A Perfectly Imperfect Vacation – Salty Hair, Tanned Skin, Sandy Bottoms, Soft Bellies and Smiles!
Oh Vacation….what an amazing and delightful concept! Some say that vacation is a state of mind, some say it’s important to make life your vacation, but I have a whole different outlook on this holiday from life. When I used to think of vacation, I would picture perfection…perfection in every
Tips and Tricks to Conquer Re-Entry!
It’s already August 8th! Children, teenagers, and families are gearing up for back to school, football season is in the air, and before you know it we will be singing christmas carols! Okay…I may be getting ahead of myself, but you get it! With back to school, moving into dorms,
Recovery Love and Care Launch Week Recap!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. What a crazy couple of weeks it has been! I am feeling so many emotions! I feel grateful, humbled, empowered, inspired, driven, excited, enthusiastic, happy, thrilled, hopeful, tired, scared AND ready! (Remember, we MUST embrace those
Netflix Feature Film To The Bone – A Safe Viewing Guide!
I am providing my unique and educated perspectives and opinions on the Netflix feature film To The Bone. This is an incredibly controversial topic that I feel must be addressed, and I would like to preface this with this simple statement…. I, in no way recommend an individual within their
Project HEAL – A New Partner!
Project HEAL Project HEAL is a phenomenal organization that funds Eating Disorder Treatment for individuals who cannot afford to do so themselves. This organization, Project HEAL, was founded by two amazing young 15 year old women who met in treatment and chose to help others reach full recovery as well!
Fat Is Not a Feeling – Identifying Your Fat Feelings and Finding Freedom in Your Body!
Finding a positive and healthy body image is so incredibly challenging…especially when you don’t FEEL as if you look your best! But first let me remind you…FAT IS NOT A FEELING! Once you can come to terms with this concept, you will feel free from this socialized stigma that comes
Exercise and Social Media – Healthy Motivations and Honesty!
This is a blog post that I wrote for the amazing Julie Harris from The Healthful Peach, an beautiful blog that helps women find a healthy balance in life with food and fitness. Julie believes that showing up daily with intention, and feeling empowered to make healthful choices is truly
Interview With Dana Suchow From DoTheHotPants!
Okay everyone, I am thrilled and giddy with excitement to share this post with you! I had the privilege to meet with and interview Dana Suchow of “DoTheHotpants” via Skype this past month, and let me just say it was so enlightening and empowering! Dana is a fellow ED warrior,
Learning How To Love Your Body
Learning how to love yourself, learning how to love your body, loving your body more, love your body, love your body love your body…..I could say it over and over and over again, but it will not happen unless you WANT it, unless you WORK for it, unless you want
All Natural DIY Face Masks AND My Recent All Natural Skin Care Obsessions!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. My loved ones can attest to my slight obsession with skin products…it has ALWAYS been my go to “luxury self-care” and I’m still finding ways to experiment with skin care within my self-care practice! Now YOU
What WOMAN Means to Me pt. 7 – with Emily Dell
I met Emily while studying abroad in Florence, Italy my Junior year of college. Emily and I, along with five other fabulous women, were assigned to live with each other at random in a charming, quaint and tiny apartment above a Gelato shop (it was heavenly)! I was drawn to
Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga – Being a Charleston Local, Facing Fears and Embracing Dreams!
A Day Out on Folly Beach, Tackling My Fears and Embracing My Dreams I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a yogi, but I am absolutely a lover of all things yoga! I am also an avid lover of all things beach! This past Monday I combined those two loves, I took a
Lets Talk Body Image! Ways to Love Yourself More and Live a Self-Compassionate Life!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. Body Image. This is a tough one….I have said it before, and I will say it again and again….positive body image ALMOST ALWAYS comes last within Eating Disorder recovery, as well as within any journey towards
#NoFearInFood…. Everyday Can Be Donut Day!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. Happy National Donut Day! First off, let me be the one to remind you….ANYDAY can be national donut day, we do not need permission to eat certain food groups! No fear in food is a concept
Self-Care On The Road – Road Trip Self-Care Kit!
Keep reading to learn my tips and tricks for maintaining self-care and protecting your Eating Disorder Recovery while on the road! Self-care is so very important, especially while we are traveling! Self-care can be used as a preventative practice in place of unhealthy behaviors, such as restriction, dieting, overexercising, binge
What WOMAN Means To Me pt. 6 – with Ireana Nathan
Who is just LOVING this series?! It is truly turning into a safe space for ALL women to illustrate what WOMAN means to them! I first met Ireana at an event for fellow creatives and bloggers here in Charleston, SC, although i had secretly been a fan of her blog
My Recovery Kitty – The Saga of Lilly!
Buckle in for a funny and plot twisting post, you’ll be shocked at what happens! At the very beginning of my Eating Disorder (ED) Recovery, Sean and I moved in with one another. Maybe I should be clearer, I moved in with Sean and three of his friends, and yes,
What WOMAN Means to Me – Pt. with Becca Schultz
Becca Shultz is an amazing soul, she is an inspiring presence and I am so very honored that she has written a post for this series! As an empowered WOMAN, Becca has now taken it upon herself to spread the powerful inspirations and ideations that she has been taught by
Soapy Self-Care – The Three Tiers of Self-Care
Self-care is a complex concept, similar to many of the topics that are discussed on this blog. I will break down this concept into three tiers as well as, provide an example of a multi-tiered practice of self-care that I use on a nightly basis!
What WOMAN Means To Me – Pt. 4 with Claire Mattingly
It’s that time again! I am so anxious for everyone to read this post, not just because it was authored by my sister, but also because Claire is a strong, empowering and amazing person. Claire is my younger sister, and she is truly what I hope to be like when
Self-Care Giveaway! Recovery Love and Care & Celadon Massage
CALLING ALL LOCALS!!!! The lovely Joanna Gable, from Celadon Massage, and I have linked up and created an AMAZING give away for anyone who is within the Charleston, SC area! Joanna is a local Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) here in Charleston. She runs her own practice with focus on local
“Have You Tried That Cleanse?!”…..#OverIt
“Oh are you doing the cleanse!?” “Have you tried the Whole 30?” “You eat carbs!?” “Do you do clean eating?!” These are all questions I have been asked in the past week. No, I am not ever offended by these questions, as I believe that people are usually doing their
What WOMAN Means To Me Series – Pt. 3 With Gissell Reyes
Gissell Reyes is another dear friend of mine, fellow woman warrior, future colleague and fellow sister! I am overwhelmed by her beautiful depiction of WOMAN….go ahead and indulge yourself in this amazing illustration of What WOMAN means to Gissell…. Defining your womanhood is unique to yourself. This is one woman’s
What WOMAN Means to Me Series pt. 2 – With Asia Vianna Mack
My good friend, fellow peer, and future colleague Asia Vianna Mack has gloriously put into words what WOMAN means to her in the form of poem. I am honored to know such a strong and vulnerable woman, I hope you enjoy! Pieces Just like a Mr. Potato Head. Rip off
What WOMAN Means to Me – Series Kickoff!
This is a start to an extensive and beautiful collaborative series about what WOMAN means, as the concept of female and woman is unique to each and every individual. We will be hearing from women and men from all walks of life, all shapes and sizes, all colors, all cultures
Bay State to Broad Collaboration – A New Take on More Than Just a Number
Bay State to Broad’s original post…. More Than Just a Number I’m so excited to feature one of my sweetest friends on Bay State to Broad today! Jayne grew up just outside of Chicago. I grew up just outside of Boston. Jayne transferred schools after her freshman year to The
Be Your Own Advocate
Whether within recovery from poor self-image, people pleasing, lack of self worth, or an Eating Disorder, having a voice for yourself is crucial. Advocacy is one of those things that doesn’t necessarily seem natural to us, in that we were never taught how to assert ourselves, promote ourselves and look
Our “BUTS” are getting in the way…How AND Why to Live an “AND” Life!
After a long and grueling week at my second, and final Residency in Chicago I am feeling more grounded in not only my professional skills, but also my personal skills on a level higher than I ever imagined possible at this point within my life! I learned that despite my
Trust The Process
My how time flies! I have officially been at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology as a Clinical Mental Counseling graduate student for nineteen months! I am currently embarking on my second, and last residency in Chicago, and there is finally a glimmer of practicing as a professional in the
The Power of Patience
“We want things so badly – that job, that check, a relationship, a possession. We want our life to change…. We try to predict, circling dates on the calendar, asking questions…. we forget that we don’t hold the answers” – Melody Beattie Patience, this is a concept that many individuals
Feel Good Look Good Series – A New Take on Dressing for Success – Collaboration with East Coast Gypsy and Recovery Love and Care!
Life is all about change, transition, and growth, and without discomfort we cannot truly grow as human beings. Therefore in a world filled with many moments of discomfort it is best to avoid it when unnecessary! For instance, feeling uncomfortable in your clothes is something that no one should endure,
Feel Good Look Good Series AND The Tiny Tassel Give Away!
***A winner has been chosen!*** I am starting a series that is near and dear to my heart! This series is about FEELING your best while embracing your outward appearance! This is something that we can all benefit from, especially for those within their Eating Disorder Recovery, or for
Healthy Is The New Skinny – A Five Star Book Review!
Healthy Is the New Skinny started out as a blog, website, and forum for women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and demographics, who were in need of a new message that challenged the common conception that women need to be small in order to achieve success and happiness. The blog,
The Awareness Doesn’t Stop Here!
National Eating Disorder Awarness Week is coming to an end, but the awareness does not stop here! I got this tattoo almost three years ago, this tattoo represents, strength, beauty, self love, self worth, and recovery! After living with an Eating Disorder the majority of my young life, I can
More Than a Number
Within the body positive world, it is often said that happiness is beyond the scale. This concept is incredibly difficult, if not, at times impossible to grasp for those deep within an eating disorder. An entire book could be written just on this concept, therefore in this short post I
Self Love, Short and Sweet
Here is my professional and personal take on self-love, I’ll make this short and sweet! Self love is a new concept to many, in that it is not something that we were taught about in school, it is not something that was drilled into our minds much like math,
Why We Workout
As discussed many of times within this blog, exercise can be a sticky situation within ED recovery. Exercise is a beautiful thing, but only when practiced in a healthy and safe fashion, with good intentions. I used to work out to achieve a certain ideal, to look a certain way,
Five Ways to Celebrate Recovery!
In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness week below is a handful of ways to recognize and celebrate your own recovery, as well as, spread awareness! Your recovery hero is first and foremost yourself, which is a beautiful achievement, but there are also other heroes within our life that helped us
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2017!
This week is Eating Disorder awareness week! What does this mean? There is an entire week dedicated towards educating the public and honoring those within their Eating Disorders and Eating Disorder Recovery. February 26th to March 4th will be focused on continuing the conversation about Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge
The Grieving Process within Eating Disorder Recovery
Grief is a feeling of despair, uncontrollable and inevitable loss, disappointment, pain, numbness and sadness, an experience that can last a moment or a lifetime, something that is not tangible and can cause isolation and a feeling of alone. Grief is a normal reaction to any kind of loss, as
Awareness in Body Checking: Taking One More Step Towards Living a Body Positive Life
As another extension to my body positive series, today’s post is about body checking. Body checking is a very common behavior within individuals with Eating Disorders. What do I mean by body checking? Body checking: Constant “checking”, looking, touching, and/or intensely focusing on a body part and/or section or area
Find your Flow and Growth within 2017
Happy Day to everyone!! 2017, I have positive, healthy and manageable expectations for you!…..oh my….even I rolled my eyes while writing that! What I mean is that, as we move into this new year, I remind myself, and others, that a specific day and number do not dictate the outcome
Turkey Day Tips
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and along with the busy schedules, family gatherings, and holiday celebrations, comes copious amounts of food, and with that, feelings of vulnerability and maybe even fear. Thanksgiving can be a wonderful time, but it can also be incredibly triggering and overwhelming for individuals living within
An Honest Look At Body Image Within Eating Disorder Recovery – Series pt. 1
Body Image. This is a tough one….I have said it before, and I will say it again and again….positive body image ALMOST ALWAYS comes last within recovery. Loving what you see in the mirror, appreciating your size, your weight, your natural curves, and appreciating all of the beautiful flaws
Essential Oils and Self-Care Series pt.1
Essential oils are the Holy Grail to my self-care routine. They were an amazing supplement to my therapy, nutrition planning, and treatment plan during the beginning of my recovery. Therefore, I will be starting a Self-Care series about how I use essential oils within my daily, and weekly routine. Today’s
Eating Disorders in Males-#EatingDisordersItsNotJustAWhiteGirlThing
Penn State Kicker, Joey Julius recently went public with his Eating Disorder. Julius spoke on his diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) with purging behaviors and bulimic tendencies. It is public figures, like Joey, that can be an inspiration, and voice for females and males around the country who are
First Aid Self-Care
Okay….so about this self care thing! Many people think that self care is just another term for being selfish, some people think it is this new creation made by the Millennial generation to fight the corporate life, but in truth, Self-Care is something that is necessary for each and every
Acknowleging Your Anxiety and Protecting Your Recovery With Prevention #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays
TGIF, am I right?! It seems as though the world is going a bit crazy as of late, and I hope that anyone and everyone that is within Hurricane Matthew’s path or wake is out of harms way and safe! On Fridays I usually focus on Physical Exercise and Healthy
Body Image Conception With Guest Author Jesaira Glover!
Happy Wednesday! Get excited because we have a “Guest Author” today! Therefore we are shifting our focus from just Eating Disorders to the oh so consuming and relevant topic of BODY IMAGE….as ALL of us experience struggles with how we perceive ourselves. Today’s post is a continuation of the #EatingDisordersItsNotJustAWhiteGirlThing,
Walk It Out With SkyFit (Now Aaptiv) – Bringing Healthy Motivations to Physical Exercise #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays pt. 3
Happy Friday to everyone! Congratulations you’ve made it through the week and hopefully it was a successful week set with positive intentions and healthy motivations! #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays Today’s post is part 3 of the #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays, and I will be touching a bit more on the app SkyFit (now known as Aaptiv)!
Letting Go
The Garage Sale This past weekend, I helped my aunt and uncle, Carole and Russ, with their garage sale. They had a lifetime’s worth of “things” displayed in their garage…things that were filled with memories and stories, things that were being sold to strangers and categorized with a dollar sign
Embracing Your Inner Child!
It’s Monday again, most likely you are getting back to the grind, pouring yourself that extra cup of coffee and doing your best to gear up for the rest of the work week. You can do it! Remember take it day by day, believe in yourself, and practice self-care. Seeing
Eating Disorders….It’s Not Just a White Girl Thing… Pt. 1
Well its Wednesday….we are half way through the work week and I hope we have all been practicing self care!! So first off I applaud you for making it this far through the week, and practicing self care by reading this blog! Here is a photo summary of my practiced
Practice Prevention with Self Care in the AM!
Recovery Love and Care is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post is not sponsored by any of the independent brands, I am just a
BlogLovin
Now you can follow RecoveryLoveandCare on BlogLovin.com (see below)! Understand the importance of self care within recovery, while also following fellow bloggers and vloggers on one master feed! Enjoy, and don’t forget to practice Self-Care! Make sure to checkin tomorrow, as a new post within the #MotivationIsNotJustForMonday’s series will be
#MotivationIsNotJustForMondays
The following is the first in a series of posts focused on physical activity and exercises that facilitate self care. Please join the conversation and share your learning’s, questions, reflections, and struggles – we’re in this together! All right, so I think it is about time that we were all
An Educated Decision When it Comes to Care
I have received some feedback with questions on what type of care is best and why, and to be honest, there is no one right answer, everyone’s experience within their eating disorder and within their recovery looks different and specifies for different needs. Understanding this, here are the facts, as
It’s Not What You Think
Now, I am incredibly aware that when most people hear the words eating disorder, they picture an emaciated, malnourished looking female, they think about that film For the Love of Nancy, staring Tracy Gold, that actress from Growing Pains, but this is not exactly the case for all individuals with