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When you hear the phrase intuitive eating, what comes to mind? How does someone actually eat “intuitively”? Let’s start by breaking it down. Intuitive means “based on what one feels to be true, even without conscious reasoning; instinctive.” In other words, it’s something we already know how to do, it’s built in. Eating intuitively simply means listening to your body’s natural cues: hunger, fullness, and even cravings. At one point in your life, you were already a pro at this. Think back to infants and toddlers, they eat when they’re hungry and stop when they’re full. They don’t count calories, track meals, or stress about the “right” foods. They’re the perfect example of intuitive eaters. So what happened? Diet culture. Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught to ignore or override those natural signals. We’ve been told when to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat, often in direct conflict with what our bodies are asking for. Over time, that noise drowns out our instincts, and we start believing that someone else knows our body better than we do. Another common fear is that if we let go of food rules and eat intuitively, we’ll lose “control” and only want so-called “unhealthy” foods. But let’s pause here, why do we trust our bodies to breathe for us, to pump blood, to do thousands of incredible things every single day, yet assume it’s not capable of knowing how to nourish itself? Before dieting existed, intuitive eating was simply how people ate. So how do we relearn it today? The first step is rebuilding trust with your body. If you’ve ignored hunger cues for a long time, they may feel faint or even nonexistent. That’s why having a bit of structure at first can actually help. For example, try eating breakfast within an hour of waking, then aim for a meal or snack every 2.5–3 hours. It might feel awkward at the beginning, but with consistency, your body will start sending clear signals again. It’s also important to know that if you’ve restricted certain foods in the past, it’s normal to feel out of control when you allow them again. Sometimes that looks like overeating or binging. I know that can feel scary, but the key is not to respond with more restriction, that only keeps the cycle going. Instead, just move on to your next meal or snack. Over time, those foods lose their power, and you’ll find balance. Intuitive eating isn’t just about physical health, it’s about mental health and overall quality of life. Food is fuel, yes, but it’s also joy, comfort, culture, and connection. By ditching diet rules and rebuilding trust with your body, you free up energy for the things that truly matter. Your body is smarter than diet culture has led you to believe. If you’re willing to listen, it already knows exactly what you need.

When struggling with OCD or an eating disorder, it’s easy to become trapped in cycles of self-criticism, shame, and guilt. These mental health conditions often come with intrusive thoughts, compulsions, or disordered behaviors that feel deeply distressing—and in response, many people harshly judge themselves. This is where self-compassion becomes a powerful, healing force.   Self-compassion isn’t about ignoring problems or excusing harmful behavior. Instead, it’s about treating yourself with the same kindness, understanding, and patience you’d offer a loved one. Research has shown that cultivating self-compassion can reduce anxiety, support emotional regulation, and improve treatment outcomes for both OCD and eating disorders.   Why Self-Compassion Helps Interrupts the shame spiral: Shame often fuels both OCD and eating disorders. Self-compassion breaks the cycle by replacing harsh judgment with understanding. Reduces avoidance: When we’re kinder to ourselves, we’re more likely to face fears or triggers head-on—essential in exposure-based therapies. Builds resilience: Compassion fosters a sense of worth that isn’t defined by thoughts, symptoms, or appearance.   Tips for Cultivating Self-Compassion Practice mindful awareness: Notice your thoughts without judgment. Label them—“That’s an intrusive thought” or “That’s my inner critic”—and gently redirect your focus. Write a compassionate letter to yourself: Speak to yourself the way you would to a struggling friend. Use supportive statements: “I’m doing the best I can” or “It’s okay to feel this way”   Healing is rarely linear, and it’s never perfect. But when you respond to setbacks with compassion instead of criticism, you create space for growth, understanding, and lasting change.

September is National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to consider the impact that can be made when we normalize saying something is wrong or encouraging someone to seek help. I often recall a comic strip a friend shared with me, where people responded to physical injuries like they would typically respond to mental health struggles. One character in the comic showed his friend his broken limb, and his friend responded with "have you tried not thinking about it?" This comic sparked an important question for me. If we wouldn't hesitate to encourage our friend seek medical help if they were physically ill, why don't we treat mental illness in the same way? I understand that stigma around mental illness is very much present in our culture. Because of this there can be a certain level of "shame" in admitting there is something that hurts or needs attention. But again, would we be ashamed to say my broken foot hurts? Why as a society do we treat this differently? On a more positive note, we have most recently seen a shift in the younger generation taking more of a stand through social media and normalizing seeking help (kudos to our Gen-Z-ers). I really believe this will have a great impact for the future of mental health, because saying “I need help with my mental health” should be as acceptable as saying “I need help with my physical health.” If you are feeling depressed or in distress, please remember you are not alone. It's important to bring awareness to the impact that normalizing this dialogue can make on someone’s life. Suicide awareness and prevention begin with speaking out about and listening to someone’s struggles. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to speak about our vulnerabilities. However, we also know this is the most important factor in building connections and a possible avenue to saving a life. Having lost a dear friend to suicide, this initiative really hits home.   I remember feeling very upset about not having had a clear understanding of the kind of pain they were going through before they passed. Depression, distress, mental illness, should not be so foreign to us. Perhaps it is because it may not make sense to us, that we need to learn more about it. I invite you to take this opportunity this month of September to get more familiar with mental illness, and together we can make a difference in diminishing suicide rates and increasing mental well-being.   To get you started here is a list of common signs of suicide to watch out: Increased substance (alcohol or drug) use Statements about having no reason for living or no sense of purpose in life Experiencing anxiety, agitation, difficulty sleeping or sleeping all the time Stating that they feel trapped or hopeless. Withdrawal from friends, family and society Rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking Drastic mood changes ·       Giving away possessions ·       Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts ·       Saying goodbye to friends and family   Here is a list of wonderful organizations that are active on this initiative:   ·      https://floridasuicideprevention.org/   ·      https://nspw.afsp.org/     ·      https://nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Suicide-Prevention-Awareness-Month-(SPAM)?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-PPslviC-gIVHcLCBB1-lww-EAAYAyAAEgI5e_D_BwE     ·      https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/index.html     Also the number to dial is 988 . This is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline   Lastly, here is the comic I was referring to in case you were curious:   https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/12/mental-illness-advice-physical-illness_n_6144398.html

Licensed Psychologists Lissette Cortes PsyD CEDS, Michael Sheffield PsyD, PsyD, Registered and Licensed Dietitian Katie Jeffrey MS, RDN, CSSD, MB-EAT-QI, LDN. Psychological services, neuropsychological serviced and nutritional services for the treatment of OCD, eating disorders, anxiety and related conditions in Coral Springs, FL. About Us Compassionate Healing Institute (CHI) helps children and adults of all genders find freedom from OCD, eating disorders, and related challenges through evidence-based, compassionate care. Our expert team integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and nutrition therapy to promote lasting healing. At CHI we also pride ourselves in training our clinicians to deliver specialized, high-quality care. Whether you meet with us in our Coral Springs office, through telehealth, or in your community for out-of-office exposures, our mission remains the same: to guide each person toward healing with compassion, expertise, and hope. Our Story It's not every day that like-minded passionate individuals find each other, and in each other they find a common purpose. Compassionate Healing Institute was founded on a common goal of specialized clinical care, based on evidence-based interventions and self-compassion practices in treatment. Our approach to treatment is based on our shared values of authenticity, light hearted practice, learning, growing, connection and compassion. Meet The Team Lissette Cortes Psy.D. CEDS she/her CHI Founder and Director of Clinical Services Licensed Psychologist Certified Eating Disorders Specialist PsyPact® Provider Michael Sheffield Psy.D. he/him CHI Co-Founder and Director of Clinical Programs Licensed Psychologist PsyPact® Provider Isaac Tourgeman Ph.D. he/him Licensed Neuropsychologist Certified Brain Injury Specialist Paije Nobles she/her MS, RDN Licensed and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Licensed in FL Contact Contact us today for a FREE 15 minute phone consultation, or to learn more! (561) 679 - 1139 Click here to schedule a call

Mindfulness Based Therapy cultivates a present-focused non-judgemental awareness of the self and others. It focuses on helping individuals better manage their thoughts and emotions. Mindfulness-Based Therapy Mindfulness involves a state of active attention rooted in the present moment where one observes their thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. The individual is encouraged to maintain an attitude of openness and curiosity to whatever arises in their experience. Popular techniques that emphasize the practice of mindfulness include activities such as breath work, meditation, guided imagery and body scan exercises. While mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist teachings and traditions, it has been integrated within a variety of therapeutic approaches that are widely used, namely Mindfulness-Based Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Research has indicated that mindfulness approaches such as MBT can be effective for helping individuals who have experienced ongoing depression or multiple episodes. It has also been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder. Similarly, DBT treatment and application of mindfulness has been known to be effective in treating individuals with emotional regulation difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-harming behaviors, eating disorders, and depression and anxiety. MBT understands that thoughts and emotions are interconnected and encourages the use of mindfulness to gain awareness of one’s internal narrative and feelings, then using this awareness to challenge your assumptions with more objective alternatives. In treatment, mindfulness is used as a foundation to live a life that is more skillful and intentional rather than one that is driven by impulse or emotion. It emphasizes observing, describing, and participating in the moment in a nonjudgmental way while applying present-focused awareness. Mindfulness is an expansive and useful concept that serves as a foundation for a variety of approaches and techniques. It is important to work with your therapist to gain understandings on which mindfulness-based treatment would be most appropriate for your presenting concerns. Regardless of what you may experiencing, mindfulness is an effective tool and philosophy that can better guide you to living a more fulfilling and peaceful way of being. Contact Contact us today for a FREE 15 minute phone consultation, or to learn more! (561) 679 - 1139 Click here to schedule a call

This online therapy group incorporates mindfulness practice with exposure and response prevention. Participants will learn to co-exist with thoughts without judgement and increase present focused awareness. Mindfulness for OCD Therapy Group This is an online group through secure video conferencing Coming soon! Registration is open to residents of all PSYPACT states! Group Leaders: Katie Jeffrey, MS, RDN, CSSD, MB-EAT-QI, LDN Lissette Cortes, Psy.D. CEDS Michael Sheffield, Psy.D. About our group Our Mindfulness for OCD therapy group will launch this winter. This group is open to adults in all participating PSYPACT states and meets online through secure video conferencing. This group incorporates mindfulness practice with principles of exposure and response prevention. Group participants will: Learn to shift their relationship with your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. Cultivate greater present focused awareness of your experiences. Learn to coexist with your thoughts without judgement. For more information and to sign up: Please contact us at info@compassionateinst.com for more information or to sign up!