Individualized & Trauma-Informed Recovery Coaching

Coaching is unique in the way it focuses on behavior change, supports you in taking action, and offers support during the day-to-day challenges in recovery. After a consultation call and an assessment, I coordinate with you and any of your other treatment team members to develop a plan that will best support you. I take a strengths-based approach and practice from a social justice lens developed through my education in social work. I work with clients from a Health at Every Size framework.

I am based in Pennsylvania and also work with clients virtually throughout the US and worldwide! When seeing each other weekly, text support is included between sessions. If we are meeting less frequently, I offer text support for a supplemental fee.

Please note: Coaching is not a replacement for therapy or a substitute for clinical treatment. Coaching is a wonderful addition to support your recovery. If you are actively struggling with an eating disorder, I do require that you also be working with a therapist or dietitian. If you need help finding a therapist or dietitian, I can sometimes assist with the process.

My Approach

My approach is nonjudgmental, compassionate, and trauma-informed. I believe you are the expert of your own experience and approach every session with a willingness to listen. I am willing to meet you wherever you are in your recovery process. It’s okay to feel unsure if you are ready to recover and ambivalent. I hold space for ambivalence, normalize it, and empower you to take steps at a pace that feels right for you. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery.

Eating disorders are multi-determined, biopsychosocial disorders which require a multi-pronged approach to recover from one. Together we will work on neural rewiring which is essential for recovery—shifting your relationship with food and your body along with the behaviors that are no longer aligned with the life you want to live. I also factor in the role that an energy deficit plays in developing and sustaining an ED including the latest research suggesting that EDs are metabo-psychiatric disorders.

My aim is always to support you in achieving your goals, whatever they may be at this point. I take a strengths-based approach and practice from a social justice lens developed through my educational background in social work—understanding the social and systemic inequities that contribute to eating disorders and add barriers to recovery. Additionally, I practice from a Health at Every Size framework. To support you in making changes, I use compassionate accountability and practices such as: setting collaborative realistic and specific goals, text/email support between sessions, meal/snack support, podcast and reading recommendations, writing prompts and activities, and peer support groups.

Services

Recovery Coaching

Our work together is completely individualized for your specific needs. Collaboratively, we will talk about your recovery and work towards realistic goals while simultaneously developing a plan of how you can achieve them with support.

I truly aim to meet you where you are in your recovery and support you in living the life you want to live! Depending on your needs, we may meet weekly, biweekly, or as frequently as needed based on your assessment. When appropriate, weekly sessions may be broken up into check-ins throughout the week.

Coaching also includes reasonable text and email support in between our weekly or biweekly meetings.

Single Recovery Support Calls

Support calls are much less frequent than regular coaching and designed for someone who is looking for a single call to strengthen their recovery, get oriented in their goals, and receive foundational support and guidance from someone who has been through their own recovery.

On a support call, we will prioritize anything specific that you feel would be most supportive to discuss and get feedback on in your recovery

Together, we will create an outline of specific ways to support you in achieving your recovery goals. Text support is not included between less frequent support calls.

Meal and Snack Support

Struggling specifically with eating meals and snacks? Do you want to challenge fear foods but want support from someone who understands the complications of eating with an eating disorder?

I can join you and we will navigate those challenges together. I will assist with challenging eating disorder thoughts and behaviors in a gentle, firm, and compassionate way.

Please Note: Meal and snack sessions are most effective when they are done in conjunction with weekly or biweekly traditional coaching sessions.

FAQs

  • Coaching is a wonderful addition to therapy! As a coach, I deal specifically with helping clients implement behavior change goals and taking recovery oriented actions. Coaching is meant to be an adjunct to working with a therapist, dietitian, psychiatrist and/or doctor for your recovery needs.

    My work is focused on the day-to-day challenges of recovering. Coaching focuses solely on the HOW. I do not work on past issues, underlying psychological contributors to an ED, and traumas. With that said, I understand the interconnection between eating disorders and trauma and provide trauma-informed care in my coaching. But I do not provide therapeutic interventions or delve into trauma. I points clients to therapy when there are deeper wounds they need support processing.

    I also offer texting support, which can provide daily support when someone is struggling to change disordered behaviors. As a coach, I offer a lot of support and planning with things that need to occur outside the office in daily life like meal support, grocery shopping, prepping food, and clothes shopping during recovery.

  • Coaching is beneficial for anyone in recovery who is trying to make changes and move forward in their recovery. It is most beneficial if you are in the action stage of recovery.

    If you need help with things like goal setting or figuring out HOW to accomplish your goals when the fear is high, eating meals, navigating behavior changes, following through with goals, etc., then coaching can be a wonderful support.

    Ideally you already are working with a therapist, dietitian, psychiatrist, or doctor and coaching is an adjunct support. I can also sometimes assist you with finding a therapist and/or dietitian if you need one.

  • "Trauma-Informed Care understands and considers the pervasive nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices and services that may inadvertently re-traumatize."
    -University at Buffalo Social Work

    In my work with clients, I consider the role of trauma at an individual, collective, and historical level and the connection with eating disorders. While I do not treat trauma as a coach, I incorporate the trauma-informed principles when working with clients: Safety, Trustworthiness, Choice, Collaboration, and Empowerment.

    You can read more about trauma-informed care here: https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/social-research/institutes-centers/institute-on-trauma-and-trauma-informed-care/what-is-trauma-informed-care.html

  • This depends. Typically once per week, but I can meet with clients more if frequent support and meal support is needed or less if they are further along in their recovery. 

    During our consultation call and assessment, together we will determine the best frequency for your needs and goals!

    Please note that texting is only included if we are meeting weekly. If we are meeting less frequently I do offer text support for a supplemental fee based on your needs.

  • Ideally we work together consistently because change takes time, but I understand financial resources can make frequent coaching not feasible for some. Or maybe you are at a stable place in recovery but need a bit of a boost or guidance every few months! For these situations I offer 90-minute recovery support calls.

    In a support call, we will collaboratively create an outline of your recovery goals and obstacles you have been facing. Together, we will develop specific ways to help you achieve them independently during the coming months. You are always welcome to book another single support call if you feel you need another!

  • Recovery looks different for everyone. I wish I could tell you that you can be recovered in a certain amount of time, but there is no set length of time it takes to recover. Each person's recovery is unique, which is why I take an individualized approach.

    Persistence, compassion, and being honest with yourself about where your eating disorder may still be showing up are all key parts of the process.

    Recovery can be challenging in a world filled with anti-fat bias and harmful diet/wellness culture messages. It is especially hard in our culture where disordered behaviors have become so normalized. I aim to provide a place that can be safe and supportive for you as you navigate this journey.

    We will work together to support you in making changes towards more inner piece and a life you want to live, whatever that looks like at this point in time!

  • Yes, I incorporate harm reduction into my coaching to reduce the negative impacts of eating disorder behaviors and promote safety. Even when someone is working towards full recovery, harm reduction always has a place during the process.

    I understand recovery is a privilege and each person faces a unique set of barriers and obstacles to recovery. Not everyone wants to recover, and I respect a person's right to autonomy and choice in their care.

    You are worthy of care, support, and building a life worth living regardless if that is with an eating disorder or trying to recover from one.


  • I offer a free 30 minute consultation call to give you the chance to meet me and see if working together feels like the right fit. I believe finding providers that you feel comfortable with is so important in recovery.

    If it’s a good fit, we can schedule our first session, you will complete a few forms, and we will get started!

Schedule a Free Consultation

Have questions about coaching and want to talk about working together? I offer a free 30-minute consultation call to see if working together feels like the right fit. I believe finding providers you trust and feel comfortable with is so important for recovery.

Please fill out the below form, and I will be in touch within 1-2 days. I work with clients virtually worldwide and in-person in central Pennsylvania.