Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are characterized by persistent food-related or eating behaviors that harm your health, emotions, or ability to function. They often involve an individual focusing too much on weight, body shape, and food. Most commonly, these take the form of anorexia, bulimia, or binge-eating. Anorexia involves excessively limiting calories and/or using other methods to lose weight (e.g. exercise, laxatives). People with anorexia often have an extreme fear of gaining weight and have an abnormally low body weight, along with a distorted perception of their weight or body shape. Bulimia involves periods of eating a large amount of food in a short time (bingeing), followed by attempting to rid oneself of the extra calories in an unhealthy way (such as forced vomiting). These behaviors are often accompanied by a sense of a total lack of control. Binge-eating disorder involves eating too much food, past the point of being full, at least once a week, and feeling a lack of control over this behavior. If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, a qualified professional therapist can help. Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s eating disorder experts for help today.

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Meet the specialists

 

I have a history of working with clients with eating disorders, and find that body positivity is an integral part of any body belief.

— Meghan FitzPatrick, Psychologist in New York, NY

At The Couch Therapy, we are a therapy practice that offers health at every size (HAES) therapy for eating disorders or disordered eating. We believe in a gentle approach to helping those struggling with disordered eating. When working with a HAES aligned therapist, you can expect to sit in a safe space to process the timeline of your relationship with food, process significant moments in life that influenced your beliefs, and remind you to release the petri dish of shame you’ve been holding.

— The Couch Therapy, Psychotherapist in Colleyville, TX
 

For the past seven years, I have worked with clients struggling with eating disorders at the partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient level. After working as a milieu therapist, primary therapist, and group therapy facilitator at an eating disorder treatment center, I began working as an outpatient therapist in private practice specifically focusing on members of the LGBTQ+ community who struggle with body image and eating

— Zach Verwey, Licensed Professional Counselor in Denver, CO

We treat issues relating to ARFID, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and night eating syndrome. Dr. Sala is trained in Family Based Treatment for children/adolescents with eating disorders. We also treat eating disorders using Dr. Fairburn's Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Treatment.

— Sala Psychology, Clinical Psychologist in Greenwich, CT
 

I am a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) through iaedp (International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals) and have been working specifically in the eating disorder field since 2017, but have experience beyond that. I have over a year and half experience in eating disorder treatment at the partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient levels of care and then joined a primarily eating disorder focused private practice.

— Elizabeth Bolton, Licensed Professional Counselor in Cypress, TX

A vast majority of my training, clinical experience and supervising roles have been in ED at all levels of care which has prepared me for understanding the complexities of ED and how to help others struggling with them.

— Alison Shlomi, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Los Angeles, CA
 

Recovering from eating disorders and/or changing disordered eating habits through anti-diet lens; Health at Every Size; restriction; fat stigma; body image; social justice framework

— Katy Perkins Coveney, Clinical Social Worker in Fayetteville, NC

I come from a Healthy at Every Size approach and encourage balanced eating vs any type of dieting or food restriction. I work with individuals to understand the role of the eating disorder in their life and help them work towards more sustainable coping methods.

— Rachael Lastoff, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Newport, KY
 

Societal pressures oftentimes reinforce the beliefs that for an individual to struggle with an eating disorder it must be physically apparent and symptoms must be "extreme." All-or-nothing thinking fuels engagement in eating disorder behaviors. Whether it is restriction, bingeing, bingeing & purging, and/or focus on eating "healthy" foods, I believe that each person's recovery will be unique. My philosophy is that all foods fit. Orthorexia

— Leslie Aguilar, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Studio City, CA

I specialize in the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder and other forms of disordered eating. You may identify with emotional eating, compulsive overeating, food addiction, stress eating, restriction/binge cycle, and yo-yo dieting. I can help you to trust yourself with food, reconnect to your body, successfully navigate urges, and build a toolbox of skills. I utilize Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy interventions.

— Bianca VonBank, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in New York, NY
 

By addressing the underlying emotional, psychological, and behavioral factors contributing to disordered eating, I guide clients toward developing healthier relationships with food, body image, and self-esteem. My goal is to empower individuals to break free from the destructive cycle of disordered eating, fostering lasting change and promoting overall well-being.

— Lauren Garza, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist in , PA

Eating disorders can feel hopeless, but they aren’t. Whether this is your first time seeking help, or your umpteenth time, I believe everyone can recover. There are many reasons eating disorders are invited into your life. Whether it’s perfectionism, judgment, loneliness, self-improvement, health, family issues…Just as there are many reasons why a person develops an eating disorder, the way you recover will be just as unique.

— Tessa Gordon, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in San Francisco, CA
 

I specialize in the treatment of disordered eating, chronic dieting, and poor body image for those in marginalized bodies. I work from a Health at Every Size©, weight-inclusive paradigm and am training to become Body Trust® certified, a liberatory healing modality based on feminist and social justice principles.

— Victoria Fisher, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in , MI

I use a blend of evidence-based approaches to help people break free from Binge Eating Disorder, disordered eating, and body image issues such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. As a HAES-aligned therapist, I support body diversity and utilize weight-neutral, evidence-based approaches including Intuitive Eating, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

— Regina Lazarovich, Clinical Psychologist in Scotts Valley, CA
 

I use a blend of approaches to help people break free from eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and negative body image. As a Health at Every Size-aligned therapist, I support body diversity and acknowledge the structural forces that impinge on wellbeing. I utilize weight-neutral, evidence-based approached such as Intuitive Eating, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindful Self-Compassion, & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

— Regina Lazarovich, Clinical Psychologist in Scotts Valley, CA

In therapy, I aim for a cozy, friendly atmosphere while maintaining expertise in treating eating disorders. By fostering trust and open dialogue, clients feel supported as they work through their food-related struggles. Together, we explore personalized strategies, empowering clients to uncover strengths and achieve lasting recovery and well-being.

— Erika Rogers, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist in Redondo Beach, CA
 

Eating disorders are typically a symptom of something much bigger we have struggled with in our lives. Living with an eating disorder typically looks like constantly maintaining control in a world where you constantly feel out of control. You may filter "food noise" every moment of the day, whether that's counting down to the next time you eat or guilting yourself for the last thing you ate. Healing looks like control in healthy ways and freedom from the noise.

— Stephanie Townsend, Licensed Master of Social Work in Atlanta, GA

Many people use food to manage their emotions but are not fully aware that this is occurring. I work with individuals who sense that their relationship with food is not quite right. Perhaps this week tomatoes are bad. Next week it's the latest diet or eating clean week. Learn to understand your connection between emotional difficulties and how you use food. Transition into a more regulated way of living your life.

— John Edwards, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oakland, CA