| Online Counselling helps Recovery
One of the key elements of an eating disorder is secrecy so that when we are in the depths of despair many people find it difficult to go and see someone face to face due to the shame and embarrassment they feel. We feel shame about how out of control our behaviours have become and the things we do with food, like bingeing or stealing it. Consequently it means many people fail to seek help until the problem is affecting their life considerably. |  |
When I was at rock bottom, I knew that I needed help but didn’t feel able to go and see someone. I stumbled across an online counsellor who worked with eating disorders. Initially I kept going back to the website to check it out until I felt that perhaps I could get help to find recovery without actually going to see someone. I really didn’t want to spend money on myself but thought I would try one session. After the initial session I realised that I could actually open up more through online counselling than I could in a face to face session. I loved the sessions because I could share exactly how I was feeling whilst protecting my anonymity because the counsellor never saw my face. As I got better and better I realised that I could either spend my money on bingeing and dieting behaviours or I could put it into my recovery where I found permanent changes rather than fleeting results.
As I began to get really good recovery I thought about how I could go on to train as an online counsellor so that I could help clients who were suffering in the same way that I had done. I passionately believed that I could work with clients who were bingeing. When I started my training I knew that there would be other people, just like me, who so desperately needed help but who were too ashamed to reach out for help where they lived. So I set out on my mission to create a place where people could find recovery online. I had a vision that I would be able to help clients find recovery through online counselling sessions. Without a doubt those clients who make the best progress, all commit themselves to their recovery and addressing the issues that have kept them stuck in their eating disorder.
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| They use the online counselling on a regular basis until they have reached a place where they are able to work through different issues independently. Some people reach this point very quickly and other people have so many different issues to work through that it takes longer. We all spent years trying to change our behaviours but the reality is that we can’t do this alone without any help. |
Recovery is about permanent attitude changes that help you accept your past, stop fearing your future and learning to live in the present, whilst also helping you to learn how to deal with life on life’s terms rather than reacting to life. For those people who master recovery, they go on to achieve things that they would never have dreamt possible; they learn to face their fears and do it anyway; and they find freedom from their eating disorder. As I always say to people I am still married to the same man, have the same children and live in the same house, but what has changed is my attitude and beliefs. |
When you are ready to face your recovery you will. For most of us the pain has to be bad enough before we become willing enough to do something. The sooner you face your recovery, the less issues you have to work through and the quicker you will be back living life to the full. | |
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