Eating Disorder Therapy in Texas
How do I know if I need eating disorder therapy or treatment?
You may find yourself thinking about food, weight, exercise, or your body more often than you’d like, or noticing that these thoughts are affecting your relationships, social life, work, or self-esteem.
You don’t have to have a formal eating disorder diagnosis to seek support. If your relationship with food or your body feels overwhelming, restrictive, or difficult to navigate, therapy can help you cultivate a more authentic sense of body autonomy, create space to heal your relationship with food, and provide education on how to truly care for your overall wellbeing.
Myths About Eating Disorders
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Eating disorders do not discriminate based on gender identity, ethnicity, race, sexuality, body size, class, ability, or age. We recognize that LGBTQIA+ individuals often experience unique pressures around body image and identity. Our approach is sensitive to these challenges, offering affirming care that celebrates who you are.
Under representation of marginalized identities can lead to fewer individuals seeking help. Thus they are not getting appropriate services. We aim to make treatment accessible to ALL individuals struggling with eating disorders.
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In reality, less than 6% of people with eating disorders are medically diagnosed as “underweight.” An individual does not need to be underweight to be taken seriously. For example, larger-bodied individuals may also have anorexia but are less likely to be diagnosed due to weight stigma. We must also remember that eating disorders encompass a variety of behaviors, not just restriction. Sadly, only 1 in 10 individuals with an eating disorder receive care, and we want to change this.
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Studies show that there is a relationship between eating disorders and past trauma. As well as social injustices, stress, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues. They are not just superficial. For example, restriction may bring a sense of control to individuals who feel other aspects of their lives are out of their control. On the other hand, the act of bingeing can provide temporary emotional relief.
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This is a dangerous misunderstanding. Eating disorders actually carry an increased risk of medical complications and psychiatric comorbidity. Such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. As well as substance misuse, self-harm, and increased suicide risk. Close to 25% of individuals with eating disorders attempt suicide. Eating disorders are among the deadliest of mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdose.
(If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out for help immediately. The NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE can be reached at 1-800-273-8255 and is available 24/7. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line.)
Eating Disorders Types & Their Symptoms
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a severe restriction of food intake to lose or maintain weight. In addition to a fear of gaining weight and a disturbance in how one’s body is perceived. It is one of the deadliest mental illnesses and has severe mental and physical health consequences. Anorexia is often coupled with depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorders. One in five anorexia deaths is by suicide.
Our anorexia treatment team of therapists in Texas understand the importance of treating anorexia from a multidisciplinary approach. They aim to collaborate with other health professionals such as dietitians and medical doctors. Common signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa include the following:
Dramatic weight loss
Preoccupation with food, calories, or weight
Denial of hunger
Avoiding eating in public
Refusing to eat specific categories of food
A strong desire for control
Avoiding social situations that may involve food
Developing food rules, rituals, or restrictions
Dressing in layers to stay warm or to hide weight loss
An intense fear of gaining weight
Social withdrawal
Dizziness
Fainting
Menstrual irregularities
Hair thinning
Muscle weakness
Anemia
Slow heart rate
AVOIDANT/RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISORDER
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is often referred to as “extremely picky eating.” However, it is a serious eating disorder that affects many individuals, particularly children. This disorder is not tied to the desire to lose weight. ARFID is often co-morbid with anxious and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Research shows that ARFID is more common in boys than girls and in children who are neurodivergent. There are three main types of ARFID outlined below:
Sensory Avoidance: Individuals have issues with the texture, smell, and temperature of food.
Fear of Aversive Consequences: Individuals may associate eating with a “bad” experience. Such as almost choking, getting sick, having an allergic reaction, or vomiting.
Lack of Interest: Individuals have a true disinterest in eating and food and may get full quickly.
Common signs and symptoms of ARFID include a shortlist of acceptable foods, nutrient deficiencies, eating foods with similar characteristics (color, texture, etc.), delays in weight gain or growth, avoidance of vegetables or protein sources, and preference for a particular preparation of foods. Individuals with ARFID may also express emotional distress around meals and eating unfamiliar foods. This can lead to social difficulties in situations that involve food, such as mealtime or celebrations.
BULIMIA NERVOSA
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by patterns of bingeing followed by purging. Bingeing is the consumption of large amounts of food in a short span of time. Whereas purging refers to the elimination of the calories consumed during a binge. Bulimia is often co-occurring with anxiety and mood disorders as well as substance use disorders. Common signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa include the following:
Consuming a large quantity of food in a short period of time
Eating until uncomfortably full
Eating in private
Social withdrawal
Using compensatory behaviors to make up for calories consumed. For example purging or vomiting, overexercising, diuretics, laxatives, restricting or fasting, etc.
Feeling out of control when eating
Feeling shame about how much you eat
Fear of gaining weight
Discolored or stained teeth from induced vomiting
Bradycardia and other heart issues
Making trips to the restroom during and after meals
Strict adherence to an exercise schedule
ORTHOREXIA
Orthorexia is characterized by a fixation on "healthy" foods or "clean eating". To the point of restricting intake to only certain foods that are deemed "healthy." Orthorexia interferes with daily life and can affect interpersonal relationships. Symptoms and signs of orthorexia include the following:
Fear of processed foods
Obsessively checking nutritional labels and ingredients
Calorie-counting or macro tracking
Following “healthy lifestyle” influencers and bloggers
Avoiding social gatherings for fear of being pressured to eat “unhealthy” foods
Cutting out food groups (sugar, carbs, etc.) or adopting a lifestyle that restricts food (gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, etc.) unrelated to a medical condition or a moral or religious belief
Perfectionism
Rigid and inflexible food rules and exercise routines
My Approach to Therapy for Eating Disorder Recovery
I approach eating disorder and food-related concerns from a weight-inclusive lens. To me, that means creating a space where you don’t have to change your body, earn your food, or fit into a particular definition of health to be worthy of care, respect, and compassion.
I believe your relationship with food and your body exists within a much bigger context. Your identity, relationships, culture, family experiences, access to resources, and the messages you’ve received about bodies and worth can all shape the way you relate to yourself and to food. I work to understand that context with you rather than reducing your struggles to willpower or personal choice.
In our work together, I encourage flexibility around food and movement, with space for hunger, fullness, nourishment, pleasure, and enjoyment. Rather than making weight control the goal, I focus on helping you build a relationship with food and your body that supports your overall well-being and allows you to participate more fully in your life.
I also believe that healing doesn’t require you to learn to love every part of your body. My hope is to help you move away from shame, self-blame, and the constant pressure to change yourself, and toward greater self-compassion, trust, and connection with your body.
Most importantly, I want therapy to be a place where you can show up as your whole self. You deserve to be cared for and accepted exactly as you are, at every body size and throughout every stage of your healing.
Binge eating disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a serious eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food, often quickly and to the point of discomfort. People with BED frequently eat when they're not physically hungry and may eat beyond the point of fullness. These episodes are typically accompanied by feelings of shame, guilt, or distress.
Unlike Bulimia Nervosa, BED does not involve regular purging (such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or using laxatives). Instead, BED is marked by a lack of control over eating and a preoccupation with food. The disorder can lead to various physical and psychological problems, including - but not limited to - depression, poor body image, and anxiety.
What is a therapist’s role in eating disorder treatment?
My role as an eating disorder therapist is to help you understand your relationship with food and your body with curiosity rather than judgment. Eating disorders can serve many different functions, and they aren’t always about weight or body image. They can become ways of coping with trauma, anxiety, grief, perfectionism, difficult relationships, or experiences that have left you feeling disconnected from yourself.
Together, we can begin to understand what needs your eating disorder is helping you to meet, what tends to happen before and after certain behaviors, and the beliefs or messages you may have internalized about food, your body, and your worth. Rather than simply taking away a coping strategy, I want to help you develop more intuitive, authentic and caring ways of navigating difficult emotions and experiences.
Therapy also gives you a space to question the rules, fears, and expectations that have shaped your relationship with food and your body. I provide psychoeducation and help you develop greater awareness of diet culture, weight stigma, and the ways these messages can become internalized. From there, we can work toward more flexibility, self-compassion, and trust in yourself.
Eating disorder recovery is not about becoming “perfect” with food or learning to love your body overnight. My role is to support you in building a relationship with food, movement, and your body that feels more sustainable and allows you to have more room for the rest of your life.
For more information about my approach to eating disorder treatment, be sure to check out the blog.
Compulsive Exercise & Eating Disorders
Compulsive exercise is an obsession with physical activity, often driven by a need for control, perfection, or relief from anxiety. It often becomes excessive, rigid, and prioritized over other responsibilities, even in the face of injury or exhaustion. It is commonly linked to eating disorders, body image issues, and mental health conditions like anxiety and OCD.
Signs include - but aren’t limited to - guilt over missed workouts, exercising despite illness or pain, and distress when unable to work out. Treatment focuses on addressing underlying psychological factors through therapy, balanced movement, and fostering a healthier relationship with exercise.
Start Eating Disorder Treatment in Texas
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
If you’re ready to explore a different relationship with food, your body, and yourself, I’d love to connect and see if we might be a good fit to work together.
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