Lessons from my Relationship with America
I was the grumpiest one at the parade. Maybe the only grumpy one? Everyone else was smiling and laughing, all decked out in their red, white, and blue outfits. But I was having a hard time celebrating America this year. The last month has been heavy for me. The mass...
A Letter to Myself in Recovery
One of the many reasons I cherish the opportunity to work with clients in recovery from eating concerns is that I have been on my own recovery journey. While my eating disorder does not play an active role in my life anymore, I still find it valuable to look back at...
Everyone Needs Help from Time to Time
This month I hit my four-year mark working at Balance Health and Healing. What started out as “just a job” has truly changed my life forever because of the people I have worked with and the lessons they have taught me. Lesson #1 – Be Kind First When I first started...
At War with Yourself
Do your mind and body feel unified? Or are you constantly at war with yourself? A few years back I attended a yoga class that shifted my understanding of my relationship with my body, and I’d like to share that shift with you. I was very new to yoga and thought it...
Another Point of View
I live in a privileged body. And while I am an advocate for Health at Every Size (HAES) and body diversity, I know I don’t speak from embodied experience about what it’s like to live in a large body. There are many body-diverse activists out there, sharing their...
Demystifying Eating Concerns Q & A
Being diagnosed with an eating disorder can come with a whole new vocabulary. Today, I want to walk you through one of the most frightening sounding words you may hear as you talk with a clinician about your mental health: a “comorbidity”. Q: What is a comorbidity? ...
Bringing Back the Joy in Clothes
Have you ever ripped through your closet, trying on ten different outfits, nitpicking how you looked, feeling like nothing looked good? Then feeling overwhelmed by all the clothes you have thrown on the ground? I have spent way too much time worrying about my...
Protect Your Recovery
A phrase I often repeat with my clients is “Protect your recovery.” Picture it like this: when you go to a museum to see artistic masterpieces, you see all kinds of protection set up to keep the artwork safe and in lasting good condition. UV-filtering windows,...
The Swimsuit
It’s almost summer, which means it’s almost swimsuit season. Do you dread swimsuit season? Well maybe my experience can help you. As part of my recent vacation planning, I kept a running list of items, including sandals for my one-year old, a beach umbrella, and a new...
Invisible Scars
I got my first scar at five years old. I was playing at a friend’s house and bent down to pet their Scottish terrier. I accidentally surprised the terrier, and he greeted my advance by tearing flesh off my face. I remember warm towels and the feel of wiry stitches...
Body Image and Your Younger Self
One of the more difficult parts about recovering from an eating disorder is healing your relationship with your body. This is often so difficult because your relationship with your body has been developing since you were young, reinforced by external messaging time...
Honor Your Health: Gentle Nutrition
“Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel good. Remember that you don’t have to eat perfectly to be healthy. You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or become unhealthy, from one snack, one meal, or one day of eating. It’s...