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
wounds from childhood
Are you eating over losses and disappointments?
September 30, 2014 – Posted in: depression despair embracing emotions emotional eating grief grieving identifying emotions and needs loneliness and overeating losses and disappointments old pain overeating, dieting, weight loss painful childhood memories resentments resolving emotional eating self-love stress eating unmourned losses weight loss worthiness wounds from childhoodMost of us don't like to spend much time thinking about our losses and disappointments or painful childhood experiences.Yet, without much effort, they are brought to the forefront of our minds when something in our environment triggers thoughts of them. We see a happy couple and think "Oh, yeah, I had a loving relationship with
Do You Feel Worthy of Self-Love?
May 10, 2014 – Posted in: adjusting expectations compassion emotional eating forgiveness losses and disappointments overeating, dieting, weight loss perfectionism procrastination resolving emotional eating self connection self-acceptance self-love self-worth unmourned losses weight loss worthiness wounds from childhoodWe've all heard it said that you can't love anyone else until you love yourself. And although we know there's truth to this old adage, most of us persist in looking for love outside of ourselves, often in all the wrong places. In one of my emotional eating groups this week, we discussed the concept of worthiness. I asked the
The emotional eater’s expectations: are they realistic?
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 childhoodAfter 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
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 childhoodThe 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.
Are you overeating because your life lacks purpose or meaning?
June 11, 2011 – Posted in: dieting emotional eating flexibility losses and disappointments overeating, dieting, weight loss painful childhood memories stress and overeating stress eating Uncategorized weight loss wounds from childhoodNothing feels better than waking up and looking forward to the day. Life feels worth living. We feel a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction because our life has purpose and feels meaningful. And even better if we feel inspired and passionate about what we're doing. We can feel purpose and meaning from many types of
Are losses and disappointments sending you to the refrigerator?
May 29, 2011 – Posted in: emotional eating greiving hurts losses and disappointments old pain overeating, dieting, weight loss painful childhood memories reducing stress unmourned losses weight loss wounds from childhoodMost of us don't like to spend much time thinking about our losses and disappointments or painful childhood experiences. Yet, without much effort, they are brought to the forefront of our minds when something in our environment triggers thoughts of them. We see a happy couple and think "Oh, yeah, I had a loving relationship with Jack,
