April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
Soul-filling can ease stomach-filling, says therapist
"Waging War on Compulsive Eating: A Non-Diet Approach to Weight Control" is geared for people who have a "subclinical" eating disorder -- that is, they feel their eating is out of control, but not as grave as a diagnosed condition, such as anorexia or bulimia.
The Feb. 19 presentation by Albany-based therapist Donna Lochner will focus on the emotional aspects of overeating. It is not intended solely for people who are overweight; it is for anyone who struggles with eating.
Making peace
"Rather than weight loss, the goal is for people to make peace with food," Ms. Lochner said. "That means to eat when they're hungry and find things to do instead of eating when they're not hungry. It's important to recognize how much of eating is hunger-driven and how much is driven by other things, including depression."She came to the field of food counseling after conquering a serious eating disorder herself. She suffered from bulimia for about five years; she recovered in 1988 after conducting research and turning to support groups for help. That led to a 10-year career in counseling about eating issues.
The fact that Ms. Lochner herself survived an eating disorder helps her help others understand their issues, said Karen Anderson, a dietician and certified social worker.
"Not only is her empathy level potentially higher, but she can pick up on what people are telling her," Ms. Anderson said. "You can't fool an old fool."
Why we eat
Eating properly is not just a physical matter, Ms. Lochner said. Many people consume food without realizing that they might be truly hungry for something more substantial, even metaphysical."I think there is a big spiritual component when people use food to anesthetize themselves," she said, "One of the things people are hungry for is a connection to God."
Many diets focus on the idea of "forbidden foods," and on people being told what and when they should eat or not, thus keeping people out of touch with how their body feels and perhaps exacerbating eating problems, she said. Her approach is to treat one's self with compassion in terms of food.
Journaling
Among the techniques that Ms. Lochner promotes is keeping a food journal for a few weeks, but not the kind that focuses on technicalities like calories and carbohydrates. Instead, it's a place for people to consider questions like: Was I hungry at the time? If I wasn't hungry, what was the reason I ate and how satisfying was the eating experience? Was I really hungry or do I need to cry, to take a bath, to talk to someone?"Being willing to connect with whatever feeds them and nourishes them personally and spiritually" is important for those with eating disorders, Ms. Lochner said.
A lot of the emptiness or hunger is tied up in a large degree to spiritual hunger. Unless people find other ways to nourish their spirits, she said, they will not be satisfied.
(The Feb. 19 presentation, 7-9:30 p.m., will be held in the Diocesan Pastoral Center, Albany. The cost is $12.)
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