Glimmers in Recovery: Building Safety Beyond Food
The Missing Piece in Recovery
So often in eating disorder recovery, the focus is on food challenges. The advice usually sounds like: “Just eat the fear food. Keep challenging it, and it’ll get easier.”
And while food explorations are an important part of recovery, I’ve seen the same pattern happen again and again…
Someone faces a fear food. They get through it. And then… panic sets in. Fear spikes, shame floods in, and instead of progress, it turns into a spiral of restriction, bingeing, or emotional backlash.
Despite what the loud voice in your head is telling you, you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s that your body wasn’t resourced enough to handle the aftermath. Recovery does take a degree of pushing though, but that alone will only take you so far.
This is where glimmers come in.
What Are Glimmers?
The term glimmers was coined by Deb Dana, a therapist who works with Polyvagal Theory. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. While triggers pull your nervous system into survival mode, glimmers remind you that you’re not at the mercy of them; your body can also be guided back toward safety.
They’re those micro-moments when your body feels safe, grounded, or connected.
They’re not ignoring pain.
They’re not a form of toxic positivity.
They’re small moments that signal safety to your nervous system.
Think of them as “snippets of okayness” that help your body remember: I am safe right now.
In recovery, that’s huge, because it means you’re not constantly living in survival mode.
Why Glimmers Matter in Recovery
So why does this matter if your main struggle is with food, body image, or rest?
Food relationship: When your body feels resourced, a challenging food doesn’t push you straight into fight/flight/freeze. You have more capacity to sit with discomfort.
Body image: Glimmers remind you that safety isn’t tied to changing your body. They anchor you in moments of peace independent of appearance.
Rest: For many in recovery, slowing down feels unsafe. Glimmers help your body downshift into a more relaxed pace.
Breaking cycles: Without glimmers, a food challenge can spiral into guilt and compensation cycle. With glimmers, you have a buffer. A sense of safety to catch you before restriction or bingeing takes over.
In short, glimmers help create a nervous system foundation that makes food challenges sustainable.
Examples of Glimmers
The beauty of glimmers is that they’re often tiny and personal. Some possibilities:
Nature: sunlight streaming through a window, birdsong, the feeling of grass under your feet.
Arts & creativity: listening to music that soothes you, doodling, dancing, and reading poetry.
Science & curiosity: staring at the stars, watching the ocean, learning something fascinating.
Relationships: safe eye contact, a hug, laughing with someone you trust.
Daily comforts: a cosy blanket, the smell of coffee, warm water on your hands.
The key is noticing what makes your body feel even just a little safer and calmer.
Deb Dana’s Glimmers Practice
Deb Dana suggests a simple practice to help integrate glimmers into your daily life:
Notice: When something shifts your body out of survival mode, pause.
Pause: Don’t rush past it. Let yourself feel the “okayness.”
Appreciate: Take it in. Allow your body to register the safety.
Share: Journal it, record a voice note, or tell someone you trust.
Remember: Come back to it later. Recall the moment when things felt calm.
This practice might sound small, but it teaches your nervous system that safety is real and repeatable. Over time, it builds a stronger foundation for recovery.
Practical Tips for Using Glimmers in Recovery
Here’s how you can start weaving glimmers into your healing journey:
Before a food challenge - Take a moment to ground yourself in a glimmer. Let your nervous system feel resourced.
After a food challenge - Anchor in another glimmer. This helps prevent the backlash from escalating into a spiral.
Body image dips - Instead of trying to “fix” your body, glimmers can still remind your nervous system that there are moments, spaces, and connections where you can feel safe, valued, and cared for outside of appearance.
Rest - If slowing down feels unsafe, start with micro-moments of rest that feel glimmer-like (stretching, a hot drink, sitting in sunlight).
Glimmer Journal Prompts
1. Recall a recent moment when you felt even a tiny sense of calm or ease. What was happening around you, and how did your body respond?
2. When you imagine safety, what images, people, places, or sensations come to mind?
3. Think about a time you were facing a food or body image challenge. What small glimmer could have helped you feel more grounded in that moment?
4. Look for little moments in your day, a sound, a smile, a scent, or a texture. Which ones feel calming or safe? Write them down, even the tiny ones.
5. If you were to create a “glimmer toolkit” for your recovery, what would you include? List 3–5 simple things you can return to when you feel overwhelmed.
The Power of Glimmers in Recovery
Glimmers might seem small, but they’re powerful. They’re the moments that remind you: safety is possible, even here. And when you collect enough of them, they create a foundation strong enough to hold you through the hardest parts of recovery.
Have you noticed any glimmers today? They might be quieter than your fears, but they’re everywhere. And the more you notice them, the more you notice them.
