Generational-Trauma and Disordered Eating
In my work as an eating disorder specialized therapist, this is a topic I see recurring over and over again. The messages about food and body we got from our caregivers, and they got from their caregivers, can have lasting impacts on us both psychologically and physically. In an initial assessment with me, I ask questions to better understand the food environment my client was raised in. To understand the messages they got surrounding what food was good and bad, about how to eat, how much to eat, when to eat, etc.
What were the eating habits of your family growing up? Was someone constantly worried about their next diet? Was someone worried about working out in order to eat full meals? Did the family have enough resources to feed the entire family each meal? Did you eat at a table with loved ones for dinner or did you eat alone? What were the messages you were given about how much food to eat and when and what kind?
We all have a unique relationship with food- some negative and some positive. But we have to dive deeper into what habits and values we learned growing up about food and nutrition to evaluate what we have constructed our own experience to be.
Whatever the past may look like, there is room for shifts in your relationship with food and body through awareness and effort. You can grow and change even though you have been impacted through this generational-trauma.
Generational-trauma does’t mean each child has parallel experiences to what their parents had.
So let’s recognize the difficulty that comes with growing past those messages… telling them you don’t care if you eat seconds. That your shirts don’t have to be baggy. That you LOVE eating sweets. That salads don’t always sound tasty to you. Through this, we can find distance between ourselves and the ones we love. What we can do- is find our OWN balance and develop a healthy relationship with food and our body.
Looking for help untangling the many messages you received about your body?
Check out our BODY IMAGE LIBERATION COURSE designed especially for you.
