My Education

Certified Eating Disorder Coach

I AM A CAROLYN COSTIN INSTITUTE (CCI) CERTIFIED EATING DISORDER COACH

Carolyn is in high demand as a therapist, consultant and speaker thanks to her pioneering work as a therapist in the eating disorder field for over forty years. Her Eating Disorder Recovery Coach Training was incredibly thorough; she personally evaluated my written test responses in 12 modules. I spent over 60 hours on my final written exam and completed an internship supervised by Carolyn. She requires continuing education for maintaining my certification.

To apply for the CCI certification course you need a bachelors degree. I earned mine in theater from Temple University where I transferred after 1.5 years at The Philadelphia College of Art. I’ve been a professional artist since 1988 and a teaching artist since 1999. As an artist-in-residence for organizations serving vulnerable populations, I served adults experiencing mental illness, children with special education needs, adults with intellectual disabilities, cancer patients and adults living with chronic illness. 

At Art Awakenings in Phoenix, AZ, I earned a psyche tech credential and served as an expressive clinician for 2 years. I worked 1:1 and with groups of adults experiencing severe mental illness; coaching clients in gaining vocational and social skills through art making, writing and theater coaching. My classes were always filled and clients’ symptoms visibly improved during my tenure.

I’ve also been mentoring women through eating disorder support groups for many years, using my own recovery journey as a road map and empathy resource. It’s been incredibly rewarding to help them get well, change careers/get married and have babies without returning to eating disorder behaviors.

Although CCI Coaching is not 12-step centered, my coaching is 12-step literate. I am in a unique position to help clients who want to utilize 12-step recovery but may be struggling with some of its language or structure. I assist them in grasping the principles, showing up for their step work and enlarging their spiritual life.  

I HELP SUPER FEELERS AND HSPS FLOURISH

I’ve been developing my spiritual life and intuition for over 3 decades. I’m a trained psychic, hired to give intuitive readings for individuals and corporate events. I won The Bash’s “Best of 2019” award for bringing beneficial messages to guests using my hand-made oracle cards. I believe we are all intuitive but not everyone chooses to develop their skill. Putting my Highly Sensitive and Super Feeler traits to good purpose transformed them into assets.

Many eating disorder sufferers are “Highly Sensitive People” (HSP) and/or “Super Feelers” but don’t know it and use eating disorder behaviors to manage their feelings of overwhelm etc. I teach them tools and share personal experiences to help them accept and utilize their sensitivity. Over time, this puts their eating disorder out of a job.

Recovery from an eating disorder is also very much about learning to communicate better. I help clients improve their skills, referencing “Conscious Communication” which I studied with Ron Auerbacher in San Diego. Ron teaches a nuanced version of non-violent communication incorporating mindfulness and somatic experiencing techniques as discussed in Oren Jay Sofer’s book Say What You Mean.  Click here to schedule your complimentary clarity call today

Eating Disorder Recovery Coach Success
Eating Disorder Recovery Treatment

MY CARING ON-CALL COACHING MAKES RECOVERY POSSIBLE

Fostering your spiritual self is essential. I’ll meet you wherever you are on your spiritual journey and I will always believe that full recovery is possible for you, even when you’re struggling to believe it yourself. When you fall, I’ll help pick you up and coach you through ambivalence and outright resistance, so your healthy self can emerge and put your eating disorder self out of a job. If you choose to incorporate creative work, it will reinforce all the new skills and tools you’re learning. Families are warmly invited to participate whenever possible because eating disorders impact everyone around them and research shows that family involvement assists in recovery. Click here to learn about my coaching services.