Tears of Strength, Cries of Bravery
‘My daughter has cancer’ is a sentence I will never get used to saying outline, nor do I want to. Today, I had to tell that to a stranger in the grocery store when she asked about Marjorie’s PICC line. “My daughter has cancer.” Her simple question was one of the hardest I’ve ever had to […]
Surviving Goodbye
Last week I had the honor of speaking and meeting with the amazing patients of Castlewood. I was touched by their openness and engagement during our time together. I could have sat and talked with them all day. They were full of questions that both challenged and excited my thoughts surrounding eating disorder recovery. As I sat […]
Three Years Naked
No, really, naked. Literally. I am giddy to finally post pictures from the photo shoot a few months back (Gisele, Meet McCall) These pictures represents something extraordinary – ME: recovered, vulnerable, at peace with my body and completely exposed. Three years ago I would not dare post a picture of me in a coverup, much […]
Faking My Way To Worthiness
I have a secret. Up until a few weeks ago, I felt completely unworthy in the eating disorder and speaking world. There weren’t any letters behind my name or degrees on the wall to prove my worth or that I belonged. Mingling with researchers or speaking on panels with professionals, especially ones that I knew, […]
Gisele, Meet McCall
My heart is in my throat and beating out of control. “Am I really going to do this tomorrow?” “Have I completely lost my mind?” That inner critic/eating disorder voice is yelling in my head, as the ‘should’s’ whirl around in a tornadic frenzy. “You should run some more. You should not eat. You shouldn’t […]
Keep the Bra, Burn the Shirt
In continuing my body freedom beach week, I decided to go on a beach run without a shirt. (I know, I even shocked myself with this one. I mean, who is this body loving girl?) My toes sunk into the soft sand as I made my way to the water’s edge. I popped my earbuds […]
Moving Hope
This was it. Time to say goodbye. My footsteps quietly echoed through our empty house as I said my final farewell to our first home. Nearly six years ago, we made this house our home. Its walls witnessed the magnitude of our family’s journey and kept us safe as we weathered the roughest storms of […]
Tuesdays with Mary
For the past four years, I have been in a committed, long-term relationship with someone other than my husband. Her name is Mary. She is my therapist. I stumbled onto her couch in July of 2009. While I would pay good money to be a fly on the wall in our first session, I […]
July 11
.July 11. Today marks four years since I made a decision that would ultimately alter the course of my life. A decision that set me on this beautiful path of recovery. Last year, I told my July 11th story in the blog “Angels Among Us.” This year, I can’t help but reflect on the magnitude that […]
Ditch the Downsize
In 2008, I joined Woman’s Fitness Center here in Baton Rouge. I joined that particular gym because of its women-only and caring environment. For the most part, the Fitness Center was about empowering and motivating women to become healthy. My membership expired when I went to treatment. I did not renew it upon my return […]