NIA and Recovery

I've been talking a lot lately about NIA - how much I enjoy it, how much it helps me in my own recovery, and the extent to which I think NIA can help many along the road to recovery. I'm not the first person to make this connection. I was introduced to NIA during my time at Harmony Grove, a residential treatment center in San Diego. I'm honestly not sure how many programs consider NIA a recovery activity, but I certainly do. Here's why.

NIA ("Neuromuscular Integrative Action") is, according to its founders, a way to "heal and express your self through movement and sensation." NIA classes combine emotive music and a climate of self-acceptance, expression, and freedom as they lead you through dynamic combinations of nine forms of movement, including Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Jazz, Modern Dance, and Yoga. The experience is liberating and exhilarating.

A single NIA dance can evoke rare moments of total self-acceptance. Acceptance of my body - its amazing abilities along with its many limitations; , love of feelings - both uplifting and disheartening; love of thoughts - rational and irrational. Over time, NIA has helped me begin to love myself for the way that God created me.

For those who don't understand eating disorders, I'll go a step further. Eating disorders, at their very core, are rooted in inability to accept oneself. Some of us act on these deep-seeded feelings of incompetence and worthlessness by believing terrible lies: that eating and/or loosing weight will make us feel better about ourselves. Thus, body image struggles are hallmarks of eating disorders, but root cause isn't body image: it's self-acceptance. Many recovery activities focus on self-acceptance. Acceptance of one's body, one's feelings, and one's thoughts. And this is precisely what NIA helps one to experience.

As a strong Christian, I feel it is important for me to admit that some may be uncomfortable with NIA's references to one's inner being - or perhaps simply NIA's lack of reference to God. Without discounting such feelings, I'd offer this: each of us has free will to pray to whatever God we believe in. Whenever I am prompted to quiet my mind, or to focus on an eternal force, I simply choose to focus on God and praise Him for who He is and how He's working in my life. And I thank Him for this opportunity - in NIA class - to connect to the Holy Spirit that gives me life.

We would *love* to hear your comments on this topic! And stay tuned - we hope to start providing NIA classes to the DC eating disorder community in the very near future!

Praying for 2010 Blessings!

Wow - January 1, 2010! What does God have in store for us this year? On this day of resolutions (which I don't believe in, because I've learned that anything I try to control eventually controls me!), I am inspired to put some of my deepest, longest-term prayer requests into writing. This will serve as the first opportunity for Rock Recovery's prayer team to pray over us, but more importantly, provide a way for us to give God the glory for answered (and unanswered) prayers! So here goes...

I pray that all non-profit and faith-based organizations who are working to prevent eating disorders and to promote recovery will come together to collaborate - to work hand-in-hand, rather than in silos, for this cause. I pray that the community that currently exists will grow and be strengthened as God calls more and more people to this mission field.

I pray for protection over everyone working in this field, and especially for those who are motivated to give back out of their personal recovery experiences (with eating disorders, or otherwise). I pray for Rock Recovery's Board of Directors and our volunteers. Many of us have already felt attacked for the work that we are doing. I believe in spiritual warfare, and I believe that Satan would relish is having the very people who are working to promote recovery fall back into the grips of their disease. God, be our shield and arm us with your sword!

I pray that Rock Recovery will begin to have an impact on the DC recovery community through the services that we will provide in 2010. I pray for Debbie Norris at the Mindfulness Center; Suzannah Weiss and Lisa Howard, NIA instructors who may not even realize the recovery that they can promote through their love of dance; Constance Rhodes of FINDINGbalance (and the True Campaign) & Kathleen McDonald of the FREED Foundation for their many contributions to this field; Mary Mannhardt and her outpatient ministry in the DC area; Deanie Jennings & Domenica Rubino for their work at the Washington Center for Weight Management & Research, Merri Goldburg & Teri Fredericks, two talented therapists; Selah House, for embracing a faith-based approach to recovery; and Peach Friedman (who I haven't even met!), for her work on UVA's campus.

Finally, I pray that God will pave the way - financially, legally, and logistically - for Rock Recovery to open the first of many low-cost recovery houses in the D.C. area. We know that options following residential/inpatient treatment are slim. Our experiences and others' stories convince us relapse can be prevented by providing a manageable step down from intensive treatment to independent, daily living. We also know that options for daily therapy, accountability, and support are expensive and slim, short of being "sick enough" to require inpatient or residential treatment. Again, our experiences suggest that by providing access to substantial care short of quitting work/school and leaving one's home community, we can help many avoid hitting rock bottom. Our mission is to fill this middle ground - to help individuals achieve recovery before they need inpatient or residential treatment, and to help individuals maintain recovery when they leave residential/inpatient treatment to return to work/school and family. Please join me in praying this vision into existence! "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer." - 2 Samuel 7:27

Thank you in advance for your prayers - as I join you, I also pray over our prayer team: "Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day." - 1 Kings, 8:28

Blessings for a beautiful beginning to 2010!