Please let me know if you would be interested in having me speak at your school, college or organization.
Dr. MK Aisenberg, PsyD, Ph.D
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Harvard Square Therapy
617-492-4662info@harvardsquaretherapy.com
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Recent Presentations:
It's Not About The Food: The Anorexic's Cookbook
In my lifetime, eating disorders have exploded. They are epidemic
despite the current knowledge about treatment and communication to
parents and health-care professionals. Because I work daily with
adolescent girls, I'm in the fortunate position of hearing what they
feel has moved them from dieting to dying and back again.
Recently in my career, I've become interested in writing about the current myths about eating disorders we hold. I'm in the process of researching the prevention of anorexia and bulimia through educating parents and teachers about these diseases and the factors we can use to build resiliency in our young women. As girls enter our exciting but confusing culture their choices are baffling and may paralyze them. Schools and families harbor girls at a pivotal time in their development. I believe we have a responsibility to actively prepare them to cope with the dominant culture. (photo credit: wendy copley, Creative Commons).
Injured Warriors: The Psychological Impact of Sports Injuries on Adolescent Girls
Recent studies suggest that female athletes are more likely to injure their knees than boys and to ignore the doctor's and coach's instructions to rest. Anxious to please teammates, the affilliative nature of girls means they run a high risk for re-injuring themselves. Rather than being worried, we exult in their strength.
When girls are injured, sometimes their athleticism screeches to a halt and causes mental anguish. Girls may gain weight without exercise, grow depressed and blame themselves. Girls do not always have other outlets for the feelings they are used to releasing through the daily grind of training. A sense of worthlessness sets in.
Injuries in girls and women athletes are often the start of depression and an accompanying distortion of body image.
We have got to prepare girls, as we would boys, to succeed in sports, but also prepare them injuries they may sustain. Sports injuries often have different meanings for girls—and different complications.
Perfectionism Unplugged
