TL;DR If food is constantly on your mind and you’re struggling to focus on anything else, the cause may be simpler than you think. You’re likely not eating enough. Restriction triggers a primal survival response that redirects the brain’s attention toward food. It can lead to obsessive thoughts, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. These are predictable …
Trying to avoid the “Freshman 15”? Read this first. TL;DR The “Freshman 15” is more myth than reality. Research doesn’t support that most college students gain fifteen pounds, and the fear surrounding it does far more harm than the weight gain itself ever could. What often goes unmentioned is that some weight gain during the …
TL; DR When it comes to sending a young adult with an eating disorder off to college, six months of demonstrated recovery is recommended. Summer break simply doesn’t replicate the academic pressure, social dynamics, and independence of college life, making it an unreliable measure of true college readiness. Six months allows enough time for recovery …
Guest post by 2023-2024 doctoral extern, Vera Levi, MA Many of our prospective clients are curious about GLP-1s for weight loss. They arrive seeking therapy for their eating disorder while simultaneously pursuing a prescription for Ozempic–not to treat a medical condition– but to lose weight. Here’s what you should know. Eating Disorder Clients Seeking Weight …
by Carolyn Comas, LCSW, CEDS-S, Clinical Supervisor People diagnosed with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) struggle with consuming adequate nutritional intake due to either 1) fear of aversive consequences (i.e choking), 2) low interest in food altogether, or 3) sensory sensitivity to food textures, smells, or appearance. Usually, people with ARFID do not report …
Parents and Diet Culture Many parents experience guilt when their teen is diagnosed with an eating disorder. Nearly every parent can point to a time they themselves dieted, opted not to have a dessert they really wanted, expressed a preference toward thinness, or discouraged their child from keeping eating. You may have done things to …
I recently went to visit my 102-year-old grandmother. In 1921, at the age of six, Nana emigrated from Russia to Kansas City. She entertains her living facility with her piano playing and loves to talk all day. She continues to leave sassy messages on my phone. She sends thoughtful gifts to her great grandkids. With …
Body Comments: When Is It OK To Comment On Another Person’s Body? Spoiler Alert: Never! By Elisha Carcieri, Ph.D., staff psychologist As a relatively new mom of an 11-month-old, I’m on the tail end of almost two years of a complete metamorphosis. In nine months my body grew to accommodate another human, delivered that human …