How I Practice Mindful Interactions with My Body

The way I choose to interact with my body has an impact on my eating disorder recovery. So, it's crucial to make sure that I practice mindful interactions with my body, rather than using harmful words or behaviors to abuse my body and interrupt the healing process.

What I've Learned About Practicing Mindful Interactions with My Body

Last week in a counseling session, my therapist asked me to describe the current relationship I have with my body. I thought for a moment, then answered, "We're not on horrible terms. I acknowledge my body's presence, but I would not call us friends. I feel that we're two separate beings—we move in the same direction, but we rarely connect with each other."

She half-smiled, knowingly, as therapists often do, then challenged me to pay more attention to how I interact with my body on a consistent basis. What am I communicating with the words I use to talk about my body? Do the actions I take bring my body care and nourishment, or do I ignore the basic needs that will help my body thrive? Is our relationship mutually beneficial, or is it full of disconnection and mistreatment?

I left this therapy session with all of those questions to parse through in the days to come. But now that I've had about a week to reflect and examine more in-depth, I can see the value in practicing mindful interactions with my body. So in the video below, I want to discuss a few practical, actionable techniques I am currently using to make these mindful interactions part of my eating disorder recovery.  

3 Practices that Help Me Cultivate Mindful Interactions with My Body

Do you find it healing and restorative to practice mindful interactions with your own body? What are some techniques that work for you in this area? Please share your insights, experiences, or feedback in the comment section.