Healing Horizons Counseling

11/02/2022

Profile Update! 📝

Alex Gunn, Licensed Professional Counselor, Athens, GA, 30606, (706) 430-3198, Alex works as an individual therapist helping heal girls and women, ages 14+, from their struggles with anxiety and depression. Her lighthearted, warm approach to therapy encourages openness, vulnerability and thus healin...

07/08/2022

A few tips for coping with anxiety on Friday! Happy weekend, everyone ✨🌀

07/01/2022

MEET ANXIETY! Throughout the month of July I’m going to highlight Anxiety Disorders…. How they affect those who struggle, ways to cope and how you might be able to support someone in your life with anxiety 💕

05/12/2022

I used to be embarrassed about my “thick legs.”

I would refuse to wear outfits I loved on other people because I thought that they would make my legs look even bigger. I would try to hide my legs in pictures. I would make jokes about them. I would refer to them as the family “curse.”

As the years have gone by, I’ve started to realize how blessed I am to have these legs that have gotten me through such tough times, times that I thought for sure that they would buckle.

These “thick legs” of mine support me in workouts to keep my body healthy. With these legs, I was able to walk down the aisle to marry my best friend. They walked me into the hospital rooms where I met my niece & nephew for the very first time. They hold me up as I hug my loved ones in some of life’s hardest & best moments. In the moments of shame, I was letting what others may think get into my own head too much to realize how grateful I actually am for my “thick legs.” So, cheesy, but oh, so true.

Almost all of us have parts of our bodies that we would like to change, sometimes because of the negative thoughts inside of our own heads & other times because of what we think society may say.

But what “looks good” in the eyes of society is always, always, always changing. Imagine if we all looked exactly the same, had the same qualities and interests, and strengths and weaknesses. Life would probably be pretty boring, don’t you think?

Bottom line: Take the pictures. Wear the outfits. Embrace your body. Be thankful for it. Take care of it. Love it. You only get one & each moment we spend hating our bodies, is one less moment we get of loving ourselves just the way that we are, fearfully & wonderfully made.

See the full blog here: www.lifeinthefastlane.net
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04/26/2022

tuesday

• say no to restricting ANY and all foods! say goodbye to the idea of labeling foods as “good” or “bad”

• listen to what your body is telling you! you were given hunger cues at birth — your body knows innately how to tell you when you are hungry and when you are full… LISTEN

• losing weight will not fix an issue with negative body image… your worth is not defined by your weight or what your body looks like

04/16/2022

This one’s for the moms👩‍👧‍👦👩🏻‍🍼✨
While I might not be a mom yet, I have the privilege of spending lots of time with incredible women and moms every day- whether it be my clients, my friends, or my family members ( I just became an Aunt in December 🥰).

I see women who in my eyes are some of the most incredible, badass, hardworking, caring people in the world, but who also feel and talk negatively about themselves and their bodies. I see women who have gone through massive changes to their bodies and their lives to bring a new human being in the world, but who also  worry about “bouncing back" or losing the “baby weight". I see women who have managed to raise children while juggling a 1,000 plates at once, but who still feel like their bodies aren’t theirs, years after childbirth.

So… I called on some friends who happen to not only be experts in their fields, but are also INCREDIBLE mothers themselves. Women who have lived experience, to come together and hold space for moms of any and all ages to talk about the struggles of motherhood and how giving birth can effect your relationship with your body.
If you’re a mom, join us May 8th at the studio for our next wellness event! Link in bio to register for FREE.
Xoxo, Ali

04/13/2022

I may have missed eating disorder awareness week this year on Instagram, but it doesn’t really matter. Every week is eating disorder awareness week for me. I truly appreciate that it’s nationally recognized for one week out of the year, but when eating disorders are interwoven into your life and your career that one week passes quickly.

Did you know that eating disorders affect at least 10% of people worldwide? I would imagine that this number could be much higher, considering so many individuals live a lifetime with an undiagnosed eating disorder. Eating disorders are one of the deadliest mental illnesses, second to opioid overdose. Over 10,000 deaths every year are the result of an eating disorder — according to ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) that’s one death every 52 minutes.

So, although I appreciate and stand behind dedicating one week out of every year to eating disorder awareness I want to push the agenda. I think the only way we can spread awareness is to TALK about this issue way more.

So… what is an eating disorder??
An eating disorder is an illness, where individuals experience severe disturbances in eating behaviors and their thoughts and emotions related to food, weight, and body image. Eating disorders come in varying types. The most commonly diagnosed and commonly known are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-Eating Disorder.

However, I feel like it’s important to say that not all eating disorders fit into a “neat” category. I don’t believe you can put all eating disorders into a box that way. Some eating disorders even have a sneaky way of hiding… you may not even realize there is a problem until you are in very deep.

So, ask yourself… “what percentage of the day do I think about food, weight and my body?” If it’s enough time to interfere with your day-to-day life, it’s time to start talking.

More information can be found at nationaleatingdisorders.org and the helpline can be contacted at (800) 931-2237. They offer both phone and text services so don’t hesitate to reach out.

04/05/2022

One of the books I suggest for clients struggling with body image is More Than a Body by Lexie & Lindsay Kite, PhDs. This book was recommended to me by a colleague a few years back and I have been using it in my work ever since.
Lexie & Lindsay also have an awesome Instagram account to follow ✨

03/30/2022

A little for your Wednesday… 😅🌀
I went out to dinner for pizza with a friend last night and couldn’t forget my side of ranch!