DR MARIANNE MILLER
CARING EATING DISORDER TREATMENT IN SAN DIEGO AND THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND WASHINGTON D.C. FOR ADULTS & TEENS
How Spirituality (however you define it) Can Help Binge Eating Disorder Recovery
Since I was a little girl, spirituality has always been a big part of my life. It has morphed and evolved over the years. I’ve grown and changed and learned how some of my former spiritual beliefs were oppressive and repressive to living my authentic self. Now that I’ve learned how to open up myself to a broader view of spirituality and let go of the elitism and limitations of some spiritual views, I’ve moved into a larger world of spiritual change and growth, which has both empowered and grounded me. Living in San Diego, California helped my eating disorder recovery because not only did I find an eating disorder therapist who really knew her stuff, I also felt connected spiritually to the ocean and to nature around me. Walking on the beach in California soothes my soul. Cultivating my spiritual self in San Diego accelerated my eating disorder recovery. Wherever you live, whether it be in Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, NYC, or London, you can recover from binge eating disorder completely by tapping into spirituality, however you define it.
Integrating Spirituality into Therapy--My Interview on "Breaking Down: The Podcast"
Hello all! I’m so excited to present a transcript of a wonderful podcast I did in San Diego last fall on spirituality in therapy. It is called Breaking Down: The Podcast with Edie Stark, LCSW, and Mia Najor, LMFT. I discussed my background and how I came to understand what integrating spirituality in therapy means, and how important it is to do it ethically. We also talked about the importance of following clients’ lead when attending to spirituality, as well as the unique needs of working with the LGBTQ+ population, as well as with eating disorders in this area. I had so much fun talking with these very deep women. Enjoy!
Interview with San Diego Eating Disorder Dietitian, Dr. Megan Holt Hellner, RD
Hi everyone! I’m starting a blog series interviewing various eating disorder professionals in the San Diego area. I’m beginning with one of my favorite eating disorder dietitians to work with in San Diego—Dr. Megan Holt Hellner, RD. She and I have collaborated on many client cases, and she is conscientious, caring, compassionate, and thorough. One thing I love about Megan is that she has two advanced degrees in public health, and so she is especially good at working with people with challenging physical aliments. She also specializes in working with athletes.
Tapping into Mindfulness: Part 5 of Finding the Spiritual in Eating Disorder Treatment—A 5-Part Series
Has your soul ever ached? Is it difficult to reconcile living in such a beautiful place as San Diego and feeling such pain? Have you ever felt so far away from God that it hurt? Have you ever questioned your belief in God, or in any sort of higher power? Have you ever wondered how God can exist if there is such pain in the world? Have you felt angry with God? Have you ever felt hurt, shamed, disappointed, or discriminated by spiritual leaders? Many of these emotions and experiences can lead to spiritual pain. Spiritual pain is a soul-deep ache that is beyond depression or grief. Spiritual pain is an existential crisis in which the deepest parts of ourselves are crying out, “Is there a God or higher power out there?” “If so, how could this God or higher power let such pain and suffering happen?”
Diving Deeper into Spiritual Healing: Part 4 of Finding the Spiritual in Eating Disorder Treatment—A 5-Part Series
Sometimes when you feel overwhelmed by your spiritual pain, you can think that there is no hope. It is at these times when you need to dive deep into your pain to let yourself experience spiritual healing. If you struggle with disordered eating, you know how painful it can be . . . emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually. Becoming acutely aware of all aspects of your pain as you go about your daily life in San Diego lets you open yourself to healing. It’s like when you have an infection in your arm—you need to open it up and clean out all of the gunk and then put the medicine on it so it can heal. Spirituality can be your medicine—the balm for your soul.
Starting Your Journey to Spiritual Healing: Part 3 of Finding the Spiritual in Eating Disorder Treatment—A 5-Part Series
You’ve recognized that you’ve got some spiritual pain. Congratulate yourself for the awareness—it’s a hard thing to acknowledge. You may be thinking, is spiritual healing even possible. Do I even want it? I feel so far away from God or my higher power in my life in San Diego that it just seems like too big of a gulf to bridge. I understand that it can feel overwhelming. I want to encourage you that all you have to do is take the first, small step. Sometimes you have to walk before you run, and sometimes you have to tiptoe before you walk. Let’ go ahead and stick that foot out there and start the journey.
Dealing with Spiritual Pain: Part 2 of Finding the Spiritual in Eating Disorder Treatment—A 5-Part Series
Has your soul ever ached? Is it difficult to reconcile living in such a beautiful place as San Diego and feeling such pain? Have you ever felt so far away from God that it hurt? Have you ever questioned your belief in God, or in any sort of higher power? Have you ever wondered how God can exist if there is such pain in the world? Have you felt angry with God? Have you ever felt hurt, shamed, disappointed, or discriminated by spiritual leaders? Many of these emotions and experiences can lead to spiritual pain. Spiritual pain is a soul-deep ache that is beyond depression or grief. Spiritual pain is an existential crisis in which the deepest parts of ourselves are crying out, “Is there a God or higher power out there?” “If so, how could this God or higher power let such pain and suffering happen?”
Filling Your Spiritual Cup: Part 1 in a 5-Part Series on Finding the Spiritual in Eating Disorder Treatment
What brings you peace in your life in San Diego? When do you feel most connected to the world around you—to other people, to animals, to nature? When do you feel a sense of well-being? These are some of the questions I might ask my clients when getting them to focus on what feeds them spiritually in San Diego. In eating disorder recovery, so much of the focus can be on food and our bodies, but what often is a missing piece in treatment is nourishing our souls.