Strengthen Self-Awareness and Track Your Recovery

Self-awareness is one of the most powerful tools in recovery. The Green, Yellow, and Red Light exercise helps you identify behavioral and emotional signs that indicate the strength of the eating disorder. By identifying patterns early, you can take meaningful steps to seek support, practice coping skills, and make decisions aligned with your long-term goals.

• Green lights represent stability - behavior, thoughts, and emotions aligned with  your recovery plan and managing urges with support.

• Yellow lights signal caution - times when you might be struggling, needing to reinstate certain skill use, or noticing an increase in difficult thoughts or behaviors.

• Red lights indicate high-risk periods when your eating disorder may be influencing decisions, and additional emotional or professional support is needed.

This practice encourages honesty, mindfulness, and proactive communication with your care team and support network.

Why the Green, Yellow, and Red Light Tool Supports Recovery

Recovery isn’t linear - it ebbs and flows. By learning to observe your behaviors and emotional responses with objectivity, you can recognize when you’re thriving and when you need extra care.

Using the Green, Yellow, and Red Light framework helps you:

• Build awareness of your recovery patterns and emotional triggers.

• Identify signs of progress and setbacks before they escalate.

• Communicate clearly with your outpatient team and/ or support system.

• Strengthen trust and collaboration with your treatment team.

• Cultivate self-compassion by viewing recovery as a journey, not a straight line.

This tool empowers you to notice shifts in thoughts or behaviors without judgment and to take action with accountability.

What’s Included

The Green, Yellow, and Red Light resource includes guided reflection prompts to help you define your personal recovery indicators:

• Green Symptoms (Your Experience): How you feel and behave when you’re in a stable place in recovery.

• Green Signs (What Others Might Notice): External cues that show you’re maintaining values-guided actions.

• Yellow Symptoms (Your Experience): Early warning signs that suggest you’re struggling and need extra support.

• Yellow Signs (What Others Might Notice): Observable changes that indicate increased vulnerability or emotional distress.

• Red Symptoms (Your Experience): Clear markers that your eating disorder is gaining strength and influencing choices.

• Red Signs (What Others Might Notice): Behaviors or patterns others may see that signal the need for immediate intervention or help.