About Craving Change™

Clinicians and the media tend to emphasize what, when, and how much to eat.  Wendy and Colleen believe that the more important question to address may be why we eat the way we do. Most of us know that eating an apple is healthier than eating chocolate cake, so why do we often choose the cake?  This question has fascinated both Wendy and Colleen for over a decade. Teaming up to find some answers has led them on a remarkable journey resulting in the development of Craving Change Inc.

It is refreshing for both professionals and clients to explore the various factors that could be triggering food cravings.  Let’s face it, few people simply “eat to live”.  Most of us are eating under the influence of environmental stimuli and learned associations with food. 

If you have limited access to psychosocial resources, the stepped care approach of the Craving Change™ workshop can be invaluable for reaching more clients.  Self-awareness of eating triggers can be achieved in a group setting using Craving Change™ workshop activities. Clients can then be encouraged to try a variety of strategies, based on behaviour modification and cognitive-behavioural theory, to improve their eating behaviours.  Craving Change™ also helps clients learn skills that promote long-term adherence to new behaviours.

Unique Characteristics of Craving Change™

• Employs a practical, evidence-based approach
• Addresses emotional eating
• Focuses on the “why” of eating
• Supports comprehensive lifestyle interventions for weight loss
• Represents a stepped care approach
• Normalizes problematic eating
• Encourages self-efficacy and self-management
• Applies to individual counselling
• Creates a comfortable environment for group interaction
• Considers different learning styles
• Promotes multi-disciplinary facilitation

Key elements of the Craving Change™ Client Workshop include:

Reflecting on the bio-psycho-social factors that influence eating behaviours – physiological, conditioned, and environmental. Increasing awareness of personal eating triggers and patterns. Unlearning behaviours. Applying the cognitive-behavioural approach. Learning about and choosing from The Change Buffet of techniques and skills for changing triggers and the eating response. Sharing and applying the change strategies. Preventing relapse. Setting successful goals. Taking the next step.

These key elements can be addressed during individual counselling sessions with your clients, as well as in a workshop.

Training and Presenting

Colleen and Wendy are passionate about Craving Change™ and welcome the opportunity to train other health professionals to use its innovative approach.  They enjoy speaking to a variety of groups and deliver presentations that are guaranteed to be entertaining, interactive and practical.