Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching
Eating disorder recovery can be lonely and overwhelming. As a recovery coach, I support the “how” of recovery by providing individualized resources and practical tools for the day-to-day challenges.
Why work with a recovery coach?
You have a therapist and/or dietitian and need additional support to achieve your treatment goals
You’re struggling to sustain the actions of recovery (e.g., consistent eating, having a balanced relationship with exercise, etc.)
You need practical tools to resist urges to engage in disordered behaviors
You’re exercising “too much” or avoiding exercise, and want a more balanced relationship with movement
You experience overwhelming anxiety when eating out or avoid it altogether
You feel disconnected from your body and/or emotions
You’re struggling with body image and avoiding activities due to body shame
You don’t know who you are without your eating disorder
You feel stuck and alone in recovery and don’t know how to move forward
You want to accept your body at any size but don’t know how to
You’re trying to support a loved one with an eating disorder but don’t know how
More about Misty
In addition to supporting hundreds of clients in recovery, she has a long personal history with an eating disorder. She knows how difficult and isolating recovery can be. Her goal as a coach is to help you gain freedom and peace with food and your body. While she is a fierce advocate for food and body liberation, she values body autonomy and trust your body to guide your recovery. You can learn more about her and her approach to coaching here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can benefit from working with a recovery coach?
The short answer: anyone wanting more freedom with food, exercise, and their bodies! Having said this, most clients I work with are in recovery from an eating disorder, struggling with disordered eating and/or exercise, or are supporting a loved one in recovery.
Do I need an official eating disorder diagnosis to work with a recovery coach?
No! Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for individuals to be missed or overlooked due to medical stigma and/or barriers to accessing health care. I also work with parents, spouses, and other individuals that don’t have eating disorders but are struggling to support loved ones in recovery.
How is coaching different from therapy?
Coaches are not licensed and trained to diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Unlike therapy which often centers on the past to identify root causes of an eating disorder (i.e., the “why”), coaching focuses on the present to support the actions or “how” of recovery. When a client has a therapist and/or dietitian, I often collaborate with the provider(s) to align coaching and treatment goals. For example, I might provide real-time meal support or assist with grocery shopping to help clients meet nutritional goals. In addition to offering experiential sessions, I also provide text and email support which is typically not offered by other types of providers.
What does a coaching session look like?
As you can imagine, there is a lot of variability depending on a client’s needs, resources, and goals. Sessions can be virtual or in-person (if you live in the Seattle area) and typically occur 1-3 times per month. Sessions can be talk-based and/or experiential depending on a client’s needs and preferences.
Examples:
Grocery shopping to increase food variety, challenge food rules, etc.
Restaurant outing to challenge fear foods
Planning and taking a fitness class to challenge exercise avoidance
Shopping for clothes and navigating difficult emotions related to body changes
Do you take insurance?
Unfortunately, coaching is not (yet?) covered by health insurance. To reduce financial barriers, we offer a sliding scale fee structure for coaching sessions. More information and pricing can be found here.