The Purpose of Food
I have officially begun mourning the summer months. I absolutely adore the summertime and the activities in the warm sun, the fresh flavors and icy treats, and the feeling of freedom. Even though I’m not in school anymore, I still feel a little lighter and freer from...
Good Grief
Since the beginning of the year, I have been studying and preparing to become a certified thanatologist. (Thanatologists are experts in the field of dying and bereavement. Don’t worry if you haven't ever heard of them - I was in your shoes two years ago! I met a...
Coming Home to Myself
I did something last week that felt really big to me. It may sound like a simple, small, or even a silly thing to you when I tell you what I did. But for me it was momentous and empowering. Part of me felt embarrassed, being a 38-year-old woman, going to a body...
Take a Breath
For the past few months I’ve been learning about and trying (mostly failing) to practice mindfulness. While I haven’t been great at consistently practicing mindful meditation (I get so dang sleepy), I have been trying to be more aware of what is going on around me, in...
Cultivating Resilience: Self-Compassion
I’ve spent a good part of the year blogging about developing resilience, and we have come to the 6th and last specific skill we can cultivate in order to increase our resilience! This month, we will focus on developing the practice of self-compassion. In my clinical...
Lessons Learned from Wiping Out
Recently I had the opportunity to attend one of my best friend’s weddings in Los Angeles. The wedding was originally meant to take place in May, but due to COVID-19, was pushed back. Unbeknownst to us, the virus would still be causing problems. I’m not sure a...
Learning to do Hard Things in Recovery
Like many people who struggle with eating disorders, my eating disorder developed during a difficult time in my life. When I hear clients talk about their eating disorders, it’s never a surprise to hear them describe how their eating disorder helped them through a...
Lessons From Quarantine
2020 has been a heavy year. I don’t need to point out all the ways, because I think we’ve seen it everywhere, but I’ve been feeling heavy for a few months. I’ve been giving myself grace, but I am tired of feeling this way. Just when I think America is coming together...
Depression & Anxiety are Liars … Sometimes
Sometimes I share with clients that depression and anxiety function like con artists. They take some data, usually recent memories or expectations, and weave a story that fits their picture best. They get us to buy in, to give them power and sway, often against our...
Take a Hike
Growing up I absolutely detested hiking. It felt like a really nice way for me to feel foolish and gave ample opportunity to compare myself to my friends and family that accompanied me on the hike. Was I going too slow? Are they not going to want to hang out with me...
Belonging to Myself
Last week I said goodbye to a long-term client as she moved away. In parting, she gave me a card with a quote on the front that said, “I’m a grown ass-lady and I do what I want.” She then explained in the letter that she sees me as someone who is good at...
Cultivating Resilience: Mental Flexibility
This month, I’m continuing our exploration of how we can cultivate resilience in our lives! We’ve been taking a deep dive into specific skills we can master in order to approach difficulty with more resilience, and this month, we will be looking at the 5th of 6...