The mind has “a mind of its own” and we can’t control incoming thoughts as hard as we may try. Learning to be present through mindfulness activities helps to tame the mind so there’s space between the thinking and doing. It alters our habitual responses by having us...
With their rigorous schedules, teens experience sleep deprivation and rarely if ever get the eight to ten hours recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. They are also prone to gain weight due to the sleep deprivation, a surge in hormones and an increase in...
Particularly when venturing into new relationships, there’s likely to be hesitation, hypervigilance, and ambiguity. There isn’t a universal template for engaging others and empathic communication. We often learn by modeling from those around us, of whom may or may not...
We learn to avoid discomfort of all kinds from a very young age and the evading gets perpetuated as we grow into adulthood. As far back as we could remember, when we got hurt, our parents would just kiss our boo boo’s and everything was okay, when we got into an...
As parents, there may be nostalgia and excitement associated with watching your children dress up in their individually selected costumes, while getting together with friends, and joining in on a community based tradition. On the other hand, you may be exasperated...
I recently ran an eight-week group for five families. The children ranged from 10 to 21 years of age. Parents and their children met in two separate groups where they had the opportunity to explore a variety of challenges around healthful eating and lifelong health....
No topic should be off limits. The recent New York Times article “Parents Should Avoid Comments on a Child’s Weight” is not broadcasting anything new about the way in which we communicate with our children. Practitioners working with children are keenly aware...
Let's Talk About What To Do About It The article about rapid weight loss and “The Biggest Loser" and the article explaining why you can’t lose weight on a diet captivated our attention. It was perplexing to find out that weight loss can’t be maintained because our...
The Key To Keeping the Weight Off: Employ A Mind-Body Approach As a psychotherapist and researcher focusing on overeating and obesity in our youth, I find the New York Times article, “After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight” to be educational...
Best Method for Self-Improvement: Strengthen Your Frustration Muscle I’m sitting here on a flight going back to New York and I can’t help but smirk as I realize my frustration tolerance is being tested yet again. I didn’t have the opportunity to meditate this morning...
