The Women Who Helped Me Heal

There was a time in my life when I couldn’t see anything good about myself.

Not my strengths.

Not my potential.

Not even the possibility that things could get better.

I couldn’t see what others seemed to see.

I certainly couldn’t see a future where I’d be writing blogs, recording meditations, hosting a podcast, leading groups, or sharing my story publicly.

Back then, I was just trying to make it through the day.

What I’ve learned since is that healing rarely happens alone.

Sometimes before we can believe in ourselves, we need someone else to believe in us first.

Someone who can hold hope when we’ve misplaced our own.

Someone who can remind us of our worth when we’ve forgotten.

Someone who can gently challenge the stories we’ve been carrying for years.

Looking back, there were a handful of women who did exactly that for me.

Women who helped me find my footing again.

Women who helped me challenge old beliefs.

Women who reminded me that recovery was possible.

Today, I want to share two of them with you.

Because if you’re struggling right now, maybe you need this reminder too:

You do not have to heal alone.

Dr. Lynn Supple

One of those women was my therapist, Dr. Lynn Supple.

Dr. Lynn entered my life during one of the darkest seasons I’ve ever experienced. She helped me see things I couldn’t see for myself. She challenged me with compassion, encouraged me when I wanted to quit, and helped me believe in my ability to heal when I wasn’t sure I could.

One of the reasons Dr. Lynn was such a gift to me was that she understood eating disorders not only professionally, but personally. She had walked her own recovery journey and knew firsthand the thoughts, fears, shame, and struggles that can come with an eating disorder.

That mattered.

Because when you’re in the depths of it, feeling understood can make all the difference.

I never felt judged.

I never felt broken.

I never felt alone.

Instead, I felt seen.

I don’t know if she’ll ever fully understand the impact she had on my life, but I will always be grateful.

She reminded me that recovery wasn’t about becoming someone new.

It was about finding my way back to myself.

If you’re local to the Louisville area and looking for support, I highly recommend Dr. Lynn and the team at Aspire Wellness. Finding a therapist who truly understands can be life-changing.

✨ Connect with Dr. Lynn:

Dr. Supple is committed to the wellbeing of her clients, promoting peak wellness through a healthy mind and body. She founded Aspire Wellness in Louisville, KY to carry out this mission.

Dr. Supple specializes in working with individuals and athletes experiencing eating disorders, anxiety, and mood dysregulation. As a former Division I athlete, Dr. Supple also has experience in enhancing athletic performance for elite athletes. Dr. Supple is passionate about her clients and dedicated to the treatment of individuals struggling with eating disorders.

My Friend: Kellie

Another woman who helped shape my recovery journey is my dear friend Kellie.

Kellie and I met while training to become eating disorder recovery coaches. We were two midlife women navigating our own healing journeys, and we connected almost immediately.

You know when you meet someone and think, she gets it?

That was Kellie.

And the truth is, she did get it.

Not because she studied it.

Not because she read about it.

Because she lived it.

Kellie has walked through the depths of an eating disorder herself. She knows what it feels like to be consumed by food thoughts, body image struggles, perfectionism, and the exhausting mental weight that often comes with disordered eating.

That shared understanding created an instant connection between us.

We’ve spent countless hours talking about recovery, healing, self-compassion, and what it means to rebuild trust with ourselves.

Today, Kellie has transformed her own healing journey into meaningful work that helps other women find freedom, hope, and healing.

I’ve watched her turn some of her hardest experiences into a source of strength and support for others, and it’s one of the things I admire most about her.

The beautiful thing about Kellie’s work is that she works remotely, which means you don’t have to be local to receive support from her. No matter where you live, help can be just a click away

If you’re struggling, please know there are people who understand.

People who have been there.

People who have found their way through.

And people who are ready to walk alongside you as you find your own path forward.

✨ Connect with Kellie:

Binge & Emotional Eating Coach

I help high-functioning women in their 40s who feel in control everywhere except with food. My work helps them understand what is really driving the bingeing- stress, restriction, exhaustion, and self-neglect, so they can stop the binge-guilt cycle without relying on more willpower.

A lot of my clients are women who eat “clean” all day, stay busy, take care of everyone else, and then feel out of control with snacks, sweets, or leftovers at night. I help them break that pattern by addressing the emotional and nervous-system drivers underneath the bingeing, not just giving them another meal plan.

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. I’ve walked in your shoes for 20 years. I'd love to get to know you. 

Connect with me on the socials:

Instagram & TikTok @findyourfreewithkellie or at Find Your Free with Kellie

A Final Thought

If there’s one thing recovery taught me, it’s that healing isn’t something we’re meant to do alone.

For years I thought I had to figure everything out myself.

I thought asking for help meant I was failing.

I thought needing support meant I wasn’t strong enough.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The strongest thing I ever did was reach out.

The strongest thing I ever did was allow people to walk beside me.

Sometimes healing begins because someone lends us hope until we’re able to hold it ourselves.

Sometimes it begins because someone sees something in us that we’ve forgotten is there.

And sometimes it begins with a simple first step.

A phone call.

An appointment.

A conversation.

A message.

So if you’re struggling today, consider this your reminder:

You are not broken.

You are not beyond help.

You are not alone.

And your story is not over.

With love,

Tonya 🤍