You don’t have to struggle with an Eating Disorder
Eating Disorder Therapy
Do you find yourself purging every night, but you are embarrassed to tell your friends?
Are you worried your child is struggling with an eating disorder but you aren’t sure where to begin?
Do you dread meal times? Are you fearful of eating in front of others and worried about what they might be thinking?
You’re holding everything together nicely on the outside - work, school, family, everyday tasks - but on the inside, you feel like you could break down at any moment.
Your greatest fear is having everyone see how vulnerable you are, and even though you work hard at being perfect, you never measure up to your own standards.
The one thing you can control is what you eat … but somewhere along the way, your eating patterns reached the point where they started to control you.
Eating disorders are more common than many people realize. It is estimated that approximately 30 million Americans have struggled with an eating disorder at some point in their lives. This breaks down to about 20 million women and 10 million men.
While eating disorders are often associated with young women, they can affect individuals of all genders, ages, socioeconomic statuses, and cultures. And yet, there is hope. Hope for healing. Hope for freedom.
Eating Disorder Therapy
Eating disorder therapy is a specialized form of treatment designed to address the complex psychological, emotional, and behavioral aspects of eating disorders.
This treatment provides emotional support and psychological care for individuals whose eating behaviors and intrusive thoughts feel overwhelming and out of control. These disorders, which include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other related conditions, often involve distorted body image, unhealthy eating patterns, and significant distress.
Eating disorder therapy aims to help individuals understand the underlying issues driving their disordered eating behaviors, such as anxiety, trauma, or low self-esteem. It also focuses on developing healthier coping mechanisms, improving self-worth, and fostering a balanced relationship with food.
An eating disorder is not your “fault,” and therapy with a trained professional can offer a safe space to feel validated and accepted while also encouraging you to pursue a healthier, more fulfilling life. The goal of therapy is not only to promote healthier eating habits and restore physical health but also to support emotional healing and build a positive self-image.
Ultimately, eating disorder therapy aims to empower individuals to regain control of their lives and achieve long-term recovery. As individuals engage in therapy, they often learn to articulate their feelings and needs more effectively, which can lead to better interactions with family, friends, and colleagues. Improved communication helps to reduce misunderstandings and conflicts, fostering more supportive and empathetic relationships.
Additionally, therapy can help individuals rebuild their social confidence and engage more fully in social activities. Many people with eating disorders may isolate themselves or avoid social situations due to shame or anxiety about their eating behaviors.
By addressing these issues in therapy, individuals can develop healthier self-esteem and overcome social avoidance. This increased social engagement can lead to stronger, more fulfilling connections with others and a more integrated social life.
Eating Disorder Therapy can Help You
Benefits of Eating Disorder Therapy
Clients will learn how to identify and change destructive thought patterns with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), emotion regulation and healthy relationship skills with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and aligning behaviors to match your personal values with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
The benefits of eating disorder therapy can include:
1. Comprehensive Treatment Approach
Therapy is a fundamental component of eating disorder treatment, often combined with nutrition education and medical care. This holistic approach addresses both the psychological and physical aspects of the disorder, promoting overall well-being.
2. Identification of Underlying Issues
Therapists help individuals uncover and address the underlying psychological issues contributing to their eating disorder. This may include exploring self-esteem, body image, and emotional regulation, which are critical for long-term recovery.
3. Development of Coping Strategies
Therapy is a fundamental component of eating disorder treatment, often combined with nutrition education and medical care. This holistic approach addresses both the psychological and physical aspects of the disorder, promoting overall well-being.
4. Support for Co-occurring Conditions
Many individuals with eating disorders also experience other mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. Therapy provides a platform to address these co-occurring conditions, ensuring a more comprehensive treatment plan that enhances recovery.
5. Enhanced Self-Esteem and Body Image
Therapy often focuses on improving self-esteem and fostering a healthier body image. By addressing negative beliefs and feelings about oneself, individuals can develop a more positive relationship with their bodies and food.
6. Community and Support
Group therapy offers a unique benefit by providing a sense of community and shared experience. Participants can connect with others facing similar challenges, which can reduce feelings of isolation and promote accountability in recovery.
7. Long-term Recovery and Relapse Prevention
Engaging in therapy not only aids in immediate recovery but also equips individuals with tools and strategies to maintain their progress and prevent relapse in the future. This ongoing support is vital for sustaining a healthy relationship with food and body image.
Take the Next Step for Eating Disorder Healing
Our team of trauma-informed therapists will work collaboratively with a team of professionals to provide a holistic approach to addressing your eating disorder. This collaborative team often includes registered dietitians, psychiatrists, primary care providers, and nutritionists.
Meet Jessie
Clinical Therapist & Educator | Certified Trauma Professional
Areas of Specialty: Eating Disorders, OCD, Anxiety
I work with young adult and adult women struggling with eating and body image, low self-esteem, OCD, anxiety, and grief. I approach counseling through a Biblical perspective and know God does not want you to stay trapped. I want to help you live a life with not only has less suffering but also one full of deep faith and joyful living.
I graduated with my BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. I work from Humanistic, Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and/or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) treatment modalities while remaining flexible to adapt to each individual’s unique needs. I received additional training in CBT and DBT techniques and completed training in OCD treatment through Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy. I also completed coursework through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). When working with disordered eating issues, I specialize particularly in anorexia, but also bulimia, orthorexia, and binge eating disorder.
I can’t wait to hear from you, and no matter how you found yourself here or how long you’ll be here, I’m ready to dive in with you. It would be my privilege to be a small part of your story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About the Therapist and Treatment
Q: What is your experience in treating eating disorders? Jessie has treated clients with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, and ARFID, ranging in age from 11 to 60. She has completed courses through various agencies including the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and collaborated with a wide network of dietitians, eating disorder recovery centers, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and other medical professionals to ensure her clients receive the most comprehensive care.
Q: What treatment approaches do you use for eating disorders? Here at Dwell, we use a combination of CBT, ACT, DBT, and ERP — depending on the specific client and his or her needs and therapeutic goals. Jessie also utilizes FBT (family-based treatment) for her younger clients.
Q: How do you tailor treatment to meet individual needs? Jessie looks at the whole person before creating a treatment plan because the plan depends on numerous factors, such as the client's symptoms and level of motivation, his/her past and current physical condition, the severity of body dysmorphia, the impact her eating behaviors are having on her social life, her ability to function at work or school, and comorbid conditions such as OCD and PTSD. There is no "one size fits all" treatment modality for eating disorders because each client's presentation is truly unique, requiring that we tailor our approach uniquely to that client.
Q: What can I expect during our sessions? First, please know that we are not here to take your eating disorder away from you. It has served a purpose, whether to provide you with a sense of control or a feeling of protection, and to suddenly find yourself without it as a coping mechanism can create immeasurable anxiety and fear. At Dwell, we provide clients with different coping mechanisms so that they are equipped to slowly let go of eating disorder behaviors without feeling completely lost and floundering. Jessie in particular approaches counseling as gently as possible, creating a therapeutic space that enables you to feel safe and prepared to take action toward recovery. At the same time, she recognize the seriousness of an eating disorder and begins treatment with each client by looking at his/her physical condition and eating behaviors. We are collaborative in our approach, inviting other professionals like primary care providers and dieticians to join the treatment team, in order to provide the most effective and comprehensive care possible–because we truly believe every client is worth it. You can expect recovery to be a long and difficult road, but you can also rest assured that you will not be alone and that healing is indeed possible.
Q: How long do you think treatment will take? Length of treatment varies depending on the severity of a client’s symptoms, how long they have suffered with disordered eating, level of motivation, other co-occurring mental health disorders, and other potential protective factors such as a healthy support system, external motivation to get better, spiritual beliefs, and physical health. In general, treatment can last anywhere from a few months to several years.
Questions About Eating Disorders
Q: What are the underlying causes of my eating disorder? Eating disorders are not a choice and they are not caused by lack of willpower. There is no one cause for eating disorders, but there are several potential risk factors to keep in mind that can significantly contribute to the onset and maintenance of an eating disorder. These may include, but are not limited to, genetics, trauma, diet culture, anxiety, OCD, low self-esteem, negative body image, and perfectionism.
Q: How can I manage triggers that lead to disordered eating? The first step in managing triggers in eating disorder recovery is to identify them. Only once we know what your unique triggers are can we begin to interrupt the connection between those triggers and your unhealthy responses, and then to engage in alternative behaviors. For example, in identifying “black-or-white” or “all-or-nothing” thinking, you might find yourself labeling foods as either "good" or "bad," with no options in between. Recognizing that there is a lot of “gray” space in between is a good first step in addressing this pattern of thinking! A therapist trained in treating eating disorders, like Jessie, can help you through this process each step of the way!
Q: What are the physical and emotional effects of my eating disorder? Eating disorders if left untreated can have dire consequences, both physical and emotional in nature. Physical effects like malnutrition, extreme weight loss, low blood pressure, osteoporosis, pancreatitis, esophagus damage, hair and tooth loss, and infections can take a huge toll on major organ function and can even be fatal. Mental and emotional effects can include irritability, depression, intrusive thoughts, distorted body image, substance abuse, self-harm, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
Q: How can I improve my relationship with food? There are many ways that you can retrain your brain to see food as nourishing and enjoyable, but one way Jessie encourages her clients to move forward in their relationship with food is to recognize that no food is truly “all bad.” She helps her clients to collaboratively create an eating plan that fosters freedom, self-compassion, and grace.
Q: What role does body image play in my eating disorder? Negative body image plays a prominent role in eating disorders because most of those who suffer from EDs place a high value on their weight and body shape when defining their self-worth. A negative body image can lead to extreme dieting and/or exercise and disordered eating behaviors, which can increase the risk for developing an eating disorder. Addressing body image is an important part of eating disorder treatment.
Questions About Support and Resources
Q: How can I involve my family or friends in my recovery process? A support network is important. Family and friends can educate themselves on eating disorders in order to better understand the symptoms, learn skills to help you through difficult moments, offer emotional support when recovery just feels hard, and identify red flags in recovery. They can even attend therapy sessions and work with you and your treatment team to establish goals.
Q: Are there support groups or resources you recommend? Yes! There are lots of great resources out there, but here are a few of our favorites:
The Alliance for Eating Disorders (Get Eating Disorder Help Today | Alliance for Eating Disorders) and the National Eating Disorder Association (National Eating Disorders Association- NEDA) provide a list of support groups.
Books can offer information and support:
Sick Enough by Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani
More Than a Body by Lexie Kite and Lindsay Kite
Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison
Rehabilitate, Rewire, Recover! by Tabitha Farrar
I'll Start Again Monday by Lysa TerKeurst
The 40-Day Body Image Workbook by Heather Creekmore
This website can help you find a dietitian to help with nutritional rehabilitation: Find a Dietitian in Your State, Dietitian Directory, RDs in Your State (dietitiancentral.com)
Q: What should I do if I feel my symptoms worsening? Because eating disorders cause so much damage to the body and mind, it is important to seek help immediately. Go to the nearest emergency room to ensure that your body is not in dire need of immediate medical assistance. Contact an eating disorder facility to ask if they have immediate openings for inpatient care. If you're not quite ready to seek clinical treatment, the following helplines are run by reputable eating disorder recovery groups:
National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline: 866-662-1235, Monday-Friday, 9am-7pm EST
Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders Helpline: 888-375-7767, Monday-Friday 10am-10pm EST
Crisis Text Line: "HEALING" to 741-741, 24 hours, 365 days (offers Spanish-speaking services)
Q: How can I communicate my needs to others regarding my eating disorder? Eating disorders survive in part due to the shame that surrounds them. Let your family and friends know how they can help, and do not be afraid to express your feelings. Asking your spouse or mom to buy a favorite food at the grocery store does not make you selfish or gluttonous; it makes you a human being who is listening to her body and wanting to enjoy one of life's pleasures. Also, if someone makes comments that make you feel uncomfortable, do not be afraid to speak up and let them know. Boundaries are important, especially now as you are working so hard to heal yourself.
Q: What are some self-care strategies I can implement? Caring for your physical and mental well-being is important during the healing process. And this is likely one of the first things you will work on with your therapist! Here are some of the things we often encourage:
Prioritize your well-being
Practice relaxation and mindfulness to manage stress
Engage in hobbies and activities that you enjoy but that are not too taxing on the body
Keep a journal of daily events, positive affirmations, and gratitude lists
These questions reflect the concerns and needs of individuals with eating disorders as they seek to understand their condition and navigate the recovery process with the help of a therapist.
Our therapists are ready to help you navigate eating disorder challenges today. To get started you can book a free 20 minute phone consultation with a provider by scheduling through our portal or contacting info@dwellministry.org.
