Wilson Counseling: The Armchair Chronicles

image: punditforhplanet.com Take this quiz to find out if you have a healthy relationship with food.

image: http://artilleri.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html I had a client, Sandra (not her real name) who came in this week feeling particularly down about her weight. She is anorexic, and at least 25-35 pounds under what most doctors would consider a minimum healthy weight. She avoids looking at herself in the mirror, afraid of looking at her "fat body." When Sandra gets in the shower, she checks herself out to see how far out her ribs stick out. It never feels like enough.  Frantic to know that she was skinny enough, she weighed herself and found that she was "only" about 25 pounds underweight. Considering how little she eats, she was sure she would weigh less. Sandra was crushed to see the number on the scale. She ruminated for days feeling disgusted about how much she weighed. I had a second client who came in this week, Claire (not her real name),  also feeling down about her weight. She had started exercising regularly and eating better. Yet, wh...

FREE RECOVERY WEBINARS OFFERED BY THE RENFREW CENTER  The Renfrew Center is offering a FREE upcoming recovery webinar series. These one hour webinars are open to anyone in recovery or currently struggling with disordered eating. February 19, 2014 12pm - 1pm & 8pm - 9pm EST Defining Recovery: What Does it Mean? Why Does it Matter?    March 19, 2014 12pm - 1pm & 8pm - 9pm EST Finding Hope in Families: A Special Focus on Mom, Dad and You April 16, 2014 12pm - 1pm & 8pm - 9pm EST Holding onto Recovery: Preventing Relapse and Moving Onward May 21, 2014 12pm - 1pm & 8pm - 9pm EST Navigating Social Media: To Tweetor Not to Tweet? June 18, 2014 12pm - 1pm EST & 8pm - 9pm EST What Are You Craving? Exploring the Elements of BingeEating Disorder

I came across this video from the makers of Special K about women using "fat talk." According to the video, 93% of women use derogatory terms, or "fat talk" to describe their bodies. For example, they might say something such as "I look like a fat cow in this outfit."  Words are powerful. When you use "fat talk," it impacts how you feel about yourself. One of women in the video equated it with bullying. Can you imagine what a lifetime of this talk has done to your self-esteem? This week, pay attention to the thoughts and words you use when thinking about your physical body. Write down any negative self-talk. Then next to the negative words, write down a rebuttal or a positive comment about your body. Sometimes it helps if you think about what you would say to a friend who was criticizing themselves. Battle your inner critic. Be vigilant about not allowing yourself to use bullying, degrading terms about your body.  By the way, my inclusio...

Between 8 and 10 million Americans have an eating disorder. It is estimated that 50% of Americans personally know someone with an eating disorder. Check out this video for ways to spot an eating disorder within someone you love. http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/283982/45/How-to-spot-an-eating-disorder-within-someone-you-love

Eating disorders can lead to feelings of hopelessness, but recovery is possible. Join us on 2/23/2013 for the Houston Eating Disorder Specialists Conference for a day of education and hope as we explore the latest advances in eating disorders care with local and national experts -  including Carolyn Costin, one of the foremost experts in the treatment of eating disorders . This conference will benefit anyone wanting more information about these treatable illnesses, including students, professionals, and those affected by eating disorders. You don't want to miss this. If you are interested in attending the conference, you can register through the link below. Hope to see you there! http://www.houstoneds.org/events/heds-2013-conference-a-journey-of-hope/