As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:  Full Article

Full Story as reported by CTV: http://bit.ly/v6aYJm

Mindfulness can have many benefits for people suffering from difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Practicing mindfulness can be an excellent way of coping. Mindfulness may help people get back in touch with the present moment, as well as reduce the extent with which they feel controlled by unpleasant thoughts and memories. So often in our lives, we are stuck in our heads, caught up in the anxiety and worries of daily life.

Here’s a simple way to practice: Find a comfortable position either lying on your back or sitting. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on your breathing. Pay attention to what it feels like in your body to slowly breathe in and out. Then bring your attention to your belly. Feel your belly rise and expand every time you breathe in. Feel your belly fall every time you breathe out. Continue to focus your attention on the full experience of breathing. Imagine you are “riding the waves” of your own breathing. Anytime that you notice your mind has wandered away from your breath, simply notice what it was that took your attention away and then gently bring your attention back to the present moment – your breathing. Continue as long as you would like. Notice if there are any differences after implementing this exercise.

CHIC power, Angela

Angela Slade is the Director of Program Development.  You may contact her here or visit here website here or on her FaceBook.

By Angela Slade, Director for Program Development

Taming your inner critic is much like taming a wild animal – it must be done with awareness and consistency. It’s a sneaky little beast and will come sliding in the back door, just as you shove it out the front. If you judge it or criticize it, you are feeding the wild beast because you are behaving just like it. Here are some tips to help tame your inner critic. First, identify your inner critic’s top ten places where it likes to hang out. This could be a situation, event, or a place such as the mirror. Second, draw a picture of your inner critic and name it. Place this in a spot where you will see it regularly. Third, get to know your inner critic. Notice what makes it louder; what diminishes its power; what happens if you talk back; what happens when you just look at it calmly in the eyes and reassure it everything will be okay. Experiment with this exercise and notice if there are any shifts in your day/week/month. Once you’ve begun taming your inner critic, you’ll feel lighter and freer than ever before. You may even have the courage and confidence to embark on a new adventure.

“Soothing the Storm” is a 20 hour workshop dealing with anger, during which women will have the opportunity to explore their feelings, to listen to the messages these emotions bring, and to learn ways to take care of themselves. With the group’s support, the women will be encouraged to accept responsibility for themselves and to claim the power to influence their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

A group for women about turning negative energy into positive power.

October 22, 23, 29, 30, 2011 (2 weekends)

4 Sessions, 11:30am – 5:00 pm

$20 Deposit required to hold a seat

149 Wallace Street, Nanaimo, BC

By Angela Slade, Director of Program Development, Shore Counselling Society

Details Here

For years, eating disorders have been viewed as a problem affecting only teenage girls, but a so-called “manorexia” is on the rise as more and more men begin to the feel the pressure of developing the perfect image, experts say.

Read more (Link)

Walter Cordery, The Harbour City Star

Link

Published: Friday, July 15, 2011

The vast majority of programs aimed at addressing eating disorders are focused on teenage girls or young adult women.

There was nothing available in Nanaimo for older women until one month ago when Angela Slade joined forces with Shore Counselling Services to create “Break Free.”

Slade, who lives in Lantzville, was previously associated with Parksville’s Associated Family and Community Support Services and realized that because of Vancouver Island Health Authority stipulations, she couldn’t help the many requests that organization received from Nanaimo.

“VIHA funds that program in Parksville for 10 hours a week and there was a (waiting) list to join,” said Slade. “Nanaimo patients would have to be put on the wait list because of the geographical restrictions VIHA placed on the program.”

Slade approached the non-profit Shore Counselling Services to see if she could establish a similar program in Nanaimo.

The need in Nanaimo for more help for eating disorders has already been demonstrated. “We have a (waiting) list for our group educational program called Healing Your Body From the Inside Out.”

She tries to keep the group to 12 people but already five people are on the waiting list.

Eating disorders are becoming more common among older women, Slade said. “It’s this whole looking-younger-for-longer thing and middle-aged women are buying into it.”

wcordery@nanaimodailynews.com

© Harbour City Star 2011

There is a lot of talk out there that says this is just a female issue.  That is so wrong.  Let me show you some interesting quotes and statistics:

Though it is more common for homosexual men to suffer from Eating Disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia (because of the tendency in the male gay community to place a high level of importance on success and appearance), there are still many heterosexual men out there who suffer. This contributes back into the shameful feelings a heterosexual male sufferer has — he may be afraid that people will think he is gay — or that a homosexual and heterosexual male can feel — that the illness is considered to be a “female’s problem”. I have often received e-mail from men who are suffering in silence because of these two issues. http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/issuesformen.php

As many as 1 million men & boys suffer from an eating disorder; gay & bisexual males are at increased risk of such disorders. http://www.eatingdisordershelpguide.com/manorexia.html

“The number one misconception is that all males with eating disorders are gay,” Gallant says, noting that research shows that fewer than half of men affected are homosexual. http://www.straight.com/

Gay men are a population who are at-risk for physique picture and eating disorders. http://www.earthcharterazerbaijan.org/  

Now don’t get me wrong here!  I’m not saying that men who have EDS are gay/bi/trans/etc.  Statistics show that EDS among men are evenly spread between the heterosexual and “queer” population.  So were is the support needed for men?

Why not get in contact with us and see!  We are running a pilot project that may be right for you.  If you don’t like the “group thing”, then there is one-on-one subsidized counselling available too.

You may contact Angela Slade for more information.

BREAK FREE of EDS!