Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Clegg.
Hi Rebecca, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a somatic psychotherapist, certified eating disorder specialist and author who specializes in working the mind and body at the same time to help people heal.
This is my passion because I once too had an eating disorder, and I know first-hand how destructive eating disorders are to the lives of those individuals who are struggling with them. I knew very early on in my own path of recovery that when I was recovered, I wanted to help others who were trying to recover from disordered eating. It was a way for me to transform a story of pain and confusion into one of triumph and meaning. Being able to help others who are navigating recovery has been the highlight of my career.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
In many ways, my journey started with my own struggle with disordered eating, so no, the road has not always been smooth. The first few chapters of this story could definitely be defined by the bumps in the road. Eating disorders aren’t just about food; they are a way of coping with difficult emotions and as the saying goes, “the only way out – is through.” There is no getting away from having to face your fears if you want true recovery from an eating disorder, so I believe that my early life and my process of recovery was in many ways foundational training for understanding how to help others.
I believe that because I had to navigate my way out of something as complex and complicated as an eating disorder, I have a vantage point that helps when working with clients and their families. People seeking help all need to know there is hope, and I speak openly about my own experiences as a way of instilling hope in my messaging. Full recovery is totally possible. People have to believe this or the process can get very overwhelming.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I wear a lot of hats, as I am somebody who doesn’t like to sit still for too long! But in the most formal terms, I am a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Supervisor, Author, Somatic Psychotherapist and Speaker.
I am the Clinical Director of Authentic Living Counseling and Wellness in Atlanta; a private practice of therapists specializing in the eating disorders, body image, anxiety and life transitions. I divide my time between Atlanta and Maine and am licensed to provide therapy and somatic healing techniques in both states.
I present and teach internationally, educating families, clients and clinicians on the treatment of eating disorders. My book, Ending the Diet Mindset: Reclaim a Healthy and Balanced Relationship With Food and Body Image, aims to help people stop their obsession with weight and body image and reclaim a relationship with food and their body that is balanced and sustainable. My podcast, The Inner Alchemy Podcast, highlights conversations with healers and helpers from every walk of life, where we discuss ways to find resources for healing inside ourselves.
My most recent project is one that is near and dear to my heart. My colleague in Los Angeles, Robyn Goldberg, RDN, CED-RD, and I have teamed up to create an online program, Your Recovery Resource: A Program for Navigating Your Loved One’s Eating Disorder. This multi-media program is designed to support the families and loved ones who are struggling to know how to help someone in their life with an eating disorder and do not know where to start. It is exactly the support and information I wish my own parents had access to when I was a teenager struggling with my eating disorder. It truly is a full-circle moment for me and one that I hope will go on to resource and support families for years to come.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
No matter how much you learn, never assume you “know it all.” Being an expert gives you a platform and the privilege of people listening to you, and it is vitally important that you maintain an open mind, curiosity, and the ability to learn something new. No amount of learning or experience makes anyone impervious to life’s difficulties, and the only difference between you and the other guy is a tremendous amount of grace, luck, and circumstance. My greatest lesson so far is that we humans are far more alike than we are different.
Contact Info:
- Email: becca@rebeccaclegg.com
- Website: www.rebeccaclegg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beccaclegglpc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beccaclegglpc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZcYvlSdHJct4QRC3gO_eiA
- Other: www.authenticlivingatl.com, https://rebeccaclegg.com/the-book/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-inner-alchemy-podcast-with-becca-clegg-empowering/id1544270589, https://yourrecoveryresource.thinkific.com
Image Credits
Amy Sinclair Photography
