When we say yes when we mean no, we can end up feeling controlled, bullied, or used.
The Dance of Candor, Advice Giving, and Regret
Do you ever feel uncomfortable giving feedback to people? Do you regret what you’ve said? Learn 3 healthy ways to give advice.
Can You Help Too Much?
Helping others is important, but are you doing enough to help yourself?
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #5: Validation
We’ve been exploring my favorite formulas for living in recovery, and today’s concept is simple but not easy. Validation means giving yourself and others the reassurance that what you think and feel is okay. It says that no matter how things turn out, your emotions are valid. This can be a welcome relief for those […]
7 Formulas for Living in Recovery #1: Try It On
In the spirit of cross training for recovery from eating disorders, I will be sharing seven formulas that you can mix and match in a variety of situations. They are personal favorites that I’ve used myself, taught to clients, and passed along to other professionals. Try It On When we’re not happy with how something […]
Living With Uncertainty
For many young adults, including my daughter, this is a time of great uncertainty, as they wait for letters from schools they applied to for the fall. When you’re recovering from an eating disorder, many situations can cause feelings of uncertainty – with food and with other parts of life. For example, going to an […]
Managing Difficult Eating Situations
For people with an eating disorder or food addiction, eating can be an emotionally charged event. There are certain eating situations that amplify this discomfort, because other people are involved. There may be relationship issues like co-dependency, or unhealthy patterns like mind reading, or fear and anxiety of eating out in the open. Some people […]
Feedback and Self-Esteem
Author and speaker Brene Brown talks about how shame stops us from speaking up for ourselves. Shame can also trigger overeating, undereating, body image obsession, and feeling like you’re worth less than other people. These harmful behaviors then create more shame, and a devastating spiral can quickly occur. On the other hand, you can set […]
The Trouble With Not Speaking Up
I once heard of an eating disorder recovery group called “Say It or Stuff It.” So many people who have issues with food also have difficulty communicating what their needs are, and they’re not speaking up for themselves. The trouble likely stems from what we were taught as children – spoken or unspoken messages such […]
Our Culture of Food, Weight and Exercise
As you recover from disordered eating, the cultures around you are not necessarily changing. Read more about how your societal and family cultures affect your personal feelings about food, weight and exercise.