3 Steps Towards Body Acceptance
We all have a relationship with our body. The question is what kind of relationship is it? Is it one of struggle and pain or acceptance and gratitude? Many of us are at war with our bodies and the battle begins at a very young age. This war comes at a cost to our physical, emotional, financial, relational, and mental well being. If you want to change your relationship with your body, here are three steps you can take towards accepting your body exactly as it is.
Back To Basics: Reflections on Motherhood
I recently returned from maternity leave and have been reflecting on how becoming a mother has reinforced some key lessons I learned on my own journey of recovery and that come up often in my work as a counselor. #1 – I Am Strong This became my mantra in recovery and...
Self-Worth: Living from the Inside Out
It's February and I still can't turn on the TV without being inundated by advertisements for weight loss products, diets, and exercise routines. It happens every year post-holidays as advertisers try to capitalize on New Year's resolutions and holiday guilt. As a...
“Why me?” The Five Factors that Lead to the Development of an Eating Disorder
I've written quite a few blog posts on eating disorders yet never tackled one of the questions people with eating disorders and their loved ones often ask - why? Why did I (or my son, daughter, brother, sister) develop an eating disorder? Inherent in this question...
A Picture of Stress Among College Students
It's that time of year again - back to school! For many, it's a time of excitement and anticipation but it's also a time when many students and parents experience increased stress and anxiety. Stress among college students is high because of the transition to young...
Doing What’s Right Even When It’s Hard
Growing up, my mother used to tell me that "sometimes the hardest thing to do is the right thing." I have found truth and wisdom in this message at different points throughout my life yet have always struggled with it - wishing it weren't true somehow and wanting it...
Exercise: How To Know If It’s Too Much of a Good Thing
How do you know when something that is meant to be healthy and life-sustaining becomes too much of a good thing and potentially dangerous to your health? The weather is warming up and in Colorado that means I'm seeing more and more people outside enjoying the...
How is Counseling Different than Talking to a Friend or Loved One?
April is Counseling Awareness Month, so I thought I'd spend some time writing about the profession that I love and how counseling is different than talking to a friend or loved one in our life. As a therapist in private practice, I have witnessed first hand how...
Avoid Avoiding and Feel Better
Have you ever been afraid of doing something and the longer you avoided it; the more your fear grew? Or maybe you felt depressed and wanted to hide from the world, and the more you withdrew, the more depressed you felt. This happens because our emotions feed...
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: What You Need to Know
"Everybody Knows Somebody" I've been posting resources, articles, and statistics all week on my Facebook and Twitter pages in an effort to raise awareness, provide hope, and point people in the direction of help for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This...