Are you exhausted by how much space food and your body take up in your mind?
For some people it is thinking about food and their body from morning to night. For others it is the constant checking, planning, or trying to regain control. You might be frequently weighing yourself, or holding a goal weight in your mind and feeling wrong in your body if you are not that number. You may hate all or parts of your body, and find yourself comparing your body to other people’s bodies without even meaning to.
When this pattern is in place, weight changes can start to dictate practical choices. Some people end up with “fat” clothes and “thin” clothes because their size shifts up and down. A good day becomes the day you stick to your food plan, and a bad day is the day you cannot.
Many people start avoiding situations that feel too exposing. You might cancel social plans because you have binged, or because you feel fat and ugly. You may avoid eating in the company of others, or pretend to eat healthily in front of people while eating large amounts of comfort foods in secret.
For some, it affects intimacy. You may avoid sexual relationships because you do not want certain parts of your body to be seen naked or to be touched. You might feel ashamed of yourself because of the way you look, and feel different from other people, as if you are not normal. It can begin to feel like you cannot be fully part of life because of the way you look.
Many people describe being constantly on a diet, then searching for the next new diet after the last one fails. It is common to start thinking you are weak, have no will power, or that you are a failure because you cannot lose weight or because you ate too much. Some people also find themselves wanting to be able to eat and eat and not put on weight.
You may have tried to compensate for eating too much through vomiting, laxatives and diuretics, excessive exercise, fasting, dieting, cocaine, alcohol, or other methods. You might be dealing with physical symptoms such as IBS, irregular periods, exhaustion, or depression. Some people buy weight loss drugs over the internet rather than getting them on prescription through their GP, or seek out drastic weight loss treatments such as jaw-wiring, gastric band surgery, liposuction, or injections.
In more serious situations, you may become very unwell. Excess weight can lead to significant health problems. Being very underweight may mean you need to be hospitalised. Some people experience oesophageal bleeding, heart palpitations, or a heart attack. And for many, the most demoralising part is that nothing they try in an effort to control their weight ever works.
I work with people who feel stuck in obsessive patterns around food, eating, and body image, and who want freedom from the cycle. Often these patterns sit alongside addiction, anxiety, or other ways of coping. I approach this work calmly and without judgment. I won’t shame you, label you, or push you into quick fixes.
I won’t weigh you, give you a goal weight to achieve, or interfere in what you choose to eat. An eating disorder isn’t about food, it’s about your relationship with yourself.
Together, we will make sense of what has been driving the pattern and what it has been helping you manage. Recovery is not about forcing yourself into perfect control. It is about rebuilding a more livable relationship with food, body, and self.
If you would like to explore whether working together feels right, you are welcome to get in touch.
If you’re worried about a loved one, it’s important to understand that eating disorders are serious, complex conditions that the person cannot simply control or stop on their own, even if they want to. Rather than blaming or pressuring them, approach them calmly and without judgement, share what you’ve noticed, and let them know you’re there to support them.
If they’re open to help, you can explore options together such as a GP or specialist therapist, but if they’re not ready, focus on educating yourself and having information available for when they are. Recovery can’t be forced, so stepping back and allowing them to seek help in their own time is important. At the same time, consider getting support for yourself, as a healthy you will be better able to support someone else, and please feel free to contact me to discuss how I can support you.
Please be aware that psychotherapy should not be considered an emergency treatment. If you are feeling suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14, and contact your GP or other healthcare provider for extra support.
A unique, experiential eating disorder treatment group in Sydney
