Nurtured Coaching with Nora Butler

Are you ready to try something different?

By Cathriona Murphy

For those of us who have been on the weight loss hamster wheel, we will be very familiar with Nora Butler. Nora has been a Slimming World leader working out of the North Kerry area for the last 8 years, a role which she still very much enjoys. In her position, she quickly became aware of the extended issues faced by some people, issues which fell beyond the scope of her group and issues that required specialist support. Spurred on by this, and by her own life experience, she went on to study nutrition. Not satisfied at that point she looked to America to study under the world-renowned Marc David where she completed specialist training around the psychology of eating. She has further expanded her qualifications and is a binge and emotional eating specialist.

With this new knowledge, Nora has now established a unique company to complement her current skillset, to help clients who struggle with issues such as binge eating. This is something Nora has first-hand experience with as it is something she struggled deeply with after the loss of her child. I sat with Nora to get more information on this exciting, one-of-a-kind service now available in Kerry.

Nora, can you explain how your service works and what support you offer?

There are 5 pillars of support, Gut rehabilitation, Neuroscience, Cognitive behaviour Therapy, Looking into the past and letting go of what no longer serves us and Self Care Strategies. What this means is we are looking into the past to see what no longer serves us. This is not a weight loss programme, it is a guilt loss programme. It is also evidence-based and it gives people the support and tools to finally break free from binge and emotional eating. I feel that it is empowering people to let go of the learned behaviours and coping mechanisms they have been using. When you understand how your brain is sabotaging you and when you realise how beating yourself up encourages binge eating, when you have the practical toolkit of resources and supports available 24/7, then you’ll achieve the changes you’ve longed for.

What, in your opinion, distinguishes this new service from what is currently available?

My new service is more in-depth, personalised support. It gives me the opportunity to delve deeper with my clients and help them see what behaviours they are currently demonstrating with regard to food. I work with them to help them understand and recognise how these behaviours are no longer helping them. I give them the tools and support to help change their eating habits, automatic thinking, reactions and how they choose to respond to life situations and stresses. I will be delivering this service in a 12-week one-toone session or online programme and also ½ day workshops.

Is there a continued support/after-care system in place?

There will be a community space amongst members in which they will have access to videos, downloads, written exercises and meditation and a community forum in which they can engage with other members. They can also opt-in for follow-up calls after the course.

For anyone interested who might be feeling embarrassed or ashamed of current habits, what would you say to them?

I firmly believe your mess becomes your message. My own binge eating disorder was a message to me that there were areas in my life that I needed to work on. I had to put systems of self-care in place and I honestly thought that the rest of my life would be permanently controlled by food. It made my world smaller, I was saying no to so many opportunities and missed out on so much life and living. I was trying to control everything in my life through food. If my food was right I felt my life was right, which in essence just wasn’t true. To have that ease in my life now, to live in peace and not under the control of food, is incredibly liberating. To lie your head on the pillow at night and have that peace of mind, not lying there regretting a binging episode instead. Now I divert my energies to outdoor activities and exercise. It’s very landscape-based and very therapeutic, doing stuff I never thought I would do. So with that said, I want you to know I am coming from lived experience. I was once that person, feeling the shame of my actions. I need you to know there is no shame in reaching out. Taking that first step in reaching out is a brave and courageous step. I am here and I am ready to help you.

HOW AND WHERE CAN WE SIGN UP?

You can contact me directly at 0872489838 or email me at norabtralee@gmail.com