We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nicole Ivelevitch a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing that anyone has ever done for me was forcing me into treatment for my eating disorder.

I first started struggling with bulimia at around age 13, and by my senior year of high school my disorder had shifted and developed into full-blown anorexia nervosa. Of course, I didn’t realize how sick I was at first; I will never forget receiving my diagnosis and being completely in disbelief, saying “That can’t be right, it’s not like I don’t eat at all.”

From that moment on, I did the bare minimum “required” of me by my parents and treatment team, which consisted of a therapist, nutritionist, and my pediatrician. I skated by for about 2 years and was able to go to college, but by my sophomore year, my eating disorder had become so strong that every aspect of my life was being affected. I was warned about potential infertility and that I was at risk for going into cardiac arrest, I was failing classes because my brain was unable to retain any information, my friends didn’t know how to help me and my social life suffered–but I didn’t care. I could not give up my eating disorder.

My parents finally issued an ultimatum: Go into residential treatment or we’re taking you out of school. At the time, I thought this was the cruelest thing they could ever do to me…but it turned out to be the absolute best and most meaningful thing anyone has ever done for me. I (reluctantly) agreed to go to treatment and began my journey towards recovery, which eventually led me to become a therapist specializing in eating disorders myself.

Looking back now, I am able to see that my parents had saved my life. I can never fully repay them for that, but I do try my best to pay it forward by educating others about the dangers of eating disorders and by spreading the message that recovery IS possible.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a therapist working with individuals and groups in-person in Florida and virtually in Florida, New York, and New Jersey. I had several therapists throughout my own recovery journey who were recovered from eating disorders themselves, and this is what inspired me to go into the field and help others myself. As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder (as well as other issues such as anxiety, depression, and trauma), I believe that my past experiences help me to connect and empathize with my clients in a unique and meaningful way.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Other than training/knowledge, I think that experience is most helpful for succeeding in my field. I truly learn so much from each one of my clients, whether it’s learning something new about their diagnosis, about the world, or even about myself. This is why it’s so important to have a great supervisor to be able to process and grow from each of these experiences in a way that can help make you a better clinician.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

If I could go back, I think I would choose the same specialty. Sometimes I do wish that I had pursued either psychiatry or nutrition, but at the end of the day, I love doing therapy and there is so greater feeling than watching your clients explore and achieve their goals. I have been able to incorporate my other interests into my work through continuing education, for example, I recently took a certification course in nutrition and mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.collaborativeminds.net/nicole-ivelevitch
• Instagram: @mind.body.nicole