For many people in eating disorder recovery, there’s a moment when progress doesn’t feel like relief — it feels like grief.

You’re doing the work: restoring meals, reducing rituals, going to therapy, maybe even gaining weight or reclaiming your life. But instead of celebration, you feel… lost.

Recovery from an eating disorder is not just about eating differently — it’s about relating to suffering differently.

In the self-compassion and mindfulness world, “The Three Difficulties” is a framework introduced by meditation teacher Tara Brach, rooted in Buddhist psychology and supported by trauma-informed care.

These difficulties show up over and over again in eating disorder treatment. But when they’re brought into the light, they can become powerful gateways to healing