Find An Eating Disorder Therapist in Etobicoke, ON.

Eating Disorders are never about food, they are about control. I treat those who are open to treatment and who have a strong support system in place. If this sounds like something that may interest you, feel free to reach out and start your healing journey today. You do not have to live your life suffering. It is possible to be healthy and to have positive self-image but it does take work.

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 are so debilitating. I understand the constant thoughts, comparing bodies, checking behaviours and actions that go along with eating disorders. In are time together we will process your experience in this society living in your body. We will create a plan for you to feel more in control on your thoughts and actions. Together in a safe space we can break the tight grip an eating disorder holds.

A sense of self is easily interrupted by stress, change, and trauma. Maybe you feel like you have never really known yourself and have always been focused on others. Or, maybe, you feel like you have lost a sense of self due to big changes in your life. This could all be tied in with how you feel about your body, especially if it has gone through a change as well. We can offer support for this, including help for: • Body image concerns • Low self-esteem or self-worth • Questioning self-purpose and plan • People pleasing, rescuing and fixing • Chronic guilt, regret and shame

Eating disorders are often seen in conjunction with low self-esteem, experiences of powerlessness / loss of control, depression, anxiety, OCD and nutritional deficiencies. Sometimes trauma, or invalidating living environments are also present. The complexity of these elements necessitates a client centered collaborative treatment approach. As a collaborative member of "Psychotherapy Matters" I can offer my clients consultations through tele-health Ontario with Psychiatry, with target wait times of only 3 weeks. I can also work collaboratively with nutritionists and primary care physicians, and families or circles of support.

Eating disorders are connected to the value that society puts on appearance. In North American and European cultures, the ideal is to be thin. Being overweight is obvious to the world and viewed by society as a shameful condition. This is a demoralizing position to be in. Eating disorders are predominantly an issue for women, who naturally go through changes in their weight. But this is also an issue for men, who can hurt just as deeply if they feel unworthy of love by virtue of their appearance. My approach is to help people feel good from the inside out. I recognize that weight issues can be the source of shame, bullying and marginalization. These are often the areas we work on in therapy.

Eating disorders may be common, but they are dangerous if left untreated. They are complex emotional issues that can be influenced by our family environment, relationships, school, career, and by the media. Eating disorders binge eating, purging, using laxatives, over-exercising, feeling guilty about food, over-eating, and obsessing about weight. Our therapists have years of experience in helping people deal with eating disorders. We will develop a treatment plan for you that will empower you to take control and free yourself from the problems. Our aim is to develop tools and resources to not just change your way of thinking and eating but also promote healthier patterns and behavior.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder we want to focus on what has brought you to your current eating and nutritional patterns and behaviours. I want to initially focus less about the foods you eat and the current behaviours surrounding your food intake, and more about what you are wanting to accomplish in doing so. Do you feel a need to control your environment? Do you feel anxious or out of control in other areas of your life? Are you wanting to push away or ignore some other important concerns? Let's explore. My primary focus is to help you feel good about yourself and your environment, and empower you to continue to create the changes within yourself that you want to make.