Primary Therapist Amy Sosa, PsyD provides a new outlook on the new year; a time for reflection and a reminder to embrace a mindful life for yourself, attending to and honoring your needs.

The beginning of the year is often a time of reflection. It can also often be a time of great stress, particularly for individuals suffering from disordered eating and/or poor body image. During this time, individuals are inundated with messages promoting strategies to change their bodies and restrict food intake. Implicit in these messages is the assumption that individuals are “not good enough” just the way they are, and that if they follow the new diet trend, join the latest fitness craze, or buy beauty products to fix blemishes they will feel more fulfilled. Many women internalize these messages as “shoulds,” which may cause them to sacrifice personal needs or wants in the hope of achieving greater happiness.

At Oliver-Pyatt Centers, we embrace a mindful living model that encourages women to become attuned to and honor their physical, emotional, relational, intellectual, cultural, and spiritual needs. When at an appropriate place in recovery; acknowledging, understanding, trusting, and following your body’s messages ultimately guides individuals into practices that are internally fulfilling. Therefore, as you reflect on what you want or need for 2015, we encourage everyone to deflect negative messages and false advertisements and allow your intuition to guide you. That way, you will feel fulfilled physically, emotionally, relationally, intellectually, spiritually, and culturally.

For more information about Oliver-Pyatt Centers please call 866.511.HEAL (4325), visit our website, subscribe to our blog, and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.