Intentionally Seeking Balance

Recently I had an accident that resulted in a surgery, and weeks of pain. In the beginning of this journey I had thoughts of "why me", and "Oh my, my body is not functioning the way it always has". These among other thoughts inline with these influenced me to feel a higher level of anxiety than I typically face on a daily basis. I was scared of the pain, the surgery, of my body never being the same, I was frustrated that I had to ask for help to do simple things like getting dressed and doing my hair. 

Suddenly there was a shift in perception, and no I didn't just become grateful or happy overnight, nor did humility really find me in a way that changed my gut reaction to asking for help. What did shift was, that I started to see this incident as a message to slow down. As an over-achiever and a "worrier" I go 80 mph almost all the time, but this pain has slowed me to about 45 mph, its helped my realize that I have people that will bend over backwards to help, and slowing down is okay. In fact its more than okay its what needed in order to have a balanced life.

What is most upsetting is that, I've done this before, gone 80 mph and wiped out from it. Hopefully this time I will hopefully learn and make an intentional choice to continue to seek balance and slow down in all areas of my life  

Vulnerability Factors

In life we are constantly being presented with opportunities, whether we see them that way or not. Each of these opportunities allows us to make choices of how to behave, think and feel. Again, we may not think we have a choice in how we behave, think or feel, but we do. Our choices are effected by what are called Vulnerability Factors. If we are engaging in unhealthy behaviors, patterns of thought, or are in a toxic environment your ability to make healthy choices for yourself generally goes out the window, so those opportunities than look a whole heck of a lot like problems. Areas of vulnerability to look at are:

• Physical illness

• Unbalanced eating and sleeping

• Injury

• Use of drugs or alcohol

• Misuse of prescription drugs

• Intense emotions being your baseline

• Stressful relationships

If we learn to manage and regulate these Vulnerability Factors we can have a change of perspective from being situations as "problems" and a lot more like opportunities.

Utilizing coping skills, attending support groups and receiving counseling can all be ways for you to gain more awareness and skills to mange these Vulnerability Factors.

Interview with Melissa Preston

Melissa Preston has been in private practice for almost 3 years, focusing on the nutrition and emotional aspects of those suffering from eating disorders. She practices near Capitol Hill in Denver and works primarily with individuals over the age of 18.

Q. Why did you go into this field?

A. I started out as a dietitian, went to undergrad in dietitian, did it for 7 years, but ended up being super bored and wasn't really my passion, through this experience I was able to be around individuals that needed counseling, and when their emotions related to food, that felt me feeling in passioned to help them.

struggled with own eating disorders from 16-26, finished in 2013 and decided to go straight into private practice for eating disorders. 

Q. What are you finding interesting right now?

A. How therapy has been focusing in the moment, and whether clients are able to process things in the session, and that has helped clients improve most quickly

Q. Who do you serve?

A. Practice with men and women ages 18+, to focus on the individuals since I feel like I work best with them 

Q. Where are you headed, what are you working on?

A. Feel like I am exactly where I need to be, and love that I am pretty much referral based, which I enjoy. I'd love to have it be 100% referral base. I feel lucky to be where I am. 

Q. If every client in the world was reading this, what is one thing you'd like to share?

A. There is hope for you, and with every client that is suffering, to know it wont always be this way, and it will and can get better, and that you can be in recovery, finding your authentic self and voice is definetly possible. 

Interview with Ronny DeCarlo

Recovery 360

Ronny DeCarlo has been working in Colorado for the last five years bringing high quality, community based recovery suport services to individuals and families.  

Q. Why did you go into this field? 

A. Well thats actually a long story. I first went to therapy in a setting that was for families, so they can learn to process and cope with a family member that is mentally ill. Little did I know that it would help me immensely and lead me to go to grad school. After I graduated a moved to LA, where I applied for a position with an organization that goes into individuals and families home to help continue to met their needs and support them in their own environment, which is what I felt was the missing piece when a family member of mine was needing treatment. 

Q. Who do you serve?

A. I serve women and men in the community that struggle with eating disorders and substance abuse, by actively guiding them to fulfill their treatment goals. For example, the client and I would go to the grocery store and complete their shopping list in a health and effective way. 

Q. Where are you headed, what are you working on?

A. I would love to expand my practice to near by cities in Colorado such as Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, and have therapist that work in those areas, actually live in that community rather than commuting from Denver.

Q. If every client was reading this right now, what would you want them to know? 

A. That recovery is possible, if you have the support, tools, and motivation that you can be in recovery.