Sexual Violence- Not Just A Women’s Issue
As we approach Sexual Assault Awareness month in April, I feel even more of a desire than usual to talk about sexual violence. One issues with sexual violence is that when we don’t talk about it, the cycle of guilt and shame for survivors continues. By...
Medications for Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are the result of a multifaceted overlap of biological, psychological, and social factors. While psychotherapy can help address the psychological and social aspects of such disorders, pharmacological treatment (i.e. medication) can be...
What is Bulimia?
A Misunderstood DiagnosisI remember learning about bulimia in high school, and holding onto this image of a White female teenager who would run to the bathroom and make herself throw up after eating lunch in the cafeteria. While this can be a specific...
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
This past week, you may have noticed that various radio, television, and social media outlets have focused on shedding light on eating disorder facts, resources, and stories. Their efforts have all been a way to meet the goal of National Eating Disorders...
Signs and Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
As a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of trauma and PTSD, I work with many patients who come into therapy with symptoms such as substance abuse, self harm, relationship problems, and low self-esteem. One of the first things I want to know in...
Binge Eating Disorder – Facts & Fiction
Less Recognized, but Nevertheless DebilitatingThere is a tendency to associate the term “eating disorder” with an individual’s attempt to severely restrict or otherwise compensate for their food intake, and overly focus on body image (i.e. in anorexia and...
Nonviolent Parenting
As a therapist specializing in the treatment of trauma and PTSD, I have worked with a number of clients who come to therapy wanting more information about healthy parenting. Often people parent the way they were parented but if someone grew up in a violent...
Mindful Eating for Eating Disorders
When you’re struggling with an eating disorder, learning how to eat in a non-disordered way can be extremely challenging. Just as developing eating disorder behaviors takes time, recultivating a peaceful relationship with food and body image is a gradual process. That...
Family-Based Therapy for Eating Disorders
For teenagers struggling with an eating disorder, beginning the process of recovery can be daunting if they do not know what to expect. The same goes for the families of such individuals, who are an imperative part of the child’s treatment. Family-based...
Night Eating Syndrome
One of the less well-known eating disorders is night eating syndrome. This condition is classified in the DSM-5 as an Other Specified Feeding/Eating Disorder, which includes symptoms surrounding food and body image that cause significant distress or...
What is Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological and potentially fatal eating disorder involving self-starvation, extremely low body weight, and an intense preoccupation with body image. Anorexia does not discriminate across genders (although females are more commonly...
Eating Disorders in Men
Men Can Have Eating Disorders, Too The idea that eating disorders affect only women is a dangerous assumption. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, about 1 in 3 individuals who struggle with an eating disorder is male. With this...
Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder
A Narrow Depiction of Eating Disorders My perception and understanding of eating disorders was extremely narrow before I became passionate about the topic and learned more about these conditions during my training as a therapist. I remember the brief explanation...
Codependency and Trauma
I remember the first time I heard the term “codependency”. In spite of having been working with addiction for quite some time, that was not a term I had been familiar with. What I learned many years later when I began specialized training in trauma is that...
Can Social Media Facilitate Eating Disorder Recovery?
In a previous article, I discussed ways in which social media may trigger individuals who are trying to recover from an eating disorder. For example, social media further propagates the already-prevalent diet mentality and thin-ideal in society, and...
Best Therapy for Eating Disorders
Seeking therapy for an eating disorder can feel scary and overwhelming if you’re not sure what to expect. You may feel a significant amount of fear and anxiety regarding being vulnerable with a complete stranger and trusting them to help with your...
Body Image and Sexual Experience in Women
The way a woman perceives her body can impact her experience and enjoyment during sexual activity. Research demonstrates that in women, less body image satisfaction is associated with poorer sexual wellbeing, including higher anxiety and lower...
How to Support a Loved one with An Eating Disorder?
Seeing a loved one suffering from an eating disorder can feel painful and helpless. You may want to provide this person with support but are not sure how to do so, or find that your efforts are unhelpful, or even triggering for the individual....
Talking Back to Your Eating Disorder
In her book, Life Without Ed, Jenni Schaefer describes a helpful tool in combating many of the intrusive thoughts that arise when one is navigating the struggle of disordered eating and body image concerns. Jenni, who has struggled with an eating...
Self-Compassion & Eating Disorder Recovery
Trying to recover from an eating disorder is a challenging feat with many obstacles. At times, you may feel like you are trying so hard not to engage in behaviors or are overwhelmed with intrusive thoughts that feel paralyzing. During these situations,...