So, you are having someone over for Thanksgiving that has an eating disorder and you are looking for some information about how to best support them (or at least not make a major faux paus!) Congratulations, you have already taken the first and most important step – trying to get yourself educated. The second, equally […]
Self-Compassion for Parents
Back to school? Already? Whether you are the parent of a school-aged child or helping your young adult child move into a dorm or first apartment, transitioning from the carefree, schedule-free days of summer to managing new school and extracurricular schedules, social calendars, and homesickness can make for a bumpy transition. As summer winds down […]
Feelings Need to be Felt, Not Fixed
Feeling our Feels Parents tell me all the time “I just want my child to be happy.” A parent’s job is to protect their child, so it makes complete sense to want to protect them from feeling discomfort or distress. However, “fixing it” or trying to get children to not feel uncomfortable emotions is not […]
Understanding the Stages of Grief
Looking at the Stages of Grief as non-linear You might have heard about the “Stages of Grief”, which are often talked about as though you progress through one stage to another. What Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the woman who came up with the model, actually said was a word closer to “aspects” which has been mistranslated from […]
The Importance of Family Treatment and Empowerment During Eating Disorder Recovery
Why is Family Therapy an Important Part of Treatment? Family therapy can be extremely helpful in the treatment and recovery process for both adolescents and adults experiencing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), or any combination of eating disorder symptoms. Eating disorders are complex and multifaceted mental health […]
The Grief of Pregnancy Loss
While the statistics vary between research studies, it is found that around one-third of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Yet pregnancy loss continues to be a disenfranchised grief that is far too often experienced in isolation. In the last few years, we have seen more public figures share about their pregnancy loss. Both Chrissy Teigen and […]
Reflections on Washington D.C.
Stress. Chaos. Loss of hope. Sometimes even words can fall short when describing the events of these times. The events in Washington D.C. over the course of the past week have been exceptionally difficult and chaotic in a year that was already so exceptionally difficult and chaotic. It can be hard to know where to go […]
A Million Little Inconveniences: Cultivating Resilience in the Holiday Season
What I’ll remember about this time isn’t necessarily the big things. It’s the million little inconveniences. Remembering to bring the masks. Walking across the street to not walk too close to strangers. The extra time needed to wait in line at the grocery store. Thinking every outing through in terms of safety. The extra work […]
10 Tips to Thrive Instead of Survive During the Holiday Season
The Holiday Season, although considered to be a joyous time, can be extremely stressful for anyone. As a therapist, the holidays are always a topic of conversation between myself and my clients with eating disorders, past traumas, as well as various other mental health concerns. Generally, the Holidays can stir up mental health triggers including […]
Eating Disorder Recovery in the Quarantine: Tips for Managing Mental Health
Even for those who do not have an eating disorder history, sights of empty shelves and people hoarding food and supplies can cause a great deal of anxiety. For those who do or have struggled with disordered eating and exercising mindfully in the past, this challenge can feel like it carries with it an extra […]