THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 9, 1996 TAG: 9602080134
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Patricia Belford-Cohen and Pamela Dettloff are convinced that it was fate, something greater than themselves, that brought them together.
It all started when Dettloff overheard Belford-Cohen discussing her future plans when her job at an area psychiatric facility was being eliminated in a sweeping reorganization.
What Dettloff heard Belford-Cohen describe sounded so much like a dream she herself had been harboring that she sought out her co-worker, whom she'd never met, so they could compare notes on their mutual professional interests.
Out of that chance encounter, the two women have gone on to recently found the Institute for Personal Change in Virginia Beach, dedicated to a total health concept involving body, mind and spirit.
``The mindset is important,'' says Dettloff. ``Diet and fitness have to come from inside the mind first. It's always a process: people striving to become the best that they can be.''
Belford-Cohen and Dettloff will be bringing their approach to the 1996 Hampton Roads Woman's Show in a workshop titled ``Managing Your Weight by Recognizing Your Personal Eating ID'' today at 11:30 a.m.
The workshop is intended for anyone struggling with eating behavior, whether the issue is eating disorders or weight management.
It will take a comprehensive approach, exploring biological, nutritional, psychological and behavioral factors that work together to determine one's food choices.
``It's for those who know that diets don't work,'' says Dettloff. ``We'll take a two-fold look at the whole picture - heredity, genetics, environment, background and family - to realistically look at what they can accomplish.
``It's not a fad. We focus on making real changes, small changes that make a profound change in your life.''
``It's a two-year process,'' added Belford-Cohen. ``It's not a fitness program.''
Belford-Cohen, a board-certified licensed clinical social worker, has an extensive professional background specializing in eating disorders, chemical dependency, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, depression, co-dependency and other addictive behaviors. She has treated individuals, families, couples and groups in inpatient and outpatient settings and has 13 years experience with 12-step recovery programs. She holds bachelor and master of social work degrees.
Dettloff, who is also has an master of social work degree, has an undergraduate degree in nutrition. Her background includes experience working with eating disorders, addictions, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, depression, anxiety and co-dependency. She has practiced in both inpatient and outpatient settings at two local psychiatric facilities. In addition, as a nutritionist, she has counseled clients on weight management and eating behaviors and facilitated two weight-management programs over the past 10 years.
Both stress the totality of their approach as the factor that makes it different from other programs and, they say, enhances its chances for success.
``We're going to hand-walk these people through a very all-inclusive program,'' says Dettloff. ``It's a package deal here, with wonderful support systems for teams, partners, individuals, families. It's a climate where everyone will be working the same issues.''
``The priority is not focusing on weight loss,'' said Belford-Cohen. ``The priority is feeling better about themselves. When they feel better about themselves, the weight loss just naturally follows.'' by CNB