Coaching is a Game Changer and I am so proud of all of the CCI coaches out there making a huge difference in people’s lives. I wanted to share this amazing letter I got today from a client. Thank you all for everything you do!
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Dear Carolyn,
I don't even know where to start but I wanted to email you to let you know how different my life looks today as a result of your CCI coach. One year ago today …I thought I was happy. My weight was down again, I was eating whatever I wanted, and my best friend was back. I had relapsed for the 8 millionth time, this time after being out of treatment for only a year. I've been sick for 20 years. I've been in and out of treatment, spending most of 2018 and 2019 in (a treatment program) keeping me out of work for 10 months.
Last March I was purging 7-8 times a day. My electrolytes were so bad I couldn't breathe. This time last year I had to lay down several times to catch my breath just to get dressed in the morning. I did assessments with a few treatment centers, all of which said inpatient. I couldn't face another treatment center. I had a great therapist who probably should have given me an ultimatum but she never did as long as I gave the impression of trying to get better. That's when I reached out to one of your coaches.
(That coach) entered my life one year ago this April. I know now she was nervous to take me on but she didn't let me see the hesitation at the time. Instead she showed that she believed in me. I didn't believe in recovery. I didn't think it was possible. And for people that touted they had an ED and recovered I dismissed believing they never really struggled like I did. I felt proud of my eating disorder, I felt stronger with it even though I was physically in such bad shape.
(The coach) has given me perspective, insight, encouragement, and so many reasons to recover. She showed me that you can be really sick and still recover. She is the first person ever to teach me body acceptance and how to embrace being a confident woman. It all started with earrings. I'm not even kidding. LA wears big earrings and I saw it as such a confident choice that I could never pull off. We talked about it one session and that led to my now collection of dozens of big earrings.
From the first step of wearing new earrings, I eventually took a big step and went on a date (I'm not a dater so this was huge). I started wearing pants instead of just dresses (clothes that touch my body, eek!). I completed food challenges, cut back on behaviors, and started talking back to the eating disorder.
In less than a year of working with my therapist and (my CCI coach) I am close to declaring full recovery. I'm fully weight restored, I haven't purged in 4 months, and I haven't used laxatives since last July. I'm thriving at work and get this, that date I went on? It's now been 10 months and we're starting to talk about the possibility of marriage one day.
(My coach ) is there every step of the way. She's been my rock of solid support. She has the tough conversations when needed, gives me weekly goals to challenge myself, and has given me my life back. Everyone tells me I did the work, but I only did it because (my coach) was walking the journey with me. My life today is drastically different than my life this time last year. Getting a coach was the difference that made recovery possible this time. I can't thank you, or (her) enough, for devoting your lives to helping people like me find recovery. I just wanted you to know how much (coaching) has helped my recovery, and to let you know I made it to the other side!! :)
Love,
LS