Eating Disorder Therapy: Your Path to Recovery in Philadelphia

Finding your way through an eating disorder can feel overwhelming, like you're caught in a cycle that never ends. But here's what I want you to know: recovery is absolutely possible, and you don't have to navigate this alone. Eating disorder therapy offers a compassionate space to untangle the complicated feelings around food, your body, and your identity. It's about so much more than changing eating habits—it's about rediscovering who you are underneath it all and building a life that feels authentically yours.

As a queer-identified eating disorder therapist and art therapist practicing in Philadelphia, I understand that traditional recovery narratives don't work for everyone. My approach is rooted in creating a space where your whole identity is honored, whether you're navigating gender dysphoria alongside disordered eating, processing trauma, or simply tired of the constant mental noise around food.

Key Takeaways

• Eating disorder therapy provides a supportive environment to address complex relationships with food and body image, moving beyond just symptom management
• Relational, experiential approaches like Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Psychodynamic therapy can be tailored to your unique needs
• Recovery is deeply personal, and therapy helps you reduce guilt around food, build healthier relationships, and find spontaneity in eating again
• Specialized, affirming care for LGBTQ+ individuals addresses the intersection of gender identity, body image, and disordered eating
• Building a support system—whether through loved ones or group therapy—is vital to feeling less isolated and more empowered

Understanding Your Eating Disorder Therapy Journey

Starting therapy for an eating disorder is a significant step, and it takes courage. Think of it as beginning a journey where the destination is a more peaceful relationship with food and yourself. This isn't about being "fixed" because you're not broken. It's about understanding what's driving your struggles and creating new, healthier ways to cope with life's challenges.

The Initial Consultation Process

Before we dive into regular sessions, I offer a free 20-minute phone consultation that you can book directly through my website. This is a no-pressure conversation where you can ask questions about my approach, share a bit about what's bringing you to therapy, and see if we feel like a good fit. I know reaching out can feel vulnerable, so I've designed this process to be as comfortable as possible.

During this call, we'll talk generally about what you're experiencing and what you're hoping for in therapy. If it feels right for both of us, we'll schedule your first full session, and I'll send you an email to set up your client portal and complete intake paperwork. My goal is to make sure you feel safe and understood from the very beginning.

Exploring Your History and Goals

In our first session together, we'll explore what's bringing you to therapy right now. I'll ask about your relationship with food and your body, how your eating disorder has shown up in your life, and what's motivating you to make a change. I'll also use some screening tools to get a clearer picture of your symptoms.

More importantly, we'll talk about what recovery looks like to you. What are your hopes? What do you want your life to be like when the eating disorder isn't calling the shots? I'll share more about my approach and how I think I can help, and we'll discuss what to expect in our next few sessions. These early sessions are really about feeling it out and making sure we're a good match.

I want to emphasize that recovery doesn't have to look like what you've seen in mainstream narratives. Your path is yours alone, and I'm here to support you in defining what healing means for you.

My Relational and Experiential Approach

My work is grounded in relational and experiential therapies rather than traditional cognitive-behavioral approaches. What does this mean? Instead of just talking about your problems or trying to change your thoughts through logic alone, we'll focus on your lived experiences, your relationships, and what's happening in your body right now.

I draw from Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Psychodynamic therapy to help you connect with parts of yourself that might be hard to access through words alone. This approach is about building healthier relationships—both with yourself and with others—through direct experience in a safe therapeutic space. We'll look at how past experiences might be showing up in your current life and work on creating new ways of being that feel more authentic to who you really are.

Specialized Approaches in My Practice

Not everyone connects with traditional talk therapy, and that's completely okay. I offer several specialized approaches that provide different pathways to healing. The key is finding what resonates with you, because recovery truly isn't one-size-fits-all.

Art Therapy for Healing

You don't need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy—I promise. Art therapy is a way to express yourself and explore feelings that might be impossible to put into words. You might use drawing, painting, collage, or any creative medium that feels right in the moment.

As an art therapist, I've seen how powerful this process can be. It's not about making something beautiful or "gallery-worthy." It's about what you discover in the creating. Many people find that through art, they can start to separate their eating disorder from their true self, which is a huge step in healing. You might see your struggles and your progress from entirely new angles, accessing parts of your story that have been locked away.

Creative expression can be especially meaningful if you're someone who spends time knitting, making art, or playing in a band. We can build on those creative skills you already have.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Parts Work

Internal Family Systems is a therapeutic approach that recognizes we all have different "parts" of ourselves. You might have a part that restricts food, another part that binges, a part that's terrified of gaining weight, and yet another part that desperately wants freedom from it all. These parts often developed to protect you at some point, even if they're causing harm now.

In IFS therapy, we'll work to understand these different parts, what they're trying to do for you, and how they might be in conflict with each other. The goal is to help you access your core Self—the part of you that's compassionate, curious, and capable of leading with clarity. When your parts trust your Self to be in charge, they can relax and take on healthier roles.

This approach can be particularly powerful for understanding the complexity of your relationship with food and your body, especially when gender identity or trauma is part of the picture.

Psychodynamic Therapy for Deeper Understanding

Psychodynamic therapy looks at how your past experiences—especially from childhood and early relationships—might be influencing your current struggles with food and your body. We'll explore patterns that developed early on and how they're showing up in your life now.

This isn't about blaming your family or dwelling on the past. It's about gaining insight into why certain coping mechanisms took root in the first place. When you understand these deeper roots, you can start to create healthier ways of relating to yourself and managing difficult emotions. You gain freedom to write a new story.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD

If obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are part of your eating disorder experience, or if you're also dealing with OCD, I offer Exposure and Response Prevention therapy. ERP is a structured approach where you'll gradually face situations or foods that trigger anxiety while learning to resist the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors.

This involves homework between sessions—monitoring obsessive thoughts and compulsions, and practicing exposure exercises while resisting compulsions. It's challenging work, but it builds real confidence in managing those tough moments. The goal is to break the cycle where anxiety leads to compulsions that temporarily relieve the anxiety but ultimately keep you stuck.

Benefits of Eating Disorder Therapy

Therapy for eating disorders isn't just about stopping behaviors—it's about reclaiming your life. When you start working with me, you begin to see that recovery opens doors you might not have even realized were closed.

Reducing Guilt and Overwhelm Around Food

One of the most significant shifts you'll experience is how much less mental energy gets consumed by food. Instead of constantly planning what you can eat, calculating calories, or feeling crushing guilt after meals, therapy helps you learn to trust your body's natural signals again.

Imagine not having to plan your entire day around your next meal or obsessing over what you ate yesterday. That mental space becomes available for things that actually matter to you—your creative projects, your relationships, your work, your community. It's a profound relief.

Cultivating Healthier Relationships

When an eating disorder takes hold, relationships often suffer. You might cancel plans that involve food, withdraw from your community, or feel like you can't show up authentically. Therapy helps you rebuild these connections.

You'll start to feel more comfortable grabbing coffee with friends, attending dinner parties, or just being present without the eating disorder dominating your thoughts. This renewed ability to connect with others is a significant part of healing. It means you can actually be there for the people you care about and let them be there for you.

Increasing Spontaneity with Meals

Remember when you could just order whatever sounded good at a restaurant or try a new dessert without spiraling? Therapy helps you get back to that place of flexibility and trust.

You'll learn to go with the flow more—saying yes to last-minute plans, trying new foods without anxiety, enjoying a family meal without feeling like you're breaking rules. This spontaneity around food is a real marker of progress and freedom.

Rediscovering Your True Self

Often, an eating disorder overshadows your personality and interests. You might have hobbies or passions that have fallen away because they didn't fit into the rigid structure your eating disorder demanded.

Therapy provides space to explore those lost parts of yourself. Whether it's your love of video games, your interest in RPGs, your knitting projects, or your band—you can start to reconnect with the things that bring you genuine joy. It's about finding your way back to the person you were before the eating disorder took over, and perhaps discovering new aspects of yourself along the way.

Addressing Specific Eating Disorder Challenges

Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions, and each type comes with its own unique struggles. In my practice, I provide specialized support for various eating disorders, recognizing that your experience is uniquely yours.

Anorexia Nervosa Support

Anorexia nervosa often involves intense fear of weight gain and distorted body image, leading to severe restriction of food intake. This might look like skipping meals, eating very little, or avoiding entire food groups. The drive for thinness can become all-consuming, impacting both physical health and mental well-being.

In therapy, we'll work on challenging distorted thoughts about weight and shape, slowly reintroducing balanced nutrition, and exploring the underlying emotional reasons for restrictive behaviors. It's about helping you find healthier ways to cope that don't involve denying your body what it needs.

Bulimia Nervosa Recovery

Bulimia nervosa involves cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors like purging, excessive exercise, or misusing laxatives. If you're experiencing bulimia, you might feel a terrifying loss of control during binges and intense shame afterward.

Recovery involves breaking this cycle by understanding what triggers binges and purges, developing healthier coping strategies for stress, and working on body image. Together, we'll build a more stable relationship with food where you don't have to swing between extremes.

Binge-Eating Disorder Treatment

Binge-eating disorder involves recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short period while feeling a lack of control. Unlike bulimia, there are no regular compensatory behaviors, but the distress, guilt, and shame can be just as devastating.

In therapy, we'll explore the emotional triggers for bingeing, develop strategies to manage urges, and work toward regular, balanced eating patterns. Often, bingeing is a way of coping with difficult emotions or filling an emotional void, and we'll find healthier ways to address those underlying needs.

ARFID and Disordered Eating Patterns

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) involves significant eating disturbances that lead to failure to meet nutritional needs. This can happen because of lack of interest in eating, avoidance of certain foods based on sensory characteristics, or fear of negative consequences from eating.

I also work with people who have disordered eating patterns that don't fit neatly into diagnostic categories—chronic dieting, obsessive behaviors around food, or unhealthy preoccupation with eating and body image. Your struggle is valid even if it doesn't have a specific label, and you deserve support.

Navigating Body Image and Societal Pressures

Everywhere you look, there are messages about how you should look, what you should eat, and how you should feel about your body. This constant barrage is exhausting, especially when you're already struggling with an eating disorder. Your body does not define your worth, no matter what advertisements or social media might suggest.

Challenging Diet Culture Messages

Diet culture is everywhere—in magazines, on social media, embedded in casual conversations. It tells us that thin is always better, that certain foods are "good" and others are "bad," and that we should constantly be trying to change our bodies.

In therapy, we'll work on seeing through these messages and understanding where they come from. We'll explore how these ideas have shaped your thoughts about food and your body, and we'll start to question them together. This involves identifying the sources of these messages, questioning their validity, and developing counter-messages that serve your actual well-being.

For LGBTQ+ folks especially, diet culture often intersects with other oppressive systems. We'll look at how messages about food and bodies from your family, culture, and society have shaped how you see yourself, and we'll work on unlearning beliefs that were never yours to carry.

Building Body Resilience

Building resilience means developing the ability to bounce back when body image struggles hit hard. It's not about never having a difficult body image day—it's about having tools to get through those days without letting them derail your recovery.

This involves learning to be kinder to yourself, even when you're feeling down about your appearance. It's recognizing that your body is just one part of who you are, and its size or shape doesn't determine your value as a person. We'll work on this together, building your capacity to weather the hard days.

Embracing Your Uniqueness

So much of the pressure we feel comes from trying to fit into a mold that wasn't made for us. When you're queer, trans, non-binary, or otherwise existing outside mainstream narratives, this pressure can feel even more intense.

Therapy is a space to explore what makes you uniquely you, outside of your relationship with food and your body. It's about rediscovering your interests, your passions, the things that bring you joy. When you start to connect with these parts of yourself—whether that's your love of spooky supernatural stuff, your creative projects, your community, or your work—you begin to see that your worth isn't tied to your appearance.

Affirming Care for LGBTQ+ Individuals

As a queer-identified therapist married to a trans woman, I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to working with LGBTQ+ individuals. I understand that traditional eating disorder recovery narratives often feel heteronormative and alienating to queer folks. My practice is built on creating a space where your full identity is not just accepted but celebrated.

Addressing Gender Dysphoria and Food

For many transgender and non-binary individuals, the relationship between gender dysphoria and eating disorder symptoms is incredibly complex. Sometimes, managing food intake might feel like the only way to achieve certain gender goals or to cope with discomfort about your body.

Food restriction might be tied to managing dysphoria, trying to achieve a body shape that feels more gender-affirming, or dealing with trauma from discrimination. Traditional therapy often misses these nuances because it's built around cisgender, heteronormative experiences.

In my practice, I understand that body image work for trans and non-binary folks has extra layers. If you're going through medical transition while also dealing with disordered eating, we'll work together to figure out what constitutes healthy body changes versus what's harmful. This requires a specific kind of understanding and care.

Navigating Identity and Body Image

LGBTQ+ individuals often face unique challenges when it comes to identity and body image. Societal expectations, family dynamics, and internalized messages about your identity can deeply affect how you see your body and relate to food.

For trans and non-binary people, body image might be directly linked to gender identity, or it might be a separate struggle. Sometimes it feels like body acceptance is only for straight, cisgender folks, which can make recovery feel impossible.

We'll explore how different parts of your identity intersect with your eating patterns and body image. The goal is to understand how these behaviors might have served a purpose while finding healthier ways to cope that feel true to who you are—not who society thinks you should be.

Queer-Affirming Therapeutic Space

Finding a therapist who truly understands can make all the difference. In my practice, I create a space where you can be your full self without explanation or apology. Whether you're navigating polyamory, kink, coming out, transition, relationship changes, or simply existing as a queer person in the world, your experiences are valid and welcome here.

I understand that recovery might look different for you than the mainstream narrative suggests, and that's not only okay—it's expected. Your path to healing should be defined by you, and I'm here to support whatever that looks like.

Personalized Treatment Approach

Your journey with disordered eating is completely unique, shaped by your own life experiences, identity, and circumstances. That's why your path to healing should be equally individual. I don't use a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, I tailor my work to your specific needs and goals.

Mind-Body Approaches to Healing

I use mind-body approaches to get to the root of your eating disorder. When you start to understand where your food struggles actually come from, you can heal the pain underneath them. This might involve exploring how past events, family dynamics, trauma, or your social environment have played a role.

We'll work together to figure out what's been driving your struggles and paint a vivid picture of what life beyond them could look like for you. This vision becomes a guidepost when things feel hard, reminding you why you're doing this difficult work.

Weight-Inclusive Perspective

My practice operates from a weight-inclusive, Health At Every Size-informed perspective. This means I don't focus on weight as the main indicator of health. Instead, we focus on overall well-being, how you feel in your body, and how societal pressures might be impacting your relationship with food.

We'll also examine things through a social justice lens, looking at how systems of oppression—including fatphobia, transphobia, and heteronormativity—have shaped your experiences. By understanding these broader contexts, we can begin to separate what's truly yours from what's been imposed on you.

Defining Recovery on Your Own Terms

Ultimately, recovery should be defined by you, not by me or anyone else. It's completely okay to have mixed feelings about what recovery means. Maybe it doesn't mean completely abandoning all your old habits overnight. Maybe it's about finding a healthier balance, reducing guilt around food, feeling more in control, or simply having more mental space for things that matter.

We'll take things one step at a time in a way that actually works for you. Real, lasting change happens when it's driven by your own motivations for recovery. Along the way, you'll pick up practical tools to handle stress and emotions in healthier ways—so you don't have to lean on your eating disorder to cope.

Building Your Support System for Recovery

Recovery can feel lonely sometimes. It's easy to get caught up in your own head, thinking you're the only one going through this. But you don't have to navigate this alone. Building a solid support system is a huge part of healing and can make the tough days feel more manageable.

The Role of Loved Ones in Healing

Your friends, family, and partner (if you have one) can be incredible sources of strength. They might not always know exactly what to say or do, but their willingness to be there matters deeply.

Sometimes just having someone to listen without judgment is enough. Your loved ones can offer different perspectives when you're feeling stuck, remind you of your worth outside of your eating disorder, and help you stick to your recovery goals. They can provide gentle accountability, celebrating your progress and encouraging you to keep going.

Group Therapy for Community Connection

While individual therapy is important, there's something special about connecting with others who truly get it. I offer group therapy that creates a space where you can share experiences with people going through similar struggles.

In group, you realize you're not the only one battling these thoughts and feelings. You can learn from each other, share coping strategies, and find genuine belonging. These groups can be powerful reminders that recovery is possible and that you have a community cheering you on.

Finding Strength in Shared Experiences

Sharing your story—even the messy parts—can be incredibly freeing. When you open up to trusted friends, family, or fellow group members, you take away some of the power the eating disorder holds. It thrives in secrecy, so bringing it into the light starts to break its grip.

You might find that by sharing your journey, you not only feel lighter but also give others permission to be more open about their own struggles. It's about building connections based on honesty and mutual support, creating a safety net that catches you when you stumble and celebrates with you when you soar.

Taking Back Your Life

Therapy is about reclaiming your life from the grip of your eating disorder. It's about developing the skills and self-awareness to manage challenges without resorting to old patterns. This process involves learning healthier ways to cope with stress and difficult feelings.

Developing Healthier Coping Mechanisms

When life gets hard, it's easy to fall back into familiar but unhealthy habits. In therapy, we'll build a toolkit of strategies to handle stress and emotions in ways that support your well-being. This isn't about eliminating difficult feelings—it's about learning to navigate them without letting them derail your recovery.

We might work on mindfulness and grounding techniques to help you stay present when overwhelmed. We'll develop emotional regulation skills so you can manage intense emotions without acting impulsively. We might practice assertiveness so you can express your needs and set boundaries effectively.

Creative expression through art can be particularly effective for processing feelings that are hard to put into words. This helps externalize the eating disorder and see it as separate from your true self, opening up new perspectives on your struggles and progress.

Gaining Control and Self-Awareness

Part of taking back your life is understanding what's really happening. In therapy, you'll become more aware of your triggers, thought patterns, and the underlying reasons for your eating disorder behaviors. This self-awareness is key to gaining a sense of control.

It's not about perfection—it's about making conscious choices that align with your recovery goals. You'll learn to recognize when you're slipping into old patterns and have tools to make different choices in those moments.

Living with Clarity and Purpose

The ultimate goal is to move beyond just managing an eating disorder and start truly living. This means rediscovering your interests, nurturing your relationships, and finding a sense of purpose.

When you're not consumed by food and body image concerns, you have more energy and mental space for things that truly matter—whether that's your work in tech or project management, your creative pursuits, time in nature, your community, or simply being present for life as it unfolds.

What to Expect in My Practice

I meet with clients weekly for one-hour therapy sessions. We'll choose a designated day and time that becomes your regular slot. If you need more support, you also have the option of meeting more than once a week or for 90-minute sessions.

Between sessions, I might send journal prompts to help you process what we're working on. If we're doing ERP for OCD, there will be weekly homework—monitoring obsessive thoughts and compulsions and practicing exposure exercises while resisting compulsions.

My office is located in Philadelphia, and I offer both in-person and online sessions, giving you flexibility in how you engage with therapy. I work as a solo practitioner, which means you'll always work directly with me—you'll have consistency and continuity in your care.

Finding Your Way Forward in Philadelphia

Recovery isn't a straight line, and that's completely okay. There will be ups and downs, moments of clarity and moments of struggle. That's all part of the process.

As your therapist, I'm here to walk alongside you through all of it. I bring my training in Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Psychodynamic therapy, and Exposure and Response Prevention, along with my lived experience as a queer person with a trans partner. I understand the unique challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals, and I'm committed to providing affirming, personalized care that honors your whole identity.

If you're in Philadelphia and looking for eating disorder therapy that truly sees you, I'd be honored to support you on this journey. You can book a free 20-minute consultation call through my website to see if we're a good fit.

Recovery is possible. You deserve to live a life that feels authentically yours, free from the constant mental noise around food and your body. You deserve to reconnect with your passions, your community, and yourself. And you don't have to do any of it alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition that affects how you relate to food, eating, and your body. It's not just about food—it's deeply connected to emotions, identity, trauma, and how you feel about yourself. These disorders can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, body size, or background, and they require professional support to heal.

How does therapy help with eating disorders?

Therapy provides a safe, compassionate space to explore your feelings and struggles with food and your body. I help you understand what's driving your eating disorder, teach you healthier ways to cope with difficult emotions, work through underlying trauma or pain, and build a better relationship with food and yourself. The goal is lasting healing, not just symptom management.

What happens in the first therapy session?

In our first session, we'll talk about what's bringing you to therapy right now, your history with food and your body, and what's motivating you to seek help. I'll ask questions to better understand your symptoms and experiences. We'll also discuss what you're hoping for in recovery, and I'll explain more about my approach and what you can expect going forward. The first few sessions are really about seeing if we're a good fit.

What types of therapy do you offer?

I specialize in Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Psychodynamic therapy, and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD. My approach is relational and experiential rather than cognitive-behavioral, which means we focus on your lived experiences, relationships, creativity, and what's happening in your body—not just changing thoughts through logic.

Can therapy help with body image issues?

Absolutely. A significant part of eating disorder therapy involves working on body image. We'll challenge negative thoughts about your appearance, examine how diet culture and societal pressures have shaped how you see yourself, and build genuine appreciation for your body. The goal is helping you understand that your worth isn't tied to how you look.

Do you work with LGBTQ+ individuals?

Yes—this is actually a specialty of mine. As a queer-identified therapist married to a trans woman, I bring both professional training and lived experience to working with LGBTQ+ clients. I understand how gender identity, sexual orientation, and eating disorders can intersect in complex ways. I create an affirming space where your full identity is celebrated, not just tolerated.

How long does eating disorder therapy usually take?

Everyone's journey is different, so there's no set timeline. Some people find significant relief in several months, while others need longer-term support. The goal is to help you build the skills, self-awareness, and confidence to manage on your own. We'll work together to figure out what's right for your recovery.

Do you accept insurance?

I don't accept insurance, but I'm happy to discuss options during our consultation call. Many clients find that the investment in specialized, affirming care is worthwhile for their healing journey. Please reach out to learn more about my rates and to see if working together might be right for you.