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
Eating Disorder Recovery, Dietetics and Restoring your Period with Queeny June Borgman
Overcoming People Pleasing with Emma Reed Turrell
Being Highly Sensitive is a Superpower
Eating Disorder Recovery, Weight Loss Camps and Bariatric Surgery, with Laur Plawker
Eating Disorder Recovery and Healing through the Tamalpa Life/Art® Process, with Maria Guiñazu
Eating Disorder Recovery, Beauty Pageants and Break-Ups with Kumiko Lau
Atypical Anorexia Nervosa Recovery and The Full of Beans Podcast
Eating Disorder Recovery and Ballet with Suvi Honkanen
Fears about Disordered Eating and Lockdown Ending
Anorexia Recovery and Dump The Scales with Hope Virgo
Eating Disorder Recovery and This Food Thing Podcast, with Jemma Richards
Binge Eating Recovery and Founding FELLA, with Richie Cartwright
Inside the Therapy Room – Understanding More About Eating Disorder Psychology
It's Not Always About Weight - an Anorexia Recovery Story with Katrina Swale
Finding Self-Love through Breath Work and Changing your Story, with Simon Drew
Falling in Love with Yourself and Unleashing your Personal Power, with Melissa Riccardi
Veganuary, Carbohydrates, Boston and Binge Eating, with Jo Moscalu
The Seduction of the January Detox
Is Sugar the Enemy? Anne Richardson explores 'Healthy Week' in schools
An Eating Disorder Recovery Journey, with Joyfull Joy
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Your Sleep Guru Podcast
Anxiety Slayer™ with Shann and Ananga
Men Do Talk Podcast
The Dr. John Delony Show
On Purpose with Jay Shetty