The holiday season for many with an ED or in ED recovery can feel like the superbowl of negative thoughts and body image, anxiety, decreased self-esteem and even sadness. Which is why it feels impossible to try to keep your eating disorder from controlling your holiday season. It can feel easier to let the eating disorder voice win because it is so exhausting to keep your ED in check. And as exhausting as it is, you can still support yourself through the holiday season with the list of tips below. 

What if ‘the most wonderful time of year’ brings nothing but holiday anxiety? What if you feel overwhelmed and stressed during this season, rather than joyous like society tells us? And what if you don’t feel or want to be that cheerful this year? Well, I am here to tell you that this is completely natural.

Finding an effective path for you requires one to take space to understand the options that are available to you. Learning about the different types of addiction treatment is the first step in understanding what is going to work best for you!

Oftentimes, challenging or traumatic moments that we have gone through will overwhelm our system which inhibits our brain’s ability to properly process that memory. Ultimately, there is a disconnect between what we actually experienced in that moment and what our brain stored which causes a ‘trauma’ wound. The brain becomes wounded and that wound, has not had the space it needs to heal.

By the end of Thanksgiving Day, you don’t feel like the confident adult you know you are, feel anxious, overwhelmed, annoyed and drained. You feel your old wounds reopened and you want to retreat inside of yourself because the comments you feel like you already dealt with, still hurt you. You are still bothered by the family drama that you find yourself dragged into, even though you thought you set that boundary. You're angry and even upset because you thought that this year would finally be different.

Whether you are fearful of the foods you will encounter on Thanksgiving Day, concerned about how you will manage your eating disorder voice, or just feel anxious about the pressure to eat or not eat you have the power right now, to prepare a toolbox of coping strategies to pull out of your back pocket when you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious this Thanksgiving.

Every culture has their own food likes and dislikes that have been heavily influenced by their ancestry. However, when we begin to restrict ourselves from our cultural foods because of diet culture and society's expectations, it can make us feel separated from a core piece of ourselves. And again, we often easily convince ourselves that we should restrict ourselves from that food because it is a smart nutritional decision.

Multicultural counseling is a term used to describe a type of counseling practice that acknowledges how a client’s cultural identity may have played a role in their mental health. When a therapist works from a multicultural approach, it means that a therapist will not only work to understand the difficulties you are experiencing from your perspective but work to acknowledge how various parts of your cultural identity have also played a role in your mental health.

Wouldn’t it be nice if nutrition was presented to you in a truly neutral way? Without dieting, weight loss, or some new fad? Instead you had someone walk you through your own personal lifestyle and help you construct your own nutritional roadmap. You can! That’s what a nutritionist would do with you.

Stress follows you everywhere! And as much as you want to avoid it, you cannot. Which is why it is important to take space to understand your own stress. Even though at times, it can feel extremely overwhelming, taking space to be curious about your own stress will not only help you but improve your everyday life.

Domestic Violence is an epidemic that spreads violence throughout communities and family units across the nation. Any individual can be subject to an abusive relationship, regardless of nationality, race, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, age, or religion. The violence that an individual experiences within a relationship typically coexists with controlling behaviors and emotionally abusive patterns which exposes a pattern of dominance and control.

Whether you're lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, queer, asexual, or intersex be proud of who you are and your support for LGBTQ+ equality this Coming Out Day!

While we may be more equipped to manage our mental health at different times in our life, mental health problems can become overwhelming and all-encompassing. Individuals who struggle with mental health often feel alone or like a burden to individuals in their life. Which is why many will keep their mental health in the shadows. However, mental health is something that is becoming more normalized to discuss. Which is a big part in how and why we have and should celebrate World Mental Health Day!

It is not always an easy task for your child to return to school after a fun-filled summer break. The transition and routine changes again and it can be tough on children and the family itself to get into the swing of a new routine. Returning back to school, means anxiety will be present for both you and your child. And listen…this is completely natural. Lots of change is happening, as there are new routines, new peers, teachers…and maybe even a new school! So, it is okay in that moment for you and your child to feel anxious and maybe a bit overwhelmed.

Are you experiencing borderline personality disorder (BPD), depression, anxiety, impulsive behaviors, mood disorders and/or PTSD symptoms? Are you struggling to regulate your emotions or communicate effectively? Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) can help for any one of these conditions or symptoms, as this therapeutic approach offers techniques that enable effective living for almost anyone.

Keeping a relationship (or relationships if you are polyamorous) healthy and thriving takes a lot of intentional work and commitment. Even the most loving and committed relationships require occasional tune-ups or support. Finding a couples therapist that is right for you and your partner/s is important to ensure the effort you are putting in is creating the relationship you desire. Here are some tips to consider when you are searching for a couples therapist to best fit your relationship/s…

Trauma and the LGBTQ+ community have been historically linked and connected. Many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community experience trauma at higher rates than straight and cisgender people. Members of the LGBTQ+ community with experience of trauma who are seeking support from a mental health professional should not only work with an LGBTQ+ affirmative therapist but a therapist who is trauma-informed. Learn more here…

Learn about what to look for when finding a poly & kink affirming therapist..

Whether in recovery for addiction, substance use, an eating disorder, depression, trauma or anxiety, IFS therapy provides sustainable tools for real healing. Here’s three ways IFS therapy works for long term healing and recovery…

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness month. This month not only allows us to educate and raise awareness surrounding mental health and treatment options, but it focuses on reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. There are so many misconceptions and stigmas surrounding mental health issues and that is a major reason why many who suffer from mental health issues suffer in silence.

A DBT skills group will help you be more mindful, increase your ability to handle distressing situations, allow you to gain a deeper understanding into your emotions, while learning to regulate your emotions more effectively and give you the space to build better interpersonal skills to serve yourself and your relationships with others. By joining a DBT skills group, you will not only learn these life changing skills but you will find and be connected to your most authentic Self. Find out more here…

Body image is defined as one’s thoughts, perceptions, and attitudes about their physical appearance. The way that we perceive our bodies can fluctuate day to day and can be triggered by stress and other external pressures. If you find yourself struggling, here are a few tips to improve body image:

There can be a subtle pressure to experience joy through the holidays which unfolds straight into hope and action for the new year, without much room to acknowledge other important feelings which may have been stirred in the previous weeks, months, and year. Feelings like confusion, anger, frustration, pain, dread, fatigue, and fear are also part of our emotional tapestry. And, turning the page into 2022 has brought with it the added stress and uncertainties of a third year in a global pandemic.

When looking for the right psychotherapist for your specific needs, you’ll need to consider if you’d like tools to manage your emotions and thoughts or if you’d like to also dig deeper to resolve issues from the root. Here are four tips for finding the right therapist for you…

Airlines aren't wrong when they say, "put your oxygen mask on first, before helping others," even if they always delay your flight. But what does taking care of yourself mean as a parent?

Are you unsure if and how to set boundaries with your child? Without rules and limits, children feel out of control. Children need clear boundaries to feel safe and secure. Here are 5 simple steps to setting boundaries with your child…

Is your child experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression or PTSD? Are you noticing challenging behaviors in your child and you are not sure what to do? Does your child shut down when you ask them what’s wrong? Child therapy can be a helpful space for kids to explore their feelings safely and process their needs, learning how to better communicate with you and how you can foster a secure parent-child attachment. Here is more of what to expect when you bring your child in for therapy.

Are you tired of all the chit chat and want to find a way to go deeper into your healing journey? Do you have trouble connecting with your body or are you painfully aware of your body and the space you take up in this world? Does it feel like talking just doesn’t always cut it for you? Are you stuck in your current therapy process and need some help getting deeper into your process?

So you’ve decided you want to learn DBT skills - hooray! You’ve just taken a big step. Making the decision to start learning DBT can feel confusing and overwhelming AND exciting at the same time! You may be considering where to begin in this process. Here are a few tips to help you get started…