Find An Eating Disorder Therapist in Thunder Bay, ON.

I have engaged in supporting clients with problematic overuse of food, and have worked with numerous approaches to delay gratification, explore the role a addiction, dopamine , examination of the impact of family of origin food culture, and consideration of food as medicine/drug. We tend to find food is used to compensate for boredom, loneliness, hurt, and emotional emptiness. Learning to differentiate between emotional hunger and real hunger is important, and can help in addressing the real problem.

Eating disorders benefit from the same or similar approach used for all addictive behaviours. One of the main therapeutic approaches I use is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. The relationship to food can be quite complex involving societal or cultural pressures, self-image, past traumas, addictive non-nutritious junk food, media images, social media pressures, bullying. Shame and guilt need to be addressed along with peer pressures. The most common eating disorders are: Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, Pica, Rumination Disorder, Avoidance/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Orthorexia, Purging Disorder etc. The benefits of therapy are enhanced self-image, health and well-being.

Eating disorders can control a person's life as well as affect the loved ones around them. 3 Chords therapists want to help mend your relationship with food. Treatment plans for eating disorders use a combination of approaches including psychotherapy, nutritional counselling, and medical care components. Treatment goals include: restoring back to adequate nutrition and maintaining a healthy body weight.

If you are struggling with body image, compulsive and/or disordered eating, or a distorted sense of self, I can help you restore a healthy relationship with your body. My approach works on building acceptance and increasing love, care, and enjoyment in your unique body. I utilize evidence-based interventions which help to increase sense of sense and self-worth, address distorted thought patterns, improve coping, and assist in establishing healthier lifestyle factors to support whole body wellbeing.

Issues with eating are an understandable reaction to difficult or traumatic circumstances. The word disorder is faulty as it implies that it is a single person's disorder. However, the disorder is one of society. Due to limitations and restrictions of society, institutions, media, and groups, we have learned to restrict and or indulge ourselves in food. It is my goal to explore the emotional and cognitive roots of your issues with food as well as to figure out just how these limitations and restrictions of our society and/or families have affected you. In discovering the roots of the struggle, we can then collaboratively work towards health and healing.

The benefits of receiving therapy for eating disorder(s) with us begins with the supportive and non-judgmental space we provide that explores the underlying causes and triggers of the disorder. There is help for individuals to develop a healthier relationship with food and their bodies. We can implement new strategies to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs related to body image and self-worth. Additionally, therapy can address the co-occurring mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, that may contribute to the eating disorder. We provide tools and coping mechanisms to manage triggers and develop a sustainable recovery plan.