As a therapist who specializes in treating eating disorders and anxiety, I often encounter clients who are exceptionally self-disciplined, perfectionistic, and emotionally reserved. These individuals, while appearing composed and highly capable on the outside, are often battling significant internal struggles. Their need for rigid control—whether over food, emotions, or relationships—creates a constant undercurrent of anxiety. […]

Having some knowledge about healthy eating habits is generally helpful. Implementing such knowledge is even more helpful – to a point. When a person spends an excessive amount of time thinking about the quality of one’s diet and taking great measures to eat in a “healthy” way, this can be termed orthorexia. Although orthorexia hasn’t […]

Family Systems (IFS) therapy is based on the idea that we all have various parts or sub-personalities. This is perfectly normal and to be expected. Have you ever thought “part of me wants to stay at home, but another part of me wants to go to the party”? Or “part of me admires my best […]

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 […]

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 […]

There’s no getting around it – food is an essential and often extremely pleasurable part of life. (That is, unless you’re a breatharian, a concept I personally cannot understand.) Not only is food necessary for our physical sustenance, but it also figures prominently in many social and religious events. Thanksgiving and turkey (or tofurky). The […]

When it comes to food, the concept of healthy eating has a host of definitions. Some camps suggest avoiding particular foods entirely, such as sugar or desserts, and indeed there is research to indicate that high-sugar or high-fat foods can fuel addictive behaviors if indulged in regularly (see Is Food Addiction Real?). Another school of […]

With over two-thirds of adults in the United States being either overweight or obese, it’s clear that something has gone awry in our relationship with food. A lot of societal factors are at play, including our spending more time at the computer, being more sedentary in general, and increased concerns over economic insecurity contributing to […]

A Chinese proverb states: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” How true this is on any challenging journey. When pursuing a goal, it’s inevitable that at times you won’t perform exactly as you wish you had, and it’s in your response to the situation that your potential power lies. For instance, in the case […]