December 10, 2025
December Greetings,
The end of 2025 is a few short weeks away. There is something about this time of year that feels like someone has hit the fast forward button, while we all simultaneously reach for the pause button in hopes for reflection and rest. At Take Root we are wishing you the season you are needing.
For many of us, the winter season brings more time with our family or other supports, and with events or traditions often centered on food and meals, it can be a challenging time of year for individuals navigating eating disorder recovery.
I’ve often seen stress and anxiety arise around holiday seasons during my time as a therapist
supporting both individuals with eating disorders and their loved ones. One of the most common questions I receive is, “How do I best support my loved one around the holidays?” In turn, I’ve provided a few suggestions.
One of the most important pieces of feedback I can give you is this: Show up. Even if you’re still getting the hang of all this. Even if you still have a lot to learn. Even if you sometimes miss the mark. Knowing that they have a safe person in their corner who is genuinely trying can make a world of difference to your loved ones.
All that said, if you’re anything like me, you may also value something a little more concrete. If that’s you, don’t worry. The list is coming.
I will preface it with this. Every person’s recovery is different, as are their individual support needs. If your loved one tells you something on this list doesn’t work for them, keep that in mind. Listening is a big part of showing up too.
Five tips for navigating this holiday season with a loved one in recovery:
- Respect their limits and boundaries. If they’re not ready to attend certain events just yet, that’s okay. Validate their experience. Let them know you see and hear them.
- Have agreed upon words or phrases they can use in potentially challenging situations to indicate whether they need a break or to leave an event altogether. This can be as simple as, “I’m going to step outside for a minute” or “We should probably get home to the dogs.” As a therapist, you know I love direct communication and hearing all the details about what’s going on. That said, there is a time and place for it. Sometimes we need time and space to regulate our nervous systems before we can share more.
- Make a plan for how to navigate any unhelpful food or body based comments. I imagine we’ve all heard things like “I’ll be working this off tomorrow” or “I’m being so bad eating this” at a group event or two. Check in with your loved one ahead of time about what would feel helpful from you in response. Calling it out directly and asking others to be more mindful of their comments? Subtly changing the subject? Using humor to shift the energy a little?
- Make the choices that are best for you personally, but be mindful of your language around them. This can look like simply saying “no thank you” when offered certain food, rather than sharing details about any personal health-related reasons for declining.
- Be thoughtful with gifts, especially those involving clothing, food, or fitness. Bonus pro tip: Do not buy clothing for your loved one without them explicitly asking or letting you know this is okay. If it is okay with them, do not guess sizes. If their body is changing as part of their recovery and they’re also not sure which sizes will work for them right now, they can talk more with their therapist about how to best approach this based on their individual needs and what they feel ready for with regard to trying on and purchasing clothing.
My hope is that having a few extra tools in your back pocket will allow you all to approach this holiday season with a little more ease.
Wishing you all well,
JP
Our next Parents and Partners Support Workshop registration is live for this coming Spring!
Help us Reach Our Goal!
Giving Greetings! Take Root has partnered with our friends and colleagues at Lutz, Alexander, & Associates Nutrition Therapy to fund and collect non-pershable items for The Interfaith Food Shuttle through the end of the year. Please consider giving if you are able. Our goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of the year. We will also be collecting non-pershiable food items at the Cary Take Root office and two Lutz & Alexander locations listed above. Check out the list below for suggested items to donate. Please consider forwarding this email to anyone who might want to join us in this effort!
Our Community Partners
Our community parnters over at Half Moon Mental Health and Connected Living Psychotherapy have teamed up to offer a support group for folks navigating chronic illness. Led by clinicians Becca Leifer & Anna Vargas, who bring both lived and clinical experience with chronic illness. No diagnosis required. Just come as you are.
🗓 Thursdays, 4:30–5:45pm starting Jan 15
💻 Online (NC residents only)
💸 $60/session or $315 full pay (some sliding scale spots available)
👥 Max 8 participants
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ & neurodiversity affirming
Upcoming Support Groups
Dates: November 26th, 2025 – January 8th, 2026 (6 weeks)
Time: Thursdays, 6 – 7:00 pm
Location: Virtually on Zoom
Cost: $20 per session (Aetna & BCBS accepted, pro bono option available)
Who: This group is for folks 18+
Erin Lewis, she/her, is a doctoral intern at Take Root Counseling and Coaching. She is a fully licensed clinician and specializes in trauma and dissociative disorders. Erin feels blessed to share that she has an emotional support animal, ESA named Glenn Coco, who comes to work with her daily.
Her communication style is a blend of humor and bluntness. She strives to be as transparent as possible in order to facilitate better communication with clients.
Dates: Meeting monthly on: 1/15, 2/12, 3/12, 4/16, 5/14, 6/18, 7/16, 8/13, 9/17, and 10/15
Time: Mornings, 8:30 – 10:00 am
Location: Our lovely office, 102 New Edition Court, Cary, NC
Cost: FREE
Who: This group is for folks 18+
Some things to know…
- All sessions are free of charge, but please make sure to register so we know to expect you
- This is not a meal support group, but it is a space designed to include eating so please bring your breakfast or your morning snack (for you early risers) and plan to meet your needs during the discussion.
- All those engaged in eating disorder recovery are invited to this discussion whether new to the process or long recovered. Whether the ask to eat during the chat is easy peasy or very scary, you get to be a part of the discussion.
Dates: January 28th, 2026 – March 4th, 2026 (6 weeks)
Time: Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
Location: Our lovely office, 102 New Edition Court, Cary, NC
Cost: $40 per session due at the time of session or $200 if you are paying in full, up front. We ask that participants commit to the full 6 weeks.
Who: This group is for folks 16+
Lauren is a compassionate and dedicated therapist specializing in helping individuals navigate life’s most challenging moments. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate, she works with teens and adults (15+) to create a safe, supportive environment where they can explore and heal from struggles such as eating disorders, disordered eating, body image concerns, depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment concerns, and life transitions.
As a Registered Yoga Teacher, I can also incorporate trauma-informed yoga into sessions.Trauma informed yoga is an approach that integrates the principles of trauma sensitivity and mindfulness into the practice of yoga. This practice emphasizes body awareness, grounding techniques, and breathing exercises, allowing individuals to reconnect with their bodies in a gentle and empowering way. When incorporated into therapy, trauma-informed yoga can complement traditional talk therapies, helping clients process trauma, reduce stress, and regulate emotions. The focus is on creating a sense of control, safety, and empowerment, which is essential for healing from past trauma.
Dates: March 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th (4 weeks)
Time: Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Location: Offered Virtually
Cost: $250
Who: This group is for folks 18+
Has your loved one been diagnosed with an Eating Disorder? Do you want to help them but feel like you just keep saying and doing the wrong things? Do you need a safe place to ask questions and get clear answers? This four week workshop can help you!
Jordan Poole, LCMHC, “JP” (She/ her) will be leading this group. JP is Take Root’s clinical director and has extensive experience as a group therapist and working specifically with families who have a family member with an Eating Disorder. She specializes in the treatment of Eating Disorders and is passionate about supporting and empowering families as they experience such challenges.
Register for Parents & Partners
If you made it this far, thanks for reading! We look forward to visiting your inbox again soon:) If the info in this email felt helpful, and you know someone who might also think so, please consider passing it along and sharing- we are so grateful for your support.
Kindly,
The Take Root Team
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