Daily Inspiration: Meet Kristin Steinberg

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Steinberg.

Hi Kristin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I always knew I wanted to do social work, just didn’t know exactly what that would look like. I’ve had so many (too many jobs), often working two or three at a time. I’ve worked with kids in foster care, testified in court against child abusers, served as an interim Clinical Director in Eating Disorder treatment and sort of accidentally landed in the space I’m in now: owning and running my own private practice with the hopes of keeping Eating Disorder care accessible by taking insurance, offering weird hours, and leading with compassion when someone wants support but isn’t necessarily ready to change yet.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I truly feel like being a therapist has changed me as a person in an incredible way — I’m much more comfortable confronting people with compassion, naming things more honestly in the moment, and extending the benefit of the doubt to others. The biggest challenge is always giving compassion while not burning myself out. On a grander scale, new challenges have arisen in the Eating Disorder treatment space. Culturally we are in a scary place when it comes to our obsession with weight, bodies, and “wellness:” GLP-1 ads are everywhere, pop stars are shrinking before our eyes, and we are collectively desensitized to seeing really sick people. I really feel like when the media or general public thinks of folks with Eating Disorders, they picture a certain small-bodied person. It is my goal in life to get people to understand a) how harmful that thinking is (because then folks who are sick don’t get help, thinking they’re not “sick enough” and b) that the overwhelming majority of people with Eating Disorders don’t fit that mold! As a body image therapist, everyday kind of feels like signing up for a battle to convince people that their lives will actually feel better when they treat their bodies with respect and kindness instead of the punitive nature of diets and weigh-ins.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in treating folks across the lifespan in addressing their food and body images. I have recently started working a lot with people my age (early 30s) who are brave enough to challenge their flawed relationships with food because they’re starting to raise families and want to end this destructive cycle of the yoyo dieting, hating your body, being an “Almond Mom” and how that rubs off on their kids. I am so interested in the intersection of Eating Disorders and perinatal/postpartum time periods. Women in postpartum are at such high risk for developing disordered relationships with food and yet there’s virtually no support for them. Especially if a person has ever struggled with body image distress or dieting, the postpartum time period increases their relapse risk by 50%.

What does success mean to you?
Whew. This has changed for me. I grew up very stressed about money and defined success as being able to buy nice things and not worry about my mortgage. Now I define it as feeling fulfilled, being present with my kids, and being immersed in a community; showing up for my neighbors, making plans with friends even if we’re stressed or busy, staying curious and wanting to learn more is maybe not how I define “success,” but at least what I want my life to feel like every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.figtreeatl.com
• Instagram: @Kristinsteinberglcsw

Image Credits
Aharon Hill Photography (headshot)