Stop Eating Your Heart Out
Stop Eating Your Heart Out
For many of us, there is not enough food on the planet to fill the gaping hole within our souls. I know. I tried.” Meryl Beck
It’s tough isn’t it, this battle with food? It can be a love affair that turns sour but still doesn’t end. For some of us it feels absolutely impossible to face life without using food:
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To comfort
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To self-soothe
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To cope
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To fix
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To feel happy
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To have something to look forward to
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To enjoy life
The journey is hard. It is a challenge to address the emotional reasons we are driven to food instead of feeling the pain of the wound(s) we carry. We have to start paying attention to the very things we are trying to avoid by eating. To be honest, for most of us at times it sounds much simpler to simply eat the food.
While it does take courage to face our battle with food, it is one of the most fulfilling and life giving things we can do for ourselves. It is one of the reasons I lead a group at Charis called Stop Eating Your Heart Out. It is an opportunity for women to come together, support each other, and face their struggles with food head on.
I received an email recently from a young woman requesting information on the emotional eating group that I lead at Charis. Because of this email, I have decided it is time to offer the group again.
Rest assured that I walk right along with you in this journey. I have my own struggle with food. There are times I eat when I am not hungry. I have a bite when I’m tired and come home from a long day. Sweets have become an addiction and coffee gets my tired body going in the mornings. These past few months have been frustrating for me as I have worked on healthier eating and exercise. Some days were more successful than others. More and more I am realizing that it is a journey and one that I would like to share with you. We need support, we need each other, and we need a safe place to talk about all the many things that bring us to eat.
So when the email came requesting the Stop Eating Your Heart Out group I looked at it as an opportunity for me to slay this dragon again. I love processing groups. They give space to the participants to help one another overcome their struggles and to realize they are not alone, without the feeling of being judged.
If you are struggling with emotional eating, please consider signing up for the group that begins Sunday September 27th from 4-6PM at 1507 Lake Baldwin Lane. It runs for 4 weeks. The information is on the website or call 407.894.5202 and speak with Ashley.
I hope you will consider coming and finding a solid support system on this path we call life. We need each other and I am committed to working toward a healthier lifestyle with you.
~ Sandra B. Stanford, LMHC
