It’s Complicated

Somatic Nutrition Counseling School is in Session!

But why we need it is complicated and let’s talk about how to reframe client stuckness.

What can RD’s do in the face of such circumstances?

From Complex PTSD and Dissociative Symptoms | Dr. Arielle Schwartz :

“According to Christine Ford (2009), children undergo a “biological trade-off” when they grow up in a home where there is ongoing neglect or repeated frightening and abusive events. This trade-off leads them to forgo their natural inclination for learning, curiosity, growth and self-development for the sake of survival. Over time, this can lead the child and later, the adult, to sacrifice exposure to enriching new experiences for the sake of maintaining a pseudo-safety. Even in the absence of violent or sexual attacks on the body, ongoing emotional abuse that involves psychological attacks, shaming, rejection, or neglect has the ability to damage the integrity of the self-identity of the child. These “invisible” traumatic events are also associated with a loss of self-regulatory abilities including impulsivity and reactivity to stress (Teicher et al., 2006)………

Children also tend to develop inaccurate beliefs about themselves as a way to cope with the uncontrollable outer world. They might conclude that “There is something wrong with me,” “It’s all my fault,” or “I do not deserve to exist.” This process displaces the blame of the abuse or neglect onto the self. Perhaps, these thoughts arise because there is more control when a child believes that they are the source of the problem. Furthermore, as Dr. Jim Knipe (2018) suggests, it is utterly unfathomable for a child to contemplate that they are a good kid relying upon bad parents. Therefore, it is actually safer to believe that they are a bad child, relying upon good parents. Such compromised meaning making is a dominant symptom of Complex PTSD.”

When I read this, I see how we can easily displace all these experiences onto the body and food with diet culture as the good parent and the body as bad.

I hear clients say all the time that “my body is wrong” and “I’d rather be dead that fat”.

What do you do when your clients say this?

Well, first make sure your clients are working with somatically trained therapists.

Second, we support cultivation of the seedlings of self-compassion in the midst of difficult circumstances.

“of course it seems easier to avoid body sensation and memories by not eating/eating past the bodies needs; makes so much sense. you didn’t have the resources then”

Third, we support the current adult who, with our co-regulation and partnering with their wisdom and body, to see how the body is only giving feedback about it’s needs with reactions to restricting or binging. It’s not because they are out of control or worthless.

To be able to be a regulator in your clients’ lives, https://embodieddietitian.com/somatic-nutrition-counseling/

Still honoring early bird pricing of 1900 for 2-3 hours of instruction and support for 12 weeks starting Jan 31st.

Happy to chat to clarify anything you need!

To your regulated client and practice success,
Tracy

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