Blog
Our Brains
Did you know that our brains our hard wired to ensure that we will repeat life sustaining activities, such as eating, drinking, procreation, and forming relationships and attachments. What happens in our brains when engaged in any of the above, is that dopamine (among...
Basal Metabolic rate
One's basal metabolic rate accounts for 65-70% of calories burned per day. Go to BMI Calculator to determine your BMR (# of calories burned at rest). From there, you can determine your daily caloric needs based on your activity level with the Harris Benedict...
Reasons People Choose Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, which may cause uncomfortable feelings like sadness, anger, guilt, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. It is not unusual to experience a period of...
Do Compulsive Overeaters Have a Food Addiction ?
People who are compulsive eaters show similar activity in the same brain regions as people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Addiction to food is a biologically driven process linked with reward centres, and not just another behaviour problem. Forty-eight healthy...
Therapy Efficacy
One of the many benefits of therapy includes the identification of self perpetuated, unconscious themes and/or patterns causing the individual pain. Making the unconscious, conscious is the first step toward resolution.
The Laxatives Myth
Many individuals abuse laxatives in the hopes of controlling or losing weight. This is actually not an effective means for weight loss as laxatives stimulate the large intestine to release its contents, however, food passes first through the stomach and into the...
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, severe restriction of caloric intake, and the refusal to maintain a minimum normal body weight. People suffering from anorexia experience a severe distortion in their body image. Obsessive thoughts and...
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD): When normal appearance concerns are no longer normal. While similar to behaviors and obsessions seen in eating disorders, BDD is actually classified under obsessive compulsive and related disorders. Individuals diagnosed with body...
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by severe disturbances in eating behavior. Statistics show that 80% of individuals who develop an eating disorder began their dysfunctional relationship with food through dieting. For many individuals, there first attempts at...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions that are incredibly time consuming or cause marked impairment and distress. Individuals with OCD recognize that the obsessions or compulsions are beyond excess and...
Therapeutic Orientation
My therapeutic orientation is psychodynamic and therefore works on addressing the underlying, often unconscious issues that are manifesting as symptoms or problematic behavior. Specifically, I utilize an object relations approach to therapy, which helps clients gain...
Anorexia
Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder at 19%