Why is it so hard to talk to our parents about our struggles with ED, poor body image or low self-confidence? Guilt and shame probably play a pivotal role in why we don’t want to talk about these things with Mom and Dad.

Valentine’s Day can be a tough holiday, especially when you’re single, having a difficult time with friends, feeling disconnected from community or struggling with disordered eating. But here’s the good news: you can transform your Valentine’s Day to be a day of celebration! And here’s how:

1. Write your damn self a love note.

When was the last time that you explicitly expressed how much you appreciate yourself?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to take up space - literally and figuratively.

I am a therapist, and I specialize in women’s issues; therefore, this topic leads me to think about women and the cultural messages we receive about claiming space in the world. I use female pronouns and refer to women as a result, but rest assured that anyone could relate to this concept. 

Terms such as “bikini body” and “shrink down” have been thrown around so much, it can feel as though they’re a part of our daily lives. But what are we feeling when we hear them? What impact do they have on us?

Exercise classes and personal fitness can be a great way to feel good about yourself. Underline that or write it in bold if you have to. Feel good about yourself. Not diet, slim down, or get smaller.

“Monthly Matters with Melody” is a monthly advice column by Dr. Melody Moore, a clinical psychologist, yoga instructor and the founder of the Embody Love Movement Foundation. Her foundation is a non-profit whose mission is to empower girls and women to celebrate their inner beauty, commit to kindness and contribute to meaningful change in the world. Dr. Moore is a social entrepreneur who trains facilitators on how to teach programs to prevent negative body image and remind girls and women of their inherent worth.

Five years ago, my body image was terrible. I was in the midst of completing my undergraduate degree, living in Canada and eating out or ordering in a LOT. I wasn’t doing any self-care; I didn’t even know what self-care was back then. 

My life was so full of drama and I was going through a pretty significant depression. I lacked the energy to cook, so I ate out three to four times a week. School ended, seasons changed and I was doing a little better emotionally, and by summer of 2011, I launched into full diet mode. I was obsessively counting points and calories. 

For the holidays this year, some parents may be buying their kids the Gabba Goods fitness tracker. It’s one of several wearable fitness devices geared toward kids to promote exercise and combat childhood obesity. It seems like a thoughtful idea at first glance, but I can think of plenty of other things for kids to keep track of. They can count the things they are grateful for, or the stars in the sky; they can keep track of their dreams and the days until Christmas and the candles on their birthday cake. Things kid don’t need to track? Steps walked and calories burned.

Happy Friday, everyone! This week, we congratulate congress and President Obama on finalizing the 21st Century Cures Act, the first-ever piece of legislation directly addressing the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. 

Below are some other news headlines worth celebrating! 

When it comes to eating and image disorders, the lion’s share of attention goes to the body. So, it appears, there is no attention given to the face. Yet, within the eating disorder context, my negative experience with my face was just as painful as the unforgiving perception of my body. And it started early.

As an overweight child, several adults repeatedly made the same comment. Perhaps you’ve had it spoken to you.