As we find ourselves in this Holiday season, we also find ourselves surrounded by so much holiday food- meals and treats galore. For many individuals during this time of year, there seems to be a spotlight on weight and body image. Whether highlighted by a family member, friend, or our own shame and insecurity, the drama around our weight and body image seems to heighten over the holidays making it easier to fall into the cycle of emotional eating.

Having a hyper-awareness of our body weight and body image can create unrealistic expectations of the way we “should” look but also, the way we eat. As teenagers and young adults, it seems that there is an outstanding amount of pressure to look a certain way, and our experience in these years shapes our relationship with food as we continue through adulthood.

One of my clients expressed that her mom put her on a diet when she was 9 years old, restricted her food, and took her to a doctor to get diet pills so she could lose weight. Unfortunately, this client was also physically abused when she didn’t lose weight. So of course, this woman had unresolved emotional issues around her weight, body image, and self-esteem. After she discovered the emotion code, we were able to work through the underlying trauma that eventually lead to the repair of her relationship with food.

I had another client whose mother often commented on her weight when she returned home from college for the holidays. She would eat extremely small portions during family meals, but find herself eating an entire bag of chips or cookies late at night due to the stress & guilt she felt regarding her body image. The cycle continued as the morning would come around and she would be feeling guilty for overeating the night before. After working with this client over a few sessions, we were able to release the negative emotions that were connected to the frustration, guilt, and shame that she felt surrounding the unrealistic expectations that were put on her by her mother.

Although we may still feel pressure regarding our weight and body image, we can still develop a good relationship with food rather than giving up our control to our eating habits.  Using the Emotion Code, I am able to target the negative emotions that have you locked into the cycle of emotional eating and give you the freedom that you deserve. Contact me to see if the Emotion Code is an option for you.