Posts

Love and Love Deeply

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The saying goes that you cannot love another until you learn to love yourself. I, however, would argue the opposite: you can't learn to love yourself until you learn to love another. This love can be romantic, platonic, or familial--it does not matter. What matters is that we love and love deeply. We are always harder on ourselves than we are on others. We see ourselves in harsh light and distorted mirrors. During the day we hide from being noticed, and at night we quietly loathe our bodies and our minds. We hold ourselves accountable for every mistake, every situation that arises. We blame our bodies for not being what we want them to be. We hate ourselves for much of our lives. But with friends, the reality is different. We see them for who they are, loving them in spite of their flaws. We see their beauty. We see the light radiating from their souls. The love we feel for them is forever. Now imagine if we were to show ourselves the same love we so readily give others. I
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Consider these two parenting books, back to back. What does this say about our society as a whole?

How to Pick the Right Therapist

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Choosing a therapist is difficult. There are so many great mental health professions out there, but not every one is a perfect fit. There are a few things to consider when picking a therapist: the location and availability, the speciality and services provided, and your personal connection with the professional. To begin, you must consider the therapist's location and availability. After all, it does no good if the therapist cannot meet with you. Is the therapist local? Is he/she in a location you would travel to weekly?  Does the therapist offer online sessions? Are you comfortable doing online sessions? Does the therapist have hours that coincide with your needs? Is the therapist available at night? Is the therapist available during the day or between your classes? Is your therapist in your insurance plan? Can you get refunds or partial refunds from your insurance company? Then, you should consider the speciality and services provided. Does the therapist have a s

Radical Acceptance

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Radical acceptance is difficult enough for people without eating disorders; with the presence of an eating disorder, this concept can often be thought of as a "distant goal" or, even worse, "unattainable." However, this does not have to be the truth. In fact, radical acceptance can even further recovery from an eating disorder faster than weight gain, mood stabilization, and counseling. Why? Radical acceptance means accepting something as it is, no matter how it is. It is different from permitting or agreeing to the thing. For instance, a person with an eating disorder may not like a specific area of his or her body; however, he or she can accept that it is what it is without agreeing to liking it. This is tied to DBT methodology, which stresses that pain and lack of acceptance creates suffering. Acceptance of the pain mitigates, or even alleviates, suffering. In this sense, negative statements are replaced with neutral statements. Over time, the neutral statemen

Do We Need a Higher Level of Treatment?

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Eating disorder treatment is tricky for multiple reasons. First, the disease is elusive and built upon secrecy. Furthermore, insurance companies and access to treatment can often be limited. We know that, without treatment, twenty percent of patients die. We also know that only one in ten people with eating disorders receive treatment, 80% not getting the intensity of treatment necessary. All in all, we need to increase treatment education. There are several types of eating disorder treatment options, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Treatment works on a person to person basis, so it is important that the patient is thoroughly involved in the process. Care for people with eating disorders usually involves a team of professionals including therapists/psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians, and general physicians. Some programs offer healing yoga, art therapy, meditation, mindfulness, and group therapy as well. The treatment should not only address eating and maintai