Find An Eating Disorder Therapist in Barrie, ON.

My aim is to support you in navigating a fulfilled, balanced, and healthy approach to eating and lifestyle habits. I work to address disordered eating in a manner that is empathetic, approachable, and validating. I empower individuals to manage habits in a manner that promotes healthy self-esteem, and addresses undesirable patterns through meaningful inner work and self-compassion. I look forward to meeting you!

As a therapist specializing in eating disorders, I believe in the transformative power of therapy to heal both mind and body. Through our sessions, we delve into the underlying emotional, psychological, and relational factors contributing to the disorder. By fostering a safe and non-judgmental space, we explore the complex relationship individuals have with food, body image, and self-worth. Through evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness practices, clients learn to challenge harmful thoughts and behaviors, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and rebuild a positive sense of self.

I work with your negative body image, from the inside out. "The negative image is understood as a dissociated and shame-based “part” of the personality in need of understanding and compassion, achieved via mindful awareness, “parts” dialogue and trauma processing. Our first step will be to create a healthy separation between the "observing" or aware Self and the part(s) absorbed in the eating disorder via mindful awareness. Once this separation between the "whole" self and part of self is established, the Gestalt polarity tradition (empty chairs) is utilized to develop understanding of the shame-based part. This leads to developing more love and compassion for yourself. You are enough!

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.

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.

Body image is a real and present struggle for many women and this issue is rising in men as well. With the constant bombardment of food and beauty focused advertisements from all sources of media, it can such a struggle! I have worked with many types of addictive habits, eating disorders included. I can help you understand yourself better and provide you with some effective strategies to create new healthier habits, ones that create an inner peace, empowerment, and breaking the cycle!

“There are various ways that individuals with eating disorders describe “dealing with” painful feelings: They may numb them through starving, soothe or push them down with bingeing, or get rid of them through purging. This vicious cycle of fearing, avoiding, and feeling overwhelmed and incapacitated by feelings, to the point of having to stay ill or inflict self-harm to escape, makes Emotion-Focused Therapy a compelling approach to treating eating disorders. Emotion-Focused Therapy works directly with painful emotions, and views them as a source of information and meaning. Emotion, if paid attention to, can be like a beacon or a flashlight, leading us to what is important.

Disordered eating has served a purpose in your life. Together we will not only restore your healthy eating practices, we will determine the root cause of your eating disorder. This is essential to ensure we respect your emotional needs and enable you to maintain healthy eating patterns lifelong. I will provide us with the compassionate and supportive dynamic essential to your journey of creating the life experience you desire.

Our therapist Arshiya specializes in helping clients through disordered eating habits such as restrictive dieting and bingeing and purging. Therapy can address unhelpful beliefs about food and body image, enhance self-worth, and form a better relationship with food so that healthier eating habits are established. When working with disordered eating, it is important to understand that it is not all about food- but rather, unhealthy dieting habits are the product of extreme stress, trauma, low self-esteem, depression or anxiety. These root issues will be addressed to help you start taking control back in your life and feeling better.