Eating Disorders

Many people assume eating disorders are simply about food, weight, or appearance. In my experience, they are often far more complex than that. Eating disorders can develop as ways of coping with overwhelming feelings, anxiety, trauma, shame, loss, difficult relationships, or experiences that feel hard to process or communicate.

I understand eating disorders through an addiction-informed lens, recognising them as compulsive coping responses to emotional distress, trauma, shame, relational difficulty, or internal overwhelm.

Restriction, bingeing, purging, compulsive exercise, or preoccupation with food and body control can become entrenched coping mechanisms that are difficult to step away from despite significant emotional and physical consequences.

Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and body sizes.

Who I Work With

I work with individuals, groups, and families experiencing difficulties including:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge eating
• Restrictive eating patterns
• Emotional eating
• Compulsive exercise
• Difficulties with food, body image, and self-worth

I also work with parents and loved ones supporting somebody through recovery.

My work is informed by specialist eating disorder consultation, addiction-informed practice, and ongoing reflective practice within multidisciplinary settings.

My Approach

My approach is collaborative, relational, and grounded in providing a safe and confidential space to explore difficulties.

Therapy is not focused solely on food or weight. The work aims to understand the emotional, relational, and psychological factors that may sit underneath the eating disorder whilst building healthier coping strategies, emotional awareness, and greater stability over time.

My work combines psychoeducation, reflective therapeutic work, and practical recovery support, integrating creative approaches where helpful. This may include developing emotional awareness, understanding patterns of coping, and exploring the role the eating disorder may be serving.

Where appropriate, I encourage engagement with additional recovery support networks, including 12-step programmes such as ABA (Anorexia and Bulimia Anonymous) and OA (Overeaters Anonymous), recognising the value of shared experience, accountability, and community within recovery.

Areas We May Explore

• Emotional regulation and identifying feelings
• Anxiety, perfectionism, and self-criticism
• Identity and self-worth beyond the eating disorder
• Family relationships and attachment patterns
• Body image and internal dialogue
• The purpose or function of the eating disorder — what it may be doing for you or protecting you from
• Recovery motivation and relapse prevention
• Developing healthier routines, boundaries, and support systems
• Creating structure within the week, including meal times, recovery-focused activities, and supportive routines

Medical Oversight & Collaborative Working

Eating disorders can have serious physical as well as psychological consequences. Ongoing medical oversight from a GP or appropriately qualified medical professional is an essential part of safe and responsible treatment.

Therapy can provide important emotional and psychological support, but it does not replace physical health monitoring, medical assessment, or nutritional guidance where required.

Where appropriate, I advocate for joined-up working with other professionals involved in a client’s care. This may include GPs, psychiatrists, dietitians, schools, colleges, inpatient or outpatient services, and specialist eating disorder teams. Collaborative working helps provide safer, more consistent support throughout recovery.

I also maintain a trusted referral network of private treatment providers and professionals where additional or specialist support may be needed. Recommendations are made carefully, with consideration given to professionalism, clinical suitability, and quality of care.

Specialist Practice

Eating disorders are a specialist area of therapeutic work requiring ongoing professional development, reflective practice, and up-to-date clinical knowledge. Whilst many therapists may state that they work with eating disorders, safe and effective practice requires an understanding of both the psychological and physical risks involved, alongside the complexities of recovery and relapse.

As part of my ongoing professional development and clinical practice, I regularly consult with Professor Julia Buckroyd, eating disorder specialist and clinical supervisor, to ensure my knowledge and practice remain current, informed, and ethically grounded.

My work is also informed through reflective practice and professional consultation with Mandy Saligari, whose expertise in addiction recovery and family systems has further developed my understanding of compulsive processes, relational dynamics, and the wider impact eating disorders can have on individuals and families.

Alongside my clinical work, I continue to develop and refine an integrative framework for working with eating disorders and addictive coping patterns, informed by relational therapy, psychoeducation, systemic understanding, and addiction-informed practice.