In eating disorder treatment, we often focus on therapy, nutrition, and medical care — and rightly so. But alongside these clinical pillars, a growing body of research supports the therapeutic role of nature-based practices, including gardening, in promoting emotional regulation, body reconnection, and mental health recovery.

Gardening is more than a hobby. It can be a gentle, grounding, sensory-rich experience that supports healing from eating disorders in ways that traditional treatments cannot always reach. Whether it’s planting herbs on a balcony, working in a community plot, or simply repotting houseplants, interacting with nature through gardening can be a meaningful tool in the recovery process.

Recovering from an eating disorder is not a one-size-fits-all journey — but having the right resources can make the path feel less isolating. Whether you're navigating anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, or struggling with body image and food anxiety, supportive tools can help you feel seen, grounded, and hopeful.

When celebrities share their experiences with eating disorders, the world pays attention. From candid interviews to memoirs and social media posts, public figures are increasingly opening up about their battles with food, body image, and mental health — and in doing so, they are helping to break stigma, normalize recovery, and inspire change.

But these stories are not just about fame. They reveal the deeply human side of eating disorders — struggles with shame, control, perfectionism, and pain. And while public disclosures can't replace individualized care, they can make someone feel less alone.

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When emotions come on fast and strong — panic, shame, flashbacks, or the urge to engage in harmful behaviors — it can feel like you're spinning out of control. In these moments, it's hard to think clearly, and harder still to remember what helps.

That's where grounding techniques come in.

Grounding is the practice of bringing your mind and body back to the present moment. It helps interrupt intense emotional or sensory states, especially during anxiety, dissociation, or urges tied to trauma, self-harm, or eating disorders.

This post offers emergency grounding strategies you can use anytime, anywhere to help your nervous system settle. These aren’t meant to replace deeper therapeutic work — but they can be a powerful part of a safety toolkit.

When we think of self-harm, we often picture behaviors like cutting or burning — physical acts of injuring the body to cope with emotional pain. But for many individuals with eating disorders, self-harm can take other forms — often hidden, socially normalized, or misunderstood.

In fact, many eating disorder behaviors are self-harming in nature, even when they’re not labeled that way.

Bullying is a form of emotional, verbal, or physical harm that can leave lasting psychological effects—especially when experienced during childhood or adolescence. One of the less visible, but highly significant, outcomes of bullying is its connection to the development of eating disorders.

While eating disorders are complex, multifaceted illnesses, the role of peer victimization, body-based teasing, and chronic social stress is well-documented in the pathways leading to disordered eating. Understanding this link is essential for prevention, early intervention, and compassionate care.

Mirrors can be a complicated and emotional trigger in eating disorder recovery. For many, they become a tool for self-criticism, body-checking, or reinforcing negative thoughts. But do mirrors have to be the enemy? Not necessarily.

With time, boundaries, and self-compassion, mirrors can become a neutral or even positive part of your healing journey. Here’s how to navigate your relationship with mirrors in recovery.

Grocery shopping can feel overwhelming, stressful, or even triggering when navigating eating disorder recovery. The store is full of labels, diet culture messaging, and decision fatigue, which can make it a challenging experience.

But with the right strategies, mindset shifts, and self-compassion, grocery shopping can become a more neutral and even empowering experience.

Eating disorders have long been misunderstood as only affecting perfectionistic, appearance-focused individuals. But there’s growing recognition that many people with eating disorders — especially those whose struggles don’t fit the "classic" profile — are actually neurodivergent.

Whether it’s autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, or other forms of neurodivergence, the overlap with disordered eating is real, under-recognized, and critically important for effective care.

For many families, mealtimes are meant to be moments of connection and nourishment. But when a child or teen is struggling with disordered eating, ARFID, anxiety, or appetite loss, meals can quickly become tense, exhausting battlegrounds.

In the age of social media affirmations and self-love slogans, many people are talking about body positivity — and more recently, body neutrality. Both movements aim to help people feel better in their bodies… but they’re not the same thing.

Despite the name, there’s nothing “less serious” about atypical anorexia. In fact, the symptoms, medical complications, and psychological distress are often just as severe — but because it doesn’t look like the stereotype, many individuals go undiagnosed, invalidated, and untreated.

Eating disorders are often misunderstood as attention-seeking behaviors or extreme diets — but the reality is far more serious. These are complex psychiatric illnesses that affect every system in the body. And for many, they can be deadly.

Eating disorder recovery isn’t linear — and sometimes the biggest wins are quiet, internal, or easy to overlook. While we often focus on the red flags (and those are important), it's equally vital to celebrate the green flags — the signs that recovery is taking root, even in small ways.

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.

Both sun exposure and eating disorders (EDs) can negatively impact your skin, but in different ways. While excessive sun exposure can lead to premature aging and skin cancer, eating disorders can cause severe skin issues due to malnutrition, dehydration, and hormone imbalances.

Opening up about an eating disorder (ED) to a significant other can feel scary and vulnerable, but having their support and understanding can be a huge part of your recovery. If you’re ready to share, here’s how to approach the conversation in a way that fosters trust, honesty, and emotional safety.

Setting boundaries is essential when discussing your eating disorder with a partner, family member, or friend. Clear boundaries help protect your mental health, prevent triggering situations, and create a supportive environment in recovery.

A self-care plan is a personalized strategy that helps you prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical well-being while navigating recovery. It acts as a guide for managing stress, handling triggers, and nurturing yourself in a way that supports healing.