Permission to Want: Healing Self-Betrayal and Emotional Eating

In this episode, Alana dives into the quiet yet powerful experience of having desire – whether it's for food, affection, rest, or a bigger life – and the shame and self-sabotage that often arise in response. She unpacks how many of us, especially women, were taught to minimize our wants and internalize the idea that our desires are dangerous or unworthy. Through personal reflection and insights from her work with clients, Alana explores how ignoring or hiding our desires leads to self-betrayal and emotional eating. She outlines the beliefs and behaviors that keep us stuck in cycles of secrecy, struggle, and earning, and offers practical guidance on reclaiming permission to want openly and without shame. Leave us a voice message for our next Q&A episode!Curious to learn more about working directly with Alana so that you can reconnect with your hunger and fullness cues, learn to eat whatever you want without rules, regulate your emotions and naturally lose weight so you can live with freedom and joy? Get started HERE! The Craving Reset Library is your on-demand toolkit for breaking emotional eating patterns in real time—without relying on willpower or rules. Inside, you’ll find fast-acting audio tools designed to interrupt cravings, regulate your nervous system, and retrain your brain to feel calm, clear, and in control. Whether it’s a 3-minute urge or a full-blown binge cycle, these resets put you back in charge. Click here to access the Craving Reset Audio Library and take control in the moment it matters most.Explore more from Be Well by AKBe sure to follow Alana on Instagram at @bewellbyak.TakeawaysDesire often comes with feelings of unworthiness and shame.Many women feel they must earn their desires through struggle.Societal expectations can lead to downplaying one's desires.Self-betrayal is a common coping strategy for women.Practicing permission is essential for self-acceptance.Chapters00:00 Understanding Desire and Shame04:45 The Impact of Societal Expectations on Women10:19 The Connection Between Desire and Self-Betrayal17:31 Practicing Permission and Self-Acceptance24:04 Reclaiming Your Right to Desire