Evidence Based Treatment In-Person in Chicago and Online Across Illinois

Eating Disorder Treatment

How would it feel to not worry about eating?

Maybe it’s hard to remember a time before you constantly thought about food and your body.

Now, your mind is always whirring. You tell people (and yourself) that you’re just really healthy, or that you’re sensitive to certain foods, so maybe they won’t offer you it again. There’s not much within your control anymore, but it seems like you can control your eating habits—so that’s what you try to do.

Plus, when you think about what life would be like without the habits you’ve formed around food, you can’t really picture what that would look like. It’s like you don’t know who you are without your current eating and exercise habits, and that’s a scary thought to face.

Your family & friends have told you they’re worried.

But you’re pretty sure you’re fine. You’d like to have more of a social life, but your time is consumed with food intake and exercise habits. You’ve gotten so used to living this way, you don’t think about how much life is passing you by.

Even so, maybe you’re ready to at least speak to someone so the people who care about you will stop worrying so much.

Or maybe, you are a family member and dealing with symptoms of…

Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

  • People with the sensory sensitivity type of ARFID often find certain foods more disgusting due to being "supertasters" (meaning they have more taste buds), which can make foods taste bitter. This sensitivity may have evolved to help us avoid potentially poisonous foods. Young adults with this condition might feel embarrassed when eating with friends because they prefer bland foods like carbs and are put off by things like specific smells or leftovers.

  • Those with the 'fear of aversive consequences' type might have experienced a traumatic event like choking, making eating anxiety-inducing. 

  • Another type involves a general disinterest in food, lacking typical hunger cues and enjoyment. 

There are different underlying causes of ARFID and all are treatable and valid. Cognitive behavioral thearpy for ARIFD (CBT-AR) can treat this condition with a personalized plan to gradually explore and incorporate new foods and plan for lasting change.

My Approach

Think of me as your ally in getting to the life you want to live.

What are your aspirations for your life? Do they involve enjoying things like nights out, vacations, dinner dates, finishing your degree, going to grad school, a fruitful career, close relationships? I want to help you live that life, and I’ll help you find the motivation to work together and get there.

 When we begin our work, we’ll start by getting to know each other. I’m not someone who’s going to bark orders at you or judge your choices—I’m on your side. I want to know who you are aside from the eating disorder and how we can pull from your strengths to help move you toward recovery. 

We will discuss how your thoughts and behaviors might be hindering your ability to live the way you’d like to. Then, I’ll give you some tools to help you disrupt those patterns when they come up, and we can stay in close contact as you implement them. It’s helpful in this stage to have support at home as well, so we’ll explore how family or loved ones may be able to help.

Over time, I hope to earn your trust and empower you to free yourself from the constant worries about food and your body—because you deserve a full life.

Therapy will help you…

  • Understand how eating disoders can interfere with the life you want and deserve.

  • Change your relationship with food and eating.

  • Accept your body and realize bodies come in all shapes & sizes.

  • Focus more on the fullfilling areas of your life - like relationships, academics, career growth, hobbies, or socializing.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

  • ARFID stands for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. It's a type of eating disorder where individuals have a limited diet or avoid certain foods due to sensory issues, fear, or other reasons unrelated to body image or weight concerns. People with ARFID may have a lot of trouble with daily functioning due to their restrictive eating patterns. Treatment methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID (CBT-AR) can help people struggling with this condition become more autonomous and function better in their lives. Learn more about this and other treatment methods I use on my About page.

  • I am able to treat the full spectrum of eating disorders—including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and unspecified feeding and eating disorders. I have years of experience with all of these conditions but tend to see more clients with anorexia because it can be tricky to treat for clinicians who don’t have the required expertise.

  • People of any age, gender, race, or body size can struggle with eating disorders. There’s no specific “type” of person who can have an eating disorder. It is a myth that someone must be a certain size to have an eating disorder. In fact, it is more common for people with restrictive eating disorders to be in a straight size or larger body than it is to be thin. It’s also common for those with binge eating to be in a straight size body. Weight based discrimination may cause someone to be fearful that a therapist will not believe they have an eating disorder based on their size and avoid seeking treatment. I work hard to challenge weight-based stigma and discrimination and am well versed in providing treatment to people in all body sizes.

  • The best prognosis for recovery from an eating disorder requires you to get started with treatment as soon as possible. The longer you have an eating disorder, the more cruel it can become, and the more difficult to treat. If you are interested in getting started with treatment contact me.