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This conversation started with an email from a founding member. Kate (not her real name) wrote to me for help after returning home from an event. During a break mid- event, her group turned the conversation to their dieting efforts and body weight, making comments Kate recognized as fat-phobic. This made Kate uncomfortable—and she quickly realized several others in the group were uncomfortable too. Kate went on to write:
How can I avoid taking on the discomfort or negative feelings of others in social settings? I can literally feel the discomfort radiating from people, like I’m a radio receiver. My nervous system can't take it.
