Problems with "niche" coaches in healing

The world of health, fitness, and healing is vast. Seems like there are experts in everything from organic eating to raising your vibration. It's always a good idea to go to people more experienced than yourself when seeking advice or new skills, but how effective will it be to listen to a guru in one specific area you are looking into when the goals you seek to attain are multi- faceted?

As you may know by now, I am an expert in eating disorders and recovery. I see many on-line coaches in this "niche", and that is cause for concern. I like research, so, of course, I click on some sites to see what they offer. I see some that are therapists, some who conquered their own illness, and some that had loved ones whom struggled with eating disorders. Coaches can be pretty much anyone, so how do you know if a coach is actually a fit for you?

I like to think that a good coach will not recycle the same old techniques that were taught in a classroom, or regurgitated methods from someone's experience in a treatment center. Really, good coaches will address more than your diet or "bad" thoughts about food.

Most people suffering from eating disorders already know that their issue is not with food itself, it goes much deeper. In America, only licensed therapists can dole out advice, yet many have never known what it's like to suffer from an ED. "Coaches" can skirt liability by specifically stating that they are not therapists, and still be able to dispense advice. How do you know if they're giving you the proper direction for your needs? You don't. Most coaches with this niche in eating disorders will only rely on their personal experience of their own ED or that of a loved one. They fail to understand just how complex this issue is.

People develop eating disorders for all sorts of reasons. There isn't just one. Addressing food first is not always the best avenue to have either. A good coach will look at family dynamics, personality type, the "role" of the individual in friend groups, jobs held, skillset, ego states, abuses, economic status, level of education, ethnicity, and much more!

Coaches cannot have a checklist on how to properly guide a person with an ED. While one may not be able to walk, another very well may be top in his athletic field. Just as every BODY is different, we have to know that every mind and soul is different too. Though I do believe that people with EDs all have some commonalities, I think it is ridiculous to think that all people suffering will benefit from a strict diet prescription, horseback riding, or art therapy. Being put into a bubble that may not be appropriate for the individual can cause harm in recovery when a patient is, for the first time, trying to get to know who they are and their worth.

Some coaches are good, some are bad. Some honestly want to help but lack the skills, while others have the skills but forgot where they came from. Be careful when seeking out eating disorder coaches. In my opinion, they are far better than traditional healing routes, but just make sure you're not being taken for a ride.