Posts by Linda Shanti McCabe
What if Losing the Baby Weight is Not the Answer?
I shamefully listened one day at Stroller Strides (yes, this is actually a thing) as a fellow mom told me about the supplements she was taking to “lose the baby weight.” I was suffering. I was tired. And why so full of shame? There were several reasons: I consider myself a feminist I recovered from…
Feminism and Eating Disorder Recovery: Full Women Have Full Feelings
Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. That’s their natural and first weapon. She will need her sisterhood. –Gloria Steinem Have you ever been afraid of being called “The B word”? I…
How Music helps your Brain, Your Heart, and Your Recovery
Have you ever had a song come on the radio that suddenly transported you somewhere? A alcoholic friend of mine in recovery takes it as a “sign” whenever she hears the song from the movie Frozen “Let it Go,” reminding her that she is not in control and that is a good thing. Another woman…
Just as You are: Acceptance as the First Step Towards Change.
“How do we end suffering? By accepting everything, exactly as it is. Hearing that is like a knife in the heart. Inside we shriek, no! … In fact, there is no choice other than accepting everything exactly as it is, because everything is exactly as it is. It is as simple as that. There is…
Motherhood as a Rite of Passage
The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh Look I remember when I was a brand new first-time mom, like four days brand new, and went to a new mom group. I was in…
Five things Pixar’s Inside Out Gets Right, According to a Psychologist-Mom
Last weekend I went to the movies with my preschooler. It was a special theater adventure into which we snuck in a large purse full of popcorn. As the lights dimmed and the light-up crocks flashed, we heard lots of excited children exclaiming “It’s starting!” and some not-so-happy babies sharing in their preverbal, but easily…
Why I love expressive art in therapy (& life)
Creativity is the original anti-depressant. -Andrew Brink, Creativity as repair: Bipolarity and Its Closure It is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self. -D. W. Winnicott Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. –Pablo Picasso 1. Art (re)connects with the authentic self. The…
Preschool as Therapy: 5 great ideas for adult wellness
1. All feelings are allowed. At my child’s preschool, they have a saying: You have to get the bad feelings out to let the good feelings in. In therapy, we know there are no “bad” feelings. However, feelings such as anger, sadness and hurt don’t feel good, and they need expression. To express your true…
How Neuroscience is Helping Us Understand Eating Disorders and Recovery
Have you ever eaten “comfort foods” to calm yourself down? What about having a little ice-cream when feeling sad or depressed? Or does the thought of eating chocolate cake after a meal totally stress you out with anxious thoughts about your body? According to the latest research into neuroscience, there are reasons for these feelings…
RecoverED vs. RecoverING
“I don’t see recovery from an eating disorder limited to food, exercise, and weight. I see these aspects of recovery as doorways into an ongoing journey of life-long growth.” – Dr. Linda Shanti RecoverED vs. RecoverING by Dr. Linda Shanti Recently, I had a respectfully spirited discussion with a colleague of mine. Together, we…
Postpartum Depression: Naming the Pink Elephant (Rat) in the Room
“One in four first time mothers had depressive symptoms caused by postpartum depression or postpartum stress syndrome. PPD strikes women without any history of depression, without complications in pregnancy, mothers who are in difficult marriages, mothers who are in satisfying marriages, or single.” Common sense disclaimer: this blog is not intended to diagnose or treat…
Mommy Brain: Neurological Data To Combat Confusion
Mommy Brain Anyone? I distinctly remember 1 moment postpartum when my husband and I were in a bookstore, with baby in the carrier, browsing. I saw the book The Female Brain and picked it up, thumbing directly to the section on “Mommy brain,” and, more specifically, “Breast feeding and the Fuzzy brain.” I was still…