Fit Counseling, LLC

Decision Fatigue and Overthinking: Why Your Mind Feels Exhausted Before Noon

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:00:13 GMT

Many women often pride themselves on their ability to manage multiple responsibilities, make smart choices, and keep everything running smoothly. But for many, this constant mental load comes at a cost: by mid-morning, your mind may already feel foggy, exhausted, and overstimulated. Decision fatigue and overthinking are common experiences for women who have spent years navigating complex responsibilities, caring for others, or managing trauma-related patterns of hyper-vigilance and over-responsibility.

Decision fatigue is exactly what it sounds like: when the brain becomes depleted from making too many choices, your mental energy runs low. Everyday decisions that might feel simple to others—what to eat, how to respond to emails, which task to tackle first—can start to feel overwhelming or emotionally heavy.

Overthinking intensifies this, as you analyze, re-analyze, and mentally rehearse scenarios in an attempt to control outcomes. This cycle keeps your nervous system on high alert, leaving you feeling drained, frustrated, and sometimes disconnected from your own body.

For women with trauma histories, this is even more pronounced. Childhood experiences that demanded hyper-vigilance, perfectionism, or caretaking often teach the nervous system that constant monitoring is necessary for safety or survival. As adults, the habit of overthinking and overanalyzing becomes automatic. Your mind constantly anticipates problems, strategizes solutions, and evaluates emotional outcomes—not just for yourself, but for everyone around you. The result is mental fatigue long before the day is half over.

Over time, this cognitive exhaustion contributes to emotional burnout, irritability, and the inability to experience joy or satisfaction from achievements. You may notice yourself procrastinating on decisions, feeling paralyzed by options, or making impulsive choices simply to relieve the mental strain. Many high-functioning women silently judge themselves for this, thinking they “should be able to handle it,” but it’s important to recognize that this pattern is deeply rooted in survival strategies, not laziness or weakness.

Breaking the cycle requires trauma-informed strategies that target both the brain and the body. Mindfulness practices can help you notice when your thoughts are spiraling and provide a pause before your nervous system reacts. CBT techniques can identify unhelpful thought patterns and reframe them in a way that reduces mental overload. EMDR therapy can address the early experiences that trained your nervous system to be hyper-vigilant, helping you create lasting neural pathways for calm and confidence. Small, intentional interventions—like limiting decisions in the morning, automating routines, or delegating tasks—also protect your cognitive energy and reduce the burden of mental overwork.

Remember, your mind isn’t failing you; it’s signaling that it has been overworked for far too long. Learning to manage decision fatigue and overthinking isn’t about being “better” at planning or controlling outcomes—it’s about creating safety in your body and mind so that daily choices don’t feel like an exhausting battle. Over time, these strategies allow high-functioning women to experience mental clarity, emotional ease, and freedom from the constant inner pressure to perform.

If overthinking and decision fatigue are running your life, Fit Counseling offers trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, CBT, and mindfulness-based approaches to help high-functioning women restore mental clarity and calm. Virtual appointments are available across Florida, and insurance is accepted. Learn more at www.fitvirtualcounseling.com .

Rebuilding Your Self-Worth After Years of Being “The Strong One”

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:00:38 GMT

Many women carry an invisible weight: the identity of “the strong one.” This role may have started in childhood, when you were expected to keep the family functioning, manage emotional crises, or protect loved ones from stress. You learned to put your own needs aside to maintain peace, stability, or connection. Over time, this strength became part of your identity, but it also often eroded self-worth, emotional presence, and the ability to prioritize yourself without guilt.

Rebuilding self-worth begins with recognizing the patterns that shaped this identity. Emotional neglect, trauma, and unbalanced caregiving teach you that your value is tied to what you do for others, rather than who you are. Many women carry shame about needing help or setting boundaries, which can prevent them from prioritizing themselves even when it’s critical for mental health. This internalized belief keeps the nervous system in hypervigilance, making rest, pleasure, and authenticity feel unsafe.

Healing requires reparenting the parts of yourself that were expected to perform constantly. EMDR therapy can help access and process memories that maintain these limiting beliefs, allowing your nervous system to experience safety and self-compassion. Mindfulness and CBT strategies provide tools to identify when you’re overextending yourself and respond differently. Small, consistent acts of self-care—saying no, prioritizing rest, affirming your worth—gradually shift your internal narrative from “I must always be strong” to “I am inherently enough.”

Rebuilding self-worth also involves understanding that strength does not require constant sacrifice. Vulnerability, connection, and asking for support are acts of courage, not weakness. Over time, integrating these practices allows high-functioning women to reclaim energy, deepen relationships, and experience life from a place of self-respect rather than performance. You can be strong without losing yourself in the process.

Fit Counseling supports women in reclaiming their self-worth through trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, CBT, and mindfulness-based approaches. Virtual sessions are available across Florida, with insurance accepted, to help you move from over-functioning to fully embodied, confident, and supported. Visit www.fitvirtualcounseling.com .

A Trauma-Informed Approach to Setting Goals You’ll Actually Keep in 2026

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 14:00:27 GMT

Every January, the world pushes people to set big resolutions: lose weight, work harder, earn more, hustle nonstop. But people — especially those with trauma histories — usually don’t struggle with motivation. They struggle with overwhelm, pressure, self-criticism, or nervous system shutdown that makes long-term goals difficult to maintain.

A trauma-informed approach to the new year isn’t about discipline. It’s about understanding how your brain and body respond to pressure — and building goals that work with your nervous system, not against it.

Why Trauma Survivors Struggle with Follow-Through

Trauma affects focus, self-trust, and pacing. It creates a cycle where you set a goal, push too hard too fast, burn out, and then feel ashamed for stopping. This isn’t a lack of willpower — it’s a survival strategy. When your nervous system senses threat (even internal pressure), it triggers fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses.

This makes long-term follow-through incredibly difficult without emotional regulation tools in place.

Start With Body-First Regulation

Before goals, you need grounding. A regulated body makes sustainable change possible. Practices like slow breathing, mindfulness, somatic grounding, and EMDR resourcing help shift your system from “I must do everything right now” into “I can take the next step.”

Consistency becomes far easier when your body feels safe enough to move forward.

Avoid the All-or-Nothing Mentality

Many high-functioning women live in extremes because perfectionism was once tied to emotional survival. When you grow up walking on eggshells or striving to be “the good one,” anything less than perfect feels like failure.

A trauma-informed approach encourages flexible structure instead:
Small steps. Gentle adjustments. More pacing. Less pressure.

Choose Goals Rooted in Identity, Not Obligation

Instead of “I need to change because something is wrong with me,” shift toward:

“I want to build a life that feels aligned with who I’m becoming.”

When goals reflect self-worth instead of self-criticism, they become easier to maintain.

Mindfulness-Based Planning Helps You Slow Down

Mindfulness encourages presence, and presence decreases overwhelm. When you plan from a grounded state, your goals become more realistic and achievable. This prevents the cycle of burnout, regret, and starting over every January.

Therapy Supports Consistent Change

Trauma-informed therapy helps you understand your patterns, regulate your emotions, and set goals rooted in safety — not survival mode. EMDR, CBT, and mindfulness all support clients in building sustainable habits based on compassion rather than pressure.

If you want 2026 to feel different — not heavier — Fit Counseling can help you create goals that honor your nervous system, not overwhelm it. Schedule a virtual session at www.fitvirtualcounseling.com .

The New Year Pressure Trap: Why High-Functioning Women Feel Behind (Even When They’re Accomplishing Everything)

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:00:15 GMT

Every January, high-functioning women feel an intense pressure to reinvent themselves. It’s the month where the world screams “Do more,” “Be better,” and “Fix everything at once.” And even when you're already juggling work, family, emotional labor, healing, and survival — there’s a lingering internal voice whispering, You should be doing more.

What most people don’t see is that this pressure isn’t actually about goals. For many trauma survivors, the New Year acts as a trigger for old patterns of self-criticism, comparison, and perfectionism. It exposes the invisible struggle of women who have always had to be self-reliant, hyper-capable, and emotionally strong for everyone else.

Why High-Functioning Women Feel “Behind”

Feeling behind isn’t about reality — it’s about conditioning. Many women grew up in environments where approval depended on performance, composure, or being the responsible one. When you learned early on that love or safety came from being “good,” “useful,” or “easy to depend on,” adulthood becomes a constant attempt to earn worthiness.

The New Year magnifies this. Suddenly, you’re comparing your life to filtered snapshots of other people’s accomplishments. Social media becomes a scoreboard. And even if you are successful, that old survival mode thinking insists it’s still not enough.

Trauma-Related Hyper-Independence and Pressure

High-functioning women often experience something called hyper-independence — the belief that you must handle everything alone. You don’t ask for help because you learned not to rely on anyone. You don’t slow down because rest feels unsafe. You don’t celebrate yourself because humility was required to prevent criticism or conflict.

So when January arrives, your system goes into overdrive.
Not because you aren’t enough — but because you’ve been operating in a state of emotional vigilance for decades.

New Year Goals Become Evidence of “Failure,” Not Hope

For many women, goal-setting isn't inspiring; it becomes another standard to fail. You may feel like:

If I don’t meet this goal, I’ve failed.
If I don’t transform immediately, I’m falling behind.
If I rest, I’m losing time.

This isn’t laziness — it’s your nervous system reacting to the pressure of expectation. Trauma survivors struggle with self-trust, pacing, and internal permission to take up space or evolve slowly.

You Are Not Behind — You’re Overloaded

Burnout, emotional exhaustion, and pressure to perform are not character flaws. They’re signs your nervous system has been running at maximum capacity without a break. It makes sense if you enter January already tired. It makes sense if you feel overwhelmed by the thought of reinventing yourself.

You don’t need a new version of yourself — you need space to breathe.

What Healing Looks Like

Healing the New Year pressure trap involves learning how to regulate your body first, not discipline your mind harder. When your nervous system feels safe, goals become aligned instead of punishing. Therapy helps you unlearn patterns of self-criticism, people-pleasing, and hyper-independence so January no longer feels like a test you’re destined to fail.

If the New Year brings pressure instead of excitement, Fit Counseling can help you break these patterns and create change from a place of safety, not stress. Virtual therapy available at www.fitvirtualcounseling.com .

Healing After a Difficult Year: How to End 2025 Feeling Grounded Instead of Defeated

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:00:04 GMT

Healing After a Difficult Year: How to End 2025 Feeling Grounded Instead of Defeated

As the year comes to an end, many high-functioning women look back at everything they accomplished—but also everything they carried. If 2025 felt overwhelming, emotionally draining, or unexpectedly heavy, it’s important to acknowledge that the end of the year can bring up complex emotions. You might feel tired, reflective, hopeful, disappointed, proud, or completely unsure about how to feel at all. These mixed emotions are normal, especially for women who spent the year juggling relationships, work, family responsibilities, and their own healing journey.

Women often don’t realize how much they’ve survived until they slow down. Throughout the year, you may have pushed through emotional flashbacks, stress, family tension, relationship challenges, burnout, or unresolved trauma—often without pausing to catch your breath. When December arrives, your mind and body finally begin processing what you’ve been holding. This can make you feel more emotional, sensitive, or introspective than usual.

You may notice grief rising—grief for plans that didn’t work out, relationships that changed, loved ones you missed, or versions of yourself you outgrew. You might also feel frustrated that certain patterns repeated or that you didn’t heal “fast enough.” But healing is rarely linear, and the end of the year is an opportunity to recognize the progress you made quietly, even when no one else saw it.

Ending the year grounded requires shifting your focus from achievement to emotional truth. Instead of asking, “Did I do enough?” try asking, “What did I learn about myself?” Reflect on the ways you showed resilience, courage, or vulnerability. Consider moments when you honored your boundaries, said no, reached out for help, or chose honesty over people-pleasing. These are victories just as meaningful as external accomplishments.

It also helps to intentionally release the idea that you must enter the new year fixed, perfect, or fully healed. You are allowed to step into January as an unfinished person—because everyone is unfinished. You’re allowed to bring softness, rest, imperfection, and curiosity. You don’t owe the world a “new you.” You are allowed to simply continue becoming.

To support yourself as you transition into the new year, create space for nervous system regulation. Gentle practices like mindful breathing, journaling, or walking without distraction can help your body shift out of stress mode. These practices remind your system that you don’t need to stay in hypervigilance or self-protection as the year closes. You can step into the new year grounded instead of guarded.

Going into 2026 with intention doesn’t mean setting rigid resolutions. It means choosing how you want to feel: safe, rested, supported, connected, hopeful, or steady. From this emotional starting point, you can build habits that honor your mental health instead of draining it.

If this year has been difficult, you are not alone—and you are not behind. You are simply human, and you deserve to end the year with compassion instead of criticism.

Fit Counseling is here to support you as you move into the next chapter. Our team offers EMDR, CBT, mindfulness-based therapy, and trauma-informed support for high-functioning women across Florida. We accept insurance and offer virtual appointments to help you start the new year grounded, supported, and emotionally equipped.

How Holiday Expectations Trigger Anxiety in High-Functioning Women

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 15:00:37 GMT

How Holiday Expectations Trigger Anxiety in High-Functioning Women

Holiday anxiety is often dismissed as “normal stress,” but for many high-functioning women, it’s far more complex. December places intense emotional, financial, and relational expectations on women—expectations rooted not only in cultural pressure but also in long-standing survival patterns. When you’ve spent years being the one who holds everything together, the holidays become a magnifying glass for old wounds, perfectionism, and emotional over-responsibility.

Many women who appear strong and capable grew up in environments where they learned to predict others’ needs, avoid conflict, and perform emotionally to stay connected. The holidays reactivate these patterns because they combine memory, tradition, and family dynamics—all powerful triggers for unresolved trauma. Your body may tense without warning. Your mind may race with what needs to get done. You may feel pressure to create the “perfect” holiday experience to ensure everyone else is happy. This internal pressure creates anxiety that feels disproportionate to the situation but makes complete sense through a trauma-informed lens.

Holiday anxiety often shows up as overplanning, difficulty sleeping, irritability, emotional numbness, or a sense of impending failure. You may obsess over details, overcommit, or feel guilty for wanting rest. You may catch yourself anticipating negative interactions before they even happen, as though preparing emotionally might prevent disappointment. What you’re actually feeling is your nervous system bracing for old hurts, unmet expectations, or family patterns you’ve spent years trying to outgrow.

The pressure to present a perfect holiday—beautiful home, happy children, cooperative extended family—can be especially intense for high-functioning women who have spent their lives proving their worth through performance. When you tie your value to what you produce or manage, the holiday season can feel like a test you can’t afford to fail. Even women with supportive families often struggle with the internal burden of living up to an invisible standard.

The key to easing holiday anxiety is giving yourself permission to lower the emotional stakes. Instead of trying to manufacture a flawless experience, focus on emotional presence rather than performance. You don’t need elaborate meals, expensive gifts, or perfectly executed plans to create meaningful moments. Your nervous system benefits far more from rest, authenticity, and simplified expectations.

It also helps to gently interrupt catastrophizing thoughts. When anxiety intensifies, your brain predicts worst-case scenarios—conflict, disappointment, or rejection. Remind yourself that you’re allowed to make different choices this year. You can say no to events that exhaust you. You can shorten visits. You can ask for help even if it feels uncomfortable. You can prioritize connection over presentation. Most importantly, you can let yourself be human instead of holding yourself to superhuman standards.

Holiday anxiety doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you’re overwhelmed by years of emotional responsibilities that were never yours to carry alone. Your experience deserves compassion, not judgment.

If holiday anxiety feels heavy this year, Fit Virtual Counseling can help. Our therapists specialize in supporting high-functioning women through trauma-informed EMDR, CBT, mindfulness, and practical coping strategies. Virtual appointments are available throughout Florida, and we accept insurance. You don’t have to navigate the holidays alone.

When Family Isn’t Safe: How to Navigate Toxic or Triggering Holiday Dynamics

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:52:30 GMT

When Family Isn’t Safe: How to Navigate Toxic or Triggering Holiday Dynamics

The holidays bring families together, but for many trauma survivors, “together” doesn’t always feel comforting or safe. If you grew up in an environment filled with conflict, emotional unpredictability, criticism, or neglect, family gatherings can immediately reactivate old wounds. Even if you’re a grounded, accomplished adult, returning to the same environment or being around the same people can make your body slip into old survival strategies without your consent. This is not overreacting—it is your nervous system remembering.

Family systems have a remarkable ability to pull you back into childhood roles. You may feel yourself becoming the peacemaker, the caretaker, the invisible one, or the responsible one within minutes of arriving. These roles were adaptive once, but during the holidays they can become emotionally suffocating. Even subtle comments, tone shifts, or familiar behaviors can trigger old emotional memories, and before you know it, you are feeling the same tension, fear, or confusion you felt years ago.

Many high-functioning women struggle to understand why being around family feels draining or destabilizing. Emotional manipulation, guilt-tripping, comparisons, shaming, or passive-aggressive comments may be brushed off by others as “normal family behavior,” but your nervous system recognizes the deeper pattern. Dysfunction tends to intensify when families gather because unresolved issues, unspoken resentment, and old hierarchies reemerge under the weight of tradition and expectation. You may leave feeling guilty, exhausted, or resentful, even if nothing “big” happened—because your body carried the emotional weight of the entire room.

A trauma-informed approach begins with acknowledging that emotional safety matters just as much as physical safety. You’re allowed to make choices that protect your mental health, even if others don’t understand them. Declining certain events, leaving early, or choosing alternative holiday plans does not make you selfish; it makes you someone who is prioritizing healing. Taking time to ground your body before entering stressful environments—through breathing, visualization, or affirming your adult self—can help reduce the intensity of emotional flashbacks.

Setting micro-boundaries can also make a profound difference. Simple statements like “I’m not comfortable discussing that” or stepping outside to take a break can interrupt the cycle of emotional overload. Limiting exposure to individuals who consistently drain you is not disrespectful; it is a protective strategy that honors the progress you’ve made. If you choose to attend family events, giving yourself permission to leave whenever you feel overwhelmed can reduce the pressure to endure harmful interactions.

Afterward, it’s important to validate your own feelings instead of judging them. Trauma survivors often experience guilt when they protect themselves because old conditioning taught them to minimize their needs. But honoring your emotional experience is part of healing. Family relationships can be complex, and loving someone does not obligate you to tolerate behavior that harms your well-being.

If your family has never felt safe, consistent, or emotionally nurturing, it is understandable to grieve that reality during the holidays. You are allowed to build your own version of family—one grounded in mutual care, emotional safety, and respect. Healing involves recognizing what you deserved but didn’t receive and giving yourself permission to create something different moving forward.

Fit Counseling supports high-functioning women who are navigating complicated family dynamics and unresolved childhood wounds. We offer EMDR, mindfulness, CBT, and relationship-focused therapy through virtual appointments anywhere in Florida, with insurance and accessible options available. You deserve emotional safety—and support is here when you’re ready.

The High-Functioning Woman’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays Without Burning Out

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:48:27 GMT

The High-Functioning Woman’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays Without Burning Out

For many high-functioning women, the holiday season is not the peaceful, joyful experience the world portrays. Instead, December often brings a familiar pressure to manage everything flawlessly while absorbing the emotional temperature of everyone in the room. If you grew up in chaos, emotional neglect, or an environment where you had to be the dependable one before you were ready, your nervous system may interpret the holidays not as a time of rest—but as a time of heightened responsibility. Even as an adult, your body may react to family gatherings, increased expectations, and old relational patterns by slipping into survival mode.

Holiday burnout often stems from the emotional roles you learned to play early in life. When you were the one who kept the peace, soothed tension, or handled tasks no one else noticed, you developed an identity rooted in responsibility and strength. The holiday season tends to activate those old roles, making you feel as though everything depends on you. This pressure intensifies when you’re sensitive to emotional cues, because people with trauma histories are often hyperaware of subtle shifts in tone, mood, and energy. What others see as “holiday stress,” your nervous system experiences as a familiar warning that something might go wrong and you must fix it.

Many high-functioning women also carry a deep, unspoken grief during this season. Holidays have a way of magnifying what you lost, what you never had, or what you’re still longing for—whether that’s emotional closeness, supportive family relationships, or a sense of belonging. You might find yourself mourning the childhood holiday you wish you had experienced or grieving the version of you who never got to rest. This grief often hides underneath the pressure to be cheerful, productive, and present for everyone else.

Burnout does not always announce itself dramatically. It creeps in quietly. You may get everything done but feel emotionally hollow afterward. You may hold it all together around others but break down alone. You might feel resentful, exhausted, or disconnected without fully understanding why. You may snap at your partner or children and immediately feel guilt because you know the outburst wasn’t about them—it was about the weight you’ve been carrying silently. You might find yourself functioning on autopilot, detached from your own body, or daydreaming about disappearing just to get a moment of peace. None of this means you are failing. It means your nervous system is overwhelmed from years of operating beyond capacity.

A trauma-informed approach to holiday survival starts with letting go of unrealistic expectations. You are not obligated to create a flawless season for anyone. Allowing yourself to redefine what “good enough” looks like is a powerful act of healing. Supporting your nervous system becomes essential, and this can be done through small, intentional pauses. Slowing down your breathing, stretching your body, drinking water with mindful awareness, or stepping outside for even a moment can interrupt the cycle of overwhelm. Your system responds to small interventions more than unrealistic self-demands.

Naming your limits out loud—even to yourself—is another form of healing. Many high-functioning women were taught that their needs were inconvenient, so setting boundaries may feel uncomfortable or “wrong.” But the discomfort is simply your nervous system challenging old conditioning. You are allowed to simplify your holiday plans, decline invitations, or ask for help without earning your rest. You’re also allowed to stop rescuing people from their own emotions. You don’t have to fix everyone’s stress or prevent every conflict. Caring doesn’t require carrying.

Even if asking for help feels foreign, uncomfortable, or vulnerable, it is one of the most transformative steps you can take. Allowing someone else to contribute, whether it’s through managing a task, preparing a dish, or giving you time alone, begins to rewire the belief that you must do everything yourself to be safe or valued. These changes may feel small, but they slowly shift your nervous system out of survival mode and make space for more genuine connection and rest.

If the holidays have always felt overwhelming, exhausting, or emotionally heavy, it does not mean you’re “too sensitive.” It means your body remembers what it’s like to function without support. You are allowed to create a December that feels lighter, gentler, and more aligned with what you actually need—not what you think you’re supposed to provide.

Fit Counseling offers trauma-informed therapy for women who are tired of being the strong one. We provide EMDR, mindfulness, CBT, and relationship support through virtual appointments anywhere in Florida, with insurance and accessible options available. When you’re ready, we’re here.

Overcoming People-Pleasing: A Guide for Women Who Can’t Say No

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 20:05:30 GMT

Overcoming People-Pleasing: A Guide for Women Who Can’t Say No

People-pleasing is often mistaken for kindness, generosity, or strength—but for many women, it’s a survival strategy rooted in trauma. Early experiences may have taught that love, approval, or safety depended on keeping others happy. Over time, this pattern becomes ingrained, showing up in relationships, work, and even self-care.

Women who struggle with people-pleasing often feel guilty saying no, fear disappointing others, and overextend themselves to maintain harmony. While this can create the appearance of competence and reliability, it comes at the cost of authenticity, emotional health, and self-worth.

Trauma-informed therapy provides tools to identify the origins of people-pleasing and develop healthier patterns. Women learn to set boundaries without guilt, respond to conflict without anxiety, and prioritize their own needs alongside others’. At Fit Counseling, our therapists work collaboratively, offering individual sessions and coordinated guidance to help clients practice and reinforce these skills in all areas of life.

Breaking free from people-pleasing is not selfish; it is essential for personal growth, emotional regulation, and building authentic relationships. Women who learn to honor themselves find deeper connection, satisfaction, and confidence in every area of life.

Recognizing the Signs of Burnout in Women Entrepreneurs

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:07 GMT

Recognizing the Signs of Burnout in Women Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship is exciting, challenging, and full of possibility—but for women entrepreneurs, the pressure to succeed can be overwhelming. Burnout often shows up subtly: chronic fatigue, irritability, insomnia, and difficulty enjoying accomplishments. Many high-achieving women mistake these symptoms for temporary stress, pushing past warning signs until exhaustion becomes unavoidable.

Burnout is often fueled by perfectionism, people-pleasing, and unresolved trauma. The belief that worth is tied to productivity or that rest is unsafe keeps women in a constant state of overdrive. Emotional exhaustion creeps in alongside physical fatigue, eroding creativity, decision-making, and even self-compassion.

Recognizing burnout early is crucial. It may manifest as difficulty focusing, irritability with loved ones, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, or feeling emotionally numb. Trauma-informed therapy can help women identify the underlying causes and create new patterns of rest and self-care. By addressing both the nervous system and thought patterns, therapy allows entrepreneurs to step off the treadmill of constant productivity and rebuild sustainable energy.

At Fit Counseling, we approach burnout comprehensively, offering individual therapy, stress management strategies, and coordinated support to help women recover their energy and reconnect with both business and personal life.

Rest is not weakness; it is a vital component of long-term success and emotional well-being. Women entrepreneurs who prioritize self-care alongside ambition often find their business and personal life flourish in ways that endless hustle could never achieve.

How Trauma Shapes Emotional Intimacy in Relationships

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:00:08 GMT

How Trauma Shapes Emotional Intimacy in Relationships

Relationships require trust, vulnerability, and open communication—but trauma can quietly interfere with all of these. For women and partners carrying unresolved trauma, emotional intimacy can feel risky. Opening up may trigger fear of rejection, abandonment, or judgment, leading to patterns of withdrawal, defensiveness, or overcompensation.

Often, high-functioning individuals compensate by overworking, people-pleasing, or hyper-independence. On the surface, it appears they are “strong” and “self-sufficient,” but in reality, these behaviors create distance. Partners may sense the disconnection, which can lead to frustration, resentment, and repeated cycles of miscommunication.

Trauma-informed therapy and relationship counseling, particularly using the Gottman Method, offer a path to rebuild intimacy. By understanding the emotional triggers rooted in past experiences, couples can practice safe vulnerability, deepen empathy, and strengthen connection. Couples learn to recognize patterns of avoidance or criticism and replace them with behaviors that foster trust and closeness.

At Fit Counseling, our team works collaboratively to provide comprehensive support. Whether through individual therapy, couples counseling, or family sessions, our therapists coordinate care to help partners understand trauma’s impact and learn tools to restore intimacy, connection, and emotional safety.

Healing emotional intimacy isn’t about fixing a partner—it’s about understanding, compassion, and learning to create safety together. Over time, couples discover that deep connection is possible, even when trauma has influenced their relational patterns.

Why High-Achievers Struggle with Self-Worth After Trauma

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:01:43 GMT

Why High-Achievers Struggle with Self-Worth After Trauma

High-achieving women often appear confident, capable, and in control. On the outside, they have careers, accomplishments, and accolades. But beneath the surface, many struggle with persistent self-doubt. The truth is that past trauma can silently erode self-worth, creating a constant inner voice that says, “I’m never enough.”

These beliefs often trace back to childhood experiences or earlier relationships where love or validation felt conditional. Trauma doesn’t always look dramatic—it can be subtle, embedding itself in self-talk, perfectionism, and relentless overworking.

For high-achievers, these patterns are particularly insidious. Because they are used to accomplishing so much, it’s easy to mask insecurity with success. But even the most accomplished women can feel empty or anxious inside, disconnected from their authentic sense of self.

Trauma-informed therapy provides a path to reclaim self-worth. By exploring the memories and beliefs that shaped these patterns, women can begin to release the shame and perfectionism that no longer serve them. Approaches like EMDR help rewire the nervous system, allowing high-achievers to experience confidence not tied to achievement but rooted in inherent value.

Rebuilding self-worth isn’t about abandoning ambition—it’s about learning that you are enough exactly as you are, and that success can be a reflection of joy and purpose rather than a measure of survival.

Healing Family Patterns: Breaking Generational Cycles of Trauma

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:00:16 GMT

Healing Family Patterns: Breaking Generational Cycles of Trauma

Families carry stories, patterns, and behaviors that often repeat across generations. Trauma experienced by parents, caregivers, or extended family members can subtly influence how children think, feel, and behave. High-achieving women and parents may unknowingly pass down patterns of perfectionism, overwork, or emotional suppression.

These generational patterns impact family dynamics in many ways. Children may internalize messages about worth, learn maladaptive coping strategies, or struggle to express emotions safely. Relationships between partners may echo unresolved conflicts or miscommunication learned in childhood. Without intervention, these cycles continue, shaping how the next generation experiences stress, self-worth, and connection.

Family therapy provides a structured, supportive space to address these patterns. Through trauma-informed approaches, families can identify unhealthy dynamics, understand the impact of past experiences, and develop new ways of relating. Couples therapy, particularly using the Gottman Method, further strengthens partnerships, helping parents model healthy communication, emotional regulation, and mutual respect.

By engaging in both family and relationship therapy, families can break cycles of trauma, foster resilience, and create a home environment rooted in connection, safety, and love. Healing one generation paves the way for the next to thrive, free from inherited patterns of stress and disconnection

How Parental Stress and Relationship Tension Affect Kids

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:00:03 GMT

How Parental Stress and Relationship Tension Affect Kids

Children are incredibly perceptive. Even when parents try to shield them from stress, kids can sense tension, frustration, or emotional distance. Over time, parental stress and unresolved relationship conflicts can shape a child’s emotional development, sense of security, and understanding of healthy communication.

For women, entrepreneurs, or parents balancing multiple responsibilities, the pressure to perform and the lingering effects of past trauma can inadvertently bleed into the home. When parents are overworked, emotionally drained, or stuck in unresolved conflict with each other, it changes the family dynamic. Children may become anxious, withdrawn, or adopt coping strategies that mirror the patterns they observe at home.

The Ripple Effect of Stress and Trauma

Stress doesn’t live in isolation. When parents carry unresolved trauma or chronic stress, it often shows up in small ways—raised voices, irritability, emotional withdrawal, or inconsistent boundaries. These behaviors, repeated over time, create an environment where children learn that emotional needs are unsafe to express, or that worth is tied to achievement and performance.

Relationship tension between parents compounds the effect. Disagreements that escalate without resolution, criticism masked as “constructive feedback,” or emotional distance can teach children patterns of conflict and communication they will carry into their own relationships.

How Therapy Can Help Families Thrive

The good news is that families can heal and rewrite these patterns. Family therapy and relationship counseling provide safe spaces for parents and children to process stress, improve communication, and strengthen emotional bonds.

At Fit Counseling, we approach treatment as a collaborative team. Our therapists coordinate care across individual therapy, couples counseling, and family sessions, ensuring every member of the household receives the support they need. By working together, we can help children process emotions, teach parents strategies for healthy communication, and address underlying trauma that contributes to stress and tension. This comprehensive, team-based approach ensures that healing is consistent and sustainable across the entire family system.

Family therapy helps children understand and manage their feelings, while teaching parents how their stress and relationship dynamics affect the household. Relationship counseling, especially using methods like the Gottman Method, equips parents with tools to resolve conflicts constructively, reconnect emotionally, and model healthy partnership behaviors.

When parents engage in therapy together, the impact extends far beyond their relationship. Children learn to trust, feel safe, and develop emotional resilience. The home shifts from a place of tension to a space where each family member feels seen, valued, and supported.

Creating Lasting Change

Healing family dynamics is a process, not a one-time fix. It requires recognizing the influence of stress and trauma, committing to healthier communication, and modeling vulnerability and empathy. By investing in therapy—both for the couple and the family—parents can break generational patterns of stress and overwork, giving their children the tools to thrive emotionally.

Final Thoughts

Parental stress and unresolved relationship tension don’t just affect adults—they shape the emotional world of children. Families deserve support, guidance, and strategies to foster safety, connection, and resilience.

Through family and relationship therapy at Fit Counseling, parents can learn to manage stress, communicate effectively, and create a home where children feel secure and valued. Our team-based, trauma-informed approach helps families break the cycle, restore balance, and nurture relationships built on care, not constant pressure.

Can EMDR Therapy Help Entrepreneurs Break Free from Fear of Failure?

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:57:41 GMT

Can EMDR Therapy Help Entrepreneurs Break Free from Fear of Failure?

Entrepreneurship often comes with risk, uncertainty, and the possibility of failure. For some, these challenges are exciting—they fuel creativity, growth, and resilience. But for many entrepreneurs, the fear of failure feels paralyzing. It doesn’t just show up in business decisions; it lingers in the background, whispering doubts about worth, competence, and identity.

This fear is not always about the business itself. Often, it’s about the stories the mind has carried for years , shaped by earlier experiences of rejection, criticism, or disappointment. When past wounds go unhealed, every setback in business can feel like proof of not being enough.

That’s where trauma-informed therapy, and specifically EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) , can make a profound difference.

The Hidden Roots of Fear of Failure

For many high-achieving entrepreneurs, the fear of failure is tied less to the practical outcomes—like losing money or missing a goal—and more to what failure seems to mean. A failed launch feels like rejection. A negative review feels like humiliation. A lost client feels like abandonment.

These reactions aren’t random; they’re tied to earlier moments where worth, safety, or belonging were questioned. Perhaps a critical parent made success the only way to receive approval. Perhaps mistakes in childhood were met with punishment instead of compassion. Over time, these experiences form core beliefs: “I’m only lovable if I succeed,” or “I can’t make mistakes.”

Entrepreneurship has a way of poking at these wounds because it’s full of uncertainty, visibility, and vulnerability. What looks like business anxiety is often the nervous system reliving old experiences.

How EMDR Works with Fear of Failure

EMDR therapy helps people reprocess past experiences that created unhelpful beliefs. Instead of simply talking about fear, EMDR works directly with the brain and nervous system, allowing clients to revisit the memory networks where fear of failure first began.

Through guided bilateral stimulation—like eye movements or tapping—the brain is able to process painful memories in a new way. The charge of those old experiences begins to fade. A memory of being criticized by a teacher, for example, no longer carries the same emotional weight. The belief tied to it—“I’ll never be good enough”—can shift to something more balanced, like “I’m capable even if I make mistakes.”

For entrepreneurs, this creates profound change. The fear of failure no longer drives every decision. Risks feel manageable rather than terrifying. Mistakes become opportunities for growth instead of evidence of inadequacy.

Moving from Fear to Freedom

When entrepreneurs heal the roots of fear, their relationship with business transforms. They stop avoiding opportunities out of fear of rejection. They feel more confident setting boundaries with clients, speaking publicly, or charging their worth. They no longer need to overwork to prove value.

The result isn’t just business growth—it’s personal freedom. Work becomes less about survival and more about creativity, impact, and alignment with personal values.

Final Thoughts

Fear of failure can hold even the most ambitious entrepreneurs back, but it doesn’t have to define the journey. When the fear is rooted in old wounds, no amount of strategy or mindset work alone will fully address it. Healing requires going deeper.

EMDR therapy provides a path to do just that, helping entrepreneurs rewire old patterns and step into business with clarity and courage. Failure no longer feels like a threat—it becomes part of the process of learning, growing, and thriving.

The Truth About “Strong” Women and Trauma Responses

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:44:23 GMT

The Truth About “Strong” Women and Trauma Responses

We live in a culture that celebrates strong women—the ones who hold everything together, carry others’ burdens, and never seem to crack under pressure. These women are often admired for their resilience, independence, and ability to keep moving forward no matter what.

But what we call strength is sometimes something else entirely. For many women, the behaviors that look like resilience—perfectionism, overworking, people-pleasing, or never asking for help—are actually trauma responses in disguise. They are learned ways of surviving in environments where vulnerability once felt unsafe.

Think about the woman who never stops working. She may not simply be ambitious; she may have learned that staying busy is the only way to silence difficult emotions. Or the woman who bends over backwards for others—it may not be kindness alone, but a deeply ingrained belief that keeping everyone else happy is the only way to avoid rejection or conflict. Hyper-independence, too, often develops when depending on others once led to disappointment or harm.

The problem is that these patterns don’t feel like trauma—they feel like life. High-functioning women are often praised for their accomplishments and drive, which only reinforces the mask of strength. They minimize their struggles by telling themselves, “It’s not that bad,” or “I should be able to handle this.” Trauma doesn’t always look like falling apart; sometimes, it looks like over-functioning to survive.

The cost of this constant strength is steep. Living in survival mode disconnects women from their emotions, their bodies, and sometimes even their closest relationships. It can show up as physical symptoms like headaches, digestive problems, or chronic fatigue. It can create loneliness in relationships, where asking for help feels impossible. And it often leaves women questioning their identity—unsure of who they are outside of what they do for others.

Healing begins when strength is redefined. True resilience isn’t about ignoring pain or pushing past exhaustion—it’s about acknowledging the wounds that shaped these patterns and creating a healthier way forward. Trauma-informed therapy, including EMDR, helps uncover and heal the early experiences that created the need to be endlessly strong. It allows women to learn what it feels like to rest without fear, to say no without shame, and to accept support without guilt.

Being strong has carried many women this far, but healing offers something greater: the chance to live authentically, not just resiliently. The mask of strength can be set down, replaced with a grounded, genuine version of resilience rooted in peace rather than pressure.

Why High-Functioning Women Struggle to Recognize Burnout

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:14:39 GMT

Why High-Functioning Women Struggle to Recognize Burnout

When people talk about burnout, the image that often comes to mind is someone unable to get out of bed, missing deadlines, or completely shutting down. But for high-functioning women—those who juggle careers, families, and endless responsibilities—burnout rarely looks that way. Instead, it hides in plain sight.

From the outside, she looks accomplished, driven, and in control. She keeps showing up, checking boxes, and taking care of others. Inside, though, her body is quietly begging for relief. Burnout in high-functioning women doesn’t scream; it whispers through irritability, sleepless nights, headaches, and a deep loss of joy.

The reason burnout is so difficult to recognize in ambitious women often lies in old survival strategies. Many who identify as high-functioning carry unresolved trauma. At some point, they learned to equate their worth with productivity and performance. Thoughts like, “I can’t stop, or everything will fall apart,” or “Rest is lazy,” become part of their inner dialogue. These beliefs turn what looks like resilience into a form of survival.

Perfectionism only fuels the problem. The constant drive to prove oneself—to do everything flawlessly and avoid mistakes—creates chronic stress. Burnout, in this case, doesn’t show up as collapse, but as a slow unraveling hidden behind polished achievement.

For many women, rest doesn’t even feel safe. When the nervous system has lived in fight-or-flight mode for too long, slowing down can trigger anxiety or guilt. It feels easier to keep pushing than to sit still with uncomfortable emotions. Unfortunately, that avoidance only pushes the body further into exhaustion.

Left unchecked, burnout becomes more than just fatigue. It can lead to health issues, strained relationships, and emotional numbness. The irony is that the very qualities that once fueled success—resilience, independence, relentless drive—are the same ones that keep burnout hidden until the damage is done.

True healing requires more than surface-level self-care. Bubble baths and meditation apps can help, but real recovery often means addressing the root cause: the unresolved trauma and beliefs that keep women stuck in overdrive. Trauma-informed therapy, including EMDR, provides tools to rewire those beliefs, calm the nervous system, and create new patterns of rest and worthiness.

Recognizing burnout is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength. For high-functioning women, healing begins with acknowledging that exhaustion is not inevitable and that rest can become a place of safety rather than shame.

Setting Boundaries Without Guilt: A Guide for Women Leaders

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 14:14:00 GMT

Setting Boundaries Without Guilt: A Guide for Women Leaders

For many women in leadership—whether it’s running a business, leading a team, or managing both work and family—the word “boundaries” carries mixed emotions. On one hand, you know boundaries are essential to protect your time and energy. On the other, the moment you try to put them in place, guilt often floods in. Questions like “Am I being selfish?” or “What if people think I’m difficult?” creep up, making it harder to stand by your decision.

This struggle isn’t just about saying no—it runs deeper. For many high-functioning women, guilt around boundaries is tied to old patterns of people-pleasing, perfectionism, or fear of letting others down. Sometimes, it’s connected to trauma, especially if your past taught you that your worth depended on keeping others happy or avoiding conflict at all costs.

The cost of living without boundaries is high. Without them, it becomes easy to fall into overwork and exhaustion. Resentment builds toward colleagues, clients, or even loved ones, because deep down you feel stretched beyond your capacity. Stress piles up in the body, often leading to fatigue, headaches, or even chronic health issues. Without boundaries, leadership doesn’t feel empowering—it feels draining.

What if we redefined boundaries? Instead of seeing them as barriers that push people away, imagine them as tools that allow you to lead with greater strength and clarity. Boundaries protect your energy so that you can show up at your best. They set the tone for how others interact with you, fostering respect and healthier relationships. And perhaps most importantly, they remind you that your needs are just as valuable as everyone else’s.

Learning to set boundaries without guilt is not about becoming rigid or selfish. It’s about learning to say yes with intention and no with clarity. This process can feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’ve spent years overextending yourself. The discomfort, however, is not a sign that you’re doing something wrong—it’s simply your nervous system adjusting to a new way of being. Over time, with practice, saying no becomes less about guilt and more about self-respect.

One of the most powerful shifts happens when you connect your boundaries to your values. For example, turning down an extra project is not just about saying no—it’s about saying yes to your health, your family, or your integrity. Anchoring your choices in what truly matters makes it easier to stand by them, even if others push back.

Of course, boundaries are not just about words—they are about healing the deeper beliefs that make guilt feel overwhelming in the first place. This is where trauma-informed therapy can help. Approaches like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) go beyond surface-level strategies to address the root of why saying no feels unsafe. By healing those early experiences that taught you to overextend, you can begin to create boundaries that feel natural rather than forced.

When you no longer carry the weight of guilt, boundaries become empowering rather than draining. You realize that taking up space, prioritizing your needs, and saying no without shame are not signs of weakness—they are signs of authentic leadership.

Boundaries are not a luxury. They are the foundation that allows women leaders to thrive. And when you stop equating boundaries with guilt, you not only protect yourself, but you also model to others what healthy, confident leadership looks like.

Transforming Your Life with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A Guide to Positive Change

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 23:00:00 GMT

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Do you ever find yourself reacting strongly to situations, your emotions taking the reins? Do you wish you could be more patient, have better self-control, and see things from a more objective perspective? If so, you might want to explore the world of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a widely recognized term in the mental health community, but what exactly is it, and how can it help you take charge of your thoughts and emotions? Let's dive into the world of CBT to understand its principles and how it can empower you to change for the better.

The Foundation of CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT for short, is a psychological technique developed by Dr. Aaron Beck at the University of Pennsylvania. At its core, CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts influence our feelings, which in turn affect our actions and, ultimately, our outcomes. This concept is often represented as the CBT triangle, with a triggering event at the center and interconnected thoughts, emotions, and actions influencing each other.

Distinguishing Between Thoughts and Feelings

It's essential to understand the difference between thoughts and feelings in the context of CBT. Thoughts are complete sentences that run through your mind, while feelings are single words that encapsulate your emotional state. In CBT, therapists use clients' personal stories and experiences to help them recognize and reflect on their thought processes effectively.

Exploring Core Beliefs

A key aspect of CBT is examining our core beliefs, which shape the thoughts we generate. These core beliefs pertain to how we see ourselves, our perception of the world, and our views on others. For instance, individuals struggling with depression often process information negatively, using core beliefs like feeling unworthy and blaming themselves for events, even when they are not at fault.

CBT Interventions and Cognitive Restructuring

CBT offers several interventions, including environmental, pharmaceutical, behavioral, and cognitive approaches. Cognitive restructuring, a central component of CBT, aims to modify the content of a person's thoughts. It targets cognitive distortions, which are patterns of negative or inaccurate information processing. Some common cognitive distortions include:

Rationalization: This distortion involves making excuses for behaviors or actions you shouldn't engage in, such as having that extra drink when you know you shouldn't.
Overgeneralization: Overgeneralizing ignores the nuances and subjectivity of different events, leading to skewed perspectives.
All or Nothing Thinking: This distortion involves seeing everything in black and white, neglecting the middle ground or moderate emotions.
Discounting the Positive: A prevalent distortion among those with depression, this involves dismissing positive aspects of a situation or personal achievements.

Challenging Cognitive Distortions

In CBT, therapists work with clients to challenge cognitive distortions by asking questions like: Is the thought rational? How important is it? Is it a helpful thought? By introspecting and addressing these distortions, individuals can shift their thought patterns and improve their emotional responses.

Practical Application of CBT

The next time you find yourself reacting strongly to a situation, try a bit of CBT with yourself. Identify the specific thought in your mind, recognize the emotions it triggers, and ask questions like: What's the evidence that this thought is true? Am I blowing it out of proportion? Am I unfairly assigning blame? What could happen if I act on these thoughts? Are there alternative explanations? Or are there exceptions to this thought? These questions can be invaluable tools for navigating everyday life and managing reactive situations with a newfound CBT mindset.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a powerful tool for transforming your thought patterns, emotional responses, and, ultimately, your life. By recognizing and challenging cognitive distortions, you can take control of your reactions, become more patient, and see the world from a more objective perspective. So, give it a try, and embark on your journey to a more positive and empowered life with the mindset of CBT.

Understanding Grief: Navigating the Storm of Loss and Healing

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:47:00 GMT

What is Grief? And How do I heal?

Grief is a complex and profound emotion, a universal human experience that touches us all at some point in our lives. It's that deep, gnawing pain in the pit of your stomach, the emptiness that resides within your chest, and the overwhelming mix of emotions that can leave you feeling numb and raw at the same time. Grief isn't just sadness; it's a tumultuous journey through anger, sadness, regret, confusion, feeling lost, and sometimes even desperation. In this blog post, we'll explore the multifaceted nature of grief, the stages one may go through, and how to cope with this challenging process.

The Many Faces of Grief

While we commonly associate grief with the loss of a loved one, it's essential to recognize that grief can manifest in various forms. We can grieve relationships, parts of ourselves, aspects of our past, homes, friendships, and even financial stability. Grief is the sense of something that once was but is now gone. It's a testament to our emotional connection to people, places, and things in our lives.

Understanding the Stages of Grief

The five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—are well-known, but they don't follow a strict order, and people experience them differently. What's crucial is not to linger too long in one stage, as this can impede the healing process. Some individuals even go through these stages before a loss, a phenomenon called anticipatory grief, which prepares them emotionally for the impending loss. It can result in abbreviated grief, where the grieving period is shorter because much of the emotional work has already been done. On the other hand, delayed grief occurs when individuals avoid facing their emotions, often by staying busy or distracted. Inhibited grief involves repressing grief's emotions, which can manifest as physical symptoms such as digestive issues, anxiety, depression, or insomnia.

Different Forms of Grief

When multiple losses occur simultaneously, individuals may experience cumulative grief. Additionally, when a significant event causes profound loss for a community or group of people, it's referred to as collective grief. These various forms of grief remind us that the process is complex and unique to each individual's experience.

Coping with Grief

Grief can make you feel far from "normal." You may experience confusion, difficulty making decisions, and a persistent lack of focus. Physical symptoms like chest tightness, headaches, or muscle weakness are also common. It's crucial to care for yourself during this challenging time:

Don't rush the process: Give yourself time to grieve. There's no set timeline for healing.
Prioritize self-care: Try to get adequate rest, even if it means lying in bed while watching TV or reading. Aim for 8 hours of sleep, and if that's not possible, focus on relaxation.
Lean on your support network: Connect with friends, family, or even pets. Isolation can exacerbate grief.
Face the pain: Instead of distracting yourself, sit with your emotions. Over time, the intensity of your symptoms will decrease.
Stick to a routine: Even simple tasks like showering, eating, and getting out of bed are accomplishments when you're grieving.
Seek help if needed: Don't go through grief alone. There are support groups, counselors, and online resources available to help you navigate this challenging journey.

Grief is a natural response to loss, and it's okay not to feel "normal" during this period. Healing takes time, and the pain may never completely disappear, but it can become more manageable. As you journey through the stages of grief, remember that you are not alone. Reach out to your support network, explore resources, and seek help when needed. Grief is a profound human experience, but it's a journey that, with time and support, can lead to a place of healing and acceptance. If you need someone to talk to, call Fit Counseling as (954) 507-0144 .

5 Ways to "I Feel Pretty" and I mean it

Wed, 23 May 2018 16:05:00 GMT

As a licensed Mental Heath Counselor and a woman, I loved Amy Schumer's new movie I Feel Pretty. The movie is about a woman who who struggles with feelings of insecurity and self esteem. During the film she hits her head while exercising and has a entire change in perspective on herself, her body, and her ability as a woman, employee and person. She magically got the confidence she needs to become all she ever wanted to be. I know what you are thinking, if only it was that easy. While nothing is as easy at is appears in the movies, it is possible to have this shift. Nothing changed in the film except for her perspective about herself. Prior to the hit on the head, she questioned everything she did, everything she was and had negative self talk. All of this can be improved through self esteem counseling! Here are some techniques you can use to start working on you self image.

1. Catch your thoughts: Often times we are putting ourselves down throughout the day and not even realizing it. It could be as simple as walking past the mirror with a snide comment about your body, shaming yourself for eating that cooking or beating yourself up for making a simple mistake. I always tell my client's "Catch it, check it change it." Catch the thought as it is happening, check it to see you intentions behind the thought and how you feel as a result of the internal comment. Lastly, change it to a more positive alternative that makes you feel happier and feeds you self love goals. You can practice this technique by making a list of all the things you tell yourself throughout the day. At the end of the day write down those alternative positive thoughts.

2. Tell yourself something better: With those alternative positive thoughts, make flash cards to keep on you and read through out the day to keep you in a positive frame of minds. Additionally you can create post it notes saying positive affirmations like "I am beautiful, I am capable, I am worth it." Stick those on your mirror and read those to yourself while you are brushing your teeth.

3. Talk to yourself in the mirror: Another technique is to look at yourself in the mirror. Instead of critiquing your body or criticizing yourself. Give your self compliments. Focus on all the things you love and appreciate about yourself. Start with "I appreciate you for .... waking up this morning, being healthy, being intelligent, being creative, being passionate, etc." You can focus on character traits you possess, strengths, or physical attributes. Tell yourself you are brave for even partaking in this activity. This can be really difficult but dig deep to find something you can tell yourself and believe. You can build from there.

4. Do some positive journaling: Grab a notebook and try some of these positive journaling topics.

Examples: What is the best compliment you received and how did it make you feel hearing that? What about someone you admire and the traits/ qualities you share with this person? Write about how you encourage the people you love and how you can encourage yourself? What makes you a strong person? Write of a time you were afraid and you overcame that? What is your greatest success?

5. Practice self love: take care of you mind, body, emotional/ mental health! You can not pour from an empty glass. If you are full and fulfilled you will not only feel better but be better in all other areas of your life. If you struggle with depression or anxiety, work on that with a therapist. If you seek spiritual growth, prioritize time to feed that. If you want to take a yoga class or zumba because you feel empowered, make that a priority! Treat yourself to a manicure, rub lotion on your body, take a long bath, do a meditation. You deserve it! You are the most important thing in your life and you can start treating yourself in that way today!

South Florida residents that are seeking help in increasing their self esteem and decreasing their negative thoughts can find support and individualized counseling treatment from Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC. She is a mental health counselor that has professional knowledge regarding depression and anxiety strategies including motivational therapy, client centered techniques, strength based interventions, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Additionally, Alicia Marlieb provides counseling techniques that help you mentally adjust to your current struggles and stress. She helps "rewire" your brain to alter behaviors and thoughts to promote happiness and overall wellness. Alicia Marlieb is located in Broward County, Florida. She can help clients to increase motivation and strengthen their mindset throughout their counseling journey for more information visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com or call us at (305) 447-7680 for a free consultation!

#selfesteem #counseling #counselor #southflorida #coralsprings

Concurring Your Mind: 10 Negative Thoughts

Sat, 19 May 2018 17:11:00 GMT

Cognitive therapy focused on altering your thoughts from a negative to a more positive alternative. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most effective, research proven intervention in counseling for depression and anxiety, among many other mental health issues. CBT can help you find motivation, manage your symptoms, improve your mood, decrease your stress, provide support and help assist you in relieving your depression or anxiety. Call (954) 507-0144 for more information!

United States, Florida, Coral Springs

I think all of us can agree that sometimes you mind can be your best friend or your biggest enemy. When we start a goal we are motivated to change. We are thinking positively and hopeful about the future. Over time, that will power is not enough and we go back to our negative thought patterns that took us off track from our goal the first time. Therefore, the first step to any change is conquering your mind. Humans by nature are pessimists. All of us think negative from time to time, some more than others. In order to move forward we have to fight that with more positive alternative thoughts. Can't I just tell myself "stop thinking that, stop thinking that." The answer is no! If I tell you to not think about a pink elephant now all you can do is think about it. Your brain processed the "pink elephant" and not the "not."

In counseling, we learn that first we have recognize when we are having these negative thoughts in order to start changing them. Sometimes they are so common and natural for us we don't even realize when they are happening. You have to know you have a problem so you can change that problem. Here are the 10 most common negative thought patterns bought to you in collaboration with Dr. Hovi Shroff.

1. All-or-nothing thinking – You see things in black-or-white. Everything is either all good or all bad. If a situation falls short of perfect, you see it as a total failure. When a young woman on a diet ate a spoonful of ice cream, she said to herself, “I’ve blown my diet completely.” This thought upset her so much that she gobbled down an entire quart of ice cream.

2. Overgeneralization – You see a single negative event, such as a romantic rejection or a career reversal, as a never-ending pattern of defeat by using words such as “always” or “never” when you think about it. A depressed salesman became terribly upset when he noticed bird dung on the window of his car. He told himself, “Just my luck! Birds are always crapping on my car!”

3. Mental Filter – You pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it exclusively, so that your vision of reality becomes darkened, like the drop of ink that discolors a beaker of water. Example: You receive many positive comments about your presentation to a group of associates at work, but one of them says something mildly critical. You obsess about his reaction for days and ignore all the positive feedback.

4. Discounting the positive – You reject positive experiences by insisting that they “don’t count.” If you do a good job, you may tell yourself that it wasn’t good enough or that anyone could have done as well. Discounting the positives takes the joy out of life and makes you feel inadequate and unrewarded.

5. Jumping to conclusions – You interpret things negatively when there are no facts to support your conclusion. Mind Reading : Without checking it out, you conclude that someone is reacting negatively to you. Fortune-telling: You predict that things will turn out badly. Before a test you may tell yourself, “I’m really going to blow it. What if I flunk?” If you’re depressed you may tell yourself, “I’ll never get better.”

6. Magnification – You exaggerate the importance of your problems and shortcomings, or you minimize the importance of your desirable qualities. This is also called the “binocular trick.”

7. Emotional Reasoning – You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things really are: “I feel terrified about going on airplanes. It must be very dangerous to fly.” Or, “I feel guilty. I must be a rotten person.” Or, “I feel angry. This proves that I’m being treated unfairly.” Or, “I feel so inferior. This means I’m a second rate person.” Or, “I feel hopeless. I must really be hopeless.”

8. “Should” statements – You tell yourself that things should be the way you hoped or expected them to be. After playing a difficult piece on the piano, a gifted pianist told herself, “I shouldn’t have made so many mistakes.” This made her feel so disgusted that she quit practicing for several days. “Musts,” “oughts” and “have tos” are similar offenders.

“Should statements” that are directed against yourself lead to guilt and frustration. Should statements that are directed against other people or the world in general, lead to anger and frustration: “He shouldn’t be so stubborn and argumentative!”

Many people try to motivate themselves with shoulds and shouldn’ts, as if they were delinquents who had to be punished before they could be expected to do anything. “I shouldn’t eat that doughnut.” This usually doesn’t work because all these shoulds and musts make you feel rebellious and you get the urge to do just the opposite. I tell my client's all the time "should" is shaming. Dr. Albert Ellis has called this ” must erbation.” I call it the “shouldy” approach to life.

9. Labeling – Labeling is an extreme form of all-or-nothing thinking. Instead of saying “I made a mistake,” you attach a negative label to yourself: “I’m a loser.” You might also label yourself “a fool” or “a failure” or “a jerk.” Labeling is quite irrational because you are not the same as what you do. Human beings exist, but “fools,” “losers” and “jerks” do not. These labels are just useless abstractions that lead to anger, anxiety, frustration and low self-esteem.

10. Personalization and Blame - Personalization comes when you hold yourself personally responsible for an event that isn’t entirely under your control. When a woman received a note that her child was having difficulty in school, she told herself, “This shows what a bad mother I am,” instead of trying to pinpoint the cause of the problem so that she could be helpful to her child. When another woman’s husband beat her, she told herself, “If only I was better in bed, he wouldn’t beat me.” Personalization leads to guilt, shame and feelings of inadequacy.

Knowledge is power and now that you know your negative thoughts we can work on them. South Florida residents that are seeking help in increasing their mood and decreasing their anxiety can find support and individualized counseling treatment from Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed. She is a mental health counselor that has professional knowledge regarding depression and anxiety strategies including motivational therapy, client centered techniques, strength based interventions, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Additionally, Alicia Marlieb provides counseling techniques that help you mentally adjust to your current struggles and stress. She helps "rewire" your brain to alter behaviors and thoughts to promote happiness and overall wellness. Alicia Marlieb is located in Coral Springs, Florida. She can help clients to increase motivation and strengthen their mindset throughout their counseling journey for more information visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com .

Spreading Positivity,

Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed., LMHC

Fit Therapy Counseling

(305) 447-7680

www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com

#therapy #counselor #cbt #coralsprings #southflorida #therapist #depression #trauma #anxiety #selfesteem #florida #counseling #weightloss #ptsd

"Fat Shaming" Yourself

Sat, 19 May 2018 16:06:00 GMT

As I was scrolling though my social media today and noticed many women who are posting selfies "fat shaming" themselves. I saw women writing things like "under this fat," "I hate my body," "fluffy," "this isn't healthy." It saddened me to the reality of women today with the unrealistic expectations society places on a standard of beauty which pushes women into dieting or extreme exercise. 50% of commercials targeting a women audience mention physical attractiveness not to forget a profiting diet and beauty industry that is getting rich off pills and waist trainers by exploiting these women's struggles. This leads to mental health concerns including low self esteem, body image issues, depression, anxiety, and eating disorder, just to name a few. As a licensed mental health counselor, I decided to do some research on how this negative self talk affects us and found astonishing results. Women experience an average of 13 negative thoughts about themselves daily, while 97% of women admit to having a "I hate my body," thought each day. Female athletes have a 20% change of establishing an eating disorder with the highest risk including those in aesthetic sports (i.e. gymnastics, ballet, figure skating, bodybuilding). I had a client tell me today "I will be happy when I lose 10 more pounds," after losing 40! Which is amazing by the way and not a easy task. I told her "don't wait til then to be happy. Be happy now! Your happiness is not dependent on your size!"

I challenge you to reflect on how you are talking to yourself everyday. I am sure we would never talk to another women in this way. So why talk to the most important women in your life like that ... You! We have to work on love and caring for the relationship with ourselves just as much as our relationship with others. If you are struggling with negative self talk or negative habits around eating or exercise please contact a therapist and seek help. Feel free to call me for assistance or a free consultation on how you can change you negative self talk today at (305) 447-7680 .

Last but not least remember, You are Beautiful!

Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed., LMHC

Sources:

Zucker NL, Womble LG, Williamson DA, et al. Protective factors for eating disorders in female college athletes. Eat Disorders 1999; 7: 207-218.

Sungot-Borgen, J. Torstveit, M.K. (2004) Prevalence of ED in Elite Athletes is Higher than in the General Population. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 14(1), 25-32.

Psychology Behind Your Big Body Changes

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 20:56:00 GMT

Though out a point in everyone's life we go through a Big Body Change (BBC)! This is a term I use to account for a period of time in which you gain/ lose weight. Whether it is extreme weight loss, bariatric surgery or lifestyle adjustments that lead to weight loss or weight gain through related medical conditions, pregnancy or poor habits; these changes affect us. The reason it is so important to talk about BBC's is because any big shift in your physical body leads to mental and emotional challenges. Additionally, it takes mental fortitude to persist with your goals through these challenges. What I have learned over the years is leaving our mind to "figure it out for itself" can get us into depression, anxiety, unhealthy habits that affect our life, health and relationships.

Along with our physical alterations, we have to learn to mentally adjust to accommodate these changes. Our brains don't like change. Too much change too fast can put ourselves brains in panic "survival mode." Then we start thinking negative thoughts that can turn us on to bad habits. Our r brain doesn't have the time to catch up with our fast changing body. You might be see yourself as "fat" or "overweight" despite being within Normal BMI range or losing 50 pounds. On the other hand, you might be struggling with gaining 20 pounds and have a decrease in self esteeem, self worth and confidence that leads to depression and anxiety.

As a fitness competitor, I have seen the negative affects of extreme dieting and weight loss. Men and women with single digit body fat percentages critiquing themselves harshly and telling themselves negative things about their physical appearance, despite their efforts. I've seen people go to excessive, unhealthy means to achieve their "ideal" body including excessive exercise and limited caloric intake. That is similar body image issues and behaviors reflected in eating disorders including bulimia and anorexia.

South Florida residents that are seeking help to lose weight can find support and individualized counseling through this adjustment from Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC. She is a mental health counselor that has professional knowledge and personal experience regarding weight loss strategies including motivational therapy, altering disordered eating habits, fighting cravings, struggling with thought challenges, behavior changes, goal setting, and exercise. Additionally, Alicia Marlieb provides counseling techniques that help you mentally adjust to your "Big Body Changes," and help increase self esteem. She helps "rewire" your brain that struggles with old habits, behaviors and thoughts to promote lasting results. Alicia Marlieb is located in Coral Springs, Florida. She can help clients to increase motivation and strengthen their mindset throughout their weight loss journey for long term intervention and overall wellness. Visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com or call (305) 447-7680

School Talk Starters: 15 questions to ask your kids about their 1st day back

Sun, 20 Aug 2017 16:05:00 GMT

In Broward county and Miami Dade county it is the first day of school. The first day of school is emotional for both parents and children. It is a new school year with new possibilities, new things to learn and more challenges. Additionally, the first day of school can be a day of excitement and anxiety for your children. They have their book bags packed with new school supplies and their outfits picked out! They have been preparing for this day and it is here. The key to communicating with your child is to ask specific yet open ended questions, so they can't say "nothing" or "fine." Here are some questions to ask your child to find out their feelings about their first day back.

What was your favorite part about today?
What did you learn today?
What are you excited about this school year?
What are you scared about this school year?
What class do you think you are going to like the best?
What teacher do you like the best?
Are any of your friends in your class? which friends?
Any one in your class you think you would like to be friends with?
What makes a good friend?
Did anyone do anything funny that made you laugh?
Who did you sit with at lunch?
What were you good at today?
What did you have a hard time doing today?
What's one thing you want to do this year?
How are we going to make this year better than last year?

If you feel that your child is struggling with adapting to school or has more worries than other children. Alicia Marlieb helps child cope with their anxieties and stress. Does your child seem down? Or is you child is struggling with self esteem or socializing with other children. Alicia Marlieb provides family therapy and counseling for children from her Coral Springs practice. To schedule an appointment concerning family and child counseling in Coral Springs. Florida,visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com or call (305) 447-7680 .

#child #parenting #familycounseling #familytherapy #family #school #anxiety #children #selfesteem #peers #counseling #counselor #therapy #therapist

8 Steps For Your Weight loss Goals

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 18:14:00 GMT

Weight loss therapy can help you find motivation, manage cravings, improve your self esteem, provide support and help assist you in reaching your weight loss goals. Call (305) 447-7680 for more information!

United States, Florida, Coral Springs

This is a two part blog to follow up on our last post Willpower and Weight loss. It is proven that the only long lasting technique that proves success in any goal or resolution is to develop a habit that feeds your goal daily. Progression towards your success is a process. It is like growing a plant, you have to water it and give it enough sunlight to later bare the results of your work. So think about what your goal is and how overtime with effort that you have the power to transform your life. Willpower is fleeting and unreliable. If that is our only source of drive, you will most likely give in before the end of the year. Whether your goal is to lose weight or start reading everyday, think of the steps you would need to take for example reading for 10 minutes before bed. Here are 7 steps I take with my clients in weight loss counseling to help them reach their goals using the SMART technique!

Step 1: Write your goals! Writing it down is kind of like a contract with yourself that you are making. You are professing it and making a direct plan that is sure to lead to success with your follow through.

Step 2: Make your goal detailed and Specific! Write down how you will reach this goal and list three action steps including who is involved, what you want to do, where it will happen, and when you plan on doing it.

Step 3: Make it Measurable! Add in the details, measurements and tracking techniques you will use to achieve your goal! If you want to lose weight, how many lbs? how many inches? or maybe your are measure athletic capability like squatting 135 lbs or running a 5k in 8 minutes. If you want to eat healthy you may plan to track your food with a fitness app like My Fitness Pal, Food tracker, or Calorie Count

example: I will track my goal by using the following ____________________

I will know I reached my goal when ______________

Step 4: Make it Attainable! What support or additional resources do you need? Do you need a coach, a counselor, a trainer, a mentor? Map out the following:

example: Items I need to achieve my goals ________________________

Things I need to learn about ____________________________

When will be the best time of day _______________________

Who can I talk to for support ___________________________

Step 5: Make it Relevant! Why do you want to achieve this goal? Why is it important to you? How will it benefit you? How will you feel once you achieved this goal. Reminding yourself of the reasons your started can keep you motivated throughout your journey.

Step 6: Make a Timeline! Set a deadline for you goal or benchmarks to show you are making progress.

example: I will reach my goal by (date): ___/___/_____

My halfway measurement will be _________________ on (date) ____/____/______

List additional dates and milestones

Step 7: Lastly believe you have already achieved your goal. Visualize yourself at the end of your journey and how proud you feel. Tell yourself you are already that writer or runner or professional! Your mind is the most powerful tool in your journey so watch how you are speaking to yourself!

Step 8: Get help today! Weight loss therapy may be the solution for you! South Florida residents that are seeking help to lose weight can find support and individualized coaching from Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC. She is a mental health counselor that has professional knowledge and personal experience regarding weight loss strategies including motivational therapy, altering disordered eating habits, fighting cravings, struggling with thought challenges, behavior changes, goal setting, and exercise. Additionally, Alicia Marlieb provides counseling techniques that help you mentally adjust to your "Big Body Changes," and help increase self esteem. She helps "rewire" your brain that struggles with old habits, behaviors and thoughts to promote lasting results. Alicia Marlieb is located in Coral Springs, Florida. She can help clients to increase motivation and strengthen their mindset throughout their weight loss journey through specific interventions to promote overall wellness. visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com. Call us for a free consolation at 305-447-7680.

Find out how to Conquer your Mind in our next post!

Good luck and Great Success,

Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC

Fit Therapy Counseling

(305) 447-7680

fitmindtherapy@gmail.com

#therapy #counselor #cbt #bariatricsurgery #obese #overeating #coralsprings #southflorida #therapist #depression #anxiety #counseling #selfesteem #weightloss

Eating Away The Pain: Trauma and Binge Eating

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 16:54:00 GMT

From a very young age we starting learning about the world around us and adjust to our environment for survival. From the way we act, think, behave, react and interact with others. Our learning comes out in practices, health habits, past times, spirituality and lifestyle choices. All of us are culturally connected to the things we eat whether we prefer rice and beans or oxtail and peas. We are additionally influenced by life events.

For years scientists have recognized a link between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the development of eating disorders, i.e. binge eating. Trauma is an actual or perceived life threatening even often leads to a stress reaction (anxiety, fear, depression, anger). Often times in order to deal with that anxiety people turn to food, alcohol or other substances to mask, avoid or "stuff" the pain.

Research shows that 1 in 4 people who binge eat have PTSD

Symptoms of PTSD and Binge Eating

1. Stressful memories, flash backs and triggers of PTSD can lead to eating to cope or avoid the distress. People who struggle with binge eating do so to avoid pain and often are experiencing emotional stress and don't know where it is coming from. Research shows that the higher probability of symptoms of PTSD the high probability of food addiction, obesity and binge eating.

Treatment: Learn and practice healthier coping skills ie grounding, deep breathing, meditation, exercise and seek professional counseling to learn more about emotional stress and interventions

2. Living in the past memories causes an inability to live in the moment or future affecting planning and preparation and ability to make healthy decisions (ie. food preparation, nutrition) as well as an inability know if you are hungry or satiated which can contribute to mindless eating and overeating.

Treatment: Learn Mindfulness and Mindful eating techniques

3. There is a biological connection to both of these disorders. Both conditions are related to stress hormones and mood boosting brain chemicals. When we are stressed, anxious, angry, or sad we want to counteract that with something that will make us feel good , which in this case is food.

Treatment: Psychiatric medication can improve brain functioning as traumatic events have been proven to alter brain matter and structure.

4. Negative thoughts and reminders can lead to eating, unhealthy behaviors, poor body image which then contributes to more negative thoughts and continues in this pattern until the person or therapist helps through intervention and treatment.

Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral therapy with a Mental Health provider.

5. Many women who suffer from sexual trauma develop negative thoughts about their bodies which contribute to binge eating and other eating disorders as well as body image issues. A common theme is overeating and gaining weight purposefully in an attempt to prevent future attacks. Research shows that 35% of women who suffer from binge eating disorder have been raped or sexually assaulted.

If you feel you struggle with Binge Eating or PTSD symptoms call us at (305) 447-7680 today!

Sincerely,

Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC

Fit Therapy Counseling

(305) 447-7680

fitmindtherapy@gmail.com

#weightloss #selfesteem #counseling #anxiety #depression #trauma #southflorida #therapist #coralsprings #obese #overeating #cbt #bariatricsurgery #counselor #therapy #bingeeating #ptsd

Willpower and Weight loss

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 19:38:00 GMT

Weight loss therapy can help you find motivation, manage cravings, improve your self esteem, provide support and help assist you in reaching your weight loss goals. Call (954) 507-0144 for more information!

United States, Florida, Coral Springs

Websters dictionary defines willpower as "energetic determination." Whenever I ask someone where willpower comes from they say something like "internal strength." It is the desire to control your impulses. It is that internal drive that some of us seemingly have more of than others. To me this is a not very well defined term yet it is that one thing that everyone wants and believes will move them forward in all of their goals. I need to find the "willpower," the "motivation;" like it will fall out of the air straight into your lap.

The truth about willpower!

The truth is ...will power is considered by some researchers to be a limited and fast reduced resource. The term they use is "willpower depletion." Saying "no" takes a mental toll on you and that is where this "internal strength," comes from. Willpower is like a muscle that after continued use can reach this point of depletion where we give into our cravings or impulses, which can then lead to regret, anxiety, despair and depression.

The truth is ... it is always being tested. Not only with following your diet but when you hold back a laugh, resist yelling at your annoying neighbor, or forcing a courteous smile. Anything that goes against your natural reaction involves using your "will." So not only do we use it in relationships, mentally, and emotionally ... there are definite physical aspects at play too.

The truth is ...it is biological. Those who use their willpower have a decrease in glucose in their brain. By the way another word for glucose is SUGAR! No wonder I want a gallon of ice cream when I come home after resisting that seemingly delicious red velvet cake at the birthday party. Your brain is asking for some help here. If we use too much of our willpower, then we have decreased lack of focus, concentration and energy to put into our next task.

The truth is .... we all need support. Going on an life changing journey already hard enough and we all need a solid support system when we are in doubt reach out to others, gain knowledge from professions and get the help you need! It has been long enough!

So what you are saying is it's impossible to overcome?

The simple answer, Heck no! Over time, this can get stronger. Just learning how to recharge, reenergize and push forward towards your goals.

How do you do that?

Weight loss therapy may help! South Florida residents that are seeking help to lose weight can find support and individualized coaching from Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC. She is a mental health counselor that has professional knowledge and personal experience regarding weight loss strategies including motivational therapy, altering disordered eating habits, fighting cravings, struggling with thought challenges, behavior changes, goal setting, and exercise. Additionally, Alicia Marlieb provides counseling techniques that help you mentally adjust to your "Big Body Changes," and help increase self esteem. She helps "rewire" your brain that struggles with old habits, behaviors and thoughts to promote lasting results. Alicia Marlieb is located in Coral Springs, Florida. She can help clients to increase motivation and strengthen their mindset throughout their weight loss journey through specific interventions to promote overall wellness. visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com .

Sincerely,

Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC

Fit Therapy Counseling

(305) 447-7680

fitmindtherapy@gmail.com

#bariatricsurgery #overeating #coralsprings #southflorida #depression #counseling #anxiety #obese #weightloss #selfesteem #cbt #therapy #therapist #counselor #florida

South Florida Weight Loss Therapy

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 18:38:00 GMT

United States, Florida, Coral Springs

With more and more American's struggling with obesity, health issues are on the rise including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. As a result, there are increases in the rates of depression, anxiety, low self esteem and stress. Increased levels of stress can lead to increase in cortisol in the brain which leads to weight gains as well as developing negative habits to deal with stress like over eating, over sleeping and isolating. It is important to consider bettering your health for your wellness and quality of life.

Have you been trying to lose weight on and off but struggle with consistency and motivation? Have you tried fad diets and gimmicks that don't provide lasting results? Are you frustrated with your progress and current health? It may be time to try something else.

South Florida residents that are seeking help to lose weight can find support and individualized coaching from Alicia Marlieb, M.Ed, LMHC. She is a licensed mental health counselor that has professional knowledge and personal experience regarding weight loss strategies including motivational therapy, altering disordered eating habits, fighting cravings, struggling with thought challenges, behavior changes, goal setting, and exercise. Additionally, Alicia Marlieb provides counseling techniques that help you mentally adjust to your "Big Body Changes," and help increase self esteem. She helps "rewire" your brain that struggles with old habits, behaviors and thoughts to promote lasting results. Alicia Marlieb is located in Coral Springs, Florida. She can help clients to increase motivation and strengthen their mindset throughout their weight loss journey for long term intervention and overall wellness. Visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com.

Coral Springs Weight Loss Therapy

Alicia Marlieb provides weight loss therapy for those who struggle with self esteem and body image issues. Have people been telling you "you need to lose weight" or "you would look so much better if you lost a few lbs?" Do you feel like no matter how much weight you lose you will still feel "ugly" or "not good enough?" Do you look in the mirror and dissect all your body parts saying "if only this was smaller" or "if only I didn't have cellulite." These types of messages we hear from family, friends and society take a toll on our self esteem and unintentionally become the way we talk to ourselves. If you struggle with negative self talk, if you are tired of feel down on yourself and want to learn to internalize your inner strength to become the most confident and powerful you! It's time to seek counseling with Alicia Marlieb.

Weight Loss Therapist Coral Springs

Alicia Marlieb helps those who struggle with an unhealthy relationship with food. Do you feel like you obsess about food? When you are eating do you feel "out of control?" Do you over eat to the point of feeling stuffed? Or do you limit your food to try lose weight? Do you eat when you are angry, anxious or sad? If you answered yes to any of these questions you might be experiencing an unhealthy relationship with food. Along with our weight loss journey we need to alter this negative relationship and work on healthy habits for the future. We need to learn to teach ourselves to use food as fuel instead of labeling foods as "good" or "bad." Food does not have to run your life any longer. Alicia Marlieb provides weight loss therapy and counseling for problem eating from her Coral Springs practice. To schedule an appointment concerning weight loss in Coral Springs. Florida, visit www.fitcounselingcoralsprings.com or call (305) 447-7680 .

#weightloss #counseling #anxiety #southflorida #coralsprings #obese #overeating #bariatricsurgery #selfesteem #depression

Fit Counseling, LLC

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