Throughout the process of healing and recovery, especially for eating disorders, there are many contributing factors in a patient's journey. Oftentimes, some of the most essential to ultimate recovery are the care and support from medical professionals who are wholly invested in their patients' recovery process. Eating disorder recovery is facilitated through the healing of not just the physical side of the patient, but the mental and emotional as well, which necessitates support and care from a professional who can work with all aspects of a patient's needs.
A supportive professional can have an immense impact on the trajectory of a patient’s recovery. Courtney Stoddard, a registered dietitian at Focus Treatment Centers says, “The most rewarding aspect [of her job] is being a part of someone’s recovery journey. Helping them along the way, and maybe making an impact on them with words or facts or just being a steady support as they work on really hard things.” Courtney has exemplified her passion for recovery and healing through her work as an eating disorder specialist for over sixteen years. Through her work and support, Courtney has transformed countless lives and had a long lasting impact on her patients, from completely reworking relationships with food to simply providing a source for support and counseling.
Eating disorders do not express themselves the same in every patient; symptoms, behaviors, and needs all vary across patients, meaning that this field of nutrition requires continual open mindedness and a readiness to learn and adapt. “It’s a field with never-ending learning, growth, collaboration, and discovery,” Courtney claims. As she has continued to specialize in this field, Courtney has implemented a distinct approach to develop healthier food relationships for her patients.
Courtney’s “all-foods-fit approach” establishes all food as neutral, helping normalize eating habits and behaviors. This approach reconstructs the patient's mindset surrounding food and nutrition, as Courtney states, “It teaches that all foods can fit in a normal eating pattern, all foods can be enjoyed, all foods provide nutrition to the body.” The “all-foods-fit approach” has revitalized and transformed patients' mentality about nutrition and their relationship with it. Many eating disorders are tied to emotions, whether through emotional binging and restricting, or a perception of “right” and “wrong” foods. Courtney’s approach allows for patients to reshape their view of food and transform their eating habits to include all foods in a holistic view of nutrition. Throughout her career, Courtney’s approach has had an immense impact on patients' lives. She says, “I have seen many people develop a healthy relationship with food, sometimes for the first time in their lives…I have seen people find joy in eating again.” Eating disorders have intense negative effects, both mentally and physically, making it vital that there are methods or approaches that have been proven to deliver results and aid in recovery. Courtney’s work as a specialist has been and continues to be essential for those struggling with eating disorders so they
might have the resources and support needed from a professional who is dedicated to their healing.
Recovery and support, though, can only come after initial recognition of a potential eating disorder. It is common for everyone to think about food; it is one of the most basic human needs, but sometimes these thoughts can become harmful to one’s mental and physical health. When food thoughts devolve into actionrestricting and bingeing, or into assigning excessive emotional weight to food, it is a sign that warrantss of restricting and binging, or assigning too much emotional weight to food, it is a sign that necessitates nutritional and dietary support. For many, seeking help is immensely difficult, but eating disorders and negative food relationships are more common than people assume. Courtney states, “About 9% of the U.S. population will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. They affect all ages, races, genders…Many people suffer in silence.”
Eating disorders can express themselves differently in everyone, according to the variety of eating disorders that exist as well as the driving thoughts and actions behind the disorder. “But there are some common red flags to look out for,” Courtney says, “These include preoccupation with weight, food, and calories; uncomfortable eating around others, and avoiding eating around others; skipping meals; noticeable fluctuations in weight; physical signs of malnutrition, and decreased immune function.” Symptoms such as these are a clear signal to seek nutritional support. Additionally, Courtney discusses differences in signs between adolescents and adults. Eating disorders can present themselves differently in teenagers, as they are still developing and more susceptible to misinformation. This allows for an eating disorder to appear in a more intense, drastic nature than it would in an older person. She claims, “Teens often go too hard, too fast when they decide to start restricting or dieting.” It is vital for anyone struggling with negative food relationships to receive upport, so that they might heal and improve their quality of life. Furthermore, unresolved or ignored warning signs can lead to critically harmful effects. “They [eating disorders] have the second highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder,” Courtney states.
As a registered dietitian, Courtney is dedicated to nutritional recovery and uses patient-driven counseling to effect change and transformation. Throughout her sixteen years, she has observed many patients make full recoveries and has helped change lives through nutritional counseling. She says, “I feel lucky to work in this field and now specialize in it.” A crucial aspect of recovery and healing from eating disorders is a dedicated, strong support system, and Courtney, through her passion for recovery and specialized approach to nutritional counseling, is providing exactly that for patients every day.
This article is based on an interview conducted by Audrey Parker and has been edited for clarity and length.
