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What would you do if you knew you could not fail? What ‘risks’ would you take? What dreams would you dare to pursue? Founding Thrive Wellness & Recovery has been a ‘dream’ of mine, in the making for more than seven years. Thrive is the recovery and wellness-based practice I wanted, but never had. What if there had been someone who knew what recovery looked like on the other side? What if there had been someone who could have guided me into learning what a healthy relationship with food and exercise looked like? What if there had been someone who helped me connect with the hobbies, interests, passions and talents I had outside my eating disorder? The inspiration for all this began seven years ago, while I was in my third inpatient treatment for a severe eating disorder, I was struck with the inspiration that I wanted to do something more than what was currently offered for eating disorder recovery. I was 18 at the time, and for the past 8 years, I had come to identify myself as Lauryn “the patient”, Lauryn “the anorexic”—it was like my Scarlet-A, and despite the copious amounts of time I had spent in hospitals, treatment centers, doctors offices, therapist’s couches and more—something was missing. I felt like, time and time again, the treatments I underwent always seemed to address the symptoms (eat more, and gain weight), but never the root issues. Or the roots to recovery. “What exactly was recovery? Why would I want it, if it was unknown? What was so great about it?” All I knew was how my eating disorder made me feel and what my eating disorder gave me—a sense of control, a sense of autonomy, a sense of purpose, something I was ‘good at’, something that society wanted (thinness)… While I would not recover until years later, after my fourth treatment at the age of 23, these questions I had during that third treatment, at the age of 18, sparked an interest in myself to, one day, ‘figure it out’, so I could in turn help others in recovery. Now I do not claim to ‘know ALL the answers’ to everyone’s eating disorders, but what I do claim to know is that I learned, for myself, what it finally means to THRIVE in life—not just survive. Through lots of soul searching, deep digging, prayer, trust and big leaps of faith, I decided to walk down a different road than the one I had been walking down for 13 years. I decided to do things differently in ‘recovery’: To seek out what life looked like without following my eating disorder; to explore and dive into hobbies and interests and passions that were outside my eating disorder; to believe that I am here on this earth for a greater purpose than living solely for myself, my comforts and pursuits that were self-destructive. On the brink of my recovery, my launch to the ‘real world’ post-treatment by my fourth time around, I wrote a letter to my eating disorder—and decided to part ways with him for good. Since that time, life has only been one amazing journey. Sure, it’s still had its ups and downs (especially graduate school! So happy that is over), but, I would not change any of it for the world, because, when I truly sold out to a life of freedom—and doing what I was made to do—THRIVE only began to evolve. I cannot believe the day has FINALLY come that I get to announce the official beginnings of something that has been in the making for the past seven years. I am excited to let you in on this venture—and, in essence, THRIVE is not only my story of learning what it means to thrive—but it can be your story too. Thrive Wellness & Recovery is an Eating Disorder Recovery and Lifestyle Redesign practice, deeply rooted in optimal health and well-being—mind, body and soul. It’s about connecting people to doing exactly what it is they were meant to do (passions, dreams, purpose), creating positive habits and routines, and propelling you to your best health possible in order to do so. Health is a driving force in our ability to be able to go out into this world and live up to our ultimate potential. Whether you have a diagnosed eating disorder; simply desire a healthier relationship with your body, food and fitness; need support in making a lifestyle change; or want to explore what life could look like if you actually pursued your dreams and purpose…Thrive is for you. Thrive is about meeting clients right where they are at, and helping them to realize (and experience) the essence of thrive for themselves. I have combined my unique experiences and training as a Doctor in Occupational Therapy, Fitness Professional and Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, to offer a unique, client-centered practice that is 100% based on an individual’s goals for their health and for their lives. A foundational belief of my background in Occupational Therapy is that persons heal, recover and improve their lives through the art of doing, not spectating, not listening, not simply just processing. In essence, as an Occupational Therapy practitioner, I combine “talk” therapy with “do” therapy, in order to address each client holistically through a compilation of therapeutic recovery support, lifestyle redesign coaching, guided activity interventions, and personal training and nutrition coaching, as desired or needed. Thrive’s approach is hands-on and centered on clients being active participants towards achieving their health and life goals, as well as discovering potentials, capabilities, passions and talents they possess. Through 1-on-1 sessions, as well as special groups and programs (including one for young girls ages 7-12, and one for high-school girls on the verge of going to college), the ultimate goal of THRIVE is to connect you with living your life to the fullest. A verse that has really spoken to me through this process: [box type=”info”] Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.-Ephesians 3:20-21 [/box] Never doubt that He can do far more than we even imagine.

Dr. Lauryn’s

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