

    [15:17] Sarah: And I'm thinking, too, just back to the conversation around postpartum, that time span of pregnancy, even preparing for pregnancy and struggles that may come up there and the rapid changes that happen in your body during pregnancy and how it can feel really kind of disembodied, but it's like, oh, there's going to be this baby, so I can tolerate this. It's kind of like the light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like it can really collapse in postpartum, because now, yes, it's wonderful and miraculous, like you said. And the **** is hard, right?

    [15:54] Gabby: You're so sleep. It is the most tired I've ever been in my whole life. I'm sure every mom is shaking their head right now, like, oh, yeah.

    [16:02] Sarah: So these times of rapid change and shifts in the way your body is functioning.

    [16:07] Gabby: Right.

    [16:08] Sarah: I know for me, I was nauseous throughout both of my pregnancies, just like, the entire time. The morning sickness, it just never ended. It was miserable. And all of these things that you don't really think about. Right. That make you feel really disembodied. Like, I do not want to live in this body right now, which I think is how I think a lot of people feel, whether that's early in life or later in life, or if they live in larger bodies or bodies with different abilities. Right. These ways that you can want to be disconnected, which can facilitate the numbing and that disconnection right. Through an eating disorder. But all of that was a ramble to say that these times of rapid change in your life. So puberty and pregnancy and childbirth and postpartum and menopause, these periods of time where bodies naturally change, they can be really big hotspots to slide back into old behaviors.

    [17:01] Gabby: Yeah, absolutely. During puberty, I just did a presentation on this for parents. During puberty, adolescents bodies change between 30 and 40 pounds. And that's normal. But a lot of times, because sometimes it happens more at the front end of puberty, they get really shamed, they get bullied. Even medical bullying happens because their bodies are just trying to figure it out. And it is a common time for eating disorders to onset. That's why we see some of the younger folks coming in.

    [17:27] Sarah: Absolutely. Which I think speaks to the bigger picture of weight stigma and fat phobia. Right. And how diet culture is just the worst in.

    [17:35] Gabby: So pervasive.

    [17:36] Sarah: Yeah. So we talked about this a little bit, but in navigating, relapse or even slips, what are some ways that folks can kind of lean into navigating these things as best they can? I was going to say with more ease, but it's certainly not easy at all. No.

    [17:53] Gabby: With maybe like less discomfort, although it's all pretty uncomfortable. Right?

    [17:57] Sarah: That's for sure.

    [17:58] Gabby: I think the first thing is own it. Right? It's okay. Like how we said in the beginning, one third is reported. It's okay. I'm really proud of those one third of people that were honest owned it. Yeah. Hell yeah. That's amazing.

    [18:13] Sarah: Right?

    [18:14] Gabby: And we know that a lot more of us will say, at least have slips. Right? And again, it's okay. Recovery is not just this one size fits all. And again, are there people, and I will say, and Sarah, I'm sure you've seen this too. It's fewer and further between that people truly never deal with this again. I have probably had, in eleven years, maybe two clients who I am so incredibly proud of. And I love that for them that it's just not on their radar anymore. And that's awesome. I love that they did so much work and I love that they are able to live their lives in that way. But I would say the majority of us are going to have slips here and there. And again, it's just getting back to where we need to be so we can be more recovery aligned. But I think just like owning it, the biggest step, I think, in getting help itself is just being able to say, like, I'm struggling, I have anorexia, I have an eating disorder, or I'm really having a hard time right now, whatever that might be.

    [19:16] Sarah: Yeah. Like I'm really being pulled towards x, y and z, or I'm really hating the body that I'm living in right now, or my trauma symptoms are off the charts and I want to just disconnect from myself with these behaviors. Right. No matter what it is, it's like that dropping into yourself. Realize this is really happening. This is where I am.

    [19:37] Gabby: And it doesn't mean you did anything wrong. It doesn't mean you're not trying. It doesn't mean, like, you fail. Okay, air quotes again, just so you know, everyone failed recovery. You can't fail recovery.

    [19:47] Sarah: You can't fail recovery.

    [19:49] Gabby: Every time you get up and you try whatever that looks like you're doing something and it matters and it counts. So don't let your eating disorder or that inner critic, that voice in your head, kind of make you feel like, I don't deserve help, or it's fine. Everything's fine because you don't want to own it really is okay. I think, too, just, like, gathering support. I think that's so, like, I don't know. And Sarah has been such a great support. And some of my friends just, I don't know what I would have know without them during, like, I had to go through. Know I went through then by the literal magic of the universe and grace of God, had a baby. And, like, holy ****, that was hard. Yeah, right? And if I didn't have my support system to just be like, I am having a hard time, maybe it wasn't even with eating disorder symptoms, right? But it was just like life. I was getting my *** kicked. It was just a really challenging season while I was in it. And I'm sure people can totally relate to this. When you're in it, it feels like it is going to rain forever. It really does. But I can promise you, and not because I'm on the other side of it, but just because I've had many really ****** seasons that felt like rainstorms, rainstorms, hurricane tsunamis. Even at times in my younger years, you will come out of it. But having the people there to just cheer you on and to just say, like, it's okay that you're not okay, I don't know that I would be okay. And just giving you that validation or just that pat on the back or that shoulder to cry on goes such a long way. So find your people, right?

    [21:35] Sarah: You're not a burden.

    [21:36] Gabby: Your eating disorder is not a burden. Whatever you're going through is not a burden. It's life. Like, we all have stuff.

    [21:44] Sarah: Yeah. And you said the word, the shame piece, and that just feels so important to talk about because I feel like so many people probably just in life, right, in life or our clients or wherever, it doesn't super matter. But there's so much shame around falling, like, slipping or falling back into old ways of being and being able to step outside of shame, step outside of that shame vortex and do something a little bit different. Whether that's speaking to know, like Brene Brown says, that shame thrives in secrecy, right, to challenge the shame, right. To acknowledge when shame is pulling you under. And probably if there's shame, you're probably going to turn back towards old behaviors. So working with the shame feels so important, whether that's with your therapist, your dietitian, or your coach or your chiropractor. It doesn't matter. Your friends, right. Whoever. To be able to speak to it and have someone to just hold that without trying to fix. Again, air quotes. Fix things.

    [22:38] Gabby: Yeah. And I think also you just hit the nail on the head. Like, where's your team? We're going to ease into letting them support us again in a way that feels safe and comfortable. I'm not saying your best friend needs to become your therapist because that's not good either. Right. But it's okay. Let them hold some of the heaviness. Let them help you. They don't have to be the food police. They don't need to do all the things, but just let them carry it with you. I think that can be so powerful when we just let others be with us kind of in our mess, right? In our muck, just to know that we're not alone and we're not carrying it alone. But a therapist, a dietitian, as we said, eating disorders, they're complex, right? We know this personally. Our clients know this. You need a team acknowledging that there is a ton of privilege, having a team, ton of privilege. And I know that if you're in it, you're probably like, this is not a privilege. Let me tell you, it is. Even as much as you might hate our guts sometimes, totally don't, but it really is a privilege. So I think developing a strong multidisciplinary team is really impactful and can be a big difference maker when it comes to relapses, slips, and all of the things. Because, one, if we have a team that we trust, we're going to be talking about these things. We're not going to be sitting with that shame, or they're maybe going to be gently and appropriately calling it out when they're seeing that, when they're saying, like, I can see that you're struggling to talk about this. It's okay. What's coming up for you, or whatever they might say. And a team isn't always just a therapist, right? Like adding a dietitian, having a primary care that you trust. I will say that made a huge difference for me. Having gone through an eating disorder for a long time and definitely relapsing over the course of my journey, I had had some really poor doctor experiences, and then when I found the right doctor for me, it was life changing. So just having that medical person on your side to say, like, you know what? You're not okay, but this is what we can do to make sure that you medically can become stable. And we're going to get you connected with the right people, because mental health wise, you need that support, and it's okay. Also, like psychiatrist NP, there is no shame in taking medication. If you need it, you need it, and it's all right.

    [24:53] Sarah: And a lot of times you just need that edge taken off.

    [24:54] Gabby: Right.

    [24:55] Sarah: I think medication is really wonderful for that. That things just feel so overwhelming. It's like nothing is feeling like you're getting traction. Right. That medication can really be game changing so that you can use the tools that you fought so hard to have under your belt to deal with behaviors and urges and all of the things.

    [25:14] Gabby: Absolutely. I think just like finding your people and your team, so finding both of them, kind of helping them work all together and also having self compassion. Right. As we've said, this is really challenging. Eating disorders are debilitating at times. Not always, but they can be. And if you can just give yourself that ounce of grace, that ounce of self compassion, instead of shaming yourself and getting stuck in that cycle, it will go such a long way.

    [25:51] Sarah: I feel like self compassion. I think we talk about it on every episode of this podcast. Yeah, because it's the tool, right? If there's one tool, I think that's going to be a game changer or a needle mover. If we had to choose one, I would choose self compassion.

    [26:06] Gabby: Same. Totally. Just silencing that inner critic, right? Because our inner critic and our eating disorder voice, if you align with that term, can sound really similar, and sometimes they're really different. But when we can just silence that inner critic who's telling us we're not tall enough, brave enough, smart enough, fast enough, whatever, and we're just enough that can go so far, that can be truly, like you said, a game changer.

    [26:32] Sarah: Yeah, it's like co regulate with the inner critic. Co regulate with that eating disorder voice. Like, there's a lot of suffering there. That must feel so hard, right, man. And there's nothing that disarms like **** talkers more than being really curious and compassionate.

    [26:49] Gabby: Yes, totally. Yeah. And I think the more we can ease into doing that again. We don't live in a culture that tells us to be kind. It does. It's so funny. When we're in kindergarten, we're taught, like, the golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated. Right. But what if we also treat ourselves with the love and respect that we hopefully give to others. That would go so far.

    [27:16] Sarah: Yeah, that's for sure. I never thought about the golden rule like that before.

    [27:20] Gabby: Right? Like they're saying, don't be an *******. All right, that's fair. I am all for that. But maybe let's turn that inward and not be so unkind to ourselves either.

    [27:31] Sarah: I love that. What else do you have anything else that you want to add to this conversation about navigating relapse?

    [27:37] Gabby: I think just like that, it's going to happen, right? Again, that statistic is only a small amount of people who absolutely relapse. And it's okay. You're not alone. Your eating disorder oftentimes, I know for me was very, very isolating. Like, it wanted me to isolate, it wanted me to shut down. And it just felt like, I don't like this word, but I'll say it for myself. I felt crazy at times. And I think your eating disorder tries to convince you, oh, they won't understand. But I understand. But no, maybe they won't, right? Maybe your friends won't understand the symptoms you feel the need to engage in. Or they don't know your hurt and your trauma, but what they do know and love is you.

    [28:20] Sarah: Right?

    [28:21] Gabby: And you're deserving of that again, compassion, that care, that love. So you're not crazy and you don't need to isolate, you don't have to shut down. The world needs more of you. Don't let your eating disorder your know, whatever it is, convince you otherwise.

    [28:38] Sarah: Solid message to send us out, gab.

    [28:41] Gabby: Yeah.

    [28:42] Sarah: Tell people where they can find you and your practice.

    [28:45] Gabby: Yeah.

    [28:45] Sarah: Talk about your practice, what you do, where people can find you. All that good stuff.

    [28:49] Gabby: Yes. So I am the owner of recover to restored eating disorder therapy center. We are a fully virtual practice, licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina and Florida, working on Maryland. But that's been amazing. So at least for now, we've got those. We are truly passionate about helping people recover from their eating disorder. We treat all genders. We treat ages twelve and up. Our main population does fall between like 15 and 35 just because of the onset of eating disorders itself, but it does happen across the lifespan. We're a team of recovered professionals, so we've been there. We get it. You can find me on social media at Gabrielle LPC, and at recovered and restored. Also, I have a fun YouTube page that is actually full of some tools if you want to give them a look. I will say I was making some of these videos really early postpartum, so please give me some grace as I was working it out, but it's coming together. My team has been a huge, huge help, so it's starting to really look like a page now. But yeah. Recovernerstretted therapy.com, we would love to work with you also, Sarah's team is amazing at reclaim and they would love to work with you too.

    [29:56] Sarah: Yeah. And I'll tag you on YouTube. I think I know how to do this. We'll see if I really do. I'll tag you on YouTube so that it will just connect to your page.

    [30:06] Gabby: Cool. Yeah.

    [30:08] Sarah: Yeah. All the ways to connect. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to come and chat about that. I appreciate you and the work that you do in the world.

    [30:16] Gabby: You. Thank you for having me. Of course.

    [30:18] Sarah: Okay, everybody, we'll be back next week for another episode. And until then, take good care. Thank you so much for joining us on this episode of Reclaim you be sure to, like comment and subscribe and check us out on YouTube at reclaim you. If you're looking to start therapy for trauma, disordered eating or body image concerns, head over to our website at www.reclaimtherapy.org to learn more about us and our work. We'll be back next week with another episode. Until then, take good care of yourself.


Reclaim therapy provides eating disorder therapy in Horsham, PA along with Trauma Therapy and Therapy for Childhood Trauma.

We also provide EMDR for eating disorders online and in person.

We’re passionate about helping people reclaim their lives from the impact of trauma, diet culture and body shame.

We would love to support you as you Reclaim YOU and the life that you undeniably deserve.


Previous
Previous

5 Tips for Shopping With Poor Body Image

Next
Next

Reclaim Safety: How to Navigate Medical Appointments