Find An Eating Disorder Therapist in Topanga, CA.

I help individuals to break the chains of eating disorders which has them enslaved and obsessing over food and body image. Both women and men suffer from the norms in society and the ideals of how we are all supposed to look. People can become victims to the discourses of body image. I will work closely with you to free yourself from this eating disordered identity and to live a freer existence.

Do you use food to cope? When you are under emotional distress do you overeat or under eat? You may think that food is the problem, but it isn't. Food is symptom of underlying pain. Figure out what that pain is, address it, and your need to eat ( or restrict) in the face if it will end. Joining one of my groups and doing group therapy is an excellent way to heal that pain. You will be in the company of others who understand and can offer support. Group not for you? We can work individually instead.

If a sensitive young adult feels anxious, fearful, powerless, overwhelmed, or lonely, they may discover a degree of comfort in eating. People who binge on food frequently experience life as overwhelming. Perhaps they experience their loved ones as pre-occupied, and/or their home as conflicted, disorganized and in need of boundaries. By working with my clients to understand and attend to any problems inherent in their family system, I can help address this problem.

I am a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS). During graduate school I trained in an eating disorder research clinic and I specialize in providing evidence-based treatment for eating disorders in adults and adolescents. For adults with eating disorders, I provide cognitive behavioral therapy which is well-proven in research, especially for the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. For adolescents with anorexia or bulimia, the treatment of choice is Maudsley Family Based therapy (FBT) in which the support of the whole family is enlisted to help in treatment. I am one of the few therapists in LA County certified in FBT.

Do you feel imprisoned by your eating disorder? Are you ready to challenge it so that you can feel more free in the world? I realize that addressing your eating disorder can be frightening. I provide a safe, empathic environment where trust can be built and your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can be understood. If you feel like it is time to end the relationship you have with yourself that is characterized by rigidity, harshness, and even self-hatred and enter into a new relationship characterized by self-acceptance and freedom, I welcome your call.

Disordered eating is a fairly recent phenomenon in history. I believe it is important to consider the context in which clients are living, and the cultural ideologies and norms for body image, weight, aging, sexuality, sex-appeal. Here in the United States, is health and beauty synonymous or do we sacrifice our health in order to conform to a certain definition of perfection? I have found that perfection plays a heavy hand in clients relationship to eating. I am interested in analyzing and contextualizing perfection's presence within the very fabric of our society in order to begin to show that it's pressures are palpable, powerful, and do not belong to any single person.

While most eating disorder issues are treated by cognitive behavioral methodologies or specialized outpatient/inpatient programs, Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, PhD provide relief first and foremost for the brain of one suffering from an eating disorder----without giving them medication. We believe that the neural circuitries responsible for the compulsive behaviors with eating are not necessarily only a neurotransmitter issue but of overused neural networks that affect the harmonization, balance, and decisions of the whole brain. Contact kevin@kevinfleminphd.com or 877-606-6161 to learn more about this safe and effective alternative.

If you have difficulties with your eating, there is always some emotional component. Together, we’ll examine what the psychological and emotional issues are that are involved in your particular problems with eating. This applies with compulsive overeating, anorexia, and bulimia. Even milder forms of overeating or undereating have emotional aspects, and we can deal with them. Bingeing or purging come in many forms, and we’ll examine how that may apply with you. It’s not about the diet, it’s about the dieter. It’s about the way you relate to your emotions, the people and situations in your life, and how you translate that to eating. You’re not damaged or a failure. Psychotherapy helps.

Struggles with food, weight, & body image are the norm in our society. However, when it takes so much space in your head and life that you can’t really focus on what’s really important or getting through the day to day stuff is too overwhelming, it’s probably more of a problem than you think. Think about your relationships--are you connected or isolated? Do you avoid situations where there's food? Do you constantly think about how much you hate your body? You don't have to be ruled by your eating disorder! Therapy is the #1 treatment for eating issues. You don’t have to have an eating disorder to transform your relationship with food and your body.

My comprehensive approach includes looking at both psychological and physiological factors contributing to eating disorders. Highly specialized in binge eating disorder, obesity, bulimia, orthorexia. Therapeutic approach includes several modalities, including (but not limited to) CBT and psychodynamic therapy. Treating both adolescents and adults.

The goals for treatment of Eating Disorders consists of helping clients restore normal eating patterns and having a realistic perception of body size. The treatment involves assisting client's in recognizing their illness and the emotional issues that perpetuates their self destruction. My approach involves assessing the type and severity of their eating disorder and referring for appropriate referrals needed along with therapy. Therapy consists of processing their fears, issues with assertiveness, underlying issues of passive-aggressive control, issues of failure and self-esteem issues.

I view an eating disorder as a coping strategy (tool), and therapy is a place for you to replace this "tool" with one that is helpful rather than harmful. You and I would work together to find new ways of coping with uncomfortable feelings and situations. We would figure out what your triggers are and how to live with upsetting experiences. We might also discover that control has a lot to do with what's going on, and its roots might stem from how you were treated by your parents and other family members. So, we would also find ways for you to not only feel but actually BE more in control of your life.

I work with a variety of eating disorders and work at treating both the behavior initially and the issues that are underneath the eating disorder. I am an expert at treating trauma and often trauma or traumatic relationships are at the heart of an eating disorder. Eating disorders typically are related to self-soothing or trying to gain control in areas where one doesn't feel he/she has control. Contact me for more information and assistance with an eating disorder. We are specialists in a variety of different areas and are able to offer help not only for the client with this issue bu also couple or family support. Experts in helping women & teens! Trauma experts too!

Eating disorders rarely are biological, in other words learned responses to stress and trauma which are specialties of mine. Mindfulness is a great help to those suffering from this addiction. I want to know what has happened to make the client want to "cover up" the grief, sadness, loneliness, abandonment, or social issues causing the overeating. Remember it's not what you are eating but what is "eating you." Counseling is needed here!

An eating disorder is not a lifestyle choice. An eating disorder is a serious and often fatal illnesses that causes serious disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors, physical health, and relationships. Obsessions with food, body weight, and shape may also signal an eating disorder. The sooner someone struggling with this illness, or displaying behaviors and attitudes consistent with these disorders, can get connected to help, the better. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. As with any illness or psychological disorder, these problems will not go away on their own; without clinical support they often only escalate dangerously.

My experience with treating eating disorders is vast. I helped establish an eating disorder clinic at The Bradshaw Center in Los Angeles, CA. I appreciate the struggle of an eating disorder and its recovery. Whether you or a loved one are struggling with anorexia, bulimia, compulsive over eating, or compulsive over exercising, I have the expertise that it takes to find your way back to a feeling of wholeness and health.

In addition to working with eating disorders in private practice, I also have experience working at inpatient facilities and running groups. I believe that eating disorders should be approached in a holistic manner and the underlying causes must be examined. There are many complexities when working with eating disorders and I take a warm, humanistic approach when doing so.