Eating Disorders
Food and Body Image Control Your Life
FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!
Every day, all day, food dominates your thoughts.
“Can I eat this? Should I eat that? Do I have to eat at all?” Those thoughts are your constant companions, taunting you.
Maybe you feel like you have no control over your eating and binge frequently because thoughts of food will not go away.
Perhaps you are overly strict about eating for fear of losing control and accidentally overeating.
These are not body image thoughts, but body image paranoia.
Right behind, or maybe in front of, thoughts of food are thoughts of body image.
There is terror at the thought of gaining weight, or guilt and grief about the weight you cannot seem to get off.
What do people think of you when they look at you? What will they think if you gain or lose weight?
People tell you that you look great, which makes you want to lose more weight.
Maybe they say they are worried about you because they see how much weight you have gained.
Somehow, your body image defines who you are.
Food is your best friend and worst enemy.
You know you should work on your eating and body image issues, but that seems terrifying and completely unattainable.
These thoughts have been with you and somehow help when other things are not going well. If you give them up, what will happen?
What if you get better, but you gain weight? That thought terrifies you and makes you not want to get better.
You have pushed others away because you do not want to be confronted about the eating issues you live with every day.
I understand all of that.
In therapy, I will be your ally, not the enemy who pushes too hard or not hard enough. I understand that eating issues are much more than just nourishing your body!
Food and body image are everything, but they don’t have to be.
Even though you may not believe it, life can be fun again. Food thoughts can be quieted.
You can learn to love yourself, regardless of your size, and others will love and accept you, too.
Step out of your head and into your best life.
All people are different, and all eating disorders are different, so I am not going to fit you into someone else’s idea of treatment.
Some people restrict their food, some vacillate between restricting and binging, some graze all day but seem always to be reaching for something to eat, some people binge occasionally, and other people binge frequently.
It doesn’t matter what eating issues you are dealing with; they can be managed and do not have to dominate your life any longer.
Are you ready for a change?
Therapy does not have to be scary.
At the beginning of our work together, we will identify your current eating disorder. Then, I will work to learn more about your best food friend and what will be challenging to give up.
There is a reason you developed this eating challenge, so we will have to go back and figure out when and why it started, how it evolved, and most importantly, what your triggers are.
Once that phase of therapy is done, we will use various approaches to help you quiet your particular thoughts about food and body image.
With over 20+ years of training and experience helping people with eating issues, I have many tools in my toolbox.
We’ll find the best coping skill for your issues.
We may do some EMDR or bilateral stimulation if there is any trauma or if you are terrified to give up what you are currently doing. Once we determine your triggers, we will pair them with coping skills and help you anticipate difficult times so you are not blindsided.
Mindfulness techniques can be beneficial for staying present in the here and now instead of going back inside your head and down the food rabbit holes.
Your negative thoughts about yourself, your body, and food will be uncovered so we can deconstruct them, challenge them, and replace them with healthy thoughts.
Feeling better is possible.
As a result of our work, you can expect to feel more present in your life.
Loved ones will notice that you don’t seem as preoccupied and will enjoy spending time with you.
It will be easier to focus and feel productive.
You will be able to manage your moods and emotions more easily.
You will find it easy to push aside negative thoughts, and as a result, you will feel confident and comfortable with yourself.
Are you ready for the best YOU?
I look forward to helping you reach your goals and watching you develop into the person you have always wanted to be.
Contact me for a free consultation, and we can get you on the path to feeling better.
Disclaimer: I do not work with people at medical risk.