What do you notice when you look at pictures of your heavier self?  Like many of us, you might notice harsh, critical, or judgemental thoughts or feelings.  The sensations in your body may feel uncomfortable causing feelings of shame or disgust.  We have spent months, years, or even decades, trying to hide, ignore, or push away our “old self”.  The tricky part is that the old version of ourselves still lives inside of us.  When we speak unkindly and without compassion to our “old self”, they can hear & feel it.  It resonates and vibrates in and all around you impacting our present self whether you recognize it or not.  Our thoughts impact our actions, which impact our behaviors. Being unkind to any version of yourself (past, present, or future) will keep us trapped, stuck, and paralyzed along our bariatric journey. 

In this episode, April and Jason sat down with Katie Booker, a licensed trauma therapist, BariNation Expert, and bariatric patient, to understand how we can uncover gratitude and use it to find connectedness and curiosity throughout our bariatric journey. She will teach us how to lean into kindness and compassion for all parts of ourselves and help us understand how negative self-talk not only holds us back, but also powers our disease. You will leave this conversation with actionable steps you can take to shift your mindset and start finding gratitude for the person you are. 

Remember, you're not alone on this journey. Join the BariNation Support Community and connect with people growing in gratitude. We offer coping skills classes taught by experts like Katie, support groups led by bariatric therapists, and meetups where you can connect with people like you. Visit us at https://barination.mn.co to learn more about our inclusive and welcoming support community! 

If you found this episode helpful, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and share it with others who might benefit from this information. And you can help us produce this show by becoming a $5 monthly Patreon support! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com to become a supporter! Remember to subscribe to The BariNation Podcast for more insights and inspiration on your weight loss surgery journey.

About our Guest: Katie Booker, LCSW, is a private practice therapist licensed in New York State.  She specializes in trauma therapy utilizing research-based therapies with children, adolescents, teens, and adults.  Katie is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) through EMDRIA, is a Registered Play TherapistTM certified through the Association for Play Therapy, and completes psychological evaluations for pre-surgery approval.  

About Your Hosts: April Williams, Jason Smith, and Natalie Tierney are all bariatric patients who were inspired to create the community and support they needed. BariNation empowers people to treat their disease of obesity in kind, compassionate, and caring ways through the community they founded. As they learn to live the pillars of bariatric success (movement, mindset, metabolic wellness), they share their experiences and “aha” moments with their friends and followers. 

About BariNation: BariNation is a bariatric educational organization on a mission to empower patients to access and utilize the tools, resources, and education needed to find and maintain personal wellness. We connect patients with the support they need, when and where they need it. BariNation produces an award-winning weekly podcast distributed on all major podcast and video platforms and hosts a support membership community that teams up with credentialed and licensed bariatric experts and clinicians. 

Follow BariNation on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You can also connect with us personally on Instagram; follow April @actively_april, follow Jason @tha_smithsonian, and follow Natalie @breakingbari_ers.

You’ve got this and we’ve got you!