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Healthy body, healthy mind: the role of nutrition in recovery

Healthy eating gives our bodies and brains the support they need to carry us through life’s challenges. But for people dealing with a mental health condition, getting the right nutrition can be a real roadblock in the journey to wellness.

At SunCloud Health, we work with many people who need to change the way they eat in order to get their lives back on track. For example, people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol need help rebuilding self-care habits, including nutrition. Those who suffer from depression and other mood disorders also benefit from learning about the gut-brain connection and the nutrients that support mood stability.

People who come to us for help with eating disorders need caring, specialized, individualized support in healing their relationship with food. Our dietitian therapists  work closely with them to deal with a range of issues that are crucial for their recovery.

For those with eating disorders, the road to balanced nutrition isn’t easy

Many people with eating disorders spend a substantial amount of time thinking about food. Many know more about nutrition than just about anyone because they’ve spent so much time studying the calorie and nutrition content of foods and how the body processes these. Some have developed fears of specific foods, refusing to eat them at all – denying themselves of nutrients needed to keep their brains and other internal organs functioning properly.

When we work with people who are recovering from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia and other eating disorders, we focus on healing attitudes and building new habits which serve to normalize one’s relationship with food and body.

Many people with eating disorders have distorted, rigid ideas about what’s healthy when it comes to food, our bodies and exercise. A healthy relationship with food is flexible, including choices from all different food groups. This definition of healthy can include processed foods, high-fat foods and high-sugar foods consumed in moderation.

A healthy relationship with food also includes an active connection with self, intuition, tastes and desires. A healthy relationship with body includes acceptance and belief in weight diversity. A healthy relationship with exercise means being active on a regular basis, engaging in pleasurable movement but without rigid or compulsive thinking or action.

A majority of us – even those of us who don’t suffer from clinical eating disorders – could use help overcoming old, sick, culturally supported beliefs that don’t serve us well. We need to find satisfying new ways to nourish ourselves at the body, mind and soul level.

Embracing good nutrition, one bite at a time

If you or someone you know is dealing with an eating disorder, here are 4 crucial things we want you to know.

  1. Food freedom is possible. Thoughts of food don’t have to control your life anymore. With help, you can learn to choose foods and eating behaviors which will sustainably nourish your body and support your total health.
  2. You can transform the way you see your body. We provide a safe space where you can talk about your self-image, and re-experience who you are and how you see yourself. Understanding the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual roots of your negative beliefs about your body began is the first step in developing a more accurate and loving image of yourself that supports your recovery.
  3. Change is possible for you, too — replacing behaviors rooted in fear and isolation with powerful new behaviors rooted in community, love and acceptance. With time, support and practice, you can learn to eat in nourishing rather than self-abusive ways. As your skill level grows, you will find yourself eating comfortably in social settings, choosing foods from grocery stores and restaurants that support your overall health and learning to prepare flavorful meals you will savor and enjoy as an act of responsible self-care. We offer supported meals and snacks, as well as experiential outings, to help you along the road to change. For people in recovery from eating disorders, food is medicine – and we will empower you every step of the way.
  4. You are not alone. At SunCloud Health, we understand that your struggles aren’t simply about food. Many people with eating disorders have suffered significant emotional or physical trauma that must be healed. We see you as a whole person and we are here to treat the full spectrum of challenges you may be facing.

If you need help healing your relationship with food, we are here for you. Call 844-202-4230 or email us here.

Rachel Collins, LCSW
Site Director of Northbrook PHP and IOP

Rachel Collins, LCSW, is the Site Director of SunCloud Health’s Northbrook Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs for both adolescents and adults. Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to complete her master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University. She has since worked in a wide range of settings, including inpatient treatment, PHP/IOP programs, therapeutic group homes, and private practice. Rachel specializes in treating trauma (using Cognitive Processing Therapy) and anxiety, practicing through a relational, compassionate, and client-centered lens. She is passionate about creating a therapeutic space in which clients feel safe and able to explore various parts of themselves with curiosity as opposed to judgement. In addition to her leadership and clinical work, she is passionate about creating art, and learning about the intersection between creativity and mental health.

Kayla Corirossi, MA, LCSW
Site Director, Naperville PHP/IOP (Adolescents & Adults)

Kayla Corirossi, MA, LCSW, is the Site Director of SunCloud Health’s Naperville Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs for adolescents and adults. She brings extensive experience working with individuals across the lifespan, including adolescents, adults, and geriatric populations, and specializes in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma, substance use, family systems, forensic populations, and individuals in crisis.

Kayla has worked in a wide range of clinical and community settings, including community-based interventions, police crisis response, correctional facilities, inpatient treatment, PHP/IOP programs, and with vulnerable and underserved populations. In addition to her clinical and leadership work, she is passionate about providing mental health education and advocacy within the community.

Kayla earned her Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Psychology and Sociology from Aurora University and went on to complete her Master’s degree in Forensic Social Work, also at Aurora University. Her clinical approach is evidence-based, compassionate, trauma-informed, and integrative, emphasizing collaboration and individualized care.

Driven by a personal mission to meet individuals where they are, Kayla is committed to helping clients feel safe, supported, and understood. She strives to create a natural and empathetic healing environment while ensuring individuals from all backgrounds and identities know they are not alone and have access to meaningful resources and support.

Elizabeth E. Sita, MD
Medical Director of Adult Services
Dr. Elizabeth E. Sita, MD, is a Board Certified psychiatrist specializing in the care of patients with eating disorders. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Chicago and graduated with Highest Honors. She then earned her medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and was recognized with the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Psychiatry. She subsequently completed residency with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, where she was elected Chief Resident and received the Resident Psychiatrist Leadership & Service Award. Upon completing her training, Dr. Sita came to Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, where she served as Assistant Medical Director of the Center for Eating Disorders and Director of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Services before transitioning to lead the new inpatient eating disorder unit as Medical Director of Eating Disorder Services at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital – Chicago. In these roles, she has cared for a multitude of adolescents and adults struggling with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other eating disorders as well as severe, cooccurring mood, trauma, personality, and substance use disorders. Dr. Sita has been recognized throughout her training and practice for a commitment to excellence in patient care and for her ability to engage patients in their most challenging moments. Her passions include the care of treatment-resistant eating and mood disorders as well as questions of medical capacity and end-of-life decision making. She believes that, first and foremost, human connection is key to mental health and well-being and strives to share this philosophy in each and every patient encounter. She is excited to bring her expertise to SunCloud Health as the Medical Director of Adult Services!   VIDEO: Meet Elizabeth E. Sita, MD, Medical Director of Adult Services  
Lacey Lemke, PsyD
Assistant Vice President of Clinical Services

Dr. Lacey Lemke (she/her) is a licensed clinical health psychologist with specialized expertise in the treatment of eating disorders and the practice of medical and health psychology. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology with a Primary Care emphasis at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Lemke went on to complete both her predoctoral clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship through Ascension Health, where she gained advanced training working with individuals experiencing eating disorders and self-injurious behaviors, as well as within pediatric subspecialty settings including endocrinology, neurology, and adolescent medicine.

Dr. Lemke is deeply committed to providing evidence-based, compassionate care and collaborates closely with interdisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive treatment. Her professional mission is to support patients in achieving their fullest potential by guiding them to the most appropriate level of care and empowering them to make meaningful, sustainable progress toward improved health and well-being.

VIDEO: 2. Meet Lacey Lemke, PsyD.