This is NOT a text book
From my experience in the NHS I am convinced that people are not that interested in theories about why they are in pain – they just want it to stop. This is the ethos of my practice and it is also the main thrust of the book. I am not really interested in why you have an eating disorder and I am not really interested in how it developed. But I am very interested in helping you to fully recover and put this nightmare firmly behind you. My book has everything you need to know to – set yourself up for success and recover.
Based in the real lived experiences of clients who recovered
I have based this book on the real life experiences of my clients who have recovered. To protect their privacy I have used pseudonyms throughout. I have scattered their thoughts as they started to recover, throughout the book. I have used their real answers as examples to help you complete the exercises. I am sure that you will recognise yourself in their words and their pain as they start on the journey will resonate with you. As you work through the book let their spirit to embrace change inspire you to join them and to fully recover and flourish.
How to use the book
I don’t want you to just read the book – I want you to use the book to recover. To do so you will have to fully engage with the book and so I have laid it out to make this as easy as possible. To get the most out of the book read it with a pen or pencil in your hand. Underline anything you want to remember, draw in the margins, write your experiences of the techniques and fill in the exercises. Make it your well thumbed guide.
‘Bite size’
In some of the chapters there is a lot to take in as you unpick years or even decades of misinformation. Don’t worry just take your time and let it sink in. So that you can be sure you have fully understood key points, understood the exercises, know how to learn from the exercises and fully understand the techniques that you will learn.
At the end of each chapter will be a section called ‘bite sized’ where the key points are summarised. This will give you the chance to check whether you have really taken on board what you have read. If not simply re-read the chapter. Each chapter builds on the previous one, so it is really important you understand fully before moving on to the next chapter. It’s also a great summary if you want to check back at any time.
‘What I have learned’
At the end of each chapter there is a place for you to make notes of what you have learned. This is really helpful when you are reviewing what you have learned in previous chapters. It is an opportunity for you to explore your feelings in relation to what you have just read. Feel free to express yourself in whatever way seems best to you.
Exercises
Throughout the book are exercises for you to do. I explain each exercise and then give you a real life example of how a client has filled it in. You can then do the exercise. Once done I will show you how to interpret what you have written. You can write your insights of what your answers are telling you in the ‘what I have learned section.’
Techniques
There are lots of techniques throughout the book. I have chosen these carefully because
I know they work and they will really help you recover. There is an added benefit in that these techniques are transferable skills and once learned they will serve you well in other situations for the rest of you life. – Time to jump into the book
‘Appetite for Life: Create a life free from binge eating and bulimia’ will be available on Amazon soon