Worrying is sneaky! It tells us that if we plan out all the ways something will go wrong, we will be more “prepared”. Worrying tells us that planning for negative outcomes is sensible because we will shield ourselves from being “blind sighted”. The TRUTH is worry is in bed with ANXIETY. That’s who he serves, […]

Here’s an embarrassing and true story: when I was in graduate school I went on an interview for my internship; it wasn’t until more than halfway through the interview that I realized I was at a facility that specialized in treating substance use disorders!  I will never forget the look on my (soon to be) […]

Intuitive exercise can mean many things, from dancing in your kitchen, taking an exercise class or flipping upside down in public place, just wash your hands after okay?  Start with these principles and questions to discover how to move in a way that FEELS good! ⠀⠀1. How do YOU want to FEEL in your body?⠀Get […]

The Background… I grew up as a figure skater from the age of 9. Though it absolutely became fuel for my eating disorder, for a great deal of the time, skating was simply an authentic expression of movement that felt good in my body. I loved the feeling of ice under my skates. I loved that skating combined […]

YOUR BRAIN IS NOT WIRED TO MAKE YOU HAPPY. YOUR BRAIN IS WIRED TO SURVIVE.  Here’s the deal…. Our society teaches us that being happy all the time is “normal” and that should be our baseline. This is something called the “happiness trap” (coined by Russ Harris). But this notion is radically incorrect. There is […]

I was raped.” I uttered these words as I fell forward, head in my hands, shaking on my therapist’s couch It took me a long to time to utter these words, let alone accept them. The word rape feels dirty. Like we are damaged, like there is something wrong with us that we would allow […]

Despite it being “the most wonderful time of the year”, the holidays can be tough, especially for those of us with Substance Use Disorders or Eating Disorders. After making it through quite a few sober and eating disorder symptom free holiday meals, and supporting hundreds of women through them, I’ve compiled a list of my best tips that I myself […]

Whether we are talking about relationships with friends, parents or significant others, there is a disturbing communication trend I’ve been seeing in my office and in the world lately. I call it….”taking away people’s pain” This trend typically starts when we are young. Our parents unknowingly interact with us this way and we learn to be afraid of our feelings […]

The holidays can be a stressful time, especially for those of us who struggle with our mental health. With all the focus on alcohol and food, and the holidays and gifts can bring about negative habits and added stress.  This year, instead of buying someone another gift card, take the time to give someone a […]

Two months ago, I wrote an incredibly vulnerable and important blog about my experience of being raped. It was simultaneously was one of the best things I’ve done but also one of the scariest by far.  Today I want to talk to you about an equally important conversation, and one that is somehow even more vulnerable because of […]