Letter from the Author
Hello readers!
I bet you’ve been wondering who’s been talking to you on the blog lately, so I wanted to introduce myself!
My name is Kelsey, and I am Eat Breathe Thrive’s new blog writer! I’ve lived in a lot of places across the United States, but currently reside in Nashville, Tennessee with my partner and our cat. I love concert photography (good thing I live in Music City!), blackberry lattes, and collecting elephant statues, among many other things. But the thing I’ve loved the longest is writing. I loved it before I even knew how to type! One of my earliest memories is writing a short story with my dad about the “Frozen Man” James Taylor sang about…Dad transcribed and let me do the illustrations. And thus, the writer in me was born.
Now, this isn’t my first blog rodeo; I actually have one of my own! Writing about my mental health journey has been so rewarding, and I was so jazzed to start writing for Eat Breathe Thrive. I thought I’d share my story with you all, to give you a glimpse into how I ended up here.
To dive right in, I have a chronic health condition that, unfortunately, ties into my eating disorder. I was diagnosed with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID, a few years ago when I landed in a treatment center. Treatment for my eating disorder, which I’m sure many of you know, was incredibly difficult, and I’ve worked hard at recovery ever since. Because of my chronic health condition, however, my eating disorder started poking its head back out late last year.
After a hospitalization right before the global pandemic forced us all into quarantine, I started experiencing relief from this chronic condition for the first time in my life. The hospitalization had been one of the lowest points of my life, and my body was bouncing back very slowly, so I began searching for ways to help the recovery process. I wanted to continue healing, without my eating disorder setting me back in the recovery process. That’s when I found yoga, and the Eat Breathe Thrive Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery course!
I was nervous at first; because of my health (and, in all honesty, lack of interest), I’d never been great at exercise. And with my body recovering from such a serious health issue, I didn’t know if I would be able to keep up. But I decided to face my fears head on, and I enrolled in the class. I am so glad I did…it ended up changing my recovery drastically.
There were many reasons why this course had such a significant impact on my life, but the connections I made with the other participants is what meant the most to me. I was not only breathing in sync with others lying in Savasana across oceans and time zones, but I was forging friendships with folks who understood how hard it is to deal with an eating disorder while in the midst of a global pandemic. It was the cure for loneliness I didn’t know I was looking for. When I realized the power of both yoga and community, I knew I had to get involved with the organization that included both in its foundation.
So, here I am! I’m ready to get personal with you all! It’s time to break down that stigma that tells us to keep our struggles bottled up. I’m here to share my story, honestly and vulnerably, and hopefully meet you where you are in your journeys, as well! Eat Breathe Thrive changed my life, and I hope it can do the same for you, too.
All my best,
Kelsey Gilchriest
About The Author
Kelsey Gilchriest is a mental health advocate passionate about breaking down the stigmas that surround mental illness. While in treatment for an eating disorder, her therapist challenged her to use creativity to defy her perfectionism, and her own personal blog was born. The more she wrote and expressed her fears, hopes, and struggles openly and honestly, the more comments and messages she received from readers who saw themselves in her stories. Years later, Kelsey’s blog is still going strong as she continues advocating for those who feel voiceless and dismantling the idea that those with mental health struggles should stay silent.
Kelsey resides in Nashville, Tennessee, and works as a Peer Mentor at Equip. She enjoys yoga and photography in her spare time. Kelsey is thrilled to be writing for Eat Breathe Thrive, and thanks you for reading!