The Deeper Meaning of Your Eating Disorder + What to Do About It with Karen Koenig MED, LCSW
Communication shapes our world.
The words we use don't just reflect our thoughts; they shape our experiences, both internally and in our relationships with others. We often ask: What's the deeper meaning behind someone's struggle with food? What could be going on beneath the surface? While these questions are important, we should also be thinking of how we can apply this understanding to create positive change.
Listen to the Episode Now
If this post resonates with you or makes you feel something, share it with a friend! My hope is that we can keep this important conversation going long after the post is over.
It's easy to get caught up in the intellectual aspect of these discussions. We can spend hours dissecting the hypothetical experiences of someone with an eating disorder, theorizing about the underlying dynamics. But we need to remember that these aren't just abstract concepts—they're real issues that affect real people.
When it comes to your own life, how practical is it to keep this conversation purely intellectual? The truth is, understanding the why behind someone's struggles is only half the battle. The other half is figuring out how to use that understanding to move forward.
By shifting our focus from intellectual discourse to practical application, we can transform our understanding of eating disorders and create meaningful change. After all, words have power—but actions speak louder.
In this episode, I am joined by Karen Koenig.
Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed., is a psychotherapist and international, award-winning 8-book author. Her books and blogs for chronic dieters and emotional, binge, and over-eaters are full of humor and practical wisdom and have been called “therapy on the page.” With 35 years of experience in the field of eating psychology, she teaches people how to eat “normally” and create a joyous, healthy, meaningful life for themselves. Her media experience includes scores of TV, radio, print, and podcast interviews. She lives and practices in Sarasota, Florida and her website is http://www.karenrkoenig.com.
In this episode, we’re talking about:
The significance of language in communication and understanding disordered eating.
The deeper meaning and underlying factors of eating disorders.
The connection between eating disorders and family dynamics, trauma, anxiety, and depression.
Emotion dysregulation and its origins, including genetic, attachment, and developmental factors.
Analysis of emotional reactions and their relevance to present-day situations versus past experiences.
Practical tips for managing emotions, such as using decision trees to identify hunger cues and emotional triggers.
The complexity of managing emotions and the importance of sitting with discomfort rather than rushing to find solutions.
Accepting discomfort and the importance of sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
Exploring feelings without judgment.
Challenging the fantasy of recovery and acknowledging that real life can be challenging and uncomfortable.
The power of choice in how we respond to discomfort and emotions.
The stigma around feeling pride and the importance of embracing positive emotions.
Understanding the role of mindfulness and mindlessness in daily life, without guilt or judgment.
Finding a balance between mindfulness and mindlessness for a fulfilling life.
Also as a little note - we have a new fun way for you to interact with the podcast! You now have the option to send us audio recordings! Just scroll down in the show notes to find the link. Tell us what you love, and what you hate, or just introduce yourself. Your voice goes straight to me, and hey, if you're up for it, we might even share it with the world.
Tweetable Quotes
"There is often a connection to anxiety and depression, and we talk about them differently, but they're kind of the same neurotransmitters." - Karen Koenig
"I think stable sense of self and regulated emotional reactions are the places that I often go right to." - Karen Koenig
"Emotions are, to me, the richest experience that we'll have." - Rachelle Heinemann
"It's okay to just feel that, just name it and be with it." - Karen Koenig
"There's a great deal of pain in life, and sometimes the only pain we can avoid is the pain of trying to avoid pain." - Karen Koenig
Resources
Connect with Karen Koenig Here!
Save Your Spot for my Upcoming Webinar
Join Our Body Image Group Here!
Grab the replay of my Basics of Assessment and Early Treatment of Eating Disorder Webinar
Related Episodes
Episode 114. What Every Therapist Wished Psychiatrists Knew About Eating Disorders
Episode 105. The Root of Your Emotional Eating
Episode 101. How To "Deepen" the Treatment
Episode 94. Unraveling the Truth: It's Not About the Food
Newsletter update: If you’re not already signed up for my newsletter, then I’m not sure what you’re waiting for! I’m ✨obsessed ✨ with it. In an effort to keep things fun and fresh, we’re going to monthly newsletters rather than weekly. If you have any feedback on what you want to see in the newsletters, reply back to one or send me a message!
Grab my FREEBIE!: As you navigate recovery, you may be feeling like something is missing. You're doing a lot of work challenging yourself with the food, your body, and exercise. You're probably working on lots of other things at the same time, like stuff at work or relationship issues.
But, still, something doesn't feel like you're getting to the bottom of it. Grab my free journal prompts below and begin to work through the emotions of healing.
More From Rachelle
Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.
I believe in the power of deep work and its positive impact on your life in the long term. Learn more about how we can work together here.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter for even more!
You can connect with me on Instagram, through my website or email me directly clicking the links below.
Subscribe & Leave A Review!
If you enjoyed this episode, you can show your support by leaving a review, subscribing, or sharing with someone who may need help. Click here to open this show in iTunes and leave a five star rating and review.