Eating Disorder Counseling

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages about what our bodies should look like. Our appearances are used to judge our attractiveness, capability, value, character, and morality. In this appearance-driven world, it is no wonder that so many people struggle with their relationship to weight and food. You may come from a family with a long history of body image concerns and/or intergenerational trauma. Research suggests that up to 74% of the risk for eating disorders is genetic. You may have been dissatisfied with your body for so long that you do not remember a time when eating was effortless or when standing in front of a mirror felt positive.

Body image concerns and struggles with food may impact your life in small and large ways. It is not uncommon to have struggles with food and body image for years without seeking help. Our society has made it so normal to be on diets and pop culture has created a false hope that we can be thin if we put our minds to it. It may take a long time to realize that this struggle is not necessary and you are ready to be free. ​

Common symptoms of eating disorder are:

• Fear of gaining weight
• Unhappiness about your body holds you back from certain activities that you would otherwise enjoy (e.g., swimming, sex, etc.)
• A lack of awareness of hunger or fullness
• Thinking about food constantly; feeling that food controls your life
• Feeling that you cannot stop eating once you start
• Having “good” and “bad” categories for food
• Engaging in overeating, emotional eating, restricting (e.g., skipping meals), binging (e.g., eating multiple meals worth of food at once), and purging (e.g., vomiting, over-exercising, using laxatives) behaviors
• Feeling extremely guilty after eating
• Uncomfortable eating with others or in front of others; hiding your eating habits from others (e.g., eating when other family members have gone to bed)
• Exercise with the sole purpose of burning calories and losing weight
• Feeling uncomfortable or irritable if you were not able to exercise for one day
• Holding on to clothes that are too large or too small for you
• Constantly checking yourself in the windows and mirrors that you walk by 

Imagine a world where body image no longer mattered. How would your life be different? What would you do more or less? How would you relate to yourself and others?

Freedom from this struggle with food and body image will mean that you are no longer constantly thinking about your body and what you eat. You will eat when you feel hungry and stop when you feel full. You will look at your body with gratitude for what it can do for you rather than how it compares to society’s standards. You will find the confidence to do the things that bring you pleasure.

Here at Thrive for the People, our eating disorder specialists use the Health at Every Size approach to treatment. Your therapist will explore with you the emotions attached to food and body image, identify coping strategies to manage your emotions, and tune into your body’s innate wisdom and wholeness. The Health at Every Size approach can be summed up by these principles:

• All body shape and sizes are acceptable. There is no ideal weight.
• Health and body size are not related. Bodies of all sizes can be healthy.
• We prioritize healthy behaviors and actions to promote our physical, emotional, economic, social, spiritual, environmental, and communal well-being.
• We work toward addressing our own biases, stigma, and discrimination against weight and size oppression. We acknowledge that sizeism is closely related to other forms of discrimination and oppression based on race, gender, sexual identity, age, socioeconomic status, ability, etc.
• Eating is flexible, individual, pleasurable, and based on each person’s nutritional needs, hunger, and cultural identities.
• Movement is joyful, life-giving, and accessible to people of all sizes and abilities.

Eating disorder treatment can be expensive. However, excellent treatment with a therapist who is a great match for you is worth the financial investment.

The constant struggle with your weight and food is costly to your time, energy, money, and emotions. You may have spent years on diet and exercise programs that did not work and replaced your wardrobe multiple times with fluctuations in your weight. You may have experienced heartache, disappointment, and shame from all the ups and downs of losing and gaining weight. There are compounding negative impacts on your life and health over time. Your struggle with your weight and food may have held you back from going after that promotion at work, establishing the healthy romantic relationship that you want, and spending quality time with friends and family. If you are a parent, your struggle with your body may influence how your children treat their bodies and view their self-worth.

You may be experiencing the negative consequences of an eating disorder on your physical health such as:

• Diabetes 
• Osteoporosis
• Infertility
• Anemia
• Seizures 
• Ulcers, pancreatitis
• Acid reflux
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Tooth decay
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Joint pain

The ultimate cost of an eating disorder is your life. Eating disorders are one of the deadliest mental illnesses. It is the direct cause of death for over 10,000 people a year. 

You will know that you are making progress in eating disorder treatment and on your way to recovery when:

• You are no longer thinking about food or your weight throughout the day
• Eating feels easy, enjoyable, and pleasurable
• You are confident in your ability to eat food that is nutritious and delicious on a regular basis
• You are able to recognize when you are physically hungry and stop eating when you are full
• You are able to have meals with friends and family without worry or anxiety
• Your weight remains stable for long periods of time 
• You have clothes that fit well for your body and you feel confident in your appearance
• You practice gratitude for what your body does for you and you treat it with loving care
• You feel free to do things without worrying about how you look