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Does Your Eating Have an Emotional Component to It?

By: Julie.S August 28, 2017 – Posted in: adjusting expectations delaying gratification diet mentality dieting embracing emotions emotional eating hope identifying emotions and needs Inner Nurturing overeating, dieting, weight loss purpose of emotions reducing stress resolving emotional eating self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-doubt self-love stress and overeating stress eating

We all eat for emotional reasons some of the time. Let's face it: food is convenient, pleasurable and exciting. It can also be comforting and soothing. And eating is a way to distract ourselves from dealing with the things we don't want to deal with, right? Generally, we're not bothered by a little emotional eating

Do You Turn to Food When You’re In a Transition?

By: Julie.S July 28, 2017 – Posted in: embracing emotions emotional eating greiving identifying emotions and needs Late night eating loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments Making lifestyle changes motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm procrastination reducing stress resolving emotional eating self connection self-defeating thinking stress and overeating stress eating transitions unrealistic expectations

The Random House College Dictionary defines a transition as "a change from one position, state, stage, subject or concept to another." Many emotional eaters have difficulty with transitions and turn to food as a way to comfort and soothe themselves during the transition process. Here are some examples of what I call "transition eating": --You

Are You a Late Night Eater?

By: Julie.S August 26, 2015 – Posted in: blood sugar imbalances delaying gratification diabetes diet mentality embracing emotions emotional eating food addiction glycemic index high cortisol levels high insulin levels hope hopelessness identifying emotions and needs insulin resistance Late night eating loneliness and overeating Making lifestyle changes motivation to change habits overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress resolving emotional eating stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction sugar cravings weight loss whole unprocessed plant foods

Alright, let's be honest. You eat dinner most nights at a reasonable hour, but then, later in the evening, you find yourself  heading to the freezer for your nightly ice cream fix, or to the pantry to raid the cookies and chocolate stash. Truthfully, you're not even hungry, but you feel a craving for something sweet and fatty. Nothing to be ashamed of--late

Self-Doubt and Overeating: What’s the Connection?

By: Julie.S April 25, 2015 – Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion depression embracing emotions emotional eating hopelessness identifying emotions and needs overeating, dieting, weight loss overwhelm perfectionism procrastination reducing stress resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-compassion self-defeating thinking self-doubt self-love self-worth stress and overeating stress eating unrealistic expectations

Everyone struggles with self-doubt occasionally. It's not only normal to experience self-doubt, it's actually healthy and a sign that you're open minded and questioning your choices, abilities and behaviors. A little self-doubt is humbling, keeping our self-confidence in check and reminding us that we're still mortals who make mistakes and have short-comings. The key is not

Is Your Eating an Act of Rebellion?

By: Julie.S October 7, 2014 – Posted in: compassion depression despair disappointment embracing emotions emotional eating forgiveness grief grieving hurts identifying emotions and needs loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments old pain overeating, dieting, weight loss painful childhood memories perfectionism rebellion reducing stress resentments resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-compassion self-love self-worth stress eating trauma Uncategorized unmourned losses weight loss worthiness wounds from childhood

Shirley, a 37-year-old wife and mother, looks forward to her nightly binges.They are the only time she feels totally free and in control of her life. She resents the fact that her husband doesn’t earn more money and that she has to work full-time while raising their three-year old. She’d like to have another child before time runs out, but can’t

Ten Steps for Beating Food Addiction

By: Julie.S August 15, 2014 – Posted in: blood sugar imbalances brain chemistry imbalances delaying gratification emotional eating food addiction food allergies high insulin levels insulin resistance mood disorders overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress resolving emotional eating stress and overeating stress eating sugar addiction weight loss

How many times have you vowed, on a Sunday night or Monday morning, to start the week clean and stop eating foods containing sugar or flour, stop eating fried foods or rich dairy products, or drinking alcohol, soda and other caffeinated or sugary beverages? Probably more times than you care to admit. So what happens to

Do you have an inner nurturing voice?

By: Julie.S April 28, 2012 – Posted in: compassion emotional eating identifying emotions and needs overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress self connection self-love stress and overeating Uncategorized weight loss

When the adult voices of our childhood are primarily warm, kind, encouraging, hopeful, validating, soothing and nurturing, we begin to develop a supportive voice within that can restore us to emotional balance when needed. As we mature into adulthood, this supportive voice becomes the voice of what I call our Inner Nurturer, our main source of validation, approval and

Do you tend to emotionally overeat when the days get shorter and darker?

By: Julie.S September 30, 2011 – Posted in: brain chemistry imbalances depression emotional eating mood disorders overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress Seasonal Affective Disorder stress and overeating

At this time of year, many of my clients come in complaining of the shorter, darker days.  Understandably so.  It's not just that the Summer has ended and the longer, lazy days are behind us.  With this particular season change, those who suffer from mild to moderate mood disorders (especially depressive and bipolar) can all of

The emotional eater’s expectations: are they realistic?

By: Julie.S August 15, 2011 – Posted in: adjusting expectations depression emotional eating greiving hurts losses and disappointments old pain old pain overeating, dieting, weight loss reducing stress stress and overeating stress eating unmourned losses wounds from childhood

After spending Saturday afternoon with a close friend, Jackie came home and baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  The time spent with her friend Carol did not feel nourishing.  The two dishes of ice cream and the plate of hot, fresh baked cookies did. Just baking the cookies felt more nourishing than spending time with Carol. Jackie knew that an afternoon with Carol meant

Hope is everything

By: Julie.S June 29, 2011 – Posted in: dieting emotional eating flexibility greiving grief grieving hurts losses and disappointments losses and disappointments old pain old pain overeating, dieting, weight loss painful childhood memories reducing stress stress and overeating stress eating trauma Uncategorized unmourned losses unmourned losses weight loss wounds from childhood

The Random House College Dictionary defines hope as "the feeling that what is desired is also possible or that events may turn out for the best."   It's certainly easy to have hope when everything is going your way--you just landed a great job, met the man/woman of your dreams, lost a lot of weight or won the lottery. 

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Testimonials

“Through working with Julie, I gently and gracefully was able to address the real reasons for my overeating, which had nothing to do with hunger. She helped me get in touch with those places deep inside that in the past I was afraid or unwilling to address. This underlying anxiety, depression and pain that I wasn't even aware of was triggering me to eat compulsively, to cover up the pain. Julie's work is so brilliant at giving me tools to work with myself, ways to be gentle with myself, and ways to comfort myself without using food. To this day, I use Julie's work to continue to heal my experiences with food and my body.” –Arriane Alexander, Actress/Singer

"I never connected with my true emotions until I started seeing Julie. Before I started working with her I certainly knew on a surface level what emotions were, but Julie gave me the tools to actually tap in and feel all the feelings I had been avoiding my entire life. My work with Julie was the first time in my life that I was able to truly connect with myself and understand the big picture of how emotions interplay with eating. Julie's compassion, knowledge and empathy helped me to realize that a lifetime of beating myself up for overeating was simply one that I was not willing to live anymore, and she helped me to break a cycle that I had almost resigned myself to living with for the rest of my life. With so much clutter in the dieting and self-help world, I feel blessed to work with someone whose approach is nothing short of life-changing." –Laurie B., Attorney

"Julie, Thank you Thank you Thank you! Working with you has helped me in ways I didn't at first imagine. I first came for a specific issue and stayed for the whole me! My connection with you was so instantaneous. I felt immediately understood, which was a big thing for me. With your knowledge and gentle loving guidance, I've been able to understand myself and my life and make new choices, blossoming in ways that bring such clarity and peace to my life. I am finally able to really be the person I always wanted to be - happy, healthy both physically and emotionally, feeling truly grounded and connected in my life. Working with you has enhanced my life and I am grateful beyond words." –M. K., Film & TV Producer

"After years of yo-yo dieting and fruitless therapy, I was lucky to find Julie and her unique approach to dealing with emotional eating that addresses imbalances in body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Julie has a talent for zeroing in on the issues underlying problems. She has guided me through some very challenging times and facilitated my personal growth. Julie possesses a keen intellect, coupled with warmth, caring, compassion, patience, and a wisdom that makes her truly remarkable." –J.N

“Julie—being in groups and classes and individual therapy with you has been life-saving. I’ve been in therapy before, but nothing has ever been this helpful and transformative. You’ve helped me put together all the broken pieces from a dysfunctional childhood. You’ve been a wonderful, nurturing and inspiring guide and you are a living, breathing example of what true recovery looks like. Thank you.” –C.G., Actress and Mother

"You offered more than I could have expected. I have done W.W., O.A. and J. Craig. But I always ended up in the same place. Now I know why. Thank you for showing me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and hope for recovery. Your program was really great, useful and revelatory! It was an opportunity for many “firsts” in my long journey of self-discovery. Thanks for being my angel." –J. L., Attorney and Mother

"I've been struggling nearly all my life with this overeating issue. I've tried all the diets and exercise programs. I couldn't get a handle on my compulsive eating until I attended this Program. Oh My God, I've learned so much and gained so much insight and new tools. I've already lost over 15 lbs and it's easier than it's ever been. I can now truly understand how addressing the deeper issues helps to effortlessly release the weight. And I'm not so afraid anymore of addressing those issues. This Program taught me how to do that and the Follow-Up group is helping me practice my new skills. And correcting the physical imbalances I had really made it even that much easier. Thank you Julie for all that you do." –K. W., Writer/Artist

"Julie, Thank you Thank you Thank you! Working with you has helped me in ways I didn't at first imagine. I first came for a specific issue and stayed for the whole me! My connection with you was so instantaneous. I felt immediately understood, which was a big thing for me. With your knowledge and gentle loving guidance, I've been able to understand myself and my life and make new choices, blossoming in ways that bring such clarity and peace to my life. I am finally able to really be the person I always wanted to be - happy, healthy both physically and emotionally, feeling truly grounded and connected in my life. Working with you has enhanced my life and I am grateful beyond words." –S. H., Therapist/Nurse

"An incredible amount of most helpful information for the money! The most inspiring and motivating part was your authenticity and sharing from your heart. I thought I knew all there was to know with years of therapy, but you really pulled everything together for me." –C. W., M.B.A., Financial Analyst

"Julie, what a wonderful, enlightened, incredibly smart woman you are. Thank you so much for all that you are and all your tools and teaching are making of me. I finally can see an end to overeating and dieting." –P.K.

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