Scribblings of a Psychotherapist

#MondayMotivation Self-care is really important to our emotional, physical, spiritual and mental well-being. The picture below shows various things we can do to improve our self-care and, consequently, our well-being in small ways.  Good luck with your activity and take care of yourself :-)  

Myths and Stereotypes - Eating Disorders : Part 2 Eating disorders are not a ‘diet’. They are a mental health illness that can impact upon all areas of life and have negative, distressing and often life-threatening consequences. Eating disorders are characterised by having a difficult, negative or dysfunctional relationship with food and eating. This changes thoughts and feelings about food, and, consequently, the person's behaviours and habits surrounding food and eating. Neither are eating disorders about beauty, appearance or looking a certain way. In fact, they often have little to do with food, but lots to do with gaining control and finding a way of coping with life. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories and experiences are all controlled through one’s relationship with food. Control or non-control of eating and food provides a way of also coping with often painful, difficult or distressful thoughts, emotions, experiences or memories: by blocking them out, denyi...

Myths and Stereotypes - Eating Disorders: Part 1 I receive lots of enquiries from people asking if they have an eating disorder or if their eating and food behaviours, thoughts, feelings and experiences warrant them accessing services or receiving help and support. One of the best things about Talking EDs is that we never ever discriminate on whether someone has a ‘full-blown’ eating disorder; has been formally diagnosed; or meets certain ‘criteria’. We welcome anyone – men and women – who feel that their relationship with food and eating is affecting their life. As far as we are concerned, if your relationship with food and eating is affecting your life in some way – socially, emotionally, psychologically, physically, occupationally etc., then you deserve help and support with such difficulties. We know that most people with eating disorders/ disordered eating are not underweight or don't always display the full plethora of eating disorder 'symptoms'...

  Monday Motivation # MondayMotivation '' Change is bumpy. It's not a straight road, and sometime we have to take a slightly different path, turn more corners than we thought, stumble across a rocky road or stay and look around for a while. Change and recovery is a bit like the picture below. ''    (Alexandra O'Brien, 2015). If you are looking to make changes, feel free to get in touch with is to access CBT, therapy, counselling, coaching, guided self-help or other one-to-one support. See my websites here (general and eating disorder-specific): www.glasgowcentretherapy.co.uk or www.eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk for more information about what we offer there and you can get in touch with me there too!  Today is the day to start making changes and improving your quality of life!

10 Helpful Things to Say to Someone with an Eating Disorder I often hear from clients I see in therapy sessions, in groups and in training about how people (professionals, family, friends, colleagues etc.) say the 'wrong thing' (e.g. if you just eat something you will feel a lot better'). Arggggh, it's really unhelpful isn't it? We all know people are just trying to help, however, such comments often leave us feeling shameful, guilty, misunderstood and a whole host of other things. The article by Beat, below, focuses on some helpful things you can say to someone experiencing an eating disorder. Of course, we are all different and so what may be helpful to one person may not be helpful to another, so acceptance and empathy are required.   What do you think? Article here: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/your-stories/10-things-say-someone-with-an-eating-disorder If you are living on Glasgow or West of Scotland and looking for ...