Find An Eating Disorder Therapist in Bowen Island, BC.

If you’ve struggled with disordered eating, you are all too familiar with compulsive behavior, obsessive thoughts and a disconnect from the body. You may also have a constant need for control while at the same time feeling a frightening and exhausting loss of all control. Please know that none of this is your choice, but rather is a state of stress and overwhelm while you do your best to feel better. I have nothing but compassion for the distress that comes with food-related challenges, and you have my commitment to help you care for the difficult underlying emotions involved. Together, we will create a safe space to move towards healing and a safe relationship with food and the body.

Our relationships with our bodies are greatly impacted in a society that places more value on a specific body shape and appearance. The social pressure to confirm to this ideal are at the root of eating disorders. However, we locate the problem within the individual. Through counselling we can examine the individual experience of your experience and the loved ones who are also affected. We will also explore the role of social context and social pressure. One of the goals of therapy will be to strengthen other narratives of the individual. For example, that the identify of an "eating disorder" is not the individual only identity.

I will help you to understand the underlying reasons which cause your eating disorder. It's easy to fall into an unhealthy pattern, I can help you to free yourself from the chains of food and create a positive body image. It may seem hopeless at times, but you will learn new strategies and goals to restore a balance between mind, body, and exercise. I understand the complicated relationship we all have with food in the modern world. CBT (Cognitive behavior therapy) is an cornerstone of my treatment plan for eating disorders.

I work with clients dealing with disordered eating by helping them first identify their individual triggers, habits, thought patterns, flawed coping strategies, body image issues, and belief systems. Most people who have an eating disorder developed this as a means to cope with bigger issues in their lives such as poor self-esteem, trauma, depression, anxiety, or other significantly painful events. I work with clients to help them gain insight into the source of their disordered eating, to develop awareness around their thoughts, and to create change through teaching healthy coping strategies and processing of the source of their pain.

Are you struggling with binged eating? Do you wish to let go of your long-standing patterns of unhealthy eating habits? Do you know what to do, but have been unable to get the motivation to make the changes? I can help you! The EMDR I use helps you manage cravings of unhealthy foods by reducing their associated rewards in your brain. It also resolves certain traumas related to your associations with food and eating. The hypnotherapy I use helps you let go of certain beliefs in your subconscious mind about food, eating, and especially about yourself. You regain motivation and create new habits and patterns. As you enhance your self-worth, eating healthy becomes natural! Call 778-548-7345!

Our highly trained therapists utilize evidence-based techniques, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), to address the underlying emotional and psychological factors associated with eating disorders. With CBT, clients are guided to identify and challenge their distorted thoughts and beliefs about food, body image, and self-worth. By replacing these negative patterns with healthier perspectives, individuals can cultivate a more positive relationship with themselves and their bodies. DBT offers a comprehensive toolkit for clients to manage their emotions, develop healthier coping strategies, and enhance interpersonal skills.

Eating disorders are often an expression of emotional distress and an unclear or negative sense of self. We explore the emotions and family patterns and relationships that might be contributing. Then we move from emotional understanding to action - we explore what is within the client's control and what is outside of their control - from there we determine in a concrete way the nature of the next steps.

Eating disorders affect all ages, all walks of life and both men and women. They can become both a burden and a block to living a healthy, happy life. I work carefully with an informed treatment approach that is holistic and tailored to you. We will work together to reduce the power the eating disorder has in your life, improve you overall health and self-perception and strategize a healthy way out of the difficult maze you are trapped in. Contact me to start making changes today.

Making the first appointment to treat an eating disorder takes courage. It can feel overwhelming to talk about the problem and discover ways to change. I create a safe environment to talk about the fears and worries connected to eating disorders. Some common eating challenges include anorexia, bulimia, over eating, emotional eating, binge eating and over exercising. My practical approach will help you discover new ways of coping and promote long term change.

Making the commitment to seek therapy for an eating disorder or disordered eating is an act of courage. It can take years to make that first call and sometimes just the thought of discussing your experience can seem overwhelming. Feelings of intense shame are common. In my work with clients struggling with eating disorders, creating an emotionally safe counselling environment is my first priority. Counselling progresses at a pace that is comfortable for you. Counselling is an important pillar of recovery, helping to: Understand the thoughts and feelings which fuel disordered eating. Trace challenging patterns of behaviour and how to free yourself from them. We can start with compassion.

Issues related to food and body-image, eating or not eating, perfectionism, or overall fixation on appearance can flood your reality to the point where they consume you. These kinds of issues often arise to serve a function, or fulfill a purpose, in your inner, psychological world. They can be a way to cope, to try to heal hurt parts of yourself, to maintain control in uncontrollable situations. Sometimes, they can be related to adverse childhood experiences and developmental trauma—though all the jargon may not apply or do justice to your individual context. Together, we can find a way to manage your thoughts and behaviors and take steps to address anything that may be underlying them.

EMDR therapy can be a useful tool in treating eating disorders by addressing the underlying emotional issues that may contribute to disordered eating behaviors. Trauma, negative self-image, and other emotional factors can contribute to the development of eating disorders. EMDR therapy works to reprocess these negative emotions and beliefs, helping individuals develop a more positive self-image and reduce the urge to engage in disordered eating behaviors. EMDR can also be used to address triggers that may lead to binging or purging, and to develop healthier coping mechanisms. By addressing the emotional factors that contribute to eating disorder, EMDR can be an effective tool in recovery.

I help clients overcome addictive relationships with food. Like all addictions, the behavior is the tip of the iceberg, used to cope with underlying thoughts and emotions. Through collaborative conversations, clients gain insight into underlying concerns, gaining coping skills to more effectively navigate these issues. I draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), helping clients achieve a sense of freedom and control over their lives, leading to long-term change.