Do you sometimes recoil from uncomfortable emotions, thinking that you either shouldn’t be feeling them or that you cannot handle them? The truth is that we’re meant to have a broad range of emotions. We actually need to, since they provide us with valuable information. The key lies in not judging our feelings but becoming […]

Wouldn’t it be a relief if you could finally get – and keep – your life in order? If you were always in tip-top condition physically, without any medical concerns? If you could hit your “ideal” weight and maintain this with an unbroken string of healthy yet delicious meals? If you never fought with your […]

“Always move toward your demons. They take their power from your retreat.” (Thom Rutledge) How does fear show up in your life? Is it that dread of facing the day that causes you to hit the snooze button when your alarm goes off in the morning? Does fear lead you to doubt your abilities and […]

Most of us feel better when we have some degree of control over our lives. After all, feeling on top of things gives us a sense of security and competence. Learning a new skill can increase our self-confidence. Acing an interview and getting the job for which we were vying boosts our morale. Figuring out […]

Low-grade tension. Difficulty relaxing. Feeling overwhelmed by life. You’re probably aware that these symptoms are commonly associated with anxiety. However, there are additional indications of anxiety, such as: Perfectionism: Contrary to what you may think, perfectionism does not mean that you think you are perfect, but that you despair of not being good enough. You have the […]

What constitutes trauma or adversity? Essentially anything that causes physical or psychological pain or injury. This includes personal illness or injury, witnessing the same in someone else, natural disasters, enduring abuse, the death of someone close to us, job loss, addiction, financial problems, relationship difficulties, and incarceration. The range and magnitude of trauma is vast. […]

Does it ever seem as if there’s an internal debate going on in your mind? One voice says, “This report which I’ve prepared for my boss sucks”, while another voice tells you that “It’s fine – never mind the typos and grammatical errors”, and a third voice chimes in, saying “Why don’t I take a short […]

There can often be a big gap between having good intentions and taking the associated steps to transform these intentions into action. We can get tripped up by not feeling like making a healthy breakfast (rather than eating fast food), going to the gym (rather than sleeping in), nor searching for a job (rather than […]

“Worry” is such a common term that we may believe it to be part of our natural state and possibly helpful. The truth is that worry runs us down, keeps us in the problem, and can eventually lead to such a frazzled mental state that we sabotage our ability to think clearly and effectively. However, it’s […]

True recovery from an eating disorder, be it anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating, or “garden variety” (but no less damaging) compulsive overeating, requires recovery from perfectionism (which doesn’t have to be “perfect”, by the way). It’s so seductive to believe that once we reach the right weight, eat only organic foods, fit into a […]