Are You Experiencing Anxiety Because Of What Is Happening In The World? 4 Things you Can Do
Release Your Fears… There are a lot of scaring things happening here in the United States and around the world. Most of us are feeling an undercurrent of fear and anxiety as we go about our normal day. It’s quite normal to feel this way, but there are things you can do to reduce your anxiety. Continue your normal meditation for mindfulness. This keeps your thoughts in the present moment and not ruminating about the past or what could happen in the future. Continue to exercise that is a great release for stress, anxiety and worry. Continue to do your normal activities. Use caution, but go out and don’t let this stop you from living your life. Stop watching the news replay the awful events. …
7 Reasons You Might Have Developed your Eating Disorder…
Release Your Fears… There are variety of experiences and genetics that might be contributing to your active eating disorder. Here are a few. See if you relate to any… Childhood Trauma Chaotic Home Life Alcoholic Parent Parent Modeling an Eating Disorder Controlling Parent Genetics, anxiety & or depression Loss I’m sure you have your own contributing factors. The important and hopeful part is that you can relearn the thoughts that brought you to your eating disorder. You can learn to cope with uncomfortable feelings and you can choose to live a better life that you deserve. Working with a therapist is a smart way to figure out your eating disorder and what you can do about it. Until then, find yourself a good self-help book …
Read Your Way to Recovery!
Reading or “Bibliotherapy” as we call it in counseling, is an excellent way to work on your own towards recovery and self- growth. Here are 3 books you will find helpful: Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body (and quiet the critic) by Connie Sobczak Starting Monday: 7 Keys to a Positive Relationship with Food by Karen R. Koenig Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders, The Supporting Self-Esteem, Healthy Eating, & Positive Body Image at Home Authors: Marcia Herrin, Nancy Matsumotoor When you can’t afford to see a therapist, if you are not ready to see a therapist or if you are in therapy right now, you can always introduce new ideas to help you reach your goals. Open a book and begin….
How Do You Change a Behavior That No Longer Serves You? 6 Ways!
Certain behaviors we engage in become habitual and often these habits are not healthy for a person. However, a habit is tough to break! Here are some things you can try: Make up your mind to do it. Think of all the negative things and how you felt doing the old behavior. Make time for yourself to focus on this. Get lots of exercise and eat healthier. Get lots of rest too! Ask for support from family and friends. Tell them what you’re working on. It takes from 28 to 30 days to break a habit. Take it one day at a time, one minute at a time. Feel proud for every minute you do not engage in your old destructive behavior! DON’T replace one bad habit …
What Is Disordered Eating? 4 Kinds… Why? Is This You?
Disordered eating is any eating that is not balanced and nutritional. It can present itself with restricting, starving, over-eating, or fear of unhealthy food. 3 Kinds of Disordered Eating Anorexia Nervosa Binge Eating Compulsive Overeating Restricting Why? Disordered Eating is a result of feelings and thoughts that are not being addressed in a healthier way. Often when a person focuses and works hard on issues that contribute to disordered eating; the eating behavior balances out. Healthier coping skills replace the disordered eating. Self-help book titles can be found on my website! Make an appointment if you’d like to talk about your disordered eating behaviors. 626-335-0903
How Do You Start Your Day? 7 Things To Start Your Day Off Right!
Do you wake up feeling anxious? Is it hard to get out of bed? What are you telling yourself when you awake? Are you holding tension somewhere in your body? 7 things you can do to start your day in a more positive way! Breathe into the tension in your body Stretch Eat something nutritious Imagine your day, one thing at a time and picture it all going well. Call a supportive person Read a self-help book Meditate Make this a ritual. New habits take 21 days to 3 months. The good stuff replaces the bad stuff… Give it a try. What have you got to lose? It can only get better. Happiness is a choice and it takes a lot of work! If your anxiety is overwhelming, give …
With Little Eating Disorder Health Coverage, In-Patient Treatment Is A Farce!
Picture this… A 20 year old young women without financial or emotional support from her family nor any health coverage or very little coverage. She has a terrible eating disorder. Some coverage plus her own debt allows her start in-patient treatment. While she’s trying to recover she’s worrying constantly about her health insurance refusing her on a weekly basis and she’ll have to go home. They move her through the program too quickly; before she’s ready in order to appease the insurance company. She’s trying to cope with her lower level of care as she has graduated to the next level. She’s supposed to be proud of this but is she really? She knows it’s a farce but has no …
What Is Body Dysmorphic Disorder? BDD- Do You Have It? 6 Ways To Stop It?
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is quite simply an imagined defect in some part of your body; most commonly the face or stomach. BDD is very common in treating eating disorders because often this imagined defect leads to obsession and disordered eating to reach the desired body weight and shape. Other times, BDD leads to unnecessary cosmetic surgery. What to do? Stop mirror checking. Cut down slowly. Look at yourself realistically in the mirror and try positive affirmations like, Not bad! Find things that you like about your body, face etc. say it out loud I like my… Or write it down. Look deeper to underlying issues that may be causing you to falsely imagine defects and dislike your body shape and /or parts. Find a counselor to help …
Breathe! How? 3 Reasons Why You Should Breathe…
You would think breathing is just something you naturally do and of course it is. But, do you know if you’re breathing correctly? Look at a puppy and watch his stomach rise and fall as he breathes. Catch him while he’s sleeping. You want to breathe in through your nose hold it 3 seconds and blow it out. Repeat this many times throughout your day. When you breathe correctly 3 things occur: You put your body into state of relaxation and healing. This is especially important when your dealing with pain. This state of relaxation works to calm your anxiety. Did you know that if you breathe incorrectly from your chest you can actually increase anxiety and bring on a panic attack? Breathing reminds you to come …
Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays
Being mindful works in all aspects of your life including eating. It means being aware of what you put into your mouth. Many of us have busy schedules and stress in our lives and we tend to eat on the run or overeat without thinking. If you want to become mindful, read the book. It can guide you into mindful eating and you will feel better about yourself in general. We can’t always do things on our own. Sometimes a book is the object of change… Or counseling 626.335.0903 Let’s get mindful together!
Are Your Friends Undermining Your Recovery? 6 Things To Do!
Friends can be a great support when trying to recover from your eating disorder, if they themselves are in a healthy place. If not, they will bring all kinds of unhealthy behaviors and statements that may trigger your own recovery. What to do? You want to be there for them like they were for you when you were beginning your recovery. Sometimes we have to make hard choices to protect our hard work in recovery. How to handle it: 1, Tell your friend how conversations are triggering you and as much as you want to be there for them; you’ll need to pull back for a little while to protect your own recovery. 2. Try explaining what kind of talk triggers you and give your friend a chance …