The “Unburdened System” of disordered eating

For a moment, imagine if you can that you were magically transported to a world were your body was completely and utterly accepted. You were respected and honored for being in the body that you existed in. You felt loved for who you were and what you looked like.

You BELONGED.

You were NOURISHED.

Imagine what that would feel like for you.

What would be different for you? How would you care for yourself? How would you talk to yourself about what you looked like and what other’s thought of you? What would feel different inside?

Here is a UNBURDENED Manager system when it comes to food/body:

• Confidence around food and body. Internal guide is connected to your cues about what your body wants/needs

• Advocate for your needs, able to communicate to others

• Asks for help when needed and not afraid if rejected

• Able to take on a flexible approach to food and balance by listening to your body’s needs/desires

• Creative with problem-solving

• Collaborative with other parts around food, exercise, sleep, rest, and able to take input from other part’s needs

UNBURDENED Firefighter system when it comes to food/body:

• Advocate for fairness and justice and able to speak up about concerns

• Tap into self-soothing as helpful to regulate and/or feel good 

• Ability to know desires, pleasures, and enjoy life

• Courage to move into healthy risk-taking and growth

• Rest and not feel a need to be productive as a means of worth

• Self-care without guilt 

UNBURDENED vulnerability system when it comes to food/body:

• Open and trusting

• Child-like curiosity, imaginative, play with a sense of losing track of time

• Reach out for help when hurt

• Find comfort and sense of safety

• Fun and free

• Creative with an internal pleasure point guiding imagination

Take a moment to sit with these ideas and concepts. I know it may feel distant and if you are still active in your Eating Disorder, you may quickly look at these concepts as “goals to achieve”. Notice where you go when you look at these concepts. Do you start to engage in negative thinking patterns, putting yourself down for not being where you “think you should be”. Hello Eating Disorder Part/Parts. Welcome in those parts of you that are there. See if you can offer some compassion and awareness to those parts. Let them know you see them, and how hard they look for answers for you (to feel better, to be fixed, etc.).

And if you find yourself going there, know you are not alone. So many others have active Eating Disorder Parts that too would be activated by the above list. Find a trained Internal Family Systems Therapist in your area that specializes in Addictive Processes. You don’t have to do this alone.

And as always I’m here for support should you need it.

Warmly,

Leslie