I can help with food and eating related difficulties such as preoccupation with weight, comfort eating, negative body image and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, avoidant restrictive food intake and binge eating.

Eating disorders are characterised by disturbances to thoughts, behaviours and attitudes to food and eating. For many, this extends to excessive concerns about weight, body shape and appearance.  

 

Eating disorders are not only about food and weight, but also about coping with difficult situations and feelings or emotional pain. A focus on controlling food and weight gives the person a goal that takes them away from problems in life or within themselves, and being able to control food and weight provides them with a sense of control that serves as a coping mechanism for feeling overwhelmed and scared .

Since each individual experiences an eating disorder differently, symptoms vary from person to person. Symptoms also vary depending on the type of eating disorder, but some common symptoms include:

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• limiting the amount of food eaten

• eating very large quantities of food at once and feeling out of control when eating

• constantly thinking about food and eating

• feeling stressed, anxious or panicky

• eating alone or in secret

• restricting the kinds of food eaten

• feeling guilty or ashamed

• countering food eaten through purging, fasting and/or excessive exercise

• making list of 'good' and 'bad' foods

• feeling sad, depressed, lonely or isolated

• checking, testing and weighing body frequently
   

An eating disorder can change over time. It can begin with restriction and evolve into binge eating. Some people have features of all the eating disorders from one moment to the next.

 

Therapy for Eating Disorders

 

There are many different ways to treat eating disorders. The right one for you will depend on your type of eating disorder, level of psychological and physical risk, your circumstances and any preferences you may have. All treatment is tailored according to your unique presentation and requirements in order to produce sustainable, positive outcomes.

I will help you to understand the underlying causes of your eating disorder and the factors that are contributing to it, teach you techniques and skills to deal with your negative thoughts and body image, develop your emotional resilience, and help you to tackle your eating condition and challenges, regain control over your eating habits, and achieve a healthy relationship with food and yourself.