The Truth About “Healing” Food And Body Image Struggles

I want to address something that's been on my mind for a while...the cultural belief around the word "healing". 

This is a term that I often use in my work & this community. But it wasn't until recently that I realized the context in which it's been communicated might not entirely be clear.

So let me be super straightforward: healing does not have a finish line.

If you've ever struggled with the black/white thinking or the "all or nothing" mentality like myself, you might hear this and feel immediately defensive. I certainly did.

It's completely normal to want to assign healing to a box that we can check off and move on with our life. This feels safe for our brains + nervous systems.

The current diet culture that we're living in has also hijacked this term and created a host of anxiety around “fixing” ourselves in sneaky wellness ways, that unfortunately have more to do with dollars than well-being. 

Creating a "one and done" belief around healing is incredibly problematic. It's often an avoidance tactic that tends to sabotage us in the future. 

The truth is, through healing, a wound is always there. Of course, the goal is to overcome the daily debilitating pain or struggle. But the scar is still a part of our story and something that we can work with through time to create even more of a joyful, present, embodied life.

Sometimes these wounds are physical (the scar from acne or an accident…in my own body struggles it's tooth erosion from years of bulimia that I will always need dental work for). Often they are emotional. Many are a combination of the two. 

When it comes to "healing" our relationship with food and our body, I love to think of this as tending to a garden.

Just because you've pulled out all of the weeds doesn't mean that you don't have to nurture it going forward or acknowledge where any future weeds might be coming up.

A wonderful guest on the podcast was Chelsea McCurdy. She and I are very aligned with the belief around redefining the recovery or healing process when it comes to food and our body- specifically related to eating disorders. 

Chelsea bravely shares her own body image story and how embracing the concept of non-linear, ongoing healing has not only changed her life, it's provided an opportunity for a deeply connected purpose to how she shows up in the world.

If you're in a place where a conversation around the topic of eating disorders is not triggering (please be mindful of what you need), I invite you to join us- you can click here to listen or read the full text. 

Sending you love, courage & strength in tending to your own garden this week.

P.S. I’ve put together my favorite books, articles, videos, and body image tools to support your journey! You can grab my free Body Acceptance Starter Kit here.