Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a non-pathologizing evidence-based psychotherapy model developed by psychotherapist Richard Schwartz in the 1980s. IFS asserts that everyone has a variety of different sub-personalities or Parts, that all work together, along with the core Self, to keep you, functioning and surviving.

Happy Valentine’s Day! On this day focused on love, we are taking a bit of a different approach. Clients often talk about the difficulty in loving their body and we get it! Today, we are talking about why you don’t have to love your body and sharing other practices you can do to shift your relationship with your body.

We are back today with another edition of, Ask the Team! Not only do our clinicians collaborate on client care and treatment with each of our clients, but we also collaborate with parents and caregivers! Today, we are covering what parents and caregivers can expect in a joint session with your adolescent or young adult treatment team.

The term Highly Sensitive Person was first used by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron in 1996. A highly sensitive person (HSP) has what’s known as a sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). Simply put, HSPs have finely tuned nervous systems that are more responsive and emotionally attuned to internal and external stimuli. I once heard it described using bugs and their antenna. Non-HSPs typically have 2 antennae to take in information. HSPs can have 6-10+ antennae.

What are somatic tools? And can they be as helpful as talk therapy for helping processes and release emotions? Today, we are briefly diving into somatic therapy and sharing 6 Somatic Tools to Help Release Emotions!

While winter officially started at the end of December, for folks in the Midwest, January starts a 3-month (at least!!) stretch of winter that brings cold weather, snow, and gray skies. The ‘New Year, New You’ mentality aims to make at least this month more ‘manageable’, it can also leave us feeling exhausted and stressed. The good news is there are ways to take care of yourself and be kind to your body in the process.

Set Point Theory posits that our body has a weight range where it feels most comfortable and will always work to maintain. This range is where our bodies feel most comfortable, where all our systems function properly, and where weight is maintained without much effort on our end (read: no dieting). If our weight dips below the range, our body will adjust metabolism and appetite to bring us back to our set point/set range. Your set point range is generally around 10-20 pounds.

While the song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”, it might not always feel that way. Especially when it comes to food, body, and exercise. Whether you have a challenging relationship with these three areas or a positive one, it can be tricky to navigate holiday meals and festivities. Today, we are sharing the Intuitive Eaters Bill of Rights and hope that it can help give you some insights into how to advocate for yourself during this season.

Have you ever heard the phrase, food habituation? If you work with a practitioner who practices Intuitive Eating, if you practice it yourself, or if you are interested in practicing Intuitive Eating someday, you have might heard this phrase. But what does it mean? Check out today’s post to learn more!

Have you ever started your therapy session and when your therapist asks what you want to discuss that day, you say ‘I don’t know.’ Or, ‘I’m not sure.’ Or, ‘Nothing much.’ You are not alone! In today’s Ask the Team, we are diving into some topics of conversation when you don’t know what to talk about.

The assumption that weight is the primary—or only—factor in many health conditions stems from longstanding biases which are deeply ingrained in the healthcare system. Studies show that patients in bigger bodies are often viewed as lazy, non-compliant, or even undeserving of care due to assumptions about their lifestyle choices. We know that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Do you listen to the food police? Have you ever labeled foods as “good” or “bad”? Have you ever wondered at what point these negative internal thoughts around eating and food became ingrained in your psyche? Today, Christine Soviak, RD is talking all about the food police and sharing 8 ways to challenge that voice. Take it away, Christine!

For many people recovering from eating disorders, meal plans offer structure, balance, and a pathway toward physical and emotional healing. But the reality is not everyone can easily afford their meal plan. 

Food insecurity is a real issue affecting many people. Factors like income, access to affordable food options, and the high cost of living significantly influence someone’s ability to meet nutritional needs in recovery. 

Oftentimes, “wellness” culture can add even more stress. Wellness influencers promote organic, specialty, or “clean” foods that appeal to those with eating disorders (especially for individuals whose ED stems from an obsession with “healthy” eating). These items are usually expensive and add little real value in terms of recovery or overall health (and at their core, are just more processed products..!). Worse, pressure to buy into these trends can lead to feelings of guilt, while the stigma against processed foods adds another layer of shame for people working to embrace balanced eating. 

Sleep is a cornerstone of overall health, impacting everything from metabolic function to mental clarity. One of the clearest examples is the role sleep plays in regulating hunger hormones, like ghrelin and leptin. Sleep deprivation throws these hormones out of balance, often leading to increased appetite and cravings. It’s not just about feeling groggy or sluggish after a bad night’s sleep; sleep disruptions can alter your metabolism and affect overall health.

Weekends tend to be very chaotic for people when it comes to eating. Do you struggle with overeating? Let me guess when you overeat you beat yourself up for it? Feeling extra full or even just a little full has the ability to ruin your mood and maybe your day? I am hoping what I have to say about overeating with ease your mind a bit and offer you a better understanding of why you are overeating. Here are 5 things you need to know about “over” eating.

What contributes to the development of an eating disorder? As mental health awareness becomes more prominent and ED research is on the rise, we are finding that many factors are responsible for the development of eating disorders. Some may argue that eating disorders are a lifestyle choice. This is not true at all! Understanding how eating disorders develop is a crucial part to identifying the contributing cause, and is helpful for navigating individualized treatment and recovery.

It’s Friday night—maybe even Thursday—and you're getting ready to head out with friends. You haven’t eaten since lunch, maybe skipped dinner on purpose, and squeezed in a quick workout before hitting the bars. It’s just another night out, right?

It might feel like that, but this pattern of behavior is actually known as "drunkorexia," a term used to describe the practice of restricting food, over-exercising, or purging to compensate for the calories in alcohol. Although not an official diagnosis, it’s a form of disordered eating that essentially prioritizes alcohol over nutrition. It’s become so common, especially in college, that it can be easy to overlook how harmful it really is.

Is this a burning question in your mind; does everyone feel like they have to work out? Why does exercise feel like such a chore? What will happen if I don’t exercise on a regular basis? 

Here are a few things that a positive relationship with movement IS...

What’s diabulimia? This is a term you may not be familiar with, but it’s a dangerous issue that affects individuals with diabetes. People with diabetes are already at higher risk for developing eating disorders (up to 20% of type 1 diabetics will develop an eating disorder in their lifetime). So, what is diabulimia and why is it a problem? 

You might have heard that restriction is the number one driving force behind feeling out of control with food. Feeling out of control with food can play out in various ways such as binge eating until you feel physically uncomfortable, feeling like you can't keep certain foods in the house because you will eat it ALL (GASP), and/or thinking about food all day. Not to mention did you know that restiction of food mimics addiction? Yes, read that again. So generally the people that have rules around food and/or are micromanaging food feel addicted to food. But what does it mean to “restrict”?