My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Luciana Gravotta

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Since I was 15 years old I’ve had a disordered relationship with food. It started with anorexia, and then transformed into anxieties and obsessions about food. I’ve done a lot of transformational work through different types of therapy, but when I heard about Eating Psychology, I knew I had found an integrated and powerful tool. I knew that combined with my years of struggle and information gathering, I would be perfectly placed to lead other people to their own route to healing.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

What I love about coaching is how it allows me to engage with another person at the core of their being. Eating and food are but mirrors into our soul, so my clients are inviting me to go on a journey through all of their pain, buried thoughts, desires, and wants. From here I can guide them to find the self-knowledge that leads to real breakthrough. I feel honored when a client opens up their heart so that together we can access the gems that lie within.

What does your practice look like?

In my practice I work with clients both in person and online. I’ve been lucky to get a wide range of clients, each with a unique question or challenge. This has kept me on my toes—in a good way! My speciality is working with women who struggle with weight, self-image, food anxiety, and emotional eating. Women feel pressure on so many fronts: professional, emotional, and in relationship. They’re asked to “keep it together,” “not get emotional,” etc. The positive aspect of the feminine is then repressed and re-emerges in warped ways. I help my clients get out of the impossible net of expectation and repression. I offer a “6 week purification,” a special program for women to blast self-defeating thoughts and behaviors, and help them access the wisdom of the body to overcome challenges with food and relationships.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

My training with the Institute for the Psychology of Eating helped me find a more integrated method for deep healing. My background in science meant I often sidestepped or ignored spiritual and intuitive methods for transformation. But that’s like trying to eat a meal without all the cutlery: without all the tools, you can’t assimilate all that is needed to truly shift encrusted patterns and beliefs.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

My favorite part of the Training was the videos—I got to see Marc’s passion for what he teaches, and that was truly inspirational. I also found the handouts with questions to guide the inner work journaling very helpful. By doing the same work I would be asking my clients to do gave me a first-hand experience of what they would be going through so that I would be prepared to give them the support they needed.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Being a coach has shown me how I can work for myself doing something that can be of great benefit to many people. It has given me the tools I need to create an effective marketing strategy for getting a coaching business off the ground. It has shown me ways to stay confident even if I don’t have the answers and am still building on my skill sets.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your personal life?

Social gatherings are often centered around food, as are romantic ones. Being a coach has really helped me ground myself in these situations. I can stay mindful and present, and stay in the sensuousness of the food experience, even with others who may not be so mindful. I find myself often talking about food and mindfulness to friends and family, and seeing how many of them begin applying my suggestions to their daily routines even though I’m not “coaching” them.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

My future as a coach is evolving towards incorporating movement into the work I do with my clients. Dance training has been a part of my life since I was a little girl, and dance is my passion. Movement can lead to a deeper understanding of aspects of the self that are not always as easily expressed through words and thoughts. Movement-based strategies will help my clients deepen their understanding of the mind-body connection and become more effective at meeting their challenges.

Why would you recommend the Training to others?

I found the information and tools in this Training truly transformational. Regardless of whether someone chooses to become a coach, what Marc teaches holds lifelong gems that will improve the quality of mind and soul for that person.

Anything else you’d like to share about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

The disordered relationship that our society has with food speaks to many interrelated issues: food production, food quality, land and water use, over consumption, and resource distribution. The massive scale at which these problems exist make them feel overwhelming. As a Food Coach it is always inspiring to see how I can contribute to raising the level of consciousness around these issues and how I can help shift actions and beliefs to a healthier and more wholesome place. I see that the work is about empowering each person I work with towards a healthier life for themselves and for the world.

NAME: Luciana Gravotta, Eating Psychology and Mind-Body Nutrition Specialist
WEBSITE: www.lucianagravotta.com

BIO: Luciana Gravotta specializes in body image issues, weight loss, binge/emotional eating, digestive distress, low immunity, health-life-work balancing, and self-care. She works with a unique combination of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, life coaching, food education, and Mind-Body awareness.