Episode Details

In this episode, I discuss the importance of making yourself the priority in recovery and I introduce the powerful RAIN method. This method can be used just 5 minutes a day for practicing mindfulness and self-compassion during difficult moments in your eating disorder recovery journey.

• This season is about planting seeds for your own growth and healing
• You need permission to make your recovery the priority
• Self-care isn't self-indulgence—it's essential recovery work
• Recovery takes root when you commit to "watering your garden first"

• We expect constant productivity from ourselves but don't apply the same standards to nature
• There are natural seasons for growth, rest, and transformation
• The eating disorder thrives when you're depleted and exhausted
• Rest and self-nurturing create the conditions for healing

• Providing consistent, adequate nourishment without food rules
• Hydration—both literal and metaphorical waters of connection
• Exposure to things that bring joy and remind you who you are
• Rest periods where you're simply being, not producing

1. Recognize what's happening in the moment without judgment
   • Notice triggers, urges, thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations
   • Name what you're experiencing to create space between you and the experience
2. Allow the experience to be there without trying to fix or change it
   • Stop fighting against difficult emotions or thoughts
   • Break the cycle of shame by acknowledging "this is what's happening right now"
3. Investigate with kindness and curiosity
   • Ask gentle questions: "What triggered this?" "What am I really needing?"
   • Notice where you feel sensations in your body
   • Identify the stories you're telling yourself
4. Nurture yourself with self-compassion
   • Offer yourself what you truly need in the moment
   • Speak to yourself as you would to a dear friend
   • Remember that