Tag: emotion-driven overeating

Personal Note: Taking a Break

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 38 Comments

“The opportunity to step away from everything and take a break is something that shouldn’t be squandered.” – Harper Reed

Those of you who’ve been following this blog for a while will know that in January this year, I upped my publishing schedule from one post a month to four. Alongside my client work, both in my private practice and at the eating disorders charity I work for, it’s quite a commitment. A hugely enjoyable commitment, but a commitment nonetheless.

And I need a break from it.

So, I the interest of self-care and being able to give you my very best, I’m taking a blogging break during August. That way, I can recharge and get some headspace before coming back with a wallop next month.

However, before I take my break, I’d like to say one thing.

Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog.  Thank you to everyone who hits “like”. Thank you to everyone who comments and shares their experiences. Thank you to everyone who follows via WordPress or email.

Thank you to the clients who let me know when a post has struck a chord with them. Thank you to the ones who quote my words back to me because they find them meaningful.

Thank you to all the eatonomy group members for their interest and engagement, and for making the group sessions such a pleasure.

Thank you to the complete strangers who contact me through my blog to let me know my posts resonate with them.

Thank you to my fellow bloggers for their support and encouragement. It’s a privilege to be part of this vibrant community.

A genuine and heartfelt Thank You to you all.

I won’t be stepping away from everything in August – I’ll still be seeing clients for individual therapy, but there’s no eatonomy group session this month (the next session is September 28th).

Also, I suspect I’ll still be lurking around WordPress as I won’t be able to resist finding out what my favourite bloggers are doing.

So have a great August everyone – see you back here on 1st September.

With very best wishes,

Julie 😊

 

Gentle Reminder: Something about Feelings

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 30 Comments

This is the blog post where I wrap up the theme for the month – in this case hope and hopelessness – and link to an older post from the archives.

There’s just one problem.

It’s the first day of my holiday and I’m currently sitting in the kitchen of a gorgeous little cottage in the Cotswolds. The countryside is unbelievably beautiful. The weather is perfect. The only sounds I can hear are the gentle hum of the fridge, birds chirping in the courtyard outside and the tap-tap-tap of my fingers hitting the keyboard.

Why is this a problem? Well, I’ve come down with a severe case of lazyitis (must be the change of water, I think) and I’m struggling to write the post I was planning to write which, I recall, was something about feelings. Continue reading “Gentle Reminder: Something about Feelings” →

Expert Insight: The Purpose of Disappointment

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 23 Comments

“Although disappointment feels awful, it can provide you with a wealth of valuable information about yourself and your world. Its purpose is to keep you moving toward what’s beneficial and away from what’s going to come back and bite you. It’s meant to teach you how to make realistic, well-informed choices by recognizing the delicate balance between what you have power over and what you don’t. Examining disappointment with an open mind will help you distinguish between being foolhardy, childish or demanding, and courageous, generous and willing to take appropriate risks. In short, it’s there to help you get the good things you deserve.”

Karen R. Koenig, The Food & Feelings Workbook

“Examining disappointment with an open mind” is the phrase that jumps out at me in this quote. We’re often so busy trying to escape disappointment we don’t stop to think that it might have something to teach us.

Continue reading “Expert Insight: The Purpose of Disappointment” →

What’s the Point?

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 30 Comments

You’re having a conversation with a close friend. There’s something exciting going on in your life and you’re dying to fill them in. As you talk, you’re brimming with energy and enthusiasm about your venture. When you finish, rather than sharing in your excitement your friend says flatly:

“What’s the point?”

Slightly stunned, you ask them to explain what they mean.

“Well”, they say, “it’s just that you’ll never do it. You’ll never achieve that. You might as well give up”.

How do you feel?

Continue reading “What’s the Point?” →

Food for Thought: Staying Connected to Hope

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 25 Comments

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me…Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” – Shel Silverstein

It’s that time of year again when I ask myself the searching question: “why didn’t I take two weeks off work so I could watch the TV?”.

Yes, it’s Wimbledon – the tennis tournament most beloved by players and fans alike.

One of the things I love about tennis is the way a match can turn around.

Continue reading “Food for Thought: Staying Connected to Hope” →

Gentle Reminder: Make Movement Joyful Again

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 33 Comments

Exercise.

I can practically feel the groaning and eye rolling.

In preparation for writing this blog post I did a bit of research. I googled some exercise slogans. What I found ranged from the ridiculous – “squat till you puke” (eww) – to the downright offensive, which I won’t repeat here. (Guys, seriously?).

Many of the so-called “motivational and inspirational” quotes I found conveyed the message that to have the body you’re “supposed” to have, you must punish it into submission.

No wonder the ‘e’ word has such a bad rep.

Continue reading “Gentle Reminder: Make Movement Joyful Again” →

Why Should We Be Ashamed of Our Bodies?

~ Julie de Rohan ~ 37 Comments

You’re sitting in a café having coffee with a friend. Every few minutes you surreptitiously tug at your top so it doesn’t cling to the contour of your stomach.

You receive an invitation to your school reunion.  You’d love to go but feel you can’t because you’ve put on weight and you worry about what people will think.

You regularly scan your body in a full-length mirror, thinking “God, look at my thighs/belly/insert other body part here”.  When you’ve examined all your “defects”, you mutter a conclusive “ugh” before walking away from your reflection in disgust.

Continue reading “Why Should We Be Ashamed of Our Bodies?” →