These are a 7 helpful tips to consider and discuss with your child who is in recovery for an eating disorder as you plan for your holiday traditions.
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There are innumerable ways to practice mindfulness. Some of which align perfectly with the transition from summer to fall. Here are 3 fitting ways to practice mindfulness during this beautiful time of seasonal transitions....
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The end of the school year can be a challenging adjustment for kids. Their days change from being structured by the school day and extra- curricular activities to having several hours of free time every day….
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Eating disorders are complicated and layered conditions. There are many beliefs about eating disorders that simply aren’t true and some aspects about eating disorders that are commonly misunderstood. It is important to have an accurate general knowledge about eating disorders in order to seek the appropriate support.
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Parenting is an extremely important job, yet it does not come with protocols to handle the responsibilities that come along with it. There is no mandatory training course to help prepare for a day in the life of being a parent or for the unavoidable challenges that come with parenting. Parents are simply doing their best to support their children.
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Change can be both positive and negative depending on the circumstances. Sometimes life unexpectedly changes. Naturally, this can be extremely uncomfortable. Acceptance and adjustment are both challenges that come with change. It is understandable that unexpected and negative life changes are difficult, but it can feel confusing that positive life changes can be equally as difficult to initiate and adjust to.
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Our society has an expectation that individuals prioritize work in ways that may not be healthy for the body or mind. It is important to take a step back and reflect on how work may be impacting stress levels.
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Practicing gratitude is proven to be an effective coping skill with positive outcomes for mental health. It is different than simply “looking at the bright side”. Rather than reframing negative thoughts into positive ones, gratitude practice is intentionally noticing the things that you don’t typically pay attention to.
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To understand the negative impacts of labeling food and lifestyle choices it is important to first understand what diet culture is and how it impacts our society. Kate Willsky at Equip Health defines diet culture as “a system of social beliefs and expectations that values thinness above all.” Diet culture equates thinness to health and views larger bodies, and those in larger bodies who are not on the pursuit to become thin, as shameful. Diet culture connects body size and food choices to morality. Those who are thin are put on a pedestal and those who don’t fit within these standards are put down.
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The summer season is often a much needed time to slow down. “Back to school” is a phrase that creeps up on us more quickly each year. For many teens, this three word phrase holds a lot of emotion. “Back to school” represents some pretty big transitions for teens. Simply returning to the structure of a school day can be a huge adjustment for teens. In addition, they have the expectation to manage their work in and out of school, balance that with clubs and sports, keep up with their social lives, and maybe even college prep or applications. Our teens have a lot of pressure on them.
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Mental health providers often see new clients reach out to inquire about therapy when they are already in a state of stress or crisis. Dealing with crisis is definitely a great time to reach out for support! However, it is important not to terminate therapy as soon as you’ve worked through a stressful event. This can actually be a wonderful time to continue working with a therapist on self exploration and future goals.
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As a parent, you probably have a routine that you have to stick to in order to complete all of the necessary tasks to meet the needs of yourself and your family each day. Teaching your child to have their own routine can help them learn the responsibility of ensuring their own needs are met. This is a skill that can help them thrive throughout their day to day and as they get older and are expected to have more ownership over their school and personal lives.
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Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are at an increased risk of experiencing disorders such as anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and dysphoria. One way that we can be mindful of our impact on others is to use gender neutral language instead of assuming we know how an individual identifies. Using inclusive language to refer to others is not something that was taught widely until recent years and is still not prioritized enough outside of the LGBTQIA+ community. Regardless of how you identify your gender, it is important to understand what it means to use inclusive language when referring to others.
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Adolescence is the developmental stage from about ages 12-18. During this period, adolescents are building an understanding of who they are and how they fit into the world. Because of what we know about the developmental stage of adolescence, it is expected that this is a time when comparison to others is more present and body image may waver. This often brings up concerns for kids about what others think of them and if they are living up to societal expectations. When it comes to body type in our culture, there is a societal expectation for bodies to fit the “thin ideal”. This expectation is something that we cannot escape as it is presented to us at every angle whether that be consuming media or what is taught in health classes at school. It is important to understand how to respond to your child when they approach this stage.
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In today’s culture, children and teens have access to their own smartphones and social media accounts earlier than ever. Smartphones and social media allow us to have a constant stream of images and advertisements at our fingertips. If you’ve had conversations with your children about how many hours per day they are allowed screen time then you know that once they have access to these platforms- viewing content becomes a consistent component of their daily lives. What are the implications on children’s self-image when having access to this type of content every day?
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Do you feel like you don’t have time for self care? Many people feel that way because their definition of self care is like a fantasy. Many of us wonder, how do we set aside three hours to run a hot bath and read our favorite book? This idealistic vision of self care leads many people to believe that self care is unattainable, or that they just can’t make time for it. Luckily, self care is much easier to incorporate into your routine than you’d expect! Let’s figure out what self care really is, and how you can make it part of your day-to-day with a simple checklist…
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Seeing your child struggle may be one of the most difficult things to experience as a parent. Whether it’s watching them fall down at the playground or reading their rejection letter from their top choice college, it’s equally painful to witness. As a parent, your instinct is to fix your child’s problem or soothe their pain as quickly as possible. But what if the distress you’re feeling is more about your own discomfort than your child’s? The secret to being a supportive parent is helping your child without enabling them. Where do you draw the line between being there for your kid and doing the hard work for your kid? And how do you manage the stress that comes along with this? Here are some helpful tips…
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If you have a child in recovery from an eating disorder, you know that there are many challenges to navigate together. Every day brings its own highs and lows as they learn to cope with distressing emotions and build a healthier relationship with food. The holiday season comes with a new set of challenges for those in recovery and their families. Even if your child is making great strides in the recovery process, you may expect some additional difficulty during this time. Luckily, you can prepare together and make the upcoming challenge more manageable. Here are some helpful tips…
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Is your child starting to over-analyze their appearance? Are they over-thinking food choices and you’re not sure why? It’s understandable to feel confused; it’s not like you’ve ever criticized them about it! Your child’s behavior may be changing as they get older because they’re picking up on what you’re doing. Here’s the thing: children are like sponges. Even if your child has not directly been criticized for their food choices or appearance, they may be indirectly influenced about their appearance. Or, they may have picked up subtle cues from their parents about their body image. or they may have interpreted messages about their appearance and body image. It’s possible that your child is picking up on things that you don’t even realize you’re doing! We’ll shed light on potential influences…
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If your child is struggling with an eating disorder or working through their recovery journey, you may have noticed that meal times can be a huge stressor. People recovering from eating disorders have to directly challenge their disordered thoughts and feelings several times a day during every meal. This can be especially difficult for kids and teens. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid it; we need to eat in order to survive. However as a parent, you can make meal time a bit easier for your child. You can create a nurturing environment for recovery while helping your child build distress tolerance. Here are some do’s and don’t’s for meal time…
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