The NEDA Walk: Promoting Eating Disorder Treatment and Awareness

WHAT ARE EATING DISORDERS?

Eating disorders are mental health conditions marked by an obsession with food or body shape. They can impact people of all ages, genders, orientations, races, and socioeconomic statuses. Eating disorders are more common than you may think. Approximately 28.8 million people will suffer from some form of an eating disorder throughout their life. 

Forms of eating disorders include:

• Anorexia Nervosa

• Pica

• Bulimia Nervosa

• Rumination Disorder

• Binge Eating Disorder

• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

WHAT is the national eating disorder association?

NEDA is a non-profit that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders. It serves as a catalyst for prevention, treatment, and access to quality care. Their main hope and goal is to eventually create a world without eating disorders. At the moment they provide as much help and information as they can to those suffering from eating disorders.

They also offer:

• Free helplines

• Information to help prevent eating disorders

• Walks

• Information on how eating disorders can affect anyone

• Body acceptance week

• Help to find proper treatment

• Back to school guide for students, parents, and teachers

• Information on how social media affects eating disorders

• Screening tool

• Tools to help fight against relapse

EATING DISORDER SCREENING TOOL

NEDA supplies a screening tool for people 13 or older that allows them to see where they stand in needing to seek professional help for disordered eating. The screening tool asks very personal and open ended questions which encourage people to realize what they are doing and how their disordered eating may be impacting them.

EATING DISORDER TREATMENT AND RECOVERY

Many people believe that recovery for eating disorders simply requires admitting to it and getting help. However, according to NEDA recovery, it’s actually a life long development and is often easier with a sound support system. Eating disorder researchers have yet to develop a set of criteria to accurately define what factors are necessary.

Why do relapses occur during eating disorder recovery?

One of the main reasons recovery is a life long development is because life is always changing. Changes can sometimes be seen as sudden and/or stressful, and often disordered eating is a reaction to this as a way to cope.

Some examples of events that can cause relapse are:

• Going off to college

• Moving to a new town or away from home

• Starting a new job

• Financial challenges

• Infertility or getting pregnant

• Birth of a child

• Marriage or divorce

• Death of a loved one

• Diagnosis of a chronic disease

• Menopause

COMMON WARNING SIGNS OF RELAPSE

Just as all eating disorders are slightly different, so are all relapses. Still, many have a similar set of signs that can help identify potential problems:

• Avoiding meals and events involving food

• Making efforts to eat alone

• A return to obsessing about food and weight

• Overwhelming feelings of shame and guilt after eating

• Concealing information from loved ones and your treatment team

• Resuming repeatedly checking appearance in the mirror and weighing outside of treatment

• Justifying small slips and lapses, saying that it’s no big deal or it’s not that bad

• Becoming irritable when the subject of food or eating disorders is brought up

• An increase in stress with no way to manage it

• Increasing anxiety, perfectionism, and depression

• Sleep disturbances

• Isolation from friends and loved ones

the NEDA WALK in denver, co

NEDA Walks are inspirational, community-building events. They are an opportunity for passionate walkers to raise money to fund eating disorders education, prevention, and support, as well as advocacy and research initiatives. The largest eating disorders awareness events in the nation, NEDA Walks are a celebration of hope and strength. They are filled with body-positive activities, motivational guest speakers, and a short walk to symbolize unity in the fight against eating disorders.

NEDA Walks create a safe and supportive space where no one will feel alone in their battle. It seems as though everybody knows somebody who’s been affected by an eating disorder - so everybody is invited to walk with us! Together, we’ll stand up to stigma and send the message that recovery is possible.

WHY participate in THE NEDA WALK?

With over 30 million people suffering from eating disorders, many families have begun to feel hopeless. The NEDA walk brings in funds, restores hope, and changes conversation surrounding eating disorders. 

Raise awareness of Eating disorders

Eating disorders are widely misunderstood illnesses, and old stereotypes and myths often prevent people from seeking help. Help fight stigma and shine a light on eating disorders as a serious public health issue.

Raise critical funds for Eating Disorder research and treatment

By participating in the NEDA Walk, you’ll be raising funds that support vital programs, advocacy efforts, and research initiatives.

Join the community to fight against eating disorders

Join our community of passionate walk warriors who are dedicated to winning the fight against eating disorders. Together, we’ll walk stride in stride toward hope and recovery. 

The NEDA walk is all about raising awareness, and funds for further research, as well as providing resources to expand access to care.

WellMinded Counseling is a part of this effort and we encourage anyone who may be struggling to reach out for support and therapy.

BEGIN WORKING WITH An eating disorder therapist in broomfield, co

Recovering from an eating disorder is possible, and you don’t have to do it on your own. Working with a therapist will provide you with support as you begin treatment to improve your body image and self-worth.

If you’re ready to begin eating disorder counseling in Broomfield, CO or online therapy in Colorado, we encourage you to take the following steps:

1. Contact our counseling office to learn more about our services

2. Get set up with a eating disorder therapist on our team

3. Gain freedom from disordered eating

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELL MINDED COUNSELING CENTER

Our therapists work with clients of all ages and are able to address a wide variety of mental health concerns. WellMinded Counseling offers the following counseling services:

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• EMDR

• Couples Therapy

• Relationship Counseling

• Anxiety Treatment

• Depression Treatment

• Trauma Treatment

• Teen therapy

• Self-Esteem Counseling

Counseling for College Students: Thoughts from a Young Adult Therapist

College is a transitional time for everyone. Whether it be straight out of high school or possibly going back at a later age, it’s a time of transition.

A common concern many people have is the fear of change and the unknown. Then adding classes on top of that can lead to stress, burnout, and anxiety among college students. If you start noticing these or other issues arising, you may be wondering how common it is to reach out to a counselor. Research shows that many college students don’t realize the multitude of options there are both on and off campus for mental health support.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss different resources for college students. It’s important to confirm that your institution or where you live does offer these, but these are some of the most common options.

On Campus Mental Health Resources:

Looking specifically at Colorado and Florida, each of these states have college institution’s that offer some form of counseling services. These services are free to students and included in fees. Some common services offered at these locations are individual counseling, groups, academic counseling, and career counseling.

Benefits of On Campus Counseling

When seeing a counselor at a college or university counseling center, the advantage will be that these counselors know the university system. They will be knowledgeable about your institution, and with that will be aware of some of the common hardships affecting the students there.

Drawbacks of On Campus Counseling

Some of the drawbacks students have reported about their college counseling experience is that there can be a long wait time to see a therapist at the college counseling center. Some college students also share that a drawback is that there is usually a limit on the number of sessions a college counseling center can offer. While there are drawbacks, this is still an excellent option. And, on campus counseling centers can refer students to off campus counseling if needed.

Off Campus Resources:

There are many different options for going off campus for counseling and mental health support. However, it’s important to keep a few things in mind when looking for a therapist off campus.

Health Insurance

Make sure you look at your health insurance, whether it be private or school sponsored.  On the insurance website you should be able to find a list of providers, both in and out of network.

Our blog on using your out of network benefits to pay for therapy can be a helpful resource to learn more about this process.

Searching for a Young Adult Therapist

When you’re searching for a new therapist, don’t be afraid to try a few therapists out to find the right fit. It can be helpful to look into different specialties as this can be more easily found with off campus resources. For example, if your primary concern is anxiety then you’ll want to find a therapist that specializes in anxiety.

You may also want to consider finding a therapist who often works with young adults and college students. While not every goal you have in therapy may be related to college, it’s helpful to work with a therapist that understands the challenges of college and young adulthood.

Seeking out therapy no matter where or what time in your life can be a daunting process. Hopefully, through this post, you’ve learned more about the different options available to you. And if you decide that you’d like to look into off campus options, you may want to learn more about our counseling services.

Begin working with a young adult therapist in TAMPA, FL OR BROOMFIELD, CO

If you’re a college student looking for support outside of your college, we can help. At WellMinded Counseling, our therapists specialize in working with college students and young adults. We offer a range of services, such as counseling for anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. We offer in-person therapy in Tampa, FL and Broomfield, CO. However, our therapists can also work with people throughout Florida and Colorado through online counseling.

If you are interested in getting set up with a young adult therapist at WellMinded Counseling, you can follow these simple steps:

1. Contact our counseling office to schedule a free 15-minute consultation

2. Get set up with one of our young adult therapists

3. Gain the support of a therapist as you navigate college and young adulthood!

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELL MINDED COUNSELING CENTER

Our therapists work with clients of all ages and are able to address a wide variety of mental health concerns. WellMinded Counseling offers the following counseling services:

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• EMDR

• Couples Therapy

• Relationship Counseling

• Anxiety Treatment

• Depression Treatment

• Trauma Treatment

• Teen therapy

• Self-Esteem Counseling

Summer Burnout

By Andorra Turner

Do you have a busy summer schedule? Often, it can be difficult to fill your schedule with all the

summer activities you’d like to do, while still allowing for time for relaxation and self-care.

Summer is often a time for a change, with many people moving, changing careers, or making

changes in other areas of life. That can often fill our free time and lead to anxiety and burnout.

Change is often good, but often difficult – it takes time to get used to a new “normal”.

Many also feel pressure to fill every weekend with activities. Now that the pandemic is not

affecting our lives as much as it did last year or the year before, there may be even more pressure

on us to go places or to do things that were unavailable the past two years. That pressure can also

come from ourselves – not having plans for the weekend can sometimes feel like we’ve wasted

our time, that time not spent on activities is time wasted.

So, what are some ways we can do the things we want this summer, while also taking care of

ourselves?

 Recognize when you’re feeling burnt out

o Do you find yourself more tired or more irritable? Do you feel like isolating

yourself from the people around you? Do you feel detached or unmotivated? You

might be showing signs of burnout. This is a sign that you need to take care of

yourself.

 Be mindful of your needs

o What’s the best way to take care of yourself? The answer to that question will

look different for each person. We all have different techniques to relax, to

comfort ourselves when we are sad, or to help ourselves feel happy. Find the

techniques that work best for you!

 Set Boundaries – communicate your needs

o Knowing your limits is important, but after that comes advocating for yourself!

It’s OK to prioritize your own needs. If someone asks you to do something that

feels draining, or something you don’t want to do, advocate for yourself by saying

“no” or communicating how you feel. Boundaries are healthy and one of the best

ways we can respect our own needs at home, at work, or with friends.

 Take breaks

o We all need breaks. Take some time for yourself. Find an activity that you can do,

just for yourself. You deserve it!

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELL MINDED COUNSELING CENTER

Our Denver area counseling center sees clients of all ages and addresses a wide variety of

mental health concerns. WellMinded offers the following counseling services:

•  Substance Abuse Counseling

•  LGBTQ Affirming Counseling

•  Yoga Therapy

•  Hypnotherapy

•  Walk and Talk Therapy

•  EMDR

•  Online Therapy

•  Group Therapy

•  Couples Therapy

•  Relationship Counseling

•  Anxiety Treatment

•  Depression Treatment

Tips on How to Get Through Summer Travel from an anxiety therapist

When the days become longer and warmer, we all look forward to taking time off of school or work for a vacation. Especially this year!

However, vacations often cause stress, communication difficulties, and anxiety. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t plan that time away. There are some ways to help mitigate the difficulties that come with travel and get the most out of your time away.

Manage Your Travel Expectations to reduce anxiety

We all can be prone to creating a blueprint in our minds for how we want experiences to go. This is especially true for experiences, like travel, that we can look forward to months in advance. These expectations, especially when they are inflexible, can create a lot of stress when it comes to travel. There are a few ways holding tightly onto our expectations can get in the way of having an enjoyable experience.

Transportation Issues

If the expectation was that you were going to arrive at your destination without any delays or issues, then issues with transportation can create a lot of stress. Leave room in your expectations for the inevitable delay, missed turn, or construction traffic.

planned activities

When traveling there may be a list of things that you want to do or see, and the individuals traveling with you might also have their own list. Make room in your expectations for the possibility that you may not always enjoy the interests of your fellow travelers and that closures, weather, or sold-out tickets may get in the way of you doing all of the activities you had hoped for.

Traveling with others

It can be difficult, and rewarding, to travel with others. Leave some room for flexibility in your expectations of how your travel companions will act and communicate. Be willing to let their experience of the trip be separate from your own. For example, someone might want to stay back and watch TV while the rest of the group goes on a hike. Remember, that’s okay.

Weather

Although we have lots of information at our disposal to plan for the weather, the cold, rain, heat, or snow can surprise us. Have backup activities planned if possible, for days when outdoor activities may not be possible. And be open to this being an enjoyable experience, even if it wasn’t what you had originally planned.

a therapist’s tips for Communicating Effectively

Frustrations can run high while traveling. It can be helpful if you gather with the individuals you will be traveling with and discuss expectations, things you would like to see, and where you would like to eat.

How to Handle Frustration

If you become frustrated with another person in your group, it can be helpful to pause before reacting. Take a step back, assess the situation, and then proceed mindfully.

For example, if everyone arrives late it may be your gut reaction to yell at the person that took longer to get ready. But after assessing the situation you may come to realize that while you are frustrated, yelling at someone you are traveling with will only hinder you and others in your group from enjoying the rest of the evening.

If there is an activity that you do not want to participate in or a restaurant you aren’t interested in, communicate that by using “I” statements. For instance you might say, “I’m not in the mood for pizza tonight, I think that I’ll eat at this restaurant instead.” Try to avoid using “You” language such as “You always want pizza and it’s disgusting, why can’t you eat where I want.” This can sound accusatory and increase tension.

learn how to “Go with the Flow”

Most importantly, having a “go with the flow” or “ride the wave” attitude towards travel will allow you to enjoy yourself even when things don’t go according to plan. Inevitably, transportation might be an issue, or the weather might change. But if you allow yourself to flex and shift when things that are out of your control change, then it leaves more room for enjoyment.

You are only in control of yourself, and how you respond. Responding with flexibility and acceptance towards the constant change that is inherent in travel can be very impactful on your entire experience. This can create “funny” stories or anecdotes you tell people later. Rather than a situation that creates so much stress and anxiety that your entire day or even trip is impacted.

manage travel anxiety WITH An anxiety THERAPIST IN TAMPA, FL or broomfield, CO

If you struggle with travel anxiety, you may want to work an anxiety therapist. An anxiety therapist can help you work through your feelings and learn how to effectively manage your anxiety and cope with anxious thoughts. Anxiety therapy can give you the skills to manage anxiety not only when traveling, but in other areas of your life as well. At WellMinded Counseling, we offer anxiety therapy in Tampa, FL and in Broomfield, CO. We can also work with people throughout Florida and Colorado through online counseling.

If you are interested in getting set up with a therapist at WellMinded Counseling, you can follow these simple steps:

1. Contact our counseling office to schedule a free 15 minute consultation

2. Get set up with one of our therapists

3. Learn how to manage your anxiety so you can have a better travel experience

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELLMINDED COUNSELING CENTER

At our counseling centers, we see clients of all ages. And our therapists can address a wide variety of mental health concerns. WellMinded Counseling offers the following counseling services:

• Substance Abuse Counseling

• EMDR

• Couples Therapy

• Relationship Counseling

• Anxiety Treatment

• Depression Treatment

• Trauma Treatment

• Teen therapy

• Self-Esteem Counseling

3 Tips from a Tampa Therapist to Beat the Florida Heat and Practice Self-Care

Self-care is an important part of our mental health. However, it can be a bit hard to find the motivation to get outside and do something fun for ourselves in the summer heart.

The humidity in Florida this time of year is averaging around 77% in Tampa. That’s a lot, and it may make it difficult to find things to do to enjoy your summer. Fortunately, Tampa is packed with great places to get out of the heat and practice self-care!

3 PLACES to slow down, engage in self-care, and beat the heat this summer in Tampa, Fl.

1. The Straz Center for Performing Arts

If you enjoy the arts, then head to the Straz Center for Performing Arts! It’s a great venue for you to catch a theater performance live, or perhaps listen to music. They have events happening multiple times a week, even some that are completely free of charge as well.

This organization is a place that you can feel good about giving your time and money to as well since they are helping establish arts education as a community priority. They are also working closely with public, private, and home school programs to enhance arts education for children throughout the Tampa Bay area. They’re conveniently located downtown right off of I-275.

2. The Florida Aquarium

Maybe you’re more into nature, and don’t want to sweat going to look for sea life down at the beach. The Florida Aquarium has you covered.

Check out the new exhibits that they have, as they rotate throughout the year, so there is always something new to see. They even have a cool coral conservation program which is scaled to have a significant impact on the restoration of the Florida Reef Tract. They are currently offering a Wild Dolphin Cruise as well as an interactive and educational experience that features birds of prey from around the world.

3. The Oxford Exchange

Finally, the Oxford Exchange is a great place to have lunch, get some coffee, find some unique gifts, and read a new or used book. The building has beautiful architecture and is very close to the Hillsborough River. It's totally worth checking out if you’re into slowing down and finding a unique place to have lunch.

There are so many great places in Tampa to enjoy, these are just a few. We hope that you take time this summer to slow down, destress, and spend more time building your self-care practice.

Why is self-care so important you may ask?

Well self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. In fact, engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, increase happiness, and more. It can help you adapt to changes, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks.

In a national survey, done by Vagaro, Americans cited benefits of self-care as: enhanced self-confidence (64%), increased productivity (67%), and happiness (71%). From a physical health perspective, self-care also reduces heart disease, strokes, and cancer.

Self-care goals can include:

1. Taking care of your physical and psychological health.

2. Managing and reducing stress.

3. Recognizing your emotional and spiritual needs.

4. Fostering and sustaining relationships.

5. Achieving balance in different areas of your life.

Don’t miss the benefits of practicing self-care habits on a daily basis to improve your overall health. Spending just 10 minutes a day connecting with your self and practicing self-care can make a significant impact.

Reach your self-care goals WITH A THERAPIST in Tampa, fl

If you’re looking for support as you work towards your self-care goals, therapy can help! Working with a therapist can help you create a practice of self-compassion. A therapist can also help you achieve other mental health goals, such as reducing stress, managing your emotions, and building stronger relationships.

If you are interested in getting set up with a therapist at WellMinded Counseling, you can follow these simple steps:

1. Contact our counseling office to schedule a free 15 minute consultation

2. Meet with one of our caring therapists and learn more about our therapy services

3. Begin therapy and start working towards your self-care goals

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELLMINDED COUNSELING

At WellMinded Counseling we offer an array of therapy services to help our clients overcome the different challenges that they may be experiencing. Our therapists can help you manage stress and anxiety. They can also help you navigate and learn how to manage depression too. We also offer interpersonal relationship counseling for those who need support navigating their relationships.

We offer in-person sessions to those who live in and around Tampa, Florida. However, we can meet with clients anywhere within the state of Florida through online counseling too. If you have questions about how our counselors can help you, please feel welcome to reach out and ask. We are excited to be a part of your mental health journey.