The most effective weight/eating programs are those that combine mindful eating, moderate exercise, and psychological intervention.  According to the Cochrane review, which pulls together results of the most recent quality research, increasing the length or intensity of psychological components of a weight program significantly improves outcomes. In the future, behavioral interventions will become the state-of-the-art in weight/eating treatments, as is the case for other mind-body conditions.

I address the following key targets to manifest life-long change:

Identify Beliefs 
The core method to manifest change rests in uncovering the beliefs that undermine efforts to change.  These beliefs are largely about the self, but may also be about body image, foods, or family dynamics.  Using a variety of creative methods, we can identify the exact beliefs that are sabotaging success.  Using a mind-body method, we can release these beliefs.  We install new beliefs that allow new eating patterns to emerge naturally. 

Emotional Changes 
To effectively change weight, eating or body-dissatisfaction problems, there must be an effective process for mindful acceptance of difficult feelings. Reactive eating is about using food to self-soothe, to cope with tension, fear, grief, boredom, stress, shame, and anxiety.  By learning new ways to cope with hard feelings, eating becomes a healthy part of life not a way to cope with life. Of greatest importance, finding new ways to cope with feelings helps people maintain eating changes for the long-term wellness.

Behavioral Changes
Therapy provides an excellent opportunity to craft a new set of behaviors. Therapy focuses on making important behavioral changes to modify healthy behavioral patterns around eating and exercise.  The goal is to create mindful, joyful eating and cultivate new activity behaviors that work with your personality.  Together we can better explore, understand, and address the roadblocks that interfere with a healthy lifestyle.  Discipline is not something one has, but something one practices and creates.
 

Our culture has rigid ideals about a 'perfect' body shape. Healthy self-worth and inner peace is based in the recognition that the goal is a healthy balanced life, not a particular body shape, weight, or size.  Most people experience fluctuations in body size throughout their lives.  It is important to find a sense of self-appreciation regardless of how you look, what you own, who you know, or any other external measure.  Finding greater self-worth sets the foundation for healthy, balanced patterns of behavior.