In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jacqueline "Jaq” Sherman about her long journey recovering from bulimia. Jaq opened up about the roots of her eating disorder, tracing it back to difficult family dynamics in her childhood where she felt she couldn't use her voice. The bulimia started when she was 15 during her parents' divorce, and she turned to bingeing and purging as a way to cope with the turmoil and lack of control she felt.
Jaq was incredibly candid about the shame, self-hatred, and exhaustion that defined her years being gripped by bulimia. She tried multiple treatment centres and Overeaters Anonymous, but nothing seemed to fully work until she met her pivotal therapist Anita Johnston. Anita had Jaq track her binge/purge cycles to identify the underlying needs and feelings driving the behaviours. For Jaq, it always came back to not using her voice and feeling overwhelmed.
Through hard work with Anita, Jaq slowly learned to speak up for herself, set boundaries, and meet her needs in healthier ways. She shared how self-compassion was key, even if she had to "fake it 'til she made it" at first. Jaq’s resilience shone through as she recounted the many times she "fell down" with lapses but kept getting back up. Her life today is full - with a wonderful marriage, rewarding job, and true self-acceptance.
Jaq’s story offers so much hope that full recovery from an eating disorder is possible, even after years of struggle. Her wisdom about being patient yet persistent with yourself in recovery was inspiring. I was moved by Jaq’s courage to share her imperfect yet transformative journey to self-love.
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I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories. Whether you're on your own journey or supporting someone through theirs, share your experiences and tips with us. Together, we can create a supportive community that celebrates each step towards recovery.
Website Juliatrehane.com
Email Julia@juliatrehane.com