From ultra-processed to inner process

Vanessa Kredler Author

Why applying a two-lane approach to addiction recovery counselling can be helpful

Often when we seek help for addictive processes we feel hopeless and overwhelmed. Life is spiralling out of control and we need things to change - fast! Reaching out for counselling and peer group support is a vital first step. And then it might feel overwhelming to know where to start. What do we tackle first? Do we try to find ways of stopping the unwanted behaviour or do we take care of our overwhelm or our emotional state? How do we stop the ultra-processed food addiction?

Having walked that path as a person in recovery, and as a counsellor, I’ve come to believe in a ‘two-lane approach’ for optimal care. This approach looks at practical matters to help us navigate the addiction, and in parallel, tending to deeper and underlying emotional needs.

This is how I describe the two lanes:

Lane One

Considering practical matters is absolutely vital for us when we want to recover from addictive behaviours and/or disordered eating. For example, we might want to:

• Learn about addictive and disordered eating patterns

• Understand our triggers including which foods or food behaviours trigger us

• Establish our own food plan and/or work with other professionals to do so

• Establish accountability and daily recovery actions

• Learn how to eat mindfully

• Develop strategies for dealing with cravings

• Deal with difficult emotions

• Prevent relapse

• Establish a support network

• Consider concerns around body weight, shape and size

Lane Two

My experience has shown that so many of us already know what to do but are finding it difficult to stick to those ‘healthy habits’ and apply our learnings. That’s where psychotherapy comes in. We need to look at our inner process. This means going deeper through compassionate inquiry informed by Internal Family Systems therapy, a wonderful modality that helps us meet ALL of the parts of us involved in the addictive process.

Questions we might ask are:

• What parts of me are needing to eat addictively and for what purpose?

• What is their positive intention?

• What other parts are critical of those addictive and impulsive parts?

• What parts want to eat healthily and what other parts absolutely do not want to give up specific foods?

• What parts hold what beliefs about what foods and where have they learned those beliefs?

• What parts feel hopeless and discouraged and exhausted?

• What parts are unhappy with our body and weight and are seeking to restrict our food?

• What internal pressures and polarisations are created by all of these warring parts?

• Is there a way we can curiously get to know these parts, and help them meet their positive intentions in other ways?

• Are there underlying wounds outside of current awareness that might seek healing to ease the addictive processes?

• To what extent is biology involved, and to what extent have my parts learned this behaviour, and what is the best way to move forward based on this learning?

• Will I need to completely abstain from specific foods and ways of eating?

• Or will I be able to eat all types of foods in moderation?

• Is restricting food necessary or harmful for my system?

• What inner pain and burdens are my parts seeking to heal and release?

We will only be able to find those answers by listening to all of our parts, and through trial and error of different eating guidelines. Internal Family Systems is a wonderful approach to explore addictions, disordered eating, and set up food and recovery lifestyles that work for us.

Categories: : Eating Disorders, Food Addiction, Internal Family Systems, Recovery