Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the amazing power of grandparents in women’s development and growth. I cannot tell you how many clients have told me stories of how despite turbulent childhoods; they were kept on a healthy path due to the influence of grandparents. This is especially true in my life.I had an incredibly chaotic and turbulent upbringing and when people ask me how I turned out to be a solid, and mostly healthy woman, my answer is, “my grandparents.” Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I was particularly blessed in this department. I was the first and only grandchild (until the age of 15 when my only cousin was born) of all four of my […]
Five Gratitude Practices That Will Increase Happiness Right Now
I’ve decided to write about gratitude even though I’ve written about it before in this article. Why am I so into gratitude practices? Because there is solid science behind why they are good for our physical and mental health. Here are 7 scientifically proven benefits from a wonderful article in Psychology Today on gratitude. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends, according to a 2014 study published in Emotion. The study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship. Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than other people, according to a 2012 study published […]
The Highly Sensitive Personality- are you an HSP?
When most people ask me what I specialize in, I give them a list of certain issues I work with such as eating disorders, anxiety/depression, and relationship issues. But if I was to name it succinctly, I would say that my specialty is helping Highly Sensitive People to love and appreciate their unique and sometimes challenging personalities and nervous systems. The Highly Sensitive Personality I wanted to share with you some valuable information that I give to a lot of my clients when they come to me with labels like, “depressed” and/or “anxious”. What I am about to share with you has made a HUGE difference-for the better-in my own life and for many of my clients who have lived in […]
Food Addiction with Dr. Vera Tarman
I am so delighted to share my collaboration with Dr. Vera Tarman, expert in food addiction and author of what I think is the best book on the subject, Food Junkies. I’d like to start this article with this interview my mother, Marion Kane did with Dr. Tarman a while back which is both entertaining and informative: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/abstinence-helps-food-addicts/ What follows is an excerpt from chapter two of Food Junkies wherein Dr. Tarman shares her own story of food addiction and outlines her theory on food addiction. I highly recommend you buy this book as there is so much more in it that can help you if you struggle with food addiction. EATING, EATING, EATING: WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH ME? It is […]
Why I Love Millennials
Being born in 1971, I am a typical “Gen X’r”. Here’s a good definition of us. I fit this definition perfectly. My parents divorced when I was 4, I was a latchkey kid splitting my time between my mum’s house and my dad’s (hence why I wore two keys around my little neck), wildly independent, and left to my own devices for the most part. The Muppets provided company when I got home from school while I ate a snack I made in the kitchen. Like many of my generation whose parents were non-conforming hippies, I felt like we experienced what I like to call “free range parenting”: Our parents were not so concerned about our whereabouts and the intricacies […]
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
A lot of my clients struggle with sleep and ask me for tips on how they can get a deeper, longer, and rejuvenating night’s rest. I’ve done a lot of research and personal trial and error with sleep, and here are some tricks that work for a lot of people you can try. Esther’s Ten Top Tips on Developing Healthy Sleep Habits Establish a sleep schedule and stick to it Many of us have a hard time doing this because we’re glued to the latest Netflix series, computer game, or even caught up in a challenging crossword puzzle. However, the fact remains that like little children, we all function better with a set routine- and that includes going to […]
Esther’s Recommended Movie: Dumplin’
As an Eating Disorders Therapistand Body Image Warrior, I was absolutely delighted to watch the incredible movie “Dumplin” on Netflixrecently. I declare it the best body-positive film of 2018 and feel it will pave the way for many more like it. I’m usually not a huge fan of Jennifer Aniston, but she was spectacular in her role as a single mother of a bodacious teen girl navigating her way through a fat-phobic culture in the heart of Texas. I also loved it because Dolly Parton was one of the main focuses of the movie and I’m a huge Dolly Parton fan and used to listen to her records when I was a kid and sing along. I thought I wanted […]
How to Build Resilience Within Yourself Starting Right Now
In this piece, I want to talk about the power of resilience- an incredible power and quality that all of us possess. Sometimes, we don’t know we have it until we’re put to the test. I come from a long line of resilient women and have written about their incredible struggles and triumphs: The Reluctant Matriarch My Mum and her mum In Memory of Granny Ruth on Mother’s Day One of the best pieces on resilience came to me via a two-minute video someone sent me called: 4 life lessons from Auschwitz survivor Dr. Edith Eger Watch the video before reading the rest of this article to hear her invaluable tips and then I’ll go through each tip separately, gleaning the […]
Homework for the Holidays: Study Your Family-of-Origin
I am well aware by witnessing the angst all around me, that the winter festivities and get-togethers are in full swing. Between obligatory work parties, friends’ gatherings, and family dinners, some people feel like running off to the woods and holing up in a cabin until the whole thing is over. I’ve spoken before on how to successfully navigate family holiday gatherings, so if you need a primer, listen to me being interviewed about this topic- It’s the fifth interview down called “Surviving Family Over the Holidays”. Also, if you’re concerned with dealing with people other than family over the holidays, read this: Letting Go of Other People’s “Stuff” During the Holidays Another helpful article I was interviewed for: An […]
Best Resources on Perimenopause: The Power of Progesterone
At the age of 47, I am surfing the high and low tides of perimenopause. And let me tell you something sisters- it’s a really rocky ride at times and I feel like I’m white-knuckling it. I’ve talked to countless women about this stage of life and I have come to realise that we are unique in how we experience it. The biggest clue to figure out what it’s going to look like for you is to ask your mother how it was for her. The medical professionals I’ve spoken to tell me that biologically, we follow in our mother’s peri/menopausal footsteps. For me, it’s an unfortunate torch to carry as my own mother went through somewhat of a personal hell […]
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