Eating Disorder Therapy
Are You Trapped In A Cycle Of Disordered Eating And Exercise Habits?
Have thoughts about food and exercise been consuming you?
Do you label certain foods as “good,” “bad,” or like something you have to earn?
Are you often comparing yourself to how others look and what you see on social media?
And are you tired of restricting, yo-yo dieting, or engaging in behaviors that are ultimately harming you?
In our culture, there is so much pressure to look a certain way, especially among women. From a young age, many of us battle body image issues and a negative inner critic that ends up complicating our relationship with food and exercise. It can be difficult to escape a cycle of dieting, bingeing, restricting, and/or purging, and it can be nearly impossible to take a balanced, self-compassionate view of any kind of changes that happen in the body.
As a therapist with advanced training and experience treating eating disorders and other body image issues, I understand that you’re ready to get off of the rollercoaster. You’re tired of feeling like your self-worth is dictated by the number that appears on the scale—and like “health” means restricting what you want to eat or working out even when you don’t have the energy.
I want to work with you in therapy to challenge some of the messages you’ve received about your body and your self-worth so that you can overcome eating disorder-related behaviors.
Diet Culture Perpetuates Body Shaming And Fat-Phobia
If you feel totally consumed by thoughts about food and exercise, remember that it’s not you—it’s the culture. Our society worships the thin ideal, even going so far as to equate being thin with being good or morally superior. As a result, those who don’t fit the ideal body type are often looked at as “lacking discipline” or “being lazy.”
In reality, the diet and beauty industries spend billions of dollars annually to feed off our insecurities. It seems like everywhere we look, there are advertisements for weight loss programs or reminders of the “perfect” (usually AI-generated) body.
This culture is designed to make women in particular feel small, submissive, and like the size of our bodies is the most consequential thing about us. Not to mention, diets are set up for most people to fail—but instead of seeing it that way, we are trained to believe that we are the problem, or that we aren’t doing things the right way.
Therapy gives you an opportunity to rethink what health means for you. It’s so much more than just what you eat and how often you exercise; it encompasses genetics and other factors that may be out of your control. Let’s work together in the counseling process to determine what your eating/exercise behaviors are, if they meet the criteria for an eating disorder, and what you need to feel at peace with your body.
Resilient Counseling Specializes In Trauma-Informed Therapy For Eating Disorders And Body Image Issues
As a therapist specializing in trauma-informed treatment for a range of issues frequently experienced by women, I have a lot of experience working with eating disorders and disordered eating patterns. My counseling services are available to any adult client who may be struggling to find peace with their bodies, whether diet and exercise are becoming overly consuming or an official eating disorder diagnosis is present.
Nourishment for the mind and body is important. And therapy is designed to help you become fully embodied and reconnected to your authentic self.
Resilient Counseling Specializes In Trauma-Informed Therapy For Eating Disorders And Body Image Issues
My Approach
Although counseling is tailored to each client’s individual needs and goals, mindfulness and evidence-based approaches—including behavioral therapies and EMDR—are likely to be incorporated. Alongside transforming your inner voice to operate from a place of empowerment and self-compassion rather than shame, these approaches can help you target and reprocess core memories that may be related to how you think about food and your body.
A big part of our work together will be exploring when and how you learned to start distrusting and disliking your body and food. My guess is that the way you think about diet and exercise mirrors how you think about other aspects of your life. So, as we go deeper into some of the messages you’ve received, we can begin the process of challenging some of your internalized fat-phobia and creating a more compassionate, holistic view of what a healthy body—and life—looks like.
I know it’s hard to go against the grain of a world that perpetuates a toxic diet culture, but freedom is possible. Treatment for body image issues and eating disorders can help you find peace with what you eat, how you look, and how you feel.
Common Concerns About Therapy…
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No matter the circumstances, therapy is never a “quick fix.” But if you’ve been struggling with body image issues that have plagued you for years, I can understand how you might be skeptical about counseling.
It may help to remind yourself that your body contains a lot of wisdom already; we are all born intuitive eaters, and it is possible to return to that state. Your symptoms didn’t develop overnight, and they won’t disappear overnight either. But by pursuing therapy, you are showing yourself that part of you really is done with the cycle—and that you’re ready to move forward.
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While I’ve worked with a range of clients from all backgrounds and experiences in therapy, eating disorders and related behaviors have been a consistent thread throughout my career. My approach is gentle, trauma-informed, and client-focused in a way that moves at your pace. And I’ve witnessed a lot of clients work through these issues in a lasting way and finally find freedom.
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It’s not uncommon for clients to come to therapy with stories about other clinicians—including therapists and doctors—mistreating or misunderstanding their concerns around eating disorders and related behaviors. I’m so sorry this happened to you, and I want to assure you that my job is to support you, not judge you.
While I am a flawed human myself and may make mistakes in this process, I want to create an honest therapeutic atmosphere where you feel safe to express your needs. Please know that I am open to your feedback and will do whatever I can to aid in your healing.
Let Go Of Unrealistic Ideals And Find Freedom
If you’re caught up in a cycle of restricting, yo-yo dieting, over-exercising, or an eating disorder, Resilient Counseling offers gentle, trauma-informed therapy that can help you feel more at peace in your body. Schedule a session with me to get started or contact me for more information.
