Anger is one of the most important emotions in recovery, and one of the hardest for people to let themselves feel.

In this episode, I talk about why anger gets such a bad reputation, why so many of us are afraid of it, and why I think it is deeply connected to body image, shame, binge eating, restriction, and boundaries.

Many people associate anger with aggression or danger. Others grew up in environments where anger wasn't allowed, especially for women, so it became something to suppress, avoid, or turn inward. And when anger gets turned inward, it often becomes shame.

I talk about anger as a nervous system experience, especially its connection to the fight response, and how suppressed anger can show up in body image distress, binge eating, restriction, and difficulty with boundaries.

In this episode we talk about:

• why anger is often feared or avoided
• how anger gets redirected into shame and self-criticism
• the connection between anger and boundaries
• why women are often conditioned to fawn instead of fight
• how diet culture and body standards provoke legitimate anger
• recognizing the somatic signs of anger in the body
• simple ways to move anger through the nervous system

Anger doesn't have to mean rage or confrontation. Sometimes the first step is simply being able to say: I feel angry.

And when anger is allowed instead of suppressed, it can become a source of clarity, agency, and change.

RESOURCES:

Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course

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