Jean Fain, L.I.C.S.W., M.S.W.

It ain't necessarily so what so many dieters say -- that when they lose weight, they'll gain body confidence. So concludes a new study about the lingering stigma of obesity in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior. While overweight black girls did feel better about themselves when...

Every now and then, you meet someone who changes your world. For me, that most recent someone is a remarkably wise and compassionate colleague, Christopher Germer. Germer is a Harvard Medical School Clinical Instructor in Psychology and a founding member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, a...

When I read who was coming to Harvard's public forum, "Health Is Beauty: Defining Ourselves," I knew I was going. The Harris Center's 15th annual forum offered a rare insider's view of an issue near and dear my professional heart -- body image and the media.

Just...

I generally like French food more than gluten-free, but that's not saying much. I rarely crave traditional French fare, but when I do, it's usually a cheese-encrusted bowl of French onion soup. As for gluten-free recipes, I've never been tempted to try the ones my Facebook friends post. Probably because...

Lady Gaga's recent admission -- that ending her high-school battle with bulimia didn't stop her struggle with weight and body image -- was meant as a wake-up call to American dieters. "The dieting has got to stop," she told Brentwood School students at the It's Our...

As actress Katharine McPhee starts the next chapter of her performance career in NBC's new musical drama Smash, all eyes will be on her as her character vies for the role of Marilyn Monroe. If McPhee looks familiar, that's because six years ago the brunette beauty...

If you heard a collective gasp New Year's Day, that was the sound of New York Times readers, newly resolute about losing weight, reading Tara Parker-Pope's sobering article about the near impossibility of achieving that goal. Once we become fat, most of us, despite our best efforts, will...

Before you make yet another New Year's resolution to lose weight for good, now might be a good time to ask yourself Dr. Phil's quintessential question: "How's that working for you?" Better yet, honestly ask yourself: "Why do you keep resolving the same thing year after year after...

"I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go."
-- Rachel Joy Scott, August 5, 1981-April 20,...

The holidays are supposed to be all about comfort and joy, but they're more often about discomfort and self-disgust, at least for women. Not only 'tis the season to shop 'til you drop, 'tis also the season to overindulge, then beat yourself up for overindulging. Joy to the world: There's...

If your Thanksgiving Day feast has already become last weekend's regrettable splurge, you're probably feeling lousy about yourself right about now. What's more, you're probably thinking that getting down on yourself for overindulging is part of the cure.

It seems to be deep in our culture to think that feeding...

Unless you're on a media-free diet, you've probably heard the news about the 15 pounds college students supposedly pack on freshman year. Just in case you missed it, the "Freshman 15" has been deemed nothing but a media myth in a hot-off-the press study.

The average college student,...

Breast cancer awareness month may have come and almost gone, but there's good reason every season to stay aware and take good care, especially 'round meal-time, says Chef Chuck White, Sheryl Crow's private chef and co-author of the New York Times bestselling cookbook, "If...

The war on childhood obesity has been waging for some time now, but the battle over the best plan of attack is coming to a head this week. Why now? Because the opposing forces have been mobilized by the war cries of two unlikely generals -- a filmmaker and a...

I have great respect for life coach Martha Beck, though I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm loyal fan. I'm talking about the O, The Oprah Magazine advice columnist and New York Time's best-selling author of "Expecting Adam" and

With Ellen DeGeneres' recent spate of good news -- celebrating her third anniversary with wife Portia de Rossi, taking over Oprah's time slot in more than 25 markets, collaborating on a new comedy series with de Rossi -- I couldn't help but wonder how DeGeneres is...

With last month's paperback release of "Unbearable Lightness," Portia de Rossi's brutally honest memoir about her eating disorder, I couldn't help but wonder: How goes de Rossi's recovery? Judging from public appearances, the Australian actress currently known as Portia Lee James DeGeneres appears to be as...

If you're a fan of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," you know Ashley Johnston lost more weight than any female contestant in the history of the reality weight-loss show. Even if you're no fan of reality TV, you have to admit that losing 183 pounds as Johnston...

Can a diet researcher and a mindful-eating expert see eye to eye on antidotes to the obesity epidemic?

That is the question that inspires Susan Roberts, a Tufts University nutrition professor, to recently invite me, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist, to break bread. The overweight majority may...

If you don't know of Kristin Neff, you should. And if you do, you'll no doubt want to know more. Why? Because Neff, the world's leading self-compassion researcher, has developed a mind-altering prescription that just might change your life.

Neff, who conducts her compassion research at the...