One of the single biggest predictors of outcome is how motivated someone is towards something. Motivation can be a big deal in eating disorder recovery, at times it may be non-existent or even counter-motivated. That’s why motivation is one of the key facets. Thankfully the science of motivation is well researched and has been a key component of disciplines of liberation for millenia, all of which we will draw on in this limb.

Some of the ‘Motivation Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: understanding extrinsic motivation and increasing intrinsic motivation, clarifying and aligning with core needs and values, cultivating aspirational and inspirational images, and connecting with “something greater” than ourselves.

The ‘Direction Limb’ is all about goals and desires. In combination with core needs and values, goals and desires set the direction for the journey ahead and serve a reinforcing effect on motivation. The direction orients the rest of the process, meaning everything we undertake throughout the program will align in service of achieving a specific goal or desire chosen by the client.

Some of the ‘Direction Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: desire and obstacle mapping, SMART and WISE goal setting, process vs. outcome based approaches, worthiness and deservingness.

Rest is the secret ingredient on the road to recovery and discovering your innate freedom. Which sounds obvious because any substantial journey requires rest. But rest is also one of the most overlooked and underappreciated activities within our productivity-obsessed culture. The irony is, with adequate rest the impact of time spent doing anything improves significantly. Rest is an especially important part of eating disorder recovery. Eating disorders are exhausting and take an immense toll on the body and the spirit. Not only does healing happen in the parasympathetic state of “rest and digest” but our natural capacity for joy organically emerges from the state of rest.

Some of the ‘Rest Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: discovering the unique rest needs of the body, understanding cultural influences on rest, improving sleep quality, cultivating the art of rest, relaxation and recreation, practicing “doing nothing”, guilt and shame management, re-nourishing the body-mind, cultivating pleasure and more.

The term “resourcing" refers to techniques and strategies used to help clients access their internal and external resources in order to manage stress, trauma, and emotional difficulties more effectively. The goal of resourcing, and this limb, is to build a foundation that stabilizes the client, making it possible for them to engage more deeply in recovery and the coaching process, particularly when working with difficult or traumatic content. It is about equipping clients with tools and supports that bolster their ability to navigate and heal from their experiences.

Some of the ‘Resource Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: nervous system education, self-regulation, breathwork, progressive muscle relaxation, self-soothing, play, pleasure and enjoyment, care-giver* education and support-community building.

*We will also support each client to designate at least one ‘champion’ who will play an active participatory role in the coaching process.

If there was a least anticipated limb amongst the majority of clients it would likely be the ‘Embody Limb’. Eating disorders put us at war with our bodies, making them the subject of our pain, frustration and terror, and for many of us our eating disorders are a means of protection from the experience of being in a body. Learning to come back, home to the body, can be a challenging, tiring and scary thing. The promising news however, is that where there is the ample challenge, there often also lies ample opportunity. Embodiment refers to the way in which human thoughts, feelings, and experiences are deeply rooted in and influenced by the physical body and its interactions with the environment. It is a concept that encompasses several disciplines, including philosophy, cognitive science, psychology, anthropology, and more. In short, our eating disorders live in our bodies, so naturally we work directly with the physical body in order to work with the eating disorder. The ultimate goal of this limb is to support clients in achieving a deep sense of safety, trust and possibly even enjoyment in the physical body.

Some of the ‘Embody Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: the mind-body continuum, somatic experiencing, trauma release, joyful movement, yoga therapy, pandiculation, and training in consent and boundaries.

The idea that our thoughts and beliefs influence our lived experience is not a new one. A profound relationship exists between what we think, what we feel and our experience of reality. What most people fail to realize however is the constructed nature of thoughts and emotions. Meaning to say, what we call thoughts and emotions are actually programmed, or trained, into us from birth and are powerful tools that are used to construct (and in some cases destroy) our worlds. It goes without saying that some thoughts and emotions are life giving and others can be life destroying. In fact, eating disorders can and do arise in response to some of these apparently ‘life-threatening’ thoughts and emotions. The ‘Reprogram Limb’ is all about exploring, discovering and rewiring our inner landscape of thoughts and emotions to serve the life-affirming tendencies within us. In its ultimate expression, the goal of this limb is full mental and emotional freedom leading to serene enjoyment and imperturbability in daily life.

Some of the ‘Regrogram Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: cognitive, emotional & behavioral change strategies, parts work, mindfulness and meditation, compassion and self-kindness, felt-sense awareness, pendulation, neuroplasticity, predictive processing, the three-part brain model and experience digestion.

The ‘Awaken Limb’ is focused on supporting the recovery process primarily through education and understanding, and is aimed at facilitating the liberating insights that can come from the cultivation of knowledge. Together we will explore the process of how things like beliefs and identities come to be, the role culture plays in both empowering and healing eating disorders, discerning the difference between observations and perceptions, exploring the role of memory and intuition in recovery and discerning the different ‘levels’ of conscious experience.

Some of the ‘Awaken Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: non-violent communication, inquiry and analysis, intuition, consciousness, identity, perception and contemplation.

The ‘Create + Serve Limb’ serves two important functions on the journey to recovery and ultimately freedom. The first is that it aims to establish an understanding about the interdependence of all things, from which one can begin to explore the idea that just being who they are is actually a service to the world. Just being is good enough. The second function revolves around harnessing and channeling the energy liberated through the other 7 limbs in a way that represents a client's deep and heartfelt expression. In a way, this limb is a continuation or a maturation of limbs 1 and 2 (motivation & direction) in that it seeks to extend the line of sight beyond recovery to support individuals in living from their values and contributing their gifts through creative self-expression. Integrating creativity and service into recovery from an eating disorder can promote healing and personal growth in ways that traditional approaches might not fully address. They offer enriching experiences that nurture the mind and spirit, supporting a holistic approach to recovery. Though this limb stands on its own and is the last in the list, it actually serves as the throughline and heartbeat of the entire program, which in essence is about anchoring the truth that just being is good enough, and leveraging that as the starting ground for one’s unique expression in the world. Thus raising one far beyond the limited confines of eating disorders and recovery, into the vivid aliveness and creativity of life.

Some of the ‘Create + Serve Limb’ key concepts and approaches include: interdependence, impermanence, creativity, art, integration, activism, career development and service.