Using Values to Guide Recovery from Disordered Eating in Pennsylvania
Why is decision making so hard!?
Sources state that we make upwards of 35,000 decisions per day.
Whether or not this number is accurate, I imagine most of us can attest to how often we make decisions throughout the week. We can also likely call to mind moments we’ve felt lost or directionless. From smaller decisions such as “what should I do this weekend” to larger ones like “should I quit my job”, decision making can be a terrifying task.
Those who struggle with disordered eating in Pennsylvania may find it especially challenging to know which direction to take with regards to food, exercise, and the body. This is especially true given the many “rules” imposed upon us from our dieting culture and society at large. I’ve heard many times, in many ways the worry: “I feel like I don’t know which direction to turn”.
When we feel lost in this way, it can be tempting to set lofty goals and cling to them for some semblance of control.
Personally, I’m known to be very goal-oriented. At times, goal-setting has served me tremendously. At other times, it’s rooted me in a shame cycle that was difficult to get out of when I struggled to meet my goal for whatever reason.
It wasn’t until I discovered the significance of developing values that I felt like I had a bit more direction, a bit of a compass.
With values as my guide, I feel a lot less shame around setting intentions for myself. Values provide me with space to be gentle with myself when I’m struggling, while also encouraging me to take continuous action towards an aligned life.
What Are Values?
Values are what we find most important in life. They’re like a compass that gives us direction. While goals are WHAT we want to achieve, our values are the HOW we engage in reaching those goals. Values provide a framework for engaging with life more meaningfully and authentically.
Why is it important to lean on values in eating disorder and body image recovery?
It’s easy to lose trust in ourselves when we engage in disordered eating, or are struggling with an eating disorder like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or orthorexia nervosa.
Disordered eating encourages us to ignore hunger/fullness cues and engage with food from a place that is not rooted in our bodily knowledge.
Eating disorders also often take us away from what we value and care about most.
By reflecting on what we value in life, we can respond to the eating disorder voice with more conviction i.e., “thanks ED, but that’s not in alignment with my value of family. Instead I’m going to nourish myself because when I’m nourished I’m able to be much more present with those I love”.
Eating disorder recovery and eating disorder treatment can be scary, confusing, and a time of great uncertainty. When we discover and reflect upon our values, it can be a relief to know that we have a stronger sense of direction.
Having this kind of compass can feel really grounding during an untethered time.
How do I figure out what my values are?
There are plenty of values activities out there. My personal favorite comes from Brene Brown, a social worker/researcher who studies shame and vulnerability.
She has a beautiful list of values on her website to engage with.
Brene Brown recommends engaging with the list in the following way:
View the list in its entirety while reflecting on each word and its meaning in your life.
Add any value words that come to mind that aren’t currently on the list.
Start to narrow down the list to 15 values words that resonate most with you.
And then, work to narrow your list down to your top two.
I’m personally a fan of having 2-5 values that resonate the most. I’ve found that any more than 5 become cumbersome and challenging to remember and I’ve always had trouble narrowing it down to just two.
Another option could be to label each value on the list (while taking care to include any value words that may not be listed but are important to you). Feel free to label with the following:
Very important (V)
Somewhat important (S)
Important (I)
Not very important (N)
Once you’ve got them all labeled, perhaps focus on the very important ones and then narrow that list down to 2-5 values.
Now what do I do with them?
Take a moment to journal/reflect:
Why did you choose the values you chose? Why are these important parts of your life?
Reflect on different areas of your life (relationships, education, career, family, self-care, etc.)
What are things you already do in these areas that align with the values you’ve chosen?
What are things that you do in these areas that aren’t in alignment?
How can you use these values to set intentions for yourself?
How can you use these values when you need to make a decision?
If you struggle with disordered eating
How does your disordered eating stand in the way of your values?
How could you engage with your values to support you in your recovery?
Get creative with it! If art calls to you, you may wish to create art to represent your values and then display the art somewhere in your space to serve as a continuous reminder of what you care deeply about.
Discussing your values with your eating disorder therapist in Pennsylvania can be a really valuable tool in your recovery work.
It can be powerful to explore more deeply the ways that we’re in alignment and out of alignment with our values. From a non-shaming place, we can uncover strategies for living in alignment with what we hold near and dear and ideally find more freedom and peace in doing so.
My name is Abby Albright and I'm a trauma therapist in Pennsylvania and an eating disorder therapist in Horsham, PA, right outside of Philadelphia.
I'm passionate about supporting people throughout the counseling process to improve their emotional health and reclaim their lives from the impact of trauma and disordered eating.
To support you in doing values work, I've create a worksheet for you.
If you're in need of support in your recovery from an eating disorder, body image concerns or PTSD, treatment in Pennsylvania, please don't hesitate to reach out to get started.
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Looking for eating disorder therapy near me or eating disorder treatment in Pennsylvania?
Our therapy team provides specialized eating disorder and body image treatment in person and virtually for PA residents. We also provide PTSD Treatment in Pennsylvania and EMDR therapy virtually and in person. We’re glad you found us, and would be honored to support you on your recovery journey!