Background: ED clients experience a threat to their sense of Self. Their critter neurology fires off survival signals, compelling ED behaviors, because that feels better (safer) than what came before. Decoding client’s current behaviors, helps them to resolve unconscious blocks and limiting beliefs that contribute to disordered eating and weight-related behaviors across the spectrum. Through video demonstrations, clients reveal how they update their survival patterning, and use their limbic and cortical neurology to create desired change. These neuro-repatterning techniques help clients to Self-Discover new strategies, uniquely theirs, to transform behaviors, beliefs and identities without the ED, to achieve lasting recovery.
Objectives: 1. How the client's neurology is motivating their thoughts, beliefs, behaviors and identity in the eating disorder. 2. How to decode symbolic meaning in a client’s eating disorder behaviors to reveal its unique adaptive function and facilitate the client’s discovery and activation of self-care practices formerly lost to the eating disorder 3. Neuro-repatterning using represntational systems, linguistics, and mind-body techniques for lasting recovery
The BDM™ is a system, consisting of a series of questions and processes designed to elicit through the behavior itself (in the client’s own words), which results in: a clearly formed Desired State (different than now, without the ED), identifying and allowing the thoughts, feelings (desired and triggered) and unmet needs identified at the time of the behavior; the intended positive outcome inherent in the behavior; the client’s Self-Discovery how to satisfy their intrinsic needs, and desires, and transform the well-intended ED behaviors—with respect—into Self-Care Strategies, uniquely their own; and an Energetic Transformation of 'Ah-Ha!" experiences toward healing and recovery.
Presentation of the background, new and previous research, and context of the BDM™ are followed by experiential activities in this approach. In addition, client video demonstrations are shown to reveal the deeply rooted underlying purpose of the client’s disordered eating, body thoughts and behaviors. Through guided self-discovery, and neuro re-patterning techniques, clients learn to come into rapport with themselves, their treatment team, and stop fearing the loss of the ED as the only means to satisfy their various needs and desires. Interactive activity demonstrates Neuro-Repatterning and Neural Resets.
The goals for this workshop are to provide the tools that address the clients current neurology that holds their current behaviors in place, and how to change those neurological patterns with methods and resources for clinicians—therapists, nutritionists, and others—in various settings, to help their clients:
- Discover the Purpose and Intended Positive Outcome being served in their current behaviors, building rapport with the client’s Present State (less resistance)
- Do Real-Time Quick Decoding at the moment the client thinks, talks about, or reaches for behaviors. The method will quickly interrupt the cycle, and access new ways of coping in the moment.
- Understand their symbolic language (recognizing patterns, interrupting the cycle)
- Access and accept their feelings more easily (once accepted and felt, feelings can pass, helping clients to survive without the behavior now and in the future)
- Activate self-care practices—uniquely their own—(lessens behaviors, because clients discover their OWN solutions, motivating and stabilizing healthy behaviors)
- Increase motivation, lessening resistance
- Build self-acceptance and compassion (rapport with Present State and Desired State)
- Build meaning in recovery (greater IPO, meta-outcome)
- Sustain recovery (less likely to relapse, or switch behaviors)
The Behavior Decoding Method™ and Neuro-repatterning:
- Applies to all diagnoses across the continuum of clinical ED, sub-clinical and prevention
- Works not only on client’s Environment/Ecology, Capabilities, and Behaviors, but also identifies and restores clients' Beliefs, Identity and Spiritual Connection to sustain behavioral transformation
- Can be used with individual clients or groups (including support groups for loved ones)
- Includes real life demonstrations via video
- Helps clients to self-discover—in REAL TIME—behavior change strategies and self-care practices
- Improves motivation for recovery, as clients have a positive experience and often ask for more sessions
- User-friendly
- Research-based in RCT pilot test, with Stanford University
Barbara Birsinger, ThD, MPH, RD, CEDRD, Master NLP Practitioner, Medical Nutrition Therapist with a Doctorate in Spiritual Healing and Energy Medicine, specializes in treating eating disorders across the spectrum. Recovered over 35 years, Barbara is passionate about helping others heal. She’s currently conducting research on her Behavior Decoding Method™ for BED and other weight-related behaviors with Stanford University. She’s also authoring a book on her popular, self-discovery process, Decoding the Spiritual and Symbolic Meaning in Hungers, Food Cravings, Body Talk and Weight. Barbara practices with private clients in California and worldwide with online courses for licensed professionals, and the public.
