Eating disorder therapy + body image healing
CEDS-C | Trauma-Informed | Parts-Based | Collaborative
Eating disorders are rarely just about food.
In my experience, they are intelligent, adaptive responses to overwhelm, ways the nervous system learned to cope with trauma, stress, perfectionism, or a deep need for safety and control. My approach honors that complexity. I don’t view eating disorder behaviors as defiance or pathology. I understand them as protective strategies that once made sense.
And healing begins there.
When eating disorder patterns take over, it can feel like you’re constantly at odds with yourself
Many people living with an eating disorder describe an exhausting internal tug-of-war. One part of you may want freedom, nourishment, and peace, while another part pushes toward control, restriction, or disconnection.
Over time, this conflict can leave you feeling distant from your body, your needs, and the parts of life that once felt meaningful.
Living with an eating disorder can sometimes look like:
food thoughts dominate much of your day
eating feels chaotic, rigid, or driven by rules
you feel disconnected from hunger and fullness cues
body image thoughts are constant and exhausting
you appear “fine” on the outside but feel trapped internally
you’re tired of trying to fix it on your own
You don’t have to wait until things get worse to deserve support.
A Parts-Based Foundation (Internal Family Systems)
My work is grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS), a compassionate, evidence-based, parts-based model. Through this lens, eating disorder behaviors are understood as protective parts of a larger internal system.
Rather than trying to “fight” the eating disorder, we work to:
Understand what it is protecting
Reduce shame and self-criticism
Differentiate the eating disorder from the client’s core Self
Build internal trust and self-leadership
When clients begin relating to their symptoms with curiosity instead of judgment, meaningful and sustainable change becomes possible. Externalizing the eating disorder can create space for integration, not just behavior suppression.
Integrative and Evidence-Based Treatment
While IFS provides the foundation of my theoretical orientation, I integrate structured, evidence-based approaches to support behavioral change and cognitive flexibility. Depending on your needs, our work may include:
CBT-ED to target thought distortions and reinforce structure
ACT to build values-based living and psychological flexibility
DBT skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance
EMDR to process trauma and reduce nervous system activation (when appropriate)
My approach is both compassionate and clinically grounded, balancing depth work with practical tools.
A Trauma-Informed, Holistic Perspective
Eating disorders rarely exist in isolation. Many clients arrive with overlapping trauma histories, chronic stress, or attachment wounds that shape how the eating disorder functions and what it is trying to manage.
My work is deeply trauma-informed and paced intentionally to support nervous system regulation and embodied safety.
I take a holistic approach to eating disorder treatment, recognizing that recovery involves:
the nervous system
identity and self-worth
relationships and attachment
the mind-body connection
behavioral and nutritional stabilization
Restoring the mind–body connection is central to recovery. Eating disorders often disrupt this connection in an effort to create safety. Treatment supports reconnection gently, not through force, but through safety and trust.
Areas of Expertise Within Eating Disorders
I work with individuals across the diagnostic spectrum, including:
Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder
ARFID
OSFED and subclinical disordered eating
I have particular experience supporting clients who present with:
Perfectionism and rigidity
High achievement paired with internal shame
Anxiety and mood disturbances
Profound disconnection from their bodies
Trauma histories underlying eating behaviors
My focus is not only symptom reduction, but fostering agency, autonomy, and sustainable recovery.
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Eating disorders rarely affect just one person. They often impact the entire system around someone, parents, partners, and loved ones who want to help but may feel unsure how.
Many families describe feeling like they are walking on eggshells, worried about saying the wrong thing or unintentionally making things worse.
Support involvement is always collaborative and thoughtfully paced based on the client’s needs, age, and readiness. My goal is never to assign blame or control outcomes, but to help everyone feel more grounded and aligned in the recovery process.
When helpful, family or support sessions may include:
education about the function of eating disorder behaviors
guidance on responding with calm, connection, and consistency
support in reducing power struggles around food and body image
help navigating communication, boundaries, and trust
space for loved ones to process their own emotions and concerns
Supporting both the client’s internal system and their external support system often creates the conditions for long-term recovery.
Recovery is not meant to happen alone.
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Recovery does not happen in isolation.
When appropriate and clinically indicated, I collaborate closely with:
Registered Dietitians
Primary care physicians
Psychiatrists
Family members and partners
I believe strongly in coordinated, attuned care. I support families and loved ones in understanding the function of the eating disorder, reducing reactivity, and responding with consistency and compassion rather than control.
As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist + Consultant (CEDS-C), I am committed to ongoing education, ethical care, and depth in this work. Whether working directly with clients or supervising clinicians, my goal is the same:
To help individuals and systems move
from disconnection to integration
from fear to trust
from self-protection to self-leadership
My Commitment
Ready to Begin?
Starting therapy can feel vulnerable. If you’re curious whether this approach is a fit, a consultation is a supportive first step.