Author name: Mary Joan Brinson

Emotional neglect is hard to identify. It is created by what did not happen and it does not leave physical injuries or scars. And it is confusing to those who experience it. Emotional neglect is not the same as child abuse as it is often unintentional. It occurs when parents are unable to recognize and respond to the […]

Disordered Eating or Eating Disorder – What is the Difference? Many people have a messed-up relationship with food. And whether it is a full-blown eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, or disordered eating – they all cause physical and psychological harm. And sadly, research suggests up to 50 percent of us suffer from some

I was a girl who looked perfectly happy and healthy but internally I was broken, torn apart, and completely consumed by disordered eating and exercising obsessively. Not everyone who struggles with an eating disorder has the stereotypical anorexic body type. It may not be visible on the outside, but the internal struggle is real. This

Life has beaten you down.You are tired.You feel lost and hopeless.The motivation and desires that once characterized who you are, are gone.And this feels bad. It feels really bad. We all experience occasional ups and downs but when we get hit with one big challenge after another, it affects how we feel. It also affects

Do you struggle with feeling hopeless or helpless? It is impossible to have a positive sense of wellbeing if you are plagued with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.It is important to recognize that there are steps you can take to improve how you feel creating a new sense of empowerment. If you find yourself feeling

Parents are struggling. They have been struggling since mid-March when a two-week extension to March break became a six-month hiatus from school as we knew it. Many have become reluctant home-schoolers. Many have had to balance the anxiety associated with being an essential worker and the threat of bringing the virus home to their families. Many

Parenting is a tough gig. We all want to do it so well – but I believe it is the hardest job in the world. It has certainly been the hardest job I have ever done. I thought I would be a natural parent – I had always loved kids and knew I wanted to be

Do you ever fantasize about finding an escape? Some beautifully blissful way to escape the misery and challenge of the current moment. Continuing to live through the social isolation related to COVID-19 and ongoing uncertainty is hard. And when life gets really hard, the temptation to escape can feel powerful. Our chosen path for escapism may

Treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is possible. In my previous article, Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the symptoms of PTSD were reviewed. If you have been experiencing these symptoms for more than a month, there is a very good chance that your life is being significantly disrupted, and you could benefit from therapy. But

Pandemics, like Covid-19, challenge the way that people cope. Our brains are designed to react to novel and unfamiliar things as threats. Fear of infection, a lack of understanding and a lack of control impact us on deep levels. For some people this can be considered a traumatic experience. However, it does not necessarily mean