Why We Recommend Six Months of Demonstrated Readiness Before College

College Students in California [Image description: photo of 2 young woman and a young man walking on a college campus] Represents potential college students who have overcome eating disorders

College readiness for students with eating disorders is a topic that comes up frequently. Learn more about why we encourage a potential college student to demonstrate six months of recovery (versus a shorter time frame). Our Eating Disorder College Readiness Guide and Checklist In our oft-cited Eating Disorder College Readiness Guide and blog, we strongly …

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College Weight Gain: Don’t Fear The Freshman 15!

College Weight Gain in California [image description: 2 young women eating pizza joyfully with other snacks around] depicts potential college students in California who are not afraid of the Freshman 15

Let’s not fear college weight gain—let’s normalize it! College students throughout the US are heading off to their first year of college. Most are excited and also a little anxious. Among the common worries: Will I get along with my roommate? Will I make friends? Will I be able to keep up with the academics? …

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Is Restriction Driving Your Obsessive Food Thoughts?

Is Restriction Driving Your Obsessive Food Thoughts [image description: business woman at computer looking distracted because she is hungry] Represents a potential patient seeking help for disordered eating in Los Angeles, California

Restriction May Cause Obsessive Food Thoughts If you find that you are thinking about food all day, having trouble concentrating or even having trouble sleeping, the reason might be simpler than you think: You might not be eating enough. People I see are often surprised to learn that what they think is healthy discipline is …

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How Diet Culture Can Harm Your Recovery from ARFID

ARFID and Diet Culture in Los Angeles, California [Image desciption: photo of a woman buying bread] Represents a potential eating disorder client in Los Angeles, California standing up to diet culture

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 …

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What Parents of Teens with Eating Disorders Need to Understand About Diet Culture

What Parents Need to Know About Diet Culture [Image description: a larger woman smashing a scale] Represents a potential parent of a teen receiving eating disorder counseling in Los Angeles, California

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 …

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On Living 100 years in Diet Culture

Living 100 years in Diet Culture

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 …

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When Is It OK To Comment On Another Person’s Body?

Body Comments

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 …

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