Author: Dr. Marcy Forta
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Taming Tishrei Tension
As the holiday season is rapidly approaching, levels of anxiety tend to go up. Here are some practical tips to curb our Tishrei Tension: Get enough sleep – often sleep is the first thing to go when we have lots to do and lots to cook. We stay up late into the night, making sure […]
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A More Positive, Constructive Focus
There has been a lot of talk about how online social media images/messages/recommendations harm people’s body and self-image, how high levels of social media use by adolescents is associated with poorer mental health and self-esteem, and, in particular, increased body image concerns. The overall idea is that the social media vendors should take more care […]
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Review: The Girl in the Red Boots
This week I read a recently published book that I found to be an extremely compelling, inspiring, and personal book called The Girl in the Red Boots by Dr. Judith Ruskay Rabinor. I finished it several days ago and I am still thinking about the valuable and insightful lessons I was able to glean from […]
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The Eating Disorder Epidemic – Why Aren’t We Doing More to Prevent It?
The news continues to alarm me as multiple outlets from the world over report sharp increases in incidences of mental health issues and diagnosed eating disorders among adolescents. This week in Ontario it was reported that admissions to their teen eating disorders ward has jumped to 223% capacity, an increase of over 100% of what […]
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Developing A Positive Relationship With Your Body
Working toward a positive relationship with one’s body can be a lifelong process. As we are well aware, worries about weight and appearance begin in early childhood. Girls as young as five years old are talking about wanting to be skinnier as well as their fear of becoming fat. And while accepting our bodies doesn’t […]
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Disconnection From Self – a Preventable Negative Body Image Consequence?
I’ve been reading through a curriculum addressing body image, eating, fitness, and weight concerns called Healthy Bodies by Kathy J. Kater. In it, the various costs of negative body image for girls were discussed. Negative body image refers to an over or hyper-focus on comparing one’s size and shape to unrealistic or unattainable social ideals. […]
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Self-Esteem – How important is it?
What does it mean to have healthy self-esteem? Healthy self-esteem is being consistently able to value yourself for who you are, having overall positive feelings about yourself, and realistic expectations of yourself. Healthy self-esteem is about acting in ways that demonstrate self-respect and faithfulness to your values. People with healthy self-esteem recognize the positive qualities […]
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F.E.A.S.T.
F.E.A.S.T. or Families Empowered And Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders, is an organization dedicated to supporting parents and caregivers of those struggling with an eating disorder. They are unique as all members of this incredible organization have experienced what it is to have a son or daughter develop an eating disorder. They are intimately aware […]
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Recommended Reading: Emilee, the story of a Girl and Her Family Hijacked by Anorexia
Just read an extremely compelling, poignant, well-written, compassionate, sad, but very important book on the seriousness of eating disorders, as well as the serious holes in our medical systems treatment of them. Linda and John Mazur, in their book entitled, Emilee, The Story of a Girl and Her Family Hijacked by Anorexia, recount the painful […]
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What is Weight Stigma?
In prior posts we’ve looked extensively at eating disorders and risk factors. This week I’d like to focus on a pervasive issue/bias that may seem tangential but is actually a negative behavior deeply associated with disordered eating and many negative health effects. I’m referring to weight stigma. What is weight stigma? Weight stigma is defined […]
Dr. Marcy Forta 