In this episode of Courage Is Built Here, Justine welcomes therapist Audrey Lewis to Pathway Four, Love Others Well, for a conversation about what it means to stay curious about another person’s humanity even when you do not understand, agree with, or accept their behavior. Drawing from her work with clients who struggle with eating disorders, Audrey discusses the importance of advocacy and resisting the tendency to define someone solely by what they do.
Together, Justine and Audrey explore unconditional positive regard and the ability to remain open and curious while still acknowledging when something is not okay. Audrey shares how nuanced eating disorders can be, including the different ways shame can show up around binge eating disorder and anorexia. They also discuss why looking beneath behaviors matters, particularly when cultural messages can glorify restriction, control, busyness, and pushing ourselves beyond what is healthy.
Audrey also reflects on the tension she is experiencing as an entrepreneur preparing for maternity leave without paid leave of her own. She shares how prayer, accountability, and allowing other people into the reality of her fears have helped her navigate that uncertainty. The conversation expands into why loving others well also requires letting others love us, especially when the belief that we are a burden keeps us from asking for support.
Justine and Audrey discuss the stories people carry from experiences that may have happened yesterday or decades ago and how those narratives can continue influencing the way we respond to life. Audrey explains her holistic approach to health and the importance of not leaning so heavily into one area that the rest of the person is overlooked.
Finally, Audrey shares a season when several major changes happened at once, including the end of an engagement and her mother’s need for open heart surgery. Courage during that season looked like continuing to move through her own grief while supporting someone she loved and leaning deeply into her faith. She also reflects on what her father is teaching her about love as he navigates retirement, health changes, and a new stage of life. Although they express emotions and love differently, Audrey says he continues to teach her what love looks like through sacrifice.
Key Takeaways
- Loving others well means seeing the person beyond their behavior while still being honest about what is and is not okay.
- Unconditional positive regard helps us remain open and curious instead of immediately writing someone off.
- Curiosity can help us move beyond symptoms and behaviors to ask what is happening underneath them.
- Eating disorders are deeply nuanced, and shame can look very different depending on the behaviors and diagnosis involved.
- Our culture can glorify restriction, control, busyness, and hustle even when those patterns come at the expense of our well-being.
- Loving and leading others well also requires allowing other people to love, support, and care for us.
- The belief that you are a burden may come from an old story rather than the reality of your current relationships.
- Healing sometimes requires examining experiences and narratives we have carried for years without realizing how much they still influence us.
- Holistic well-being involves more than focusing on a single area or searching for a quick fix.
- Courage during overwhelming seasons can look like continuing the practices that help carry you through one day at a time.
- People can express love very differently, and those differences can stretch our understanding of what love looks like.
About the Guest
Audrey Lewis is a therapist who specializes in working with clients struggling with eating disorders and takes a holistic approach to healing through Arrow Light. Her work includes helping clients look beyond behaviors to better understand what may be happening underneath them, while making space for physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Audrey believes in approaching people with curiosity and unconditional positive regard, recognizing their humanity without excusing behaviors that cause harm.
Audrey intentionally maintains a limited social media presence, but welcomes connections from anyone who has questions or resonates with the conversation.
Connect with Audrey:
Email: arrowlightcounseling@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arrowlight.co/
