For 20 years I battled drastic weight fluctuations and thought it was what prevented me from having romantic relationships. Desperate to break the cycle and open myself to love, at age 38 I sought out a therapist specializing in eating disorders. She believed my weight was a symptom of a much deeper issue, my childhood sexual abuse, and only by resolving it could I have the love I wanted. So began the next 12 years of my life working with my therapist and EMDR, a chiropractor to release trapped “fight or flight” responses, a sex therapist and group therapy for sexual abuse.