With a New Year Comes a New Diet and Mindset!

on January 7, 2022 at 9:00 AM /

Today’s story is personal since it’s mine. Please consider it as it relates to this week’s topic. I’ve struggled with my weight since high school and have gone up, down, and practically sideways on the scale over the years. Breaking my leg in 2005 was a huge setback, and the effects of the weight gained that year have lingered. I’ve heard many people with poor diets and lack of exercise complain of feeling sluggish, both mentally and physically. Like many, there have been days when I’ve had particular trouble focusing and lacked the motivation to get off the couch. After speaking with...

A Summer in Review: Catching Up with Rice Psychology Group

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 20, 2021 at 3:32 PM /

Summer break is over, and we at Rice Psychology Group hope you and your loved ones had a fantastic couple of months. We know for many, summertime consists of family trips, fun in the sun, and late nights in the backyard or the beach. But, while summer fun is exciting, it can also pull you away from your daily routine and cause you to miss out on some things you may regularly keep up with – like our newsletter and super helpful blogs! If that’s the case, don’t worry! We’ve put together a summertime review of our most essential blogs and...

How Depression, Anxiety, and Even ADHD Can Lead to Unhealthy Coping Habits

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 9, 2020 at 3:00 PM /

This week, I’m sharing my own true story. Here’s part one. When the pandemic hit and people started shopping because they thought it was the end of the world, I was a bit late to the party. I missed the memo about buying toilet paper and ended up ordering mine from Wish.com but found tons of delicious treats in all of the other middle aisles in the supermarket. Suddenly, I was back to my childhood eating habits and had my kitchen stocked with Oreos of all varieties, sugary cereals, cookie dough, cake and brownie mixes, pasta, the list goes on. And...

When Should You Take Action Against a Possible Eating Disorder? – Part 2

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 17, 2015 at 10:56 AM /

In part 1 of our eating disorder series, Rice Psychology Group offered important statistics about eating disorders in children and teenagers. We additionally helped you identify some eating disorder signs that parents around the nation should be familiar with. Now, our team is ready to present more valuable information that can make the difference when spotting a possible issue. Vomiting and fasting can be huge red flags. Don’t let a possible eating disorder spiral out of control. Signs You Should Know According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), 42% of girls in first, second and third grade want to be thinner while...

When Should You Take Action Against a Possible Eating Disorder? – Part 1

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 10, 2015 at 9:03 AM /

According to a survey published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, a staggering 525,000 teenagers in our nation are dealing with an eating disorder. About 300,000 of these are struggling with a binge eating disorder, while 55,000 and 170,000 struggle with anorexia and bulimia, respectively. There’s no doubt these numbers show an alarming link between teenagers and eating disorders. It is often problematic for a parent to recognize the signs. Rice Psychology Group knows that your children mean the world to you, so we want to help you identify the hidden signs of a teenage eating disorder. An eating disorder can often...

How to Really Treat an Eating Disorder- It’s Not Just About the Food

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 13, 2014 at 12:00 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Why won’t you just start eating more?! Just eat more dessert- that will fix this eating problem! What do you mean you force yourself to throw up after you eat??? Stop doing that!!! The frustration expressed by parents of teenage girls struggling with an eating disorder generally centers around the counterintuitive and largely irrational nature of this disease. Parents see the overt and physical ramifications of problem; their child is losing an unhealthy amount of weight, is engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors, and is starting to think and act in very different and often distressing ways. As a...

The Skinny on BMI Report Cards

By Rice Psychology Group

on January 21, 2014 at 9:52 PM /

Submitted by Dr. Steffanie Sperry Sally’s mother comes home from work and finds 9 –year-old Sally withdrawn and visibly upset. Upon questioning her daughter, she discovers that Sally had been given a BMI report card at school earlier that day. Sally tells her mother that she does not want to be ”fat”, and she wants to know what is wrong with her. She just wants to be like the other girls in her class that are in the “normal” range. Sally’s mother is taken aback and does not know what to say or how to respond to her daughter. There has been...

Using Group Therapy to Support High School Girls

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 30, 2013 at 7:58 PM /

For teenage girls, the high school years are incredibly complicated and often filled with turmoil. They are busy trying to position themselves in the social network of their school, solidify their identity, and gain independence from their families. The importance of normalizing their daily experiences cannot be underestimated. This is especially true for teens who have pre existing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, deficits in social skills, learning disabilities, or any other struggle that makes high school more formidable. How can we best support these emerging young women to not just survive, but flourish, during these very...