Today I’m talking to Ilene Smith, a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) whose work is rooted in the principles of attachment theory and eastern philosophies. Ilene integrates several modalities into her practice, including talking, touch-work, and movement, to help clients develop deeper and safer relationships within, and increased capacities for resilience and joy.
Ilene is the author of ‘Moving Beyond Trauma: The Roadmap to Healing from Your Past and Living with Ease and Vitality’, (Lioncrest, 2020), an Amazon Bestseller that shows readers how to bring the body into the trauma healing process. Her writing on psychology and wellness has appeared in Mind, Body, Green, Spirituality and Health, PsychCentral, Project HEAL, and Brooke Burke’s ModernMom. She holds master’s degrees in Mental Health Counselling and Exercise Physiology, is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) through the GROW Training Institute, and completed the three-year training program with the Somatic Experiencing Institute founded by Peter Levine. In addition to her private practice, Ilene offers workshops on trauma-healing and conducts research on Somatic Experiencing for eating disorder treatment. She makes her home in Arizona and loves to travel, collect art, cycle, and practice yoga in her spare time.
In this episode, we explore how Ilene came to work in eating disorders and her personal journey into trauma focused work. Ilene explains about treating eating disorders from the ‘bottom up’, working on the deeper issues rather than symptoms only, this being a part in recovery that is often overlooked. She talks about how eating disorders give short-term relief from emotional pain, but these maladaptive coping strategies lead to a vicious cycle of shame and disappointment, which is challenging to escape from. She introduces skills and practices to begin to heal trauma and to restore the nervous system again, for sustainable eating disorder recovery. I hope that you enjoy the conversation.
To find out more about Ilene:-
Website: https://ilenesmith.com/
Instagram: @ilenesmithhealing
When it Feels Challenging to Eat a ’Proper Meal’ in Eating Disorder Recovery
Eating Disorders - Navigating Pregnancy, Birth and Post-Natal Challenges
An Exploration into Food Rituals and Eating Disorders
A Deep Dive into Binge Eating with Dr Marianne Miller
Are You Constantly Craving Sugar?
A Deep Dive into ’All or Nothing Thinking’, with Amber Romaniuk (Emotional Eating, Digestive and Hormone Expert)
About Atypical Anorexia Nervosa
Fried Eggs, Guilty Pleasures, Food Language, Weight Restoration, BMI and More with Anne Richardson
Exploring Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment versus Outpatient Support
Eating Disorder Recovery, Dance, Perfectionism, Body Image and Healing Trauma, with Joelle Rabow Maletis
How to Stop Overeating in the Evening
Healing, Relationship with Food and Body Image, Fitness (Untangling Nuance of Disordered v Healthy Approaches), Health At Every Size, Motivational Interviewing and More, with Jonny Landels
How to Stop Mental Restriction Around Food
Eating Disorder Recovery, Building Self-Worth and Finding Your Voice, with Ronni Robinson
How Do I Know if I’m Weight Restored (Without Weighing)?
7 Body Image Tips for Navigating Eating Disorder Recovery in a Larger Body
When you Don’t Feel Sick Enough with your Eating Disorder
Eating Disorder Recovery, The Power of Intuition and Inspiring Body Image Tips, with Katie Beecher
Comparison is the Thief of Joy. Understanding Why you Compare Yourself to Others and How to Change This
When You Feel Stuck in Quasi-Recovery from an Eating Disorder
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Good Mood Revolution
Your Sleep Guru Podcast
Anxiety Slayer™ with Shann and Ananga
Men Do Talk Podcast
The Dr. John Delony Show
On Purpose with Jay Shetty