With over 20 years experience in the health and fitness field, I have seen the toll that being overweight can take on one’ s health, lifestyle and self-esteem.

Using Cognitive-Behavioral therapy principles ( “What you think effects what you feel and do” ) coupled with warm acceptance, I focus on offering personalized tools and support to help clients succeed in achieving long-term weight loss goals - even for those who have struggled and given up in the past.

Usually my work with clients who are interested in weight loss and/or maintenance takes one of three forms:

I. Individualized support for those in a weight-loss program

Most good weight loss programs offer group education and support, but there often can be personal issues - i.e. bingeing, current life stressors, past trauma - that interfere with success.

By sitting down together one-on-one, I can help identify problem patterns ("You seem to do great all day, but run into trouble every night when you sit down in front of the TV"), emotional triggers ("Have you noticed that every time you're angry at your husband you binge?"), unhelpful core assumptions ("It's possible to have fun at the party without eating everything on the buffet table") and unproductive ways the past is being played out in the present ("Maybe food was your only means of comfort as a child, but we can figure out some other ways for you to soothe yourself now").

Sometimes this work takes just a few sessions, sometimes much longer, but many people find that getting a trained perspective on what's going on behind their struggles can make the difference between success and failure in a weight-loss program.

II. Personal support for changing food-related habits and body-image adjustments after or before bariatric surgery

Surgery changes the body, but not the mind. It can be successful and help tremendously, but some people still struggle with food and overeating issues post-surgery, or want to make sure they give themselves the best chance of long-lasting success by coming in to address bad habits and other issues beforehand. 

Let me help you examine/change problem patterns that led to your becoming overweight in the first place, so that your procedure is permanently successful in solving your weight problem - not just an expensive short-term fix.

III. Personal Diet/Weight Loss Coaching and Support

Some people want to learn to achieve and maintain weight loss without relentlessly counting calories, being on a "diet" , medical intervention, medications, or special foods. I'm happy to say that I believe I have a great program to offer if this describes you.

Based on the work of Dr. Judith Beck, (one of the leading Cognitive Behavioral therapists in the nation) this program is designed to teach you step-by-step how to:

· stay motivated

· fight cravings

· track problem patterns

· develop and practice strategies for “food pushers”

· handle social, travel and restaurant temptations

· prepare for and counter sabotaging thinking

Working together we will build your dieting habits:

· Sitting down to eat

· Slowing down and being mindful

· Organizing your food environment

· Making a realistic eating/food plan for the week

Teach you new skills:

· Setting achievable goals

· Stepping inside your authentic eating experience i.e. are you really enjoying this?

· Learning to stop mindlessly overeating

· Differentiating between hunger, desire and cravings

· Redefining “full”

Help you change your attitudes:

· Overcoming feelings of unfairness

Fighting perfectionism - spoiler alert:  you just can't do this stuff "perfectly"

Reducing "all or nothing" thinking

· Diminishing discouragement

· Redefining “full”

Support you in solving real-life problems:

Saying “no” to food-pushers

Staying consistent with goals in social situations

What to order when eating out in restaurants

How to take your diet “on the road”

Managing mood and upsets without overeating

You will be supported in eating “real life foods” in “real life situations”.   Any reasonable plan will work with this program – my goal is to teach you how to change by focusing on skill building - as well as working with you to explore, improve and strengthen your personal attitude towards food and diet. For good!