Colleen McCarron, LPC

09/13/2024

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-09-13/social-media-linked-to-eating-disorders-in-kids-and-young-teens

US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

09/13/2023

Validation from parents has one of the biggest impacts on self-esteem.

Validating your adult child promotes their self-worth.

09/06/2023

Primary and secondary emotions - what’s the difference? A pretty important one! New blog posted on the discernment between our core feelings and how we respond to them. Link in bio ^

08/30/2023

Did you know that up to 20% of college students report eating disorder behaviors at some point while attending school? Group therapy can be an amazing source of support to increase your motivation, hear from others struggling with similar issues, and reduce loneliness inherent in eating disorder treatment. ⁣
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This process group is for anyone aged 18-23 - enrolled in college or not - struggling with an eating disorder and seeking additional help. Group will be conducted via Zoom, allowing members to join from any school located in Virginia, DC, and Maryland. Members must be engaged in individual therapy while involved in the group. ⁣
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Group sessions start Tuesday, September 12 at 5:30pm, and will run throughout the fall semester. Please contact colleen@colleenmccarronlpcc.com or visit my website (link in bio 👆) for more information or to set up an assessment.

Psychotherapist in Northern Virginia specializing in eating disorder treatment.

08/21/2023

What are the purpose of emotions? Check out my most recent blog post “Emotions 101” to learn all about the evolutionary purpose behind our feelings.

Understand the function of emotions.

08/10/2023

I received a news alert on my phone on Tuesday with a headline about a popular new weight loss drug touting the claim that it “slashes risk of serious heart problems by 20%”. Impressive, right? When I read the article there was major information missing - all of the data from the unpublished article! We have no information about the size of the study, time period, what heart problems… the list goes on. ⁣
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Headlines about research are attention-grabbing, and often misleading. Anyone who has taken a statistics or research course has been taught: “correlation does not equal causation”. It’s important to ask yourself some questions when you see study claims such as this one, to determine the legitimacy of the research claim, and make an informed decision for yourself. A few to consider:⁣
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• Who conducted the study? Is there any reason to believe the company funding the study could have financial benefits from the outcomes?⁣
• How many people were included in the study? ⁣
• What are the participants’ demographics and backgrounds? ⁣
• Were any other variables altered while taking the medication (food choices, movement, other medications, etc.?)? ⁣
• Are there other notable negative effects of the drug? ⁣
• Are there other factors that could contribute to the results? ⁣
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A magic pill (or injection) is always attractive. Please consider the amount and types of studies, particularly about long-term effects, conducted about these medicines before trying them. ⁣
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07/14/2023

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Unsure if your relationship with exercise is healthy? Ask yourself: If my exercise routine did not have an impact on my weight or appearance, would I still do it? Exercise may have an impact on these factors, but if they are the primary reasons you engage in physical activity, you may want to consider challenging your mindset about physical activity. ⁣
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There are many benefits of exercise that are not related to appearance. Other reasons to engage in exercise include:⁣
• Improved mood⁣
• Increased energy⁣
• Gain strength ⁣
• Better sleep⁣
• Build bone density⁣
• Reduce risk of chronic diseases⁣
• Live longer⁣
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What are some other motivators for activity? ⁣
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06/19/2023

Finally the American Medical Association can acknowledge that the BMI was not intended for medical evaluation. It was also based on white men, which many of us are not. Stop using the Bullsh*t Measuring Index 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Body mass index has long been a standard, but controversial, measurement of weight and health.

06/05/2023

An awesome acronym for dealing with difficult emotions mindfully and with compassion. For more information, check out ‘s page on RAIN, or my most recent blog post https://www.colleenmccarronlpc.com/blog/let-it-rain

05/23/2023

A day late because… I was resting 🤷🏼‍♀️

This post is coming a day later than I intended. After an exhausting weekend with my toddler, and taking care of things around the house, I was tired. I stressed about what I needed to get done yesterday (this post included), but ultimately, I allowed myself to do something that has historically bee

05/15/2023

Do you suffer from Human Giver Syndrome? Read about it and the three elements of burnout on my blog (link in bio!).

05/15/2023

Do you suffer from Human Giver Syndrome? 😰

Feeling beyond exhausted? Unmotivated? Irritated by anyone and everyone around you? You might be suffering from burnout. The idea of burnout became quite popularized by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s been gaining momentum for some time. Before we go any further, let me share the original definiti...