#eating disorder therapist

[depressionforum]

3 Ways to Help Someone With a Disability

Helping someone with a disability requires understanding, empathy and a willingness to learn about their unique needs. Whether it’s a physical, mental or developmental disability, there are various ways to offer support and assistance. Here are three effective ways to make a positive impact in the life of someone living with a disability.

Offer Emotional Support and Understanding

One of the most significant ways to help is by providing emotional support. Listen to their concerns and experiences without judgment. Showing empathy and understanding can make a world of difference. It's also beneficial to encourage them to seek support from a professional disability therapist, who can offer tailored guidance and coping strategies.

Building a strong emotional support system is crucial. It helps in breaking down feelings of isolation and promotes mental well-being. Remember, offering support doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers; sometimes, just being there and listening is enough.

Assist in Daily Activities

Offering practical assistance in daily activities can greatly enhance the independence and quality of life of someone with a disability. This could range from helping with household chores to assisting with transportation. However, it’s important to ask what kind of help they need and respect their preferences and boundaries. Assisting should be about empowering them, not taking over their tasks completely.

Encourage Professional Support

Encouraging the person to seek help from a qualified therapist can be invaluable. A disability therapist can provide specialized assistance, helping them navigate the challenges they face and develop strategies to live more independently. They can also offer support in dealing with the psychological aspects of living with a disability.

In conclusion, helping someone with a disability involves a combination of emotional support, practical assistance and encouraging professional help. By being empathetic, respectful and proactive, you can significantly contribute to their well-being and independence. Remember, every individual’s needs are different, so always communicate openly and offer support that aligns with their unique requirements.

Read a similar article about therapy for jealousy here at this page.

[liftwellnes]

Eating Disorder Treatment in Westport, CT

Our team of certified and trained eating disorder experts provides comprehensive outpatient and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment for the following conditions:

Anorexia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge Eating Disorder

Compulsive Overeating or Emotional Eating

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Compulsive Exercise

Orthorexia

Body Dysmorphia

Chronic Yo-Yo Dieting and Disordered Eating

BODY MATTERS: A TAILORED RECOVERY APPROACH TO EATING AND FEEDING DISORDERS, FOOD ADDICTION, AND PROBLEMATIC BODY IMAGE

As a certified eating disorder specialist and a licensed marital and family therapist, Mary Dobson views eating issues from both an intra-psychic and inter-personal framework.

LIFT employs a multifaceted, results-driven and personalized approach to address the myriad of psychological, neurobiological and medical implications of eating disorders. Our treatment process leverages the strength and power of families (natural environmental supports) as well as skilled auxiliary providers (our partnered panel of medical doctors and nutritionists) in a client’s recovery efforts.

Our weight science informed approach utilizes family-based therapy, exposure response prevention (ERP) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help clients develop the tools of emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and inter-personal efficacy.

Whether you are facing a clinical eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder, or struggling with repeated dysfunctional patterns relating to food, exercise and body image, LIFT clinicians work to co-create a personalized action plan with you to set you towards revolutionizing current behavior and unleashing a healthier, happier you.

FOOD AND THE FAMILY

Your relationship with food and body does not merely impact you: it affects family dynamics, romantic relationships, career aspirations and parenting outcomes. Your food choices and amounts send a message about your self estimation to bosses, friends and loved ones. LIFT is the only center on the east coast to effectively implement Family-Based Treatment in an individual’s recovery efforts.

Eating is a family affair. As the former director of residential treatment centers, I have expertise in treating food issues and body loathing, while triaging families in crisis. Children and adolescents take cues about food from parents, loved ones and peers. Often the entire family is in need of a reassessment of eating patterns. In these cases, I will gently work with you to get your family back on track. My approach is nonjudgmental and meet-you-where-you’re-at. Therapy is a journey that we are on together, and the goal is insight that drives behavioural change and an improved quality of life.

— Mary Dobson, LMFT, CEDS, CEO & Executive Director, LIFT Wellness Group

BODY DYSMORPHIA: WHO SUFFERS?

More than ever, societal demands place pressure on both sexes to maintain an unachievable physical ideal. Throughout the media, we see proof that Americans are obsessed with extreme food and exercise behavior.Our culture is obsessed with food: simultaneously glorifying and demonizing it.Learn to break free of the yo-yo of extreme eating and exercise behaviors, while finding balance and enjoyment in food, and love for your body.

We collaborate with the premier eating disorder experts in Fairfield County: registered dietitians, medical doctors and other specialists. We conduct comprehensive assessments of clients to determine a course of action that meets their specific needs and engage professional resources to support clients in their recovery process.

Your life can be richer and more joyful. Your relationship with food and your body matters. You matter. We are waiting to take your call for a phone consultation.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), “35% of ‘normal’ dieters progress to pathological dieting.” For a number of reasons, college students are at increased risk of developing an eating disorder that could have long-term adverse health effects.

To learn more, check out the infographic below created by Regis College’s Post-Master’s Certificate program.

If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment or you’d like more information, please contact us.

[evergreencounseling]

Body Positive Eating Disorder Therapist

You’re Experiencing:

Negative thoughts and feelings about your body;

You feel like things you want in life are out of reach because you are not thin enough or attractive enough;

You feel like you’re “obsessed” with food;

You’re tired of being focused on losing weight and want to let go of diet culture;

You’ve sought out treatment for an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, or binge eating disorder;

You feel nervous going to the doctor’s office, going on dates, or trying new activities because you’re afraid of what people will say about your body;

Your gender expression is complicated by your body shape or size;

Your self-worth feels connected to how your body looks.

As a Body Positive, Eating Disorder Therapist, Here’s What I Want You to Know About Me:

My relationship with my body has been one of the biggest teachers in my life.

Recovering from an eating disorder and finding peace with food is difficult in a culture that is hyper-focused on appearance and health status.

Disordered eating habits are often praised as having excellent discipline and willpower but come at a harmful cost.

I believe it’s possible to feel more attunement with our bodies, and ultimately feel more freedom in our lives.

Here’s What I Want You to Know About Our Working Together:

In the age of Lizzo, body positivity seems to be everywhere.

While this pop-culture acceptance of a broader range of body sizes is great, it can feel like there’s even more pressure to magically discover how to love ourselves.

What we find is that there’s no clear answer out there on how to actually get to the point of accepting our bodies and heal our relationship with food.

As a body-positive eating disorder therapist, my role is to help you find that individual path towards healing years of body disconnection.

It’s hard to maintain self-acceptance while living in a world steeped in diet culture.

We’re taught that only a small range of bodies are acceptable and that someone’s worthiness is directly connected to their appearance.

Living with body dissatisfaction and years of bingeing and restricting can have real negative physical and mental health impacts, and can take a disproportionate amount of your time and energy.

It can feel like other goals in your life have to take a backseat or are dependent on you losing weight.

I believe there’s another way to live. My work is to help you find more freedom in your life, no matter what your weight is.

I believe there’s a way to feel more peace with food, to feel more in control of your life, and to feel empowered in your daily choices.

As you develop more compassion with your body and more attunement in your eating, I believe it’s possible to feel more at ease with the other parts of your life that feel limiting or unsatisfying.

I bring my life experiences and my professional eating disorder therapist training into our sessions, and I utilize an eclectic mix of approaches.

My goal is to help you take up all the real and metaphorical space you need to be your authentic, whole self.

I hope as we work together, you’ll be able to trust in the gorgeous, messy process of self-compassion and body acceptance.

If you would like to explore working with me, please feel free to schedule either a 20-minute consult call to speak with me or schedule a first full therapy session so we can get started in our work together.

I can’t wait for our journey to begin.

Charis Stiles, LCSW

Charis Stiles, LCSW specializes in working with adults of all ages who struggle with:

Body image issues and eating disorders

Feelings of insecurity and harsh inner critics

Anxiety

Grief and life transitions

She also has a particular interest in working with those who identify as queer or LGBTQIA+, and those who deal with feeling “not good enough”.

Book A Complimentary Consult Call.

[thunderc1an]

2 comic wips

[annasellheim]

Part 7

[innocent-until-proven-geeky]

Listen to me

Listen

The vegetables in salsa? Or artichoke dip? Or like, canned or frozen veggies? Are still vegetables.

Dried fruits? Jams and jellies? Smoothies? Frozen fruits? Still fruit.

The nutrients in fruits and vegetables are important but you do not have to subject yourself to the sensory hell or ADHD tax that can be fresh fruits and vegetables to get those nutrients. You can get them in ways that are friendly to you and your needs.

[autumnhobbit]

would you all think that continually rescheduling even up to the last minute before an appointment, regularly switching from call to texting even when i’ve said i find texting less helpful because it comes off more brusque, no consistent linear topic directing, constantly directing focus to my day to day life/relationship rather than anything else about me even if i express concern about the rest of it is reason to consider breaking up with a therapist

[peculiar--princess]

Just a reminder that your eating disorder will not give you the sense of control you’re looking for.

[batfamfucker]

There are four main types of Batfam fans in regard to how people interpret Bruce Wayne as a dad (/Joking. This is mostly satire and should not be taken seriously):

Fans that think Bruce is emotionally constipated and isn't the best at being a parent but still tries (Differs per person). Don't necessarily think he's absuive but thinks he can be toxic or have unhealthy expectations for the Robins. Can smell the Oldest Daughter Syndrome coming from Dick and have Family Line (By Conan Gray) as their top song on their Dick inspired playlist and Daddy Issues (By The Neighbourhood) for Jason.

Fans that choose to believe Bruce goes to therapy in their own canon. Love B:WFA. Thinks the comic can be cheesy at times and so find a balance between B:WFA Bruce and Please Go To Therapy BruceTM as their middle ground. He struggles. They advocate that Bruce is not a bad parent, he just has bad writers that seem to forget Bruce wouldn't hurt kids, especially not his own. Love the humane moments and scenes he has in BTAS and the early JL cartoons. He may not be perfect but he's not literally abusive. Whores for Bruce being able to admit when he is wrong and for Jason and Bruce reconciling. I recommend Grow As We Go by Ben Platt for this one.

A mix between the first two. Was fine-ish when Dick was younger. Didn't help him in the healthiest way but eh. Still emotionally constipated but that happened more so after Dick left and Jason died. Started getting better when Tim came back but was still closed off. Should probably go to therapy with the kids so they can drag his ass about all the things he's done that have actually affected them negatively. Understands his mistakes and is also able to admit when he's wrong, eventually. It's not easy but he starts to do better and learns to be more emotionally available. Still has to get chewed out by Alfred sometimes but definitely better than he used to be and it shows. Reconciliation is slow and gradual but progress is made for everyone involved.

The one's I personally avoid for my own sanity and wellbeing:

Think Bruce is a complete bastard and abuser. Want him to choke. Hate any and all interpretations of him. Some of which will refuse to understand how anyone could have a different interpretation. Will point out comics where, in all fairness, he is a dick but forget that characterisation can significantly differ from one series to the next, as comic characters are constantly passed around to different writers and have been for decades. Not to mention movies, shows, etc.

[thedandelionthief]

not going to lie, my eating disorder (especially binging) has ruined my life. i’ve had a lot of mental health and food-specific issues before, but this is different. i don’t have hobbies anymore. i’m like a machine, existing on autopilot.

[gotta-pet-em-all]

Highlights from my therapy sessions:

-I’ve already explained my feelings on the euphemism treadmill theory and reclamation of slurs, but I really do think that personality disorders would be easier to treat if they weren’t named things like Selfish Asshole Disorder

-That’s good, though. Sometimes when you run from your feelings, you can’t run fast enough.

-….Fluff? I’m going to need you to write down what you just said, and look at it for a minute. (Trying to help me realize that I was having an anxiety spiral and my psychosis was hopping on the bandwagon to make it worse.)

-So, just to summarize: you’re keeping a garment in your closet that is several sizes too small for you, given to you by the person who is responsible for your eating disorder and has been pushing back against your recovery as you gained weight. Do you think there might be some ulterior motives behind this?

-I’m not sure how you managed to befriend a Pokémon notorious for containing the fury and hatred of imprisoned gods, but I have to say I think this bodes well for your recovery. 

-Do you think Miku would be okay with the things you just said about yourself?

-No, I don’t think you’re allergic to attractive women, but that’s an understandable conclusion to reach.

[liftwellnes]

Binge Eating Disorder (For Parents)

WHAT IS BINGE EATING DISORDER

Almost everyone occasionally finds comfort in food and overeats on occasion. This is totally normal and typical for the fast paced, stressful world that we live in today. Emotional eating can be a way of sometimes coping with stress and is part of normal life. On the other hand, individuals struggling with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) may experience this at a more frequent and extreme level. This may include eating much more than most people would in a sitting on a weekly basis (at least 1 day a week for 3 months), feeling out of control and guilty around food, and eating until uncomfortably full with or without feeling physically hungry. BED is not associated with compensatory behaviors such as excessive exercise, purging, or fasting as is common in other eating disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Since many children and teens struggling with BED feel embarrassed or guilty about their food behaviors, many do not reach out for support or share their struggles with family members. It’s important to look for key signs and symptoms that your child may be struggling such as:

Large quantities of food missing, hidden wrappers, and sneaking food

Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as over a two-hour period

Rapid weight fluctuations

Regularly skipped meals throughout the day

Frequent isolation and eating in private

Increased feelings of depression, guilt, or shame

HOW TO SUPPORT

Allow all foods to be available in the home. We tend to sometimes place moral values on our food, calling things “good” and “bad.” This is normal in the world that we live in today, full of diet advertisements and toxic food/body culture. It’s important to try to take these words away from food and understand that all foods can be healthy when eating in variety and moderation. By only allowing desserts on special occasions and labeling certain foods as “off limits,” it may trigger kids to eat excessively when given the option since they don’t know the next time they will be “allowed” to have it. It also puts a feeling of guilt for eating “bad” when in reality they are honoring their body’s physical and mental cues for hunger.

Eat consistently throughout the day. Skipping meals may cause your child to feel overly hungry and out of control around food. This is the body’s natural reaction to extreme hunger; it is no longer able to sense its true cues and may end up leading to binging behaviors. Try helping your children with packing lunch for school and asking if they need assistance with preparing breakfast in the morning to keep on a consistent eating schedule.

Speak positively about yourself. Children learn by example and tend to hold onto your words more than you might think. Showing your child that you can love and appreciate your body (and the food you eat) for what it does will help them try to feel the same way, especially with all of the bodily changes during puberty.

Start the conversation. Instead of making statements around food such as “Are you sure you’re hungry for all of that?” and “Do you really want to be eating that?” try reframing your statements to focus on your child’s struggles. Asking questions/making statements such as “How can I support you right now?” or “It looks like you might be struggling, I’m here for you” can be helpful to open the conversation around the triggers and stressors in your loved one’s lives. It can be really difficult to reach out for support especially when feeling shame and guilt around eating patterns and body image. Showing that you care and accept them as they are rather than focusing on the behavior can be helpful for building trust and allowing them the space to talk.

Practice movement as a family. Getting outside together as a family can be a great way to relieve stress and improve relationships and mental health. As the weather gets nicer, try going for walks with the dog, swimming at the beach, or playing sports as a family to continue to practice having an active and fun lifestyle.

Seek treatment. Treatment for eating disorders is readily available by mental health professionals and can include many different courses of action. At Lift, you can seek out treatment that works for you and your loved ones including individual therapy, group therapy, parent support sessions, nutrition therapy, and psychiatry.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Written by Kelsey Riesbeck, our director of dietary services.

[evergreencounseling]

Body Positive Eating Disorder Therapist

You’re Experiencing:

Negative thoughts and feelings about your body;

You feel like things you want in life are out of reach because you are not thin enough or attractive enough;

You feel like you’re “obsessed” with food;

You’re tired of being focused on losing weight and want to let go of diet culture;

You’ve sought out treatment for an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, or binge eating disorder;

You feel nervous going to the doctor’s office, going on dates, or trying new activities because you’re afraid of what people will say about your body;

Your gender expression is complicated by your body shape or size;

Your self-worth feels connected to how your body looks.

As a Body Positive, Eating Disorder Therapist, Here’s What I Want You to Know About Me:

My relationship with my body has been one of the biggest teachers in my life.

Recovering from an eating disorder and finding peace with food is difficult in a culture that is hyper-focused on appearance and health status.

Disordered eating habits are often praised as having excellent discipline and willpower but come at a harmful cost.

I believe it’s possible to feel more attunement with our bodies, and ultimately feel more freedom in our lives.

Here’s What I Want You to Know About Our Working Together:

In the age of Lizzo, body positivity seems to be everywhere.

While this pop-culture acceptance of a broader range of body sizes is great, it can feel like there’s even more pressure to magically discover how to love ourselves.

What we find is that there’s no clear answer out there on how to actually get to the point of accepting our bodies and heal our relationship with food.

As a body-positive eating disorder therapist, my role is to help you find that individual path towards healing years of body disconnection.

It’s hard to maintain self-acceptance while living in a world steeped in diet culture.

We’re taught that only a small range of bodies are acceptable and that someone’s worthiness is directly connected to their appearance.

Living with body dissatisfaction and years of bingeing and restricting can have real negative physical and mental health impacts, and can take a disproportionate amount of your time and energy.

It can feel like other goals in your life have to take a backseat or are dependent on you losing weight.

I believe there’s another way to live. My work is to help you find more freedom in your life, no matter what your weight is.

I believe there’s a way to feel more peace with food, to feel more in control of your life, and to feel empowered in your daily choices.

As you develop more compassion with your body and more attunement in your eating, I believe it’s possible to feel more at ease with the other parts of your life that feel limiting or unsatisfying.

I bring my life experiences and my professional eating disorder therapist training into our sessions, and I utilize an eclectic mix of approaches.

My goal is to help you take up all the real and metaphorical space you need to be your authentic, whole self.

I hope as we work together, you’ll be able to trust in the gorgeous, messy process of self-compassion and body acceptance.

If you would like to explore working with me, please feel free to schedule either a 20-minute consult call to speak with me or schedule a first full therapy session so we can get started in our work together.

I can’t wait for our journey to begin.

To learn more please, Click here

[edrecoveryprobs]

When a new therapist tries to shell out some antiquated knowledge about eating disorders

[that-vampire-loser]

My therapist, telling me how watching my carbs and not eating certain foods and doing intermittent fasting could help with my depression

The big fat bold “history of disordered eating and hospitalization” on my file 👁️👁️

[wilder-and-lighter]

was I playing with "girl toys" or was I just enamored by high fantasy from a young age