How defining your why can help you stay the course after will power runs out — Every day thousands of people decide to go on a diet. The most recent numbers from the CDC measuring data from 2013–2016 found that 49.1% of adults tried to lose weight within the last 12 months. Let’s sit with that a minute, nearly 1/2 of the US population is trying…

How my vision of marriage evolved — I grew up in a traditional Appalachian household. My dad worked outside the home and my mom was a homemaker. She always kept a clean house and had dinner on the table when dad came in from work. Their setup worked for them. They had three kids, of which I’m…

Wife, dog mom, clinical psychologist, writer How do you even get started writing about yourself? As writers, we tend to want to stay behind the scenes letting our work speak for us. Stepping out front, at least for me, requires a degree of vulnerability. When I started planning this piece…

How to take control of your relationship with food — As a clinical health psychologist who works in a bariatric clinic, I speak with people who are trying to lose weight on a regular basis. One thing I often hear from my clients is they would like to improve their relationship with food, which is an excellent goal, but not…

Words of wisdom inspired by a couple of little bears — I was newly engaged and walking through an antique store with my mom when I stumbled across a little wedding bears figurine. Laughing, I picked it up and remarked to my mom about how the bears were wearing my wedding colors, blue and pink. I turned the figurine around in…

If inflation has gotten you down, don’t worry. Healthy eating is not off the table. — I’m not sure when it happened, a few months ago at least, I remember coming home from the grocery store shocked and in disbelief at how much my bill was. I checked the receipt looking for the outrageously priced item that inflated my bill. Unfortunately for me and so many…

The morning routine for non-morning people — If you’ve been around the self-help scene for more than ten minutes you have seen countless articles touting the benefits of getting up ungodly early to start your day. The 5 AM Club anyone? I’ve been sucked into the aesthetically pleasing youtube videos with the soft music playing in the…

Why you shouldn’t worry about expressing your lack of knowledge — In my early twenties, I developed severe nerve pain. The flare-ups hurt so bad nearly every aspect of my life was limited. I went to see my family doctor who was an internist. …