The inner protector, like a mother bear, makes room for our pain and makes room for our human experience. In my last post, I spoke about a powerful but subtle shift when facing difficult experiences, cravings or pain: to stop ”trying harder” and … [Read more]
Let’s stop seeing overeating as a ‘moral failure’
Overeating is so often misunderstood, devalued, and feared. Overeating is so painful, and equally frustrating – something you long not to do but find yourself doing anyway. It can bring up embarrassment and shame about being “so out of control.” In … [Read more]
Healing the shame that feeds overeating
When we're confronted with pain, it's natural to look for someone or something to blame. This is because our tender, tender brain will move to protect us from pain that feels too much to bear and defend against it! Many of our impulsive thoughts are … [Read more]
Seeing ourselves through another’s eyes: how relationship helps us heal
A few years ago I was asked to write an essay about addiction and marriage. This is what I wrote. Theres a scene in the movie Shall We Dance? where Susan Sarandon's character, a married woman, meets with a private investigator. She'd hired … [Read more]
When you’re highly sensitive and struggle with self blame
As human beings, we all hurt at times. This is part of our shared, common humanity. Some of us internalize this pain at a very deep level, blaming ourselves for it. Instead of viewing pain as something we share as human beings, we believe it's our … [Read more]
Breaking free from the “broken self” trance
One of the most painful results of struggling with any form of suffering is how we identify with it. While labels can be helpful - ah, so this is what I'm facing - they can also be harmful. They become harmful when they become the way we define … [Read more]