Upon first glance, eating should be one of life’s simple pleasures. Once you’ve scratched the surface, it seems you’ll uncover an endless list of pitfalls. From calories to ingredients, from quantity to quality, there’s plenty to ponder. But what does it mean when eating becomes compulsive eating…and what can we do about it? What is …Read the rest…

In most cases, the word “ace” gives off a positive — even powerful — energy. But when it’s the acronym for adverse childhood experiences, ACE becomes ugly and sad. The acronym evokes trauma, violence, abuse, and the long-term negative impact they can impose on a young person’s life. ACE victims need a wide and ongoing …Read the rest…

Children don’t have to be socially anxious to be considered shy. There are endless factors that can contribute to a child’s interaction comfort zone. We don’t have to force them to “change,” per se, but habitual shyness can dramatically lessen a kid’s emotional and social growth. Striking a balance when addressing a shy child’s need …Read the rest…

Body image issues can affect almost anyone. No matter your size, shape, gender, or age, no one is immune to a negative body image of themselves. We live in a society where the standard of perfection keeps getting higher and more unrealistic. But, it’s not always fair to just blame one or two things for …Read the rest…

Being a parent is like navigating a 24/7 maze. Everything you say and do has the potential to impact your children. This impact, of course, can be positive or negative. When it comes to martial arguments, the fallout is all negative. The goal is to never argue with your spouse. That’s impossible. Rather, it’s absolutely …Read the rest…

A teen may try to keep a wide array of secrets from her/his parents. There are secrets they may want to keep from everyone. An eating disorder is often one such secret. Parents must learn the warning signs and develop ways to communicate about them. You didn’t choose the path on which your teen has …Read the rest…

When we think of anxiety, we often think of panic attacks. In other words, we think about someone who is so overwhelmed by anxiety that they can’t function. However, anxiety comes in many shapes and forms. People can be very high-functioning despite their anxiety. High-functioning anxiety isn’t a clinical diagnosis. People who struggle with it …Read the rest…

There’s a deep, shattering connection between adverse childhood events and health. You might sum up that connection in a word: aftershocks. The growing number of children who undergo traumatic episodes experience pain and fear during those episodes. Adverse childhood events (or ACEs) range from physical assault to witnessing domestic abuse to living in the midst …Read the rest…

If someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder, it’s important for them to get help as soon as possible. Encouraging medical treatment and therapy is one of the best things you can do when supporting a loved one with an eating disorder. Also, there are additional ways you can assist their journey to …Read the rest…

Parenting a child who struggles with anxiety can feel overwhelming at times. It’s important to understand that your child is no different from any other, and their anxiety isn’t a reflection of poor parenting. Sometimes, though, you can feel helpless when witnessing their worries and anxious feelings. Thankfully, there are things you can do to …Read the rest…

Take a scroll through your news feed and you’ll see no shortage of posts about “positive mental attitude.” This can be a good trend but it rarely delves into the nuances of how our minds work. We don’t have a positive/negative switch that can be flipped at will. In fact, if we want to maintain …Read the rest…

You are having the same argument again. You know the one. It’s about that thing you and your partner constantly fight about. You argue. You debate. Maybe you scream, cry, and yell. However, it never gets resolved. Somehow, you stop arguing temporarily. You go back to normal life. Then, one day, the same old argument …Read the rest…

Don’t put off reading this post. Please. We all delay the actions and choices we face. But for some of us, procrastination is our default setting. Far more than feeling overwhelmed and choosing to put something off, procrastination is a maladaptive lifestyle choice. It is our way of avoiding something and has the potential to …Read the rest…