Ravenhawk Recovery LLC

12/31/2024

Planning to do dry January this year?

Congratulations- research indicates that you are in good company. You may experience an improvement in cardiac and liver function, a decrease in blood pressure, better sleep and digestion, increased clarity and more agile cognitive functioning. Relationships and
mood regulation can be less challenging; you may experience more calmness and a more positive perspective. There may be a period of adjustment and some discomfort- which NPR refers to as “hangover symptoms”. That would seem to indicate a pretty
significant impact for something that is not classified as a problem issue.

So- the question remains-if drinking alcohol is the cause of these negative consequences that taking a month or two off is worth some significant effort- then how is it not enough of a problem to consider eliminating it altogether? I completely support every adult individual’s right to make a decision about what they choose to drink- but if these benefits are compelling, and the potential downside exposure is clear, then maybe a new decision is a worthy intention for 2025.

Dr. Diane Ryan, DBH, LPC
Ravenhawk Recovery

#2025

07/30/2024

There is a free eating disorder Drop-in group at the UofA!
https://caps.arizona.edu/cedar

02/29/2024

It’s eating disorder awareness week and I just haven’t had the juice to come up with an original post. The eating disorder world, professionally, feels awful to me. I’m still appalled at how discriminatory people are toward those in larger bodies. I don’t know how often I have to say that you can’t tell whether someone is healthy or not by looking at them. Every day I tell at least one client that they can say no to being weighed while they are afraid of the repercussions. And that eating disorders really do come in all shapes and sizes. Somehow this isn’t getting through though. I have clients every day who cry are terrified of getting better from their eating disorders because they don’t want to be “fat”. I’m a very skilled therapist in my own recovery, but trying to convince someone that it’s ok to end up in a body that many would rather be dead in than live in feels impossible sometimes. I have had my own struggles coming to terms with where my body currently sits in recovery. Just one of many examples of how as therapists we face our own challenges while trying to fight for our clients. Sigh. It’s exhausting. I know there are warriors out there also doing this work and trying to make some changes, I’m just incredibly worn out by it all. Though of course, I’ll never stop advocating for change and I’m so grateful for those along side me. ❤️

09/09/2023

When someone is asking for financial help, I know it’s easy to pass over the request. I understand that money is tight for a lot of people, but even a tiny donation helps to move toward the larger goal. I work extremely hard and save what I can, but it’s not enough to get the care I need. I’m asking once again for anything you can spare. It means a lot!

Hi there! My name is Katie Klein, I’m 39 years old, and live in Tucson, … KATIE KLEIN needs your support for Desperately needing help with medical expenses

09/02/2023

https://gofund.me/14449379

07/05/2023

I’m reflecting on this past year of 38 before I enter my last year of my 30’s tomorrow…

It’s been a lot about letting go of what I thought things were supposed to look like by now and leaning into the possibilities I can’t yet see…and trusting.

It’s been about hitting an emotional bottom precipitated by health issues, and learning how to truly feel safe in my body and in my life.

I’m the most vulnerable, honest, sensitive version of myself, and I couldn’t be prouder of how I’ve shown up for myself through one of the hardest years of my life.

Some areas have blossomed with ease and others I’ve been fighting and have realized the fighting makes me sicker in every way.

For 39, I welcome acceptance, openness, trust, compassion, fun, and crystallization of all that I question, desire, and dream of.

06/02/2023

May we continúe to fight for the equality which belongs to us all. Proud to be a member of this community who refuses to back down.

🌈 ***r ***rpride

02/27/2023

I feel a sort of pressure to post this week as an eating disorder therapist and being in my own recovery. The truth is, I’m horrified by the continued lack of blatant unwillingness to truly understand eating disorders. I have personally and professionally been enraged by medical providers who are actively doing damage. I feel exhausted by it all, as I know others in the eating disorder community are as well. The pursuit of a different body kills millions of people. It’s getting old and it’s truly a systemic and institutional problem.

Of course I will keep fighting because that’s who I am.

And I want to acknowledge the providers and organizations who are joining this fight, because they are certainly out there. Thank you.

02/22/2023

Quality accounts that add to my life

08/29/2022

In my own therapy this week I came to the realization that there’s a perfectionist part of me who continually says that if I do everything right then my medical issues will resolve. If I seek the right professionals, eat the right diet (hello again eating disorder 👋), take the right meds, figure out and remove all environmental triggers, do the right spiritual work, change my beliefs about healing, THEN I’ll be cured. It’s almost as if wellness/health/diet culture has been manipulated into another form of shaming and blaming, that somehow the chronic illnesses or their lack of improvement is somehow inherently my fault. It’s interesting to see how parts of us mold and change, seemingly trying to help but really showing up as the same unhelpful and potentially destructive belief system as before.

The truth is, healing from these illnesses is quite ambiguous. They aren’t well-studied (because they are mostly in women, go figure) and didn’t develop from just one definitive place. Genetics, environment, trauma, illness, surgery, eating disorder… Who knows. What I do know, is I’m not doing anything wrong in not feeling better yet. There’s no such thing as a perfect path to healing, even though many wellness professionals want us to believe so. My work is being gentle with the part of me who wants me to feel better so badly, that she will blame me for it.

Perfectionism will never be the answer to healing.

08/03/2022

Here a major trusted news source has reported on multiple offensive and inaccurate articles which are deeply disappointing as a former journalist, a therapist, and an activist.

When are we going to stop punishing people for their body size and start holding the healthcare system and big pharma accountable for continuing to abide by outdated standards?

Obsessing about your food, weight or body size is far worse for your health than “2 cookies”. A healthcare system that uses the BMI system which somehow shows that the majority of Americans are overweight or obese? This isn’t a people problem, it’s a systemic problem of categorizing and judging people in order to make a profit. Buy two seats if you’re “plus-size”. You’ve got to be kidding me. Who actually comfortably fits in an airline seat?

The BMI system was designed in the 1800’s by white men as a way to make generalizations about populations, not as an actual indicator of health. Here is a great article:

https://elemental.medium.com/the-bizarre-and-racist-history-of-the-bmi-7d8dc2aa33bb

Come on. Let’s do better.

07/26/2022

ACTION ALERT: Tell your Senator to vote YES to the Kids Online Safety Act & Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act! The Senate Commerce Committee will be voting on these two bills TOMORROW. Take Action NOW: https://bit.ly/3otib2J. TY