Mental Health

The Intersection of Mental Health and Social Justice – What Are The Impacts?

November 26, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Social justice and its systematic impacts/inequalities are aspects that affect mental health and access to care. Mental health is not just an individual issue; it is deeply intertwined with social, economic, and political structures. Factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation can profoundly influence mental health experiences. Here’s how these intersections play out:

1. Communities of color often face higher rates of mental health disorders, emphasized by systemic racism and discrimination. Access to culturally competent care is often limited, leading to untreated conditions and worsening mental health outcomes.

2. Gender-based violence, discrimination, and societal expectations can significantly impact mental health. The stigma around mental health can prevent individuals from seeking help, leaving them to cope with their struggles alone.

3. Individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may lack access to mental health resources, facing obstacles such as cost, lack of insurance, and insufficient local services. Financial stress itself is a significant contributor to mental health issues.

It is important to become self-aware of how the intersections of your identities are impacted by systems and past experiences. Often times therapy can be a great way to gain insights on your personal impacts and areas of privilege vs oppression. Although it may prove to be difficult for individuals to change the systems that result in oppression and lack of access to care by themselves, there are few ways they can make an effort to contribute to methods of change.

Join a social justice movement! After becoming aware of systematic impacts on your identity, find a movement that you feel passionate about and get connected or find ways to donate/support causes that are important to you.

Educate yourself about mental health stigmas! Make an effort to help challenge the stigma surrounding mental health by engaging in open conversations and reducing barriers to seeking help as you share your own experiences and thoughts.

Explore Diverse Communities! Social justice initiatives often create supportive networks that foster community resilience and collective healing. These networks can provide essential resources and support for individuals facing mental health challenges.

Impactful change starts on an individual level. Tune in with yourself to unpack the complexities of your identity- you can start today!

-Zemirah Griffin, Primary Therapist

Mental Hygiene: Nourishing Your Mind As You Nourish Your Body

October 28, 2024 By Dominique Munday

In western culture, we often prioritize physical health while neglecting an equally vital aspect of our well-being: mental hygiene. Just as we practice personal hygiene to keep our bodies healthy, we must also engage in habits that nurture our mental health. For many, it may prove to be beneficial if they frequent mental health providers just as much as they frequent medical/physical health providers. Let's take a deeper dive into what mental hygiene is and how you can incorporate it into your daily life.

What is Mental Hygiene?
Mental hygiene can be referred to as "the practices and habits that promote mental well-being and emotional resilience". It involves maintaining a healthy mental state through self-care, mindfulness, positive thinking, and often times mental health treatment/therapy! By prioritizing mental hygiene, we can reduce stress, improve our mood, and enhance our overall quality of life.

Practices for Mental Hygiene

Mindfulness and Meditation: Allocate a few minutes a day to engage in mindfulness or meditation. This can help ground you, improve focus, and promote a sense of calm.
Connect With Others: While moments of being alone can be helpful and necessary, it is important to foster healthy relationships and connections with other people. Sometimes a small hug or a quick high five can end up being the highlight of one's day.
Engage in Physical Activity: Exercise can be a useful tool for mental health. Whether it’s a brisk walk, yoga, or dancing, physical activity releases endorphins that boost mood and reduce stress.
Connect with Nature: Spending time outdoors can have a rejuvenating effect on our minds. Nature has a calming influence and can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
Practice Gratitude: Take a moment each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for. This simple practice can shift your focus from negativity to positivity, enhancing your overall outlook on life.
Establish Healthy Routines: Create a daily routine that includes time for self-care, hobbies, and relaxation. Consistency can provide a sense of stability and control in our lives.
Seek Professional Help: If you’re struggling with your mental health, don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional. Therapy can provide valuable tools and support for maintaining mental hygiene.

Conclusion
Just as we brush our teeth, wash our hands, and visit our primary care doctor to maintain physical health, we must also take intentional steps to care for our mental well-being. By adopting practices of mental hygiene, we can cultivate a healthier, more fulfilling life. Remember, taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. A healthy mind leads to a happier, more vibrant life. So, start today—you and your mental health deserve it!

-Zemirah Griffin, Primary Therapist

Nutrition: Back to Basics

September 26, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Nutrition: Back to Basics

The definition of nutrition is “the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth”, yet it is not uncommon to lose or warp some of the most foundational aspects of nutrition in the name of “health”. Often, nutrition advice we receive involves restricting certain foods or food groups, conflicting information, unsustainable asks, and rigid rules. In today's world, where diet culture predominates, embracing a non-diet approach to nutrition can feel like navigating uncharted territory. However, understanding the basics of nutrition without the constraints of dieting can lead to a more peaceful relationship with food AND a healthy nourished body.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory that illustrates human motivation through a pyramid of different levels of needs, starting with fundamental requirements. This concept can also apply to food and eating, as demonstrated by dietitian Ellyn Satter’s hierarchy of food needs. This concept can be used in helping us understand how to meet our basic nutritional requirements before progressing to higher needs.

Sufficiency:
The most foundational level of nutrition is to ensure you are eating enough. Regardless of other food/ nutrition choices, if you are not getting a sufficient amount of energy to support your needs, you won’t be adequately nourished. Your body needs sufficient calories, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals to support basic functions like heartbeats and breathing. Diet culture often encourages restriction, but not eating enough can increase stress on the body, leading to inflammation and various health issues.

It is important to recognize that anyone, regardless of body size, can be undernourished.

One way to help ensure your body is getting adequately nourished is by eating regularly throughout the day. While each person’s needs and frequency may vary, a good general guideline is to fuel your body every 2-4 hours while awake. This helps maintain consistent energy levels.

Balance:
Balance in nutrition shouldn't be about canceling out or compensating for certain foods. Instead, it means getting enough of each macronutrient—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—because all play essential roles in the body. When diets demonize any of these macronutrients, it can prevent your body from functioning at its best. Including each of these macronutrients is also important in communicating with the brain. When glucose from carbohydrates, amino acids from protein, and fatty acids from fat increase in the blood after a meal, they signal the brain to reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness. If a meal lacks one of these macronutrients, you may consume a larger volume of food but still don’t feel satisfied or become hungry again soon after.

Creating neutrality around all foods helps foster greater permission to enjoy a variety of foods, including all macronutrients. This approach supports a balanced and flexible relationship with food.

Variety:
As we meet our basic nutritional needs, we next move towards adding more variety in our food choices. One aspect of variety is eating foods from each of the food groups - grains/ carbs, protein, fruits, vegetables, fat, and dairy. Different foods, even within the same food group, provide different nutrients. Expanding beyond the usual options, such as trying different vegetables or eating several types of carbohydrates, can also offers diverse nutritional benefits. Adding variety also helps prevent food burnout from eating the same meals repeatedly.

Individuality:
As we develop a healthier relationship with food and meet our most fundamental nutrition needs, we can look at more individual needs and preferences. Utilizing individual foods and nutrients can offer specific benefits and, at times, focusing on these foods can be beneficial for overall health (such as probiotics for gut health, fiber for cholesterol management, and protein for blood sugar stability). It is however important to remember that this is not the most important factor in overall nutrition.

Often times, mainstream nutrition advice over emphasizes this top level without addressing the others first. Individual foods only matter when you have adequate intake, balance, and variety in your diet. These foundational aspects of nutrition are essential for the benefits of specific foods to have an impact.

With all of the latest nutrition trends and advice readily available at our finger tips, eating and nourishing our bodies can quickly begin to feel complicated and unattainable. Looking at our most fundamental nutrition needs from a non-diet approach can offer a starting place for improving nutrition, health, and relationship with food.

-Tori Payton, MS, LD, RD, Director of Eating Disorders IOP

If you are interested in more support or help learning how to nourish your body, we offer nutrition counseling/medical nutrition therapy with our Registered Dietitians.

Busting Diet Culture Myths

August 28, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Busting Diet Culture Myths - Part 1

Diet culture is strong, prevalent, and thrives on the principle of scaring us into following specific rules or buying specific products in order to lose weight. Today, we’re going to bust some common diet culture myths, so you are better able to challenge disordered eating thoughts.

Myth #1: Eating after a certain time will make you gain weight

The body is equipped to metabolize food 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week! It simply cannot tell the difference between minutes or hours. This means our bodies have the ability to digest and absorb food, even late at night. There is no evidence to support the idea that eating late at night is unhealthy, nor that what you eat will automatically be stored as fat. This myth may have originated from other factors, like people tending to eat more late at night if they haven’t eaten enough during the day, or if food is used to cope with stress or boredom.

Myth #2: BMI determines health, or that thinness = health

Body Mass Index (BMI) was created by an astronomer and mathematician in the 1830s, with the original intention of being used as a census tool to identify typical sizes of a population. The majority of this data was drawn from upper-class, white men in the Netherlands. BMI solely compares one’s weight to height ratio and doesn’t take into consideration the complexities of determining one’s health status, such as age, sex, activity level, sleeping habits, or lean body mass. It’s of further note that significant conflicts of interest have been identified in the development of BMI target ranges. Due to these factors, BMI is generally understood to be a poor metric for measuring health. In fact, using BMI and weight status in this way can deter patients from receiving the medical care they need for fear of being shamed for their weight.

Myth #3: 2,000 calories is the amount of calories most people need

The idea of eating 2,000 calories/day began in the 1990s in an attempt by the FDA to simplify nutrition facts labels. This benchmark number was determined based on self-reported surveys of the general public’s typical intake. The problem with this data, and self-reported data in general, is people are known to under-report how much they’ve eaten. The survey results actually indicated an average of more than 2,000 calories/day, but the simplicity of an even 2,000 lead to this number be chosen instead. In reality, there is no one ideal number of calories. Needs will vary from person-to-person and even day-to-day.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, there is no secret formula or set of rules for leading a healthy lifestyle. Rather, it should be individualized, with options that are sustainable and enjoyable for each person. Our bodies are great at communicating with us. They should be honored and listened to, rather than trying to force them into following a set of rules society says is “right.”

-Rachel Orton, MS, RD, LD

Keep an eye out for Part 2 of "Busting Diet Culture Myths" coming soon! We’ll explore more of the harmful misconceptions diet culture spreads and offer tips on safeguarding your mental and physical well-being.

Endurance in The Face of Suffering

July 25, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Endurance in The Face of Suffering

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” – C.S. Lewis

To allow God into our lives to provide healing, guidance, and grace over our pain is an incredibly vulnerable decision to make. But it is just that: a decision. God will never force us to choose Him, and if we do, He does not guarantee that everything will be comfortable all the time; however, a promise I cling to when the race set before me seems impossibly long is that He longs to make me more in His likeness every day. It hurts Him to see me suffer. It brings Him joy to heal me, even if that healing process requires an endurance that is more painful than I could have imagined.

When facing trauma, mental illness, or eating disorders, endurance can sometimes feel impossible. The effort of putting even one foot in front of the other can be so astronomical that it might feel pointless. This can be discouraging because of the misconception that healing is supposed to be easy. “Am I doing something wrong?” might be a common doubt among those who are desperately seeking relief.

There is no correct way to heal. As much as we wish it to be so, healing is not linear. It is a long and arduous process which must begin again every day at the feet of the One who calls us Beloved. He will never turn us away from that surrender, He will never abandon us to the aimless wandering of our pain. If we allow Him, He can and will transform our suffering into a molding tool that makes us more and more like Him every single day.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we  boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we  also glory in our sufferings,  because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; and character produces hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:1-5

-Kit Archer, Intern (Family member of someone who recovered from an eating disorder.)

To learn more about God and Recovery, check out our other blog post, "What does God have to do with Recovery?"

Managing Stress and Food

June 28, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Managing Stress and Food: How the Two Correlate

Nutrition and stress are a two-way street and something many of us struggle with at times. Stress can either shut down a person’s appetite by the nervous system increasing epinephrine, a hormone that signals the body’s fight or flight response, that can cause a person to have little to no appetite or it can do the opposite. Prolonged stress can increase the hormone cortisol in a person’s body which can increase appetite beyond what would potentially be someone’s “normal”. A lack of self care and balance can lead to a decrease of healthy functioning, therefore it is helpful to do daily or weekly practices to keep stress at a lower level. One thing is true, we cannot get rid of stress, however we can learn to manage our personal stressors by incorporating coping and relaxation techniques.

Some suggestions to help counter stress according to Harvard Health Publishing through Harvard Medical School are participating in Meditation and Exercise, and by having a Support System. I would even back up and say work on identifying the stressors in your life, and then working on implementing practices to mitigate symptoms that arise from these stressors. A great way to identify stressors and work on creating a plan to decrease symptoms from short term or prolonged stress is to see a Mental Health Therapist! A Therapist can work with you to create a plan with added accountability and support to create more balance in your life, therefore increasing healthy functioning.

As a working adult who experiences plenty of stress, here are my favorite ways to relieve symptoms associated with stress:

Exercise: I enjoy walking, using my peloton, and doing yoga - I try to do some sort of joyful movement daily to help me connect with my body.
Journaling: I work on writing out my thoughts and feelings on paper so I can take some of what is in my brain and put it somewhere else.
Sleeping: I make sure to get 8 hours of sleep at night so I can feel renewed and replenished.
Social/Support: I utilize my support system by checking in with texts/phone calls and expressing my thoughts and feelings. I often see friends and family and focus on quality time by making sure we laugh a lot (and sometimes cry!).
Boundaries: I don’t spread myself too thin and make sure I make time for myself, even if it is only for 30 minutes in a day.

I also work hard at keeping phone usage/social media scrolling to a minimum, watch less news, and strive to always honor my body’s needs.

-Sierra Marcus, MA, LPC & Program Insurance Liaison

Navigating Adolescence: A Guide to Mental Health

May 28, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Navigating Adolescence: A Guide to Mental Health

Talking about mental health has been a taboo issue for years, but this is starting to change. We hear a lot more about mental health and the stigma surrounding it. Many people have struggled with their mental health for years without understanding what was happening. Adolescents, in particular, experience many changes with their bodies and emotions that can be difficult to understand. And because they have never ever been teens before, “Parents just don’t understand”; or so most teens seem to think.

Adolescent mental health encompasses a wide range of experiences, from everyday stressors to more serious conditions like anxiety and depression. It's essential to recognize that mental health challenges during adolescence are common and treatable. Factors such as hormonal changes, academic pressures, social media influence, and family dynamics can all impact mental well-being during this stage of life.

Signs

Some signs that your child may be struggling with their mental health may look like:

1. Changes in behavior: Sudden or significant changes in behavior patterns such as withdrawal from social activities, increased irritability, aggression, or mood swings.

2. Academic decline: Decrease in academic performance, lack of interest in schoolwork, or frequent absences from school.

3. Sleep disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or oversleeping, which can lead to fatigue and daytime drowsiness.

4. Appetite changes: Noticeable changes in eating habits, such as loss of appetite or overeating, leading to weight gain or loss.

5. Physical complaints: Frequent complaints of headaches, stomachaches, or other physical symptoms without apparent medical cause.

6. Substance use: Experimentation or increased use of alcohol, drugs, or other substances as a coping mechanism for emotional distress.

7. Self-harm behaviors: Engaging in self-harm behaviors such as cutting, burning, or scratching oneself, which may indicate underlying emotional pain.

8. Social isolation: Withdrawing from friends, family, or social activities, preferring to spend time alone rather than engaging in social interactions.

9. Persistent sadness or anxiety: Expressing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, or despair that persist over time and interfere with daily functioning.

10. Risk-taking behaviors: Engaging in risky behaviors such as reckless driving, unsafe sexual practices, or dangerous stunts, which may reflect a lack of concern for personal safety.

While these are some symptoms, it is important to note that these signs can vary greatly among individuals, and not all adolescents experiencing mental health issues will display the same symptoms.

Support

Creating a supportive environment is key to promoting adolescent mental health. Encouraging open communication, fostering a sense of belonging, and validating adolescents' experiences are essential components of support.

· Open Communication: Create a safe and supportive environment where adolescents feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, feelings, and concerns without fear of judgment.

· Active Listening: Listen attentively and empathetically to a child's experiences, validating their emotions and showing understanding.

· Validation and Encouragement: Acknowledge and validate your child's feelings, experiences, and struggles, offering reassurance and encouragement without minimizing their concerns.

· Empowerment: Encourage autonomy and decision-making, involving adolescents in discussions about their mental health and treatment options, empowering them to take an active role in their own care.

· Model Healthy Coping: Serve as positive role models by practicing healthy coping skills, self-care strategies, and effective communication in managing stress and emotions.

· Seek Professional Help: Take proactive steps to seek professional help from mental health professionals if needed, demonstrating a proactive approach to addressing mental health concerns.

· Non-judgmental Support: Offer non-judgmental support and acceptance, letting the adolescent know they are valued and cared for regardless of their struggles.

· Active Presence: Be present and available to listen when the adolescent needs someone to talk to, whether it's in person, over the phone, or through messaging.

· Empathy and Understanding: Show empathy and understanding by validating experiences and emotions, even if you may not fully understand what they're going through.

· Routine and Structure: Establish consistent routines and boundaries to provide stability and predictability, which can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of security.

· Respect Boundaries: Respect boundaries and privacy, understanding that they may not always want to talk about their struggles or may need space at times.

· Educate Yourself: Take the initiative to educate yourself about adolescent mental health issues, treatment options, and available resources to better support their child's needs.

Ending the Stigma

One of the biggest barriers to adolescent mental health care is the stigma surrounding mental illness. By promoting open dialogue, challenging stereotypes, and advocating for mental health education in schools and communities, we can break down these barriers and create a more supportive environment for young people struggling with their mental health.

Adolescence is a time of growth, exploration, and self-discovery, but it can also be challenging, especially when it comes to mental health. By understanding the unique needs of adolescents, providing support, and promoting positive coping strategies, we can help young people thrive during this critical stage of development. Together, let's work towards a future where adolescent mental health is prioritized and supported by all.

Ta’Neja Rodgers, MSW, Primary Therapist, Adolescent IOP Director

Unleashing Healing: The Therapeutic Power of Dogs in Counseling

May 1, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Unleashing Healing: The Therapeutic Power of Dogs in Counseling

Often beginning therapy can be an incredibly overwhelming experience for people. Individuals are consumed with anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, unsure of how to understand themselves; let alone the apprehension of entrusting a random stranger with the intricate pieces of one’s life. It has been found that using a dog in a therapeutic setting offers a bridge to help connect the client and clinician. Trust within a therapeutic dynamic is essential for any effective therapy to be completed; however, it can be difficult to build if it has been shattered previously in a person’s life. Canines can help foster a sense of safety and help clients open up and become more vulnerable in session which helps improve the overall effectiveness of therapy.

Research has found that “Petting an animal while discussing traumatic memories may even help those memories feel less painful.” This is a beneficial aspect to helping clients who participate in Manna’s Eating Disorder and Trauma IOP/PHP programs. Some benefits to having CGC animals in a therapeutic setting are:

· Helps to release “happy” hormones such a serotonin (helping to regulate mood), dopamine, and oxytocin.

· Reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms

· Lower cortisol levels which is the stress hormone

· Decrease blood pressure

· Improve pain management

· Assist in recall of painful memories

· Slow breathing

· Improve social skills related to confidence

· Helps foster and build sympathy and empathy

· Provides a sense of comfortability and safety when talking about one’s emotions

Scout is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) who accompanies Suzanne, one of Manna’s part time therapists, in both individual and group settings at Manna. She is a 2.5-year-old Brittany doodle whose breed is known for their intelligence and high energy. She is quick to be the first one to greet you and is known to give lots of snuggles on the couch or pets within the group room. Scout went through a rigorous training course created by the American Kennel Club to certify her as a CGC dog. When Scout is not at work, she loves to play fetch and snuggle on the couch. She is a silly but sweet girl and has a lot of love for everyone she meets.

"One of my favorite things," Suzanne says, "is to watch Scout create and build bonds with clients when talking about hard things. I can see walls come down almost instantly. It is exciting to watch her explode with joy when she encounters a client when they walk into their therapy session. Scout has learned commands to help provide a sense of comfort by gentling placing her head in your lap or leaning her body against a client’s leg; sometimes she enjoys just being close by and taking a nap whether that be on the couch or in her kennel."

Suzanne is cautious to take into consideration the different emotional and physical needs of clients. Scout is not desired in all sessions which is understandable and has a kennel when needed. She is hypoallergenic making her accessible for comfort to most people. Suzanne monitors Scouts needs within session and will remove her and give her breaks as needed (just as we all need).

Suzanne aspires to one day obtain an Animal Assisted Therapy certification for Scout to provide specific counseling interventions for clients. For now, she is a friendly face to help greet, bring comfort, joy, and sometimes laughter to difficult moments.

-Suzanne Smith MS, LAPC

Body Image and Self-Worth

March 22, 2024 By Dominique Munday

Body Image and Self-Worth: Take Charge of How You See Yourself!

Statistics about how people view their bodies are heartbreaking! According to the NOW Foundation (National Organization for Women Foundation), “53% of American girls are 'unhappy with their bodies.' This grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen.” Body dissatisfaction is not only observed in women, it is a struggle for all genders. Additionally, the diet industry makes over $70 billion yearly in America and over $270 billion worldwide, and these numbers are steadily rising. Although we know there are many other contributing factors to the development of disordered eating and eating disorders, it is no wonder the prevalence is so high in our culture!

The way we view ourselves changes over time. Have you seen a young child grinning from ear to ear as they admire their outfit and reflection in the mirror? Maybe you can remember feeling this way about yourself early in life. Sadly, at some point, so many of us are negatively impacted by unrealistic “beauty ideals” and messages we receive about how we are "supposed' to be from other people. These spoken or unspoken messages about our appearance and how we are “supposed” to be “different” ultimately damage our self-worth, and faulty beliefs can develop about WHO we are.

In the busyness of life, it is easy for our mental health to take a backseat. Critical thoughts about outer appearance can lead to faulty beliefs about self-worth. Left unchallenged, these harmful beliefs about WHO we are can fuel maladaptive behaviors, including disordered eating, self-harm, and substance use/abuse. Sometimes, because of a mental health disorder, such as an eating disorder or body dysmorphia, someone does not see themselves accurately, even as other people see them. If you are struggling with body image and self-worth in a way that impacts your ability to live a joy-filled life, I urge you to seek the assistance of a counselor who can help you sort through beliefs about yourself and build skills that can help you heal. Manna would love to walk alongside you on this journey!

At Manna, we teach a variety of approaches and skills to combat poor body image and low self-worth. Here are a few examples of effective tools:

★ Challenge the concept of an “ideal beauty standard”. Remind yourself that this “standard” has changed dramatically, over and over again, throughout history. If we take a snapshot of one particular time period, any beauty “standard” is subjective, as it differs depending on which group of people we ask. Even within the same culture, ideas about “beauty” can vary drastically.

★ Determine whether you have beliefs about how you “should” look or be “different”? Examine the messages you have chosen to believe about yourself, where these messages have come from, and decide which are beneficial and which need to be challenged/discarded. A counselor can help you use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to dig deeper to find the core beliefs you have about your worth and challenge them with truth.

★ Set boundaries in the areas where you are receiving negative messages about body image and self-worth. For instance, boundaries are necessary with people who are critical of you. Boundaries in other areas, such as social media, may also be needed.

★ Make a function and gratitude list. If you struggle with body image related to a specific body part, write down all the reasons you are thankful for the functionality of that part of your body. For example, if you do not like the size of your legs, remind yourself of the purpose of your legs and write down all of the things you enjoy doing with your legs (e.g. walking, hiking, riding a bike, snow skiing).

★ Give yourself grace, as thoughts and beliefs about yourself will not change overnight. Just as it takes time for negative body image and poor self-worth to develop, it takes time to challenge and replace the messages that are causing distress and to notice body image and self-worth improving.

The reason I am so passionate about helping others with body image and self-worth is because I have experienced the freedom and joy that result from working through my own challenges in these areas. It is my absolute joy to teach others how to love themselves for who they truly are, instead of holding onto beliefs that degrade their worth.

I work with clients of all faith backgrounds, including clients who do not believe in God. Since I am a Christian, I choose to challenge my own faulty beliefs (LIES) with the way I believe God sees me (TRUTH). Examples of my truth statements are:

• My Heavenly Father created me exactly as I am supposed to be, including my physical body and inner characteristics.

• I am valued by God, despite my many mistakes and imperfections.

• I am accepted, loved, and ENOUGH, just as I am.

Struggles with body image and self-worth do not need to continue to derail your joy, and it IS possible to learn to believe the truth about yourself. You are uniquely amazing!

Christie Payne, LPC RD LD

What Does God Have to Do With Recovery?

February 28, 2024 By Dominique Munday

It’s a huge question, right? Our alumni group has gotten together and come up with answers based on our own experience through treatment and recovery. Most of us in the group have been to multiple treatment facilities, with Manna being our last. Manna is the only treatment facility that we’ve been to that has connected God with trauma and recovery. Through our experience, we believe God is essential in recovery and we want to share what we’ve learned.

Identity: God gives us identity as children of THE Holy God. That means we are made on purpose; loved and cherished. We matter because we matter to Him. We are capable because he equips us. He equips us with courage, creativity, working minds, friends, ect. And our gratitude outflows when we embrace our identity as God’s children. We know that God cares about our recovery because He tells us that we are not to have any other God but Him (Exodus 20:2-3), and addiction gets in the way of that. God tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in us, whom we have received from God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Therefore, we can feel good about honoring our body by nourishing it, speaking well of it, and treating it well.

Dependence: We don’t have to be scared about our circumstances because God has already said that he will work everything out for good (reference Romans: 8:28). We can surrender expectations of what we thought our life ought to look like and we can make peace with the fact that life maybe didn’t go the way we think it should have. God is trustworthy. He knows our needs even better than we do and whatever he provides will be enough. Satan on the other hand is a liar. His desire is to steal, kill, and destroy. He can’t touch God, but he can attack what God loves – which is us. Satan creates pain intentionally and uses people who are in pain to hurt other people. But God has already created a solution for our pain. We must dig and be intentional in doing the work of allowing ourselves to feel the pain so it can move through us. Recovery is seeing our pain and moving through it to get to God because he will use it to grow us.

Grace: Pain that’s not dealt with can be very destructive. It can manifest as eating disorders, self-harm behaviors, substance abuse, and lashing out at others. Through Christ’s example of how he treats people in the bible, we learn how to treat ourselves with that same grace. If we mess up, we don’t have to take it out on ourselves. If we hurt someone, we aren’t to hurt ourselves in return- that’s not what God wants. God knows we will make mistakes and he has made a solution for that too.

Repentance: Repentance is asking forgiveness and changing our minds about how we think about something. Repentance not only pleases God, it also brings us closer to God. If we slip up and act out in a disordered behavior, we are not failures, and all is not lost. We can show ourselves the same grace Jesus shows his disciples when they constantly get it wrong. We can pick ourselves up and do the next right thing, eat the next meal and snack, and start over fresh the next day.

Forgiveness: Forgiveness is where we, as a recovering group, saw God most in our recovery. It seems to come later in the journey. It’s not as simple as “not thinking about the offense” – that’s avoidance. It’s not “not feeling anything”- that’s numbness. Forgiveness is evidence of God’s work because it is a true change of heart- and who else can change a heart other than God? Some examples from our group of what that looked like for us was: worshipping beside the abuser and hoping the best for her, caring for the abuser as he was dying, understanding (not excusing) that the abuser was also hurting and that everyone has their own narrative. Forgiveness is where the freedom is. And freedom brings peace. That is why it is so powerful.

In closing, we have been able to see God’s work in our lives through our recovery. Looking back at our journey we see where God was taking care of us all along. We can think differently now, therefore we act differently. When we share our stories, it encourages others. Knowing that someone else might benefit from what we’ve been through and learned helps give our journey purpose. Through treatment our recovery has brought us closer to God, made us stronger, and increased our ability to show love and compassion to ourselves and others. Therefore, we believe God has EVERYTHING to do with recovery.

-Manna Alumni