Healing Disordered Eating

Trust your body and its innate wisdom

 

I am a body-affirming and weight-inclusive clinician. I work with clients to explore your unique history with food and body.

Together we will look at the messaging from culture and environment that have contributed to your relationship with food and body image.

 

Disordered Eating

I believe diet culture is a pervasive problem in our society. From the time we are able to comprehend, we are bombarded by messages about our appearance. How we must alter ourselves in some way in order to feel ‘good enough.’ Rather than appreciating that bodies come in all shapes and sizes, we are taught to strive for an ideal belonging to a small percentage of the population. This focus on appearance and fitting in can result in unhealthy behaviors and preoccupation with food and body size.

I work primarily from an Intuitive Eating perspective and a non-diet approach. Diet mentality teaches us to look at external cues to determine how to nourish ourselves; how much, of what types of foods, good vs bad foods, and calorie-focused. Intuitive eating focuses on internal cues, what is my body wanting and craving--what would make me feel satiated? I work with clients to become more curious about their body’s signals and what they are trying to communicate. I will ask you to tune in and pay attention.

Amanda Jones, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist, Photo of Scale

Worth is not determined by a number on the scale

Eating Disorders

When restricting, binging, purging, over-exercise, and other compensatory measures to manage weight become more serious, this is when a more formal diagnosis may be made such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and ARFID. It is important to note that weight and BMI are NOT criteria to diagnose an eating disorder. Normal labs are also not a sign that things are okay. The human body has an amazing capacity to compensate for deficits and issues can go unaddressed. This is why a trained, multidisciplinary team is required to properly assess and treat this severity of illness.

Eating disorders result from a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. They impact people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and gender identities. All areas of life must be explored including nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and relationships. Eating disorders often go hand in hand with other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and substance use. I specialize in treating eating disorders and trauma concurrently, which is imperative as trauma-based symptoms commonly worsen during the therapy process. I help clients reconnect to their bodies innate wisdom and incorporate healthier coping strategies.

how therapy works

  • I offer a 15-minute complimentary consultation via phone or online. This gives us a chance to discuss goals and expectations, answer questions, and determine if we may be a good fit. If we decide to move forward, a more formal initial appointment will be scheduled.

  • During this first meeting (up to 90 minutes long), we will begin to gather information about your history, discuss goals for treatment, and address questions and concerns you may have. I invite clients to share what they feel comfortable with at this appointment. This is an opportunity to ease into the therapeutic relationship.

  • Together we will talk about your individual goals for therapy and create a treatment plan.

  • My preference is that we meet weekly as research suggests this is the most effective way to gain momentum and create emotional safety. Together we will work on establishing trust and formulating a treatment plan unique to you.

If you have a question that I haven’t answered yet, please reach out!