Kiss today goodbye and point me to tomorrow

Saturday afternoon. So Gloria and I did this really cool hypnotherapy on Wednesday where she had me visualize the part of me that needs to binge (it looks like a take-out box from my favorite Mexican place, by the way) and ask it what positive purpose it was serving for me. It had to ask several times before I got the answer: bingeing helps me know that I'm OK and that I'm "here". It's like validation for me. Then she had me visualize the part of myself that wants to be healthy and whole (it looks like me, in shape and Zen-like, in workout clothes) and think about how it felt, how I felt. After that, she asked me to look back at the Mexican food take-out box and see if it had changed any, and you know, it really had. It was smaller and further away. She then asked if it would be possible to feel validated without the bingeing and I could feel that it would, so she asked what I saw for the bingeing part of me and I had to tell her that I couldn't see the box anymore. Seriously, I just couldn't see it there! We went on to combine the feeling associated with bingeing with the part of me that wants to be healthy and whole, and I really could feel the validation that I crave starting to associate with my healthy self. Very cool.

Why am I telling you this? To explain why, even after I had the biggest binge of my life Friday night (seriously, it involved three different restaurants), I feel very hopeful. I don't need the binges and I can be validated and safe without them because it's all about keeping myself and my health at the forefront of my eating decisions. Sounds simple, I'm sure, but this is really a break-through for me.

Comments

Brooke said…
That's inspiring, Denise. Truly. It's got me thinking about my own habits, my own health. Thank you for posting this.
This is very interesting, Denise! Please keep us updated on the different tactics she uses.
I have 2 feelings when I binge...the feel good because it tastes so good...and the feel lousy since I have guilt and shame at having no control.
Do all people binge to feel validated or was she saying that is your reason? I don't know why I do...rebellion from always being restricted when I was younger? Anger and frustration at being unhealthy?
This is neat stuff.
Argy said…
Darling...what you described and called simple sounds to me as the magical turning point!

I know you are about to start a very interesting and valuable journey!
yvonne said…
That sounds very cool. I need to see if I could find someone like Gloria. Marla keeps telling me I need to have my head examined and I really do think I have to address the mental side of weight loss, seeing as how the mental side was such a huge factor in the weight gain! I'm finding all of this fascianting.
M@rla said…
This sounds really exciting, I think you're on to something important! And yes, Yvonne needs her head examined.
Very cool. I'm excited to see how it works for you! I know people who have quit smoking through hypnosis, so I bet this will work out great for you!
EMLB said…
I did a similar imagery with my holistic therapist, and my part that wants to overeat is a big grey cloud and my healthy part is a lemon. My imagery was slightly different in that I was asked to have the lemon and t blob talk to each other and find out how they could work together to help me. The blob is supposed to keep an eye out for new things to try and keep the food exciting while the lemon is supposed to study up on nutrition and learn what foods are healthiest for me. I did that last year and it has been pretty helpful.

Popular Posts