Music Speaks to My Heart
March 22, 2013 by Arianna Merritt
Filed under Empowerment, Expressive Arts, Featured, Mental Health, Music, Self Esteem, Self-Care, Stress Management
Whenever I have a chance, I listen to music as it empowers me. Plain and simple: Music speaks to my heart. It also unites people. One particular memory stands out as a highlight of my trip to Great Britain and Ireland this past summer with one of my sisters (the same sister who introduces me [...]
Ugly Ducklings Supporting NORMAL
March 19, 2013 by Robyn Hussa Farrell
Filed under Body Image, Empowerment, Featured, Loving Your Body, Media Literacy, Role Models, Self Esteem, Self-Acceptance, Self-Care
The Ugly Ducklings have come forward to help NORMAL and our mission of educating about mental health, eating disorders, body image, self-acceptance and stress-management through arts and mindfulness programs. We are so grateful!! The Ugly Ducklings is an initiative inspired by Jennifer Morrison of Once Upon a Time. A few weeks ago, Jennifer gave her Twitter supporters the [...]
Be Your Own Valentine: Accept Yourself, No Exceptions
February 12, 2013 by ANAD
Filed under Body Image, Empowerment, Featured, Finding Your Voice, Freedom, Healthy Coping, Livin in the Moment, Self-Acceptance, Self-Care, Self-Compassion, Sharing Feelings
Be Your Own Valentine: Accept Yourself, No Exceptions Once upon a time, in a land far far away, when I was a boy-crazy, school girl, Valentine’s Day seemed like a very harmless “holiday”. Valentine’s Day meant a day of classroom parties, funny little valentines, and lots of sweet treats. I remember Valentine’s Day being full [...]
Mental Holocaust
January 5, 2013 by Angela Mensah
Filed under Body Image
I am currently reading Healthy Selfitude by NORMAL President Robyn Hussa and this month I am more aware of the shift toward mindfulness but also realize that as an African American that grew up in the Protestant church how foreign this concept may come across. I would like to speak to you as you consider [...]
I’m a STAR today because….
November 14, 2012 by Arianna Merritt
Filed under Body Image, Featured, Finding Your Voice, Healthy Coping, Loving Your Body, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Self Esteem, Self-Acceptance, Sharing Feelings, Wellness
November is the time to become your own CHAMPION. This is a month where you should start to express gratitude towards YOURSELF. Let me tell you why I think this is important. Have you ever been in a relationship (i.e., business or personal) where the other person is extremely critical of you? Are they constantly [...]
#26 of 108: Get a Free $261,000 Makeover!
September 7, 2012 by YeahDave
Filed under Body Image, Expressive Arts Therapies, Featured, Healthy Coping, Livin in the Moment, Loving Your Body, Males with Eating Disorders, Mindfulness, Role Models, Self Esteem, Self-Acceptance, Self-Care, Yoga, Yoga and Meditation, Yoga Therapy
This is #26 of 108 Ways to Livin the Moment. Let’s take back our lives one beautiful, funny, and delicious moment at a time #26 of 108: Get a Free $261,000 Makeover “By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.” –Unknown I have a hard time looking [...]
The Real Me Photo Shoot
August 9, 2012 by Robyn Hussa Farrell
Filed under Body Image, Eating Disorders, Empowerment, Fat Acceptance, Featured, Finding Your Voice, Freedom, HAES, Healthy Coping, Livin in the Moment, Loving Your Body, Mindfulness, Recovery, Role Models, Self Esteem, Self-Acceptance, Self-Care, Self-Compassion, Sharing Feelings, Yoga, Yoga Therapy
So, over the last year, I embarked on a challenge for myself … to experience more “yield” in my life and less “push.” In so doing, I resisted going to the gym for an entire year (read more about that here). Going to the gym (for me) means “pushing” — running, sweating, grunting to lift [...]
Overcoming Fear of Fat
July 11, 2012 by Marsha Hudnall
Filed under Disordered Eating, Eating Disorders, Featured
I recently read a great post on the importance of fat in our meals. Fat is a critical nutrient that is vital to our health. But my first thought when I read the title was that the post was about fear of fat on our bodies. Because that’s what drove the fear of fat in [...]
Fits and Starts
May 20, 2012 by Deah Schwartz
Filed under Activism, Binge Eating, Body Image, Eating Disorders, Fat Acceptance, Fat Talk, Featured, Fitness, HAES, Healthy Communication, Healthy Coping, Mindfulness, Weight Stigma
Fit Now there’s a helluva word. Think about it…how could one itty bitty word elicit such a broad spectrum of feelings, images, and associations? Throwing a fit If the shoe fits Misfit The perfect fit Fit for life Fit to stand trial When I worked in an inpatient psychiatric hospital for adolescents, one of [...]
A journey of self-compassion
March 31, 2012 by Doris Smeltzer
Filed under Body Image, Loving Your Body, Role Models, Self Esteem, Self-Acceptance, Self-Care, Self-Compassion
I am excited to be a part of such an amazing community! For those of you who are not familiar with AndreasVoice.org let me share briefly. I was thrust into the eating disorder world when my daughter Andrea developed bulimia. Tragically, she died after just 13 months of behaviors at the age of 19. Since [...]
