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embodyinghope

Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT


Specializing in Eating Disorders, Chronic/Invisible illness, Trauma & Anxiety
Virtual therapy for CA 🖥
HAES-aligned ✨ Mindful Movement 🧘‍♂️ tessagordonlmft.comFollowed by wellspacesf, empoweredartist, and drlindashanti
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Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @tess15, @hollitha, @kimsewku_, and @embodyinghope. Image may contain: 5 people, possible text that says 'MAY ALL YOUR EGGS ALL BE BE CHOCOLATES TODAY! HAPPY EASTER TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES'
Happy Easter! (and Happy Sunday Morning) •⠀⠀ I decided to break out my panini press griddle and make myself some pancakes. I was so excited and then discovered I was out of butter. Ughhh!! A bigger problem in our current climate than it would normally be as I can’t just pop to the corner store. So, I improvised with coconut oil in the recipe...I wasn’t sure if this is a typical baking substitution, but thought it’s better than nothing. • In the past, when struggling with an eating disorder, this would be something that would totally freak me out. The idea of substituting coconut oil for butter, not being sure if it’s equivalent, let alone worrying about whether or not I am doing the “right thing” and going to “ruin” the recipe. It would have been too much for me (the worry, the overthinking, the math, etc..). I would have probably talked myself out of making the pancakes. • But now I know what, if it doesn’t turn out, I can always toss them out and find something else to eat. The difference between coconut oil and butter isn’t big enough to spend my morning worrying about. Maybe the taste will be different, maybe the consistency, but every other difference will be negligible. • Breakfast is my FAVOURITE meal of the day and it’s fun to cook myself food that I like and enjoy. Experimenting with different combos. • Now that I live with #GlossopharyngealNeuralgia, I am needing to pay more attention to my food, choosing foods that do not trigger painful attacks (or at least don’t exasperate the pain). Warm, hot meals are the best. These pancakes are warm, soft and low on the pain threshold. • Reclaiming breakfast was one of the important meals in my recovery. What are you eating this Easter Sunday???? ⠀⠀
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @embodyinghope. Image may contain: text
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @lgooze, @cassieberger, @kacygrossman, @wellspacesf, @embodyinghope, and @covid19eatingsupport.
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @therapyreimagined. Image may contain: possible text that says 'A lot of prelicensed mental health professionals are being utilized as essential workers. They should be paid as essential.'
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @embodyinghope. Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, closeup and indoor
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @embodyinghope. Image may contain: possible text that says 'Be Connected, Supported, & Seen anytime, anywhere EMBODYING PE'
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California.
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California. Image may contain: one or more people, possible text that says 'I was doing online therapy before the pandemic But sure, I'll send you my Telehealth informed consent'
Photo shared by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT on February 29, 2020 tagging @yogitea, @drinkevolve, and @embodyinghope. Image may contain: drink and coffee cup
Photo shared by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT on February 24, 2020 tagging @neda, and @embodyinghope. Image may contain: possible text that says 'National Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2020 COME AS YOU ARE Hindsight is 2020 EMBODYING PE TESSA GORDON, LMFT'
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in San Francisco, California with @embodyinghope.
Backgroup color: teal Center bottom image: Black and white photo of crying toddler, superimposed ontop of teal background. Center text, hovering above image, black font: “it’s ok Change is difficult Center text, yellow bold large font: “Change is difficult” Lower center text, black thin font: “tears allowed” Bottom right: (in small black font) text reads “Tessa Gordon”, above logo “Embodying Hope”
The struggle is real!!!
Portrait photo, close up head shot of 15 month old German Shepherd. Photo is centered in frame. Dog has ears perked, mouth open as of “smiling”. Taken inside apartment. Dogs name is “Aspen”, he is a service dog.
Photo by Tessa Gordon, MA, LMFT in Sherman Oaks, California with @lgooze, @kimsewku_, and @embodyinghope.
Balance~ different for everyone, everyday, and time. ✨ Finding balance is often something that gets thrown around as a goal or mission in life. What balance looks like for each person will be different. Balance for me looked a certain way when I was 25 and in working three jobs. It looked different at 27 when I broke my back and was in school, and it looks different today. Not only does it change daily, it also changes based on where I am in my life, what I am placing my attention and focus on, and perhaps, what needs to be my focus and attention, along with what I value. In seeking my definition of a balanced relationship with food, body, movement, so to did I begin to find balance in other areas of my life...studying, work, perfectionsism, productivity, play, etc.. Allowing for this idea of balance to be one that is always changing and never stagnant, actually helped me to move closer to finding what it is for me. I would love to hear other people’s experiences with balance? ~ Tessa @embodyinghope . #EmbodyingHope #TessaGordon #balancedlife #seekingbalance #balance #studiocity #shermanoaks
things can be going well, and you can be having a hard time. One doesn’t cancel out the other. As weird as it may seem, there can be highs and lows, positive and negatives, good things and not so good things (and lots of things in the middle that don’t rank on one end or the other) all happening at the same time. 💛 No matter what, your feelings and your experience is valid because it’s yours!! ✨ - Tessa Gordon, LMFT @embodyinghope . . #EmbodyingHope #TessaGordon #changehappens #narrativetherapy #studiocitytherapist #recoveredtherapist #antianorexia #anxietyrelief #recoveryisworthit #chronicpainwarriors #allfoodsfit #edrecoveryfamily #alifeworthliving #bodyacceptance #haes #creativityeveryday #2fab4ana #stopthestigma #bulimiarecovery #spooniesupport #balancedlife #empoweredwomen #EDrecovery #studiocity #mentalhealthmatters #selfcarematters #bodytrust #riotsoverdiets #complexity
Good Morning People! Ok this week I’m focusing CHANGE! (hence the new hair pic to go along with this post) ⠀⠀ I’ve been quiet on IG for the last couple weeks because I have been going through a lot of changes in my own life - both personally and professionally (more on that later ✨😉) ⠀⠀ So, who here cringes when they hear the word CHANGE??? Who gets excited? Who gets a mixture of feelings?? ⠀⠀ There’s this idea that change is good (and that may or may not be the case...at times it probably depends on the situation). However, what I know for me is that change is complicated. It can be both exciting and scary. It can also be sad and happy. I’ve rarely experienced change with one single feeling. On the one hand, I get bored of things stay the same for too long, but on the other hand, I am someone who loves routine. And when in the eating disorder, routine kept me (and the ED) feeling safe, but it was a temporary safety. It would trick me into believing the routine kept all unknowns away, but it wasn’t true. Dealing with chronic pain or an invisible disability, change brings with it a whole other set of challenges. Changes in weather temperature, air pressure, sleep pattern, season, foods, seasonings, body position, altitude, etc.. can make the difference between a tolerable day and an intolerable day.. What I’ve come to learn (and am still learning, because I hope to never stop learning) is that some change you can prepare for. I can pack a scarf and layers when going to buildings abd conferences that I know may be drafty and risk triggering pain episodes. I can also give myself permission to be where I am at each day, and remind myself that I am not in comparison to anyone else. ⠀⠀ This type of practice has increased my tolerance for the unexpected change. So, is change scary? Hell YES!! Its different. It means leaving something known and moving into something new and unknown. But practice, preparation, remembering that nothing lasts forever, and having someone there to support you, believe in you, and to help you notice the ways you have tolerated change in the past, can help you get through it. ⠀ ⠀ ~ Tessa Gordon @embodyinghope
WHAT IF??? ⠀⠀ Any one else familiar with these two little words? Perhaps they run through your head, or whisper to you while you try to fall asleep at night. ⠀⠀ Change can bring with it a lot of unknowns and invite in a lot of WHAT IF’S...What if I fail? What if I make a mistake? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I upset someone? What if I wear the wrong outfit? What if no one likes me? What if I hurt someone’s feelings unintentionally? What if I never get my life back on track? What if I don’t know what “back on track is” any more?...the list could go on and on.... ⠀⠀ These were pretty common what if’s during my own battle with an eating disorder. Any one else nodding their head to any of these??? ⠀⠀ I sit with clients now who share similar WHAT IF’S when we begin to talk about change and what’s so interesting to me now, is that I notice the other what if’s that never got any air time before... ⠀⠀ what if I succeed? What if people like me? What if this decision is the next best thing? What if I my body doesn’t change? What if my body is meant to be at a different place? What if the pain is different tomorrow? What if I stop trying to guess what will happen next? What if it doesn’t matter? What if the stakes aren’t actually this high? What if there is no track to get back to? What if I’m doing the best I can? What if I trust her? What if she does like me? ⠀⠀ Next time the WHAT IF’s show up, I encourage you to write them down..then go back over and see if you can find other what if’s that maybe didn’t pop into your head at first, but are still there, floating in the background, just waiting for some air time. ⠀⠀ ~ Tessa Gordon @embodyinghope ⠀⠀ #EmbodyingHope #TessaGordon #whatif #changehappens #narrativetherapy #studiocitytherapist #recoveredtherapist #therapistsofig #antianorexia #anxietyrelief #recoveryisworthit #chronicpainwarrior #allfoodsfit #edrecoveryfamily #advocacy #alifeworthliving #bodyacceptance #haes #creativityeveryday #2fab4ana #stopthestigma #bulimiarecovery #gpnwarrior #mightytogether #IAmInvisibleNoMore #spooniesupport #invisisbledisability #bodyoppression #nowrongwaytohaveabody #rareillness
Excited to share these pictures of my new Private Practice in Studio City!! (And soon to come, downtown Ventura)😊I specialize in eating disorders, body image, compulsive exercise, substance misuse, anxiety, trauma, relationship dynamics, and life transitions. I work with individuals, couples and families and am accepting new clients. In addition to offering in office sessions I love getting creative with clients and taking therapy outside these 4 walls, which includes (but is not limited to): walk & talk, dine & dish, mindful movement, and email therapy. Website is still under construction, until then, feel free to reach out to me via phone or email 818-697-1161 or tessa@embodyinghope.com #EmbodyingHope #TessaGordon #therapyoffice #studiocity #ventura #therapistsofig #sfvcamft #tellyourstory #mentalhealth #riotsoverdiets #narrativetherapy #eatingdisordertherapy #recoveredtherapist #beatana #edrecovery #anxietyrelief #2fab4ana #socialjusticewarrior #chronicpainwarrior #allfoodsfit #eatingdisorder #bodyimage #alifeworthliving #bodyacceptance #haes #bodytrust #becourageous
Happy Fourth of July! Let’s celebrate by showing some independence from unrealistic beliefs or ideas that only certain bodies or types of legs are allowed to wear shorts and articles of clothing! 🤥 ⠀⠀ Today, lets celebrate by wearing whatever YOU want to wear - whether that be SHORTS , SKIRTS, BIKE SHORTS, SWIMMING SUITS, TANK TOPS...you name it! ⠀⠀ There can be SO many “rules” about what we need to do to make our bodies ready to wear these articles of clothing. And if you stop and think about it do they make any sense at all?? Shorts vs jeans on a hot day? The purpose of these is not about your legs being tan, hairless, the shape and definition and skin tone and texture. It’s about function! And it’s political. Women’s fashion and dress code has a long history of being policed in our culture. ⠀⠀ Today, I encourage you to embrace the freedoms to wear whatever the hell you want!! 🥳💙❤️🇺🇸🌈✨~Tessa Gordon @embodyinghope . . . #embodyinghope #TessaGordon #independenceday🇺🇸 #nowrongwaytohaveabody #stopthestigma #edrecovery #edwarriors #edfamily #edrecoveryfamily #recoverycommunity #2fab4ana #anorexiarecovery #bulimiarecovery #bedrecovery #haes #advocacy #edawareness #alifeworthliving #beated #prorecovery #bodyacceptance #recoveredtherapist #prorecovery #eatingdisordertherapist #livedexperience #studiocity #losangeles #shermanoaks #studiocitytherapist #freedomfromED
Dedicated to a former client who decided, after many conversations to challenge the belief that only certain bodies are allowed to wear jeans, and instead, reclaim jeans as an item of clothing she can wear, NO MATTER WHAT! 👖 Jeans can hold a lot of power to those in a battle against body image, food, and disordered eating. It doesn’t help that jeans, especially women’s jeans are not made with any sort of consistency across brands, sizes and styles. We deal with vanity sizing, different cuts, variations in inseams, rises, waistbands, materials, and so much more. The journey to finding a pair that fits and has you feeling good can be long and tiresome. 👖 One of the most helpful things in my recovery was going jean shopping with my therapist. She helped me as I tried on various styles and sizes, and together, we spoke back out loud to the ED as it tried to make me feel bad about how they looked on my thighs and butt. 👖 Of course, I had the option NOT to wear jeans. And you all have that choice to. There is no one saying that it’s a requirement to wear jeans. But I made the decision that I wanted to be able to wear jeans. I didn’t want the eating disorder and my discomfort in my body to remain so strong, and continue to have so much power over me that I was unable to wear jeans if I wanted to. 👖 I wanted to be someone who could toss on jeans and head out to the movies with friends. I wanted to wear jeans and a cute shirt and go on a date. I wanted to wear jeans and a hoodie and sit in class and not be SO u comfortable I couldn’t focus on what the professor was saying. 👖 What are the reasons you may want to reclaim jeans as an item of clothing you wear no matter what?? ❤️Tessa Gordon @embodyinghope . . #EmbodyingHope #TessaGordon #eatingdisordertherapy #edrecovery #recoveryisworthit #edwarrior #alifeworthliving #stopthestigma #IAmInvisibleNoMore #mightytogether #bodyoppression #nowrongwaytohaveabody #studiocitytherapist #GlossopharyngealNeuralgia #gpnwarrior #invisisbledisability #spooniesupport #bodyacceptance #antianorexia #therapistsofinstagram #chronicpainwarrior #advocacy #balancedlife #prorecovery #riotsnotdiets #eatingdisorderawareness #keepfighting
We are sold an idea of what our bodies are “supposed” to look like, and how they are “supposed” to function. This message begins at a young age and is supported through various means in our culture. However not many of us have bodies that match those ideals. And even if we do, our bodies are constantly changing. ✨⠀⠀ In the early years of my recovery from an eating disorder, the way I coped with my relationship with my body was to chose to work towards tolerance and at times, that meant ignoring my body and the changes it was going through. I didn’t want to see what it looked like and I didn’t want others to see it either. As I continued to navigate recovery, I switched MO around the body piece and took up a more active and deliberate stance. I chose to acknowledge my body and work to re-establish a relationship with it- meaning doing things that I wanted to do, regardless of how I felt about the appearance of my body. ✨ This shift, over time, allowed me to begin to develop a richer description and appreciation of my body. No longer was my body narrowly defined to its aesthetic, but now it became what my body could do on physically, mentally, relationally, emotionally and spiritually. ✨ Allowing myself to dive in to different experiences I cane to understand that we live in our bodies, but we do not have to be defined by them. ✨⠀⠀ The physical part is only one aspect. I encourage you to fight against allowing others beliefs and ideas around what you look like, to keep you and your body from living your life. ✨⠀⠀ I believe all bodies deserve a space in this world. I want to help make that so, regardless of age, shape, weight, gender or ability. ✨ No one has to hide because of how they look. No one should be made to experience shame because of their body. ❤️~ Tessa Gordon @embodyinghope . #EmbodyingHope #TessaGordon #butyoudontlooksick #eatingdisordertherapy #recoveredtherapist #edrecovery #recoveryisworthit #socialjustice #edwarrior #alifeworthliving #haes #stopthestigma #IAmInvisibleNoMore #spoonie #mightytogether #bodyoppression #nowrongwaytohaveabody #studiocitytherapist #gpnwarrior #GlossopharyngealNeuralgia #rareillness #invisisbledisability