Disordered eating is highly normalized and praised in our society: diets, restriction patterns, and preoccupation with thinness are prized and celebrated everywhere we turn.  For some, however, the relationship that they develop with food and their body becomes disruptive, exhausting and unsustainable.  One's relationship with food is rarely an isolated one and it can begin to interfere with one’s social relationships and cause a collapse inward. This might look like avoiding invitations to share a meal, preoccupation and anxiety around eating with others, general negativity and malaise when thinking about eating or engaging with others during mealtimes, etc. Sometimes, an eating disorder develops to help someone cope with stress; other times it may be focused on appearance or one's perception of self.  It may take the form of restricting calories, purging or expelling calories in a wide variety of ways, eating beyond fullness or becoming highly critical and preoccupied with one's appearance.  Each of these patterns of behavior can lead to negative impacts on one's life.

Eating disorders impact your whole self: physically, nutritionally, psychologically, relationally, and spiritually - your entire being is in crisis. Because of this, eating disorder treatment often requires the support of a full team: medical providers, nutritionist, mental health counseling, and psychiatric medication providers, and, of course, you.  

If your relationship with food or your body feels unsatisfying or unhealthy, don't hesitate to reach out.  Even if you don't "meet criteria" for a diagnosis, you are worthy of receiving care and support to find a more satisfying relationship with food and your body.

My Experience and training

It was happenstance that I was asked to fill in as an eating recovery therapist at the residential level. Within two weeks, I had fallen in love with the work and had begun continuing education through the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). I worked exclusively with clients diagnosed with eating disorders or sub-clinical symptoms for two years and in that time, I completed over 90 hours of continuing education in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders and body dysmorphia. I have completed over 2,000 hours of working directly with clients and have received over 120 hours of consultation/supervision with a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist-Supervisor to strengthen my skills and knowledge. I have also completed Tier-1 training through the Embodied Recovery Institute, an attachment-based, trauma-informed, somatically integrative approach to eating disorder recovery. These approaches are often considered “bottom-up,” meaning we will be rooted in identifying the wisdom of your body and grounded in embodied practices to foster healing.

I work with clients ages 15 and older, however clients who are minors should expect parental/guardian involvement to support recovery. For many clients regardless of age, the support of a primary care physician/nurse practitioner and/or dietitian may be recommended. I will discuss this during our initial consultation!