Behind Conquering Bulimia: A Mission to Help – From an Eating Disorder Coach
I want to share the heartfelt story behind the creation of Conquering Bulimia.
Since 2016, I’ve been fortunate to own and operate a private practice, where I’ve had the privilege of helping numerous individuals on their journey to recovery from bulimia and other eating disorders. I am deeply grateful for the trust these individuals have placed in me, allowing me to support them on their path to recovery. However, there has always been a challenge I faced – time.
As an eating disorder recovery coach, my commitment goes beyond scheduled weekly sessions. I provide real-time support between sessions and pour my heart into each client’s journey. It’s not just about setting goals and taking action; it’s also about instilling hope and inspiration for the future. At times, I’ve had a full caseload, leading me to refer clients to other trusted treatment providers and eating disorder recovery coaches. While I’ve humorously called myself a matchmaker, it has always pained me that I couldn’t personally assist everyone in breaking free from their eating disorder. I’ve longed to do more, to help more, but I wasn’t sure how.
And then, in early 2021, Merrit entered the picture.
Merrit reached out to me while pursuing her Master’s Degree in Health Promotion Management at SMU. She was interested in learning more about coaching as a profession. Our connection was instant, leading to a mentorship that blossomed into a meaningful friendship. We shared a story, a passion, and transcended generational differences. Best of all, I would now have another eating disorder recovery coach in Dallas, Texas, whom I could trust and collaborate with. By the end of 2022, she was fully certified, doing fantastic work, and we both knew we wanted to do more together.
That’s when the idea was born. We envisioned creating a course to help countless individuals overcome bulimia, a journey we would embark on together. It was a solution to my time limitations and a dream to expand our reach.
But why bulimia?
Both Merrit and I have experienced full recovery from bulimia, and we recognized the unique challenges it presents. Bulimia often lives in secrecy and carries an overwhelming sense of shame. Stigma surrounds it, and we were determined to break through.
Why a course?
We aimed to make eating disorder recovery accessible and affordable. We wanted to provide an option for those with busy schedules who needed recovery to fit into their lives. Our course would be, and is, private, intense, and incorporates all the coaching skills and tools we had developed. We wanted to offer a lifeline to anyone seeking support for bulimia.
Our mission was clear: for the next ten months, we would dedicate ourselves to course creation, building, filming, and more.
In August 2023, Conquering Bulimia was launched. As I write this, it’s been less than three months, and the unsolicited testimonials have brought us immense joy and tears of happiness. Witnessing our passion project genuinely help people in their recovery journey in overcoming bulimia is beyond rewarding.
One testimonial stands out.
Offering a glimpse of the impact our course has had: “I have purchased and am actively working through the course. I am SOOOO THANKFUL for this course!!!! Things are finally starting to click in my mind, and I have felt the most empowered and supported in finally overcoming this eating disorder. I have struggled with disordered eating since I was 8 years old. I reached out for help multiple times and was turned away for not being sick enough, or started on an abundance of meds to ‘fix me,’ couldn’t financially afford the level of care I needed at one point and then eventually signed myself into a PHP program to be discharged 6 months later since my insurance was no longer covering care and being told I would be in and out of treatment centers the rest of my life. I have run the gauntlet and overcome to the best of my ability. I’ve been told I shouldn’t be alive, and yet I am here, and I know I have a greater purpose to fulfill in this life. I continue to fight – day in and out – and your course has finally offered me the hope and connected the dots of all of my previous understanding. Thank you for your course, for your story, and for giving me a new spark of renewed hope in full recovery one day.” – M.M.
Sharing this testimonial gives me chills. Merrit and I have conquered bulimia, helped others in our private practices, and now this course is poised to help many more on their path to recovery.
So, I’m calling it! This course is going to change the landscape and be a go-to source for helping in eating disorder recovery from bulimia.
This also means that our new mission is to share and spread the word. Hoping we can reach any and all who need this resource. This blog is just one way!
If you’re struggling right now with bulimia, please know that you are not alone. You do not have to stay in this place forever. I get the fear and ambivalence, but I promise you it is so much better on this side.
If you feel called to make a change, I am here to respond personally to your emails at sarah@sarahleerecovery.com. You can also explore our course further at https://www.conqueringbulimia.com/.
Let us embark on this journey together, conquering bulimia, one step at a time.
With Love & Light,
Sarah Lee
Certified Eating Disorder Coach, CCIEDC 1008
Website: Sarah Lee Recovery
Bulimia Recovery Course: Conquering Bulimia
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