Food for thought

Finding out why you overeat might be the answer according to counsellors Su Kennedy and Lisa Barker.

They have discovered that talking helped them come to terms with their own feelings and fears and want to encourage others to do the same.

They are setting up a series of sessions so that women can discuss food if it is a problem for them, how they feel about their weight, and what makes them reach for cake or want to lose themselves in a plate of fish and chips.

The sessions are called Feed Your Mind and will be about small groups of women given the freedom to express themselves without the shame or guilt associated with over-eating.

Su said: "Having spoken to many women about how their thoughts and emotions affect what they eat and how what they eat affects their emotions, we realised just how many were using food as a means of managing their emotions.

"We decided we would like to offer support to these women by offering an opportunity for them to attend affordable groups for women where they can explore issues around food in a safe, friendly, non-judgmental and confidential environment.

"We will be running small, close therapeutic counselling groups for women aged over 18 years of age, allowing them to explore issues surrounding emotional or comfort eating, and helping them to develop techniques and strategies to help them find alternative ways of managing their emotional lives."

The two met when they began counselling courses at Bexhill College and continued to be friends as they went on to train and achieve professional qualifications.

Lisa commented: "This is something we spoke together about - weight issues - really tentatively at first, and it was not until we had know each other for quite some time that we spoke about the emotional side of it. We realised talking together what a huge problem it was for us, and thought it must be for other women too.

"But there is nowhere to go. There's a lot of diet clubs around which are brilliant for handing out diet advice, but there is nowhere to go to talk about the underlying issues, the emotional reasons behind overeating.

"Eating is a response to emotion - for some people that might be eating if they are particularly upset, or stressed."

Both feel that food is tied up with emotion early on - achievements might be rewarded with sweets or icecream, or even a meal out, while a sad little face might be brightened up by a biscuit, laying down behavioural patterns that might last for life.

"And how many times do you hear women say - oh, I need chocolate! But do they need something else?"

Su commented: "It can feel very frightening to start talking - you feel probably other people would not understand. There is quite a lot of shame and guilt surrounding overeating. But it was fantastic that once we were talking and risking opening up both to each other and other women we realised how many other women were experiencing the very thing we were. Since talking to other friends, and hearing the stories they tell, we think there must be so many out there in the communicty going through what we've been going through."

The initial group is planned for Wednesday April 23 from 1.15-2.45pm, and will be at Sidley Baptist church, Christian Beacon Centre, in Claremont Road.

Su and Lisa hope that anyone interested will contact them to find out more or to book a place in the group so they can plan ahead.

Lisa - 01424 840390 or [email protected]

Su- 01414 840212 or [email protected]