Navigating Motherhood and Bulimia: Sharon’s journey.
Sharon seemed to have it all—successful, confident, and happily married. But behind the
strong exterior was a long battle with bulimia, a struggle that became even more intense with
motherhood.
She had been in therapy for years, sometimes managing well, other times slipping back into
cycles of binging and purging. Her complicated relationship with food was shaped by her
mother, who also struggled with bulimia. Becoming a mother herself triggered deep-seated
fears and habits she thought she had under control.
After years of fertility treatments, Sharon finally became pregnant. During pregnancy, she
embraced the changes in her body and found some relief from her eating disorder. She
nurtured herself without guilt for the first time in years. But when her son was born, old
patterns returned. She felt overwhelmed by his constant hunger, torn between wanting to
nourish him and fearing she was overfeeding him. Seeking advice, she was told to water
down his formula to reduce his intake—advice that painfully echoed her own past
experiences with food restriction.
As he grew, her son became fixated on food. At a birthday party, he spent two hours eating
non-stop. Sharon was devastated, feeling lost and ashamed. She saw herself in him, the
way food seemed to hold a power neither of them could escape. The cycle of control and
indulgence played out in her parenting, just as it had in her own life.
Two years later, Sharon became pregnant again, and her focus shifted. With another baby to
care for, she worried less about her eldest son’s eating. Over time, he became less
obsessed with food, engaging more with his surroundings. The constant battle over meals
softened, and Sharon realized that when she stepped back, he found a more natural
balance on his own.
My Reflections as a Therapist
Working with Sharon was both deeply rewarding and emotionally demanding. Her struggles
were layered—an inherited fear of food, the pressure of motherhood, and the guilt of feeling
she was failing her child. I often found myself holding space for both her pain and her
resilience, together with her, hoping to untangle the ways in which her past was shaping her
present.
One of the greatest challenges was recognizing that she was not her mother, and her son
was not destined to share her struggles. The fear of losing control was powerful, but so was
her love for her child. Slowly, she learned to trust that food wasn’t the enemy, and that her
son could develop a healthy relationship with eating without the rigid restrictions or anxieties
she had known.
Progress came in small, significant steps—letting go of guilt, allowing flexibility, and realizing
that healing is not about control but about presence. Some sessions were full of frustration
and tears, others moments of clarity and hope. Sharon’s journey is ongoing, as is every
journey toward healing. But she is learning that motherhood is not about perfection. It’s
about trust, connection, and self-compassion.
For me, this experience reinforced how deeply food is tied to emotion, identity, and family
history. It reminded me that healing is not linear and that sometimes, the best progress
comes when we let go of rigid expectations. It has been an honor to walk this journey with
her, to witness her growth and resilience. I am grateful for the trust she placed in me, and for
the privilege of being part of her growth.