Eating Disorder Therapy Hertfordshire
Eating disorder therapy is a way of addressing difficulties you have relating to an eating disorder and getting professional support. Difficulties are varied from person to person. Examples of difficulties related to eating disorders might include things like managing eating habits on a day to day basis or over management. Eating disorders are sometimes related to controlling behaviours and or losing control of behaviour. They are sometimes closely related to upbringing, perception of self and different types of historical trauma. For example complex trauma.
Working with eating disorders requires an integrative approach and flexibility to understand the origins of such a difficulty and what might be helpful therapeutically. A client might seek help from a number of different healthcare professionals to help with symptoms. Therapeutic approaches to trauma can also be helpful for eating disorders. One example is EMDR therapy.
Eating disorders are on the rise in the UK and currently affect between 1.25 and 3.4 million men and women. Of the people who have an eating disorder around a quarter are men and three quarters are women. Eating disorders usually develop in adolescence but can develop at any stage of your life, irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity. Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions.
What Is An Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder is a mental health disorder of behavioural conditions characterised by persistent disturbance in eating behaviours. Eating disorders vary in terms of severity but can be life threatening. Behaviour around food can be used to cope with difficult thoughts, feelings or emotions. Eating disorders can affect someone emotionally, physically or socially. Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your body shape or weight.
Eating disorders often manifest between the ages of 12 and 25 but can develop at any age and are more common in women. Eating disorders sometimes include restrictive eating, monitoring and controlling eating, binging, purging by vomiting or compulsive exercise to control weight.
What Is An Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder is a mental health disorder of behavioural conditions characterized by persistent disturbance in eating behaviours. Eating disorders vary in terms of severity but can be life threatening. Behaviour around food can be used to cope with difficult thoughts, feelings or emotions. Eating disorders can affect someone emotionally, physically or socially. Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your body shape or weight.
Eating disorders often manifest between the ages of 12 and 25 but can develop at any age and are more common in women. Eating disorders sometimes include restrictive eating, monitoring and controlling eating, binging, purging by vomiting or compulsive exercise to control weight.
Common Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa - controlling weight by either exercising too much or eating too little or both.
Bulimia - Losing control and eating too much often followed by being sick to limit weight gain.
Binge eating disorder - Eating too much food to the point where you feel ill.
Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OFSED) - Symptoms do not fit into another food disorder category.
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) - Avoiding certain foods and limiting intake of that food or both. Not related to body image.
Common Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa - controlling weight by either exercising too much or eating too little or both.
Bulimia - Losing control and eating too much often followed by being sick to limit weight gain.
Binge eating disorder - Eating too much food to the point where you feel ill.
Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OFSED) - Symptoms do not fit into another food disorder category.
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) - Avoiding certain foods and limiting intake of that food or both. Not related to body image.
Eating Disorder symptoms
Eating disorder symptoms vary from person to person. Symptoms might be psychological, behavioural or physical.
Psychological symptoms might include difficulties with body image, ruminating about weight and problems with managing emotions. Psychological difficulties related to eating disorders include: depression, suppressed anger, anxiety, mood fluctuations and emotional numbness.
Physical symptoms can include: feeling dizzy or lightheaded, being triggered into fight or flight, weight changes, stomach cramps and dehydration.
Behavioural symptoms might include: fad dieting, eating alone, isolating from others and clothes choices to cover weight changes.
Eating Disorder symptoms
Eating disorder symptoms vary from person to person. Symptoms might be psychological, behavioural or physical.
Psychological symptoms might include difficulties with body image, ruminating about weight and problems with managing emotions. Psychological difficulties related to eating disorders include: depression, anxiety, mood fluctuations and emotional numbness.
Physical symptoms can include: feeling dizzy or lightheaded, weight changes, stomach cramps and dehydration.
Behavioural symptoms might include: fad dieting, eating alone, isolating from others and clothes choices to cover weight changes.
Eating Disorders UK %
Professional help for eating disorders
Matthew Alderton - Psychotherapist
MA, BSc, PG Dip, PG Dip Psych
Eating disorders range from a mild annoyance to severe and life threatening. Sometimes these types of difficulties stem from trauma and difficulties in upbringing. Psychotherapy and EMDR are well suited to working with these difficulties. As a psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner I regularly help clients with eating disorders and difficulties around body image, for example: body dysmorphia. These mental health difficulties are closely associated with anxiety and trauma. I work in an integrative and holistic way maintaining a flexible approach to help my clients. My approach takes into account the ecology of a person's life as well as their mind, body and soul. I am personable, friendly and down to earth. I provide a safe, confidential, collaborative environment for you to work through your difficulty. I like to see my clients making progress in therapy and in life. I look forward to hearing from you.
Eating Disorder Therapies
Behavioural Therapy
We might use a combination of behavioural therapies to assist you. CBT is especially helpful for eating disorders. It can help to change the way you think about yourself and the way you behave in relation to yourself and eating habits.
EMDR
Eating disorders are the end symptom of an underlying psychological difficulty. Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Therapy can help you to reprocess the root cause of the eating disorder as well help you with current triggers and future experience. It can also help you to develop the resources to create change.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy provides a safe container from which to work together on eating difficulties. Eating disorders are about you not the food itself. Working with the psyche in an in-depth way helps us to get to the root cause or an eating disorder difficulty.
Practical Help
Practical help for eating disorders involves facilitating self empowerment, guidance and support so you are able to take action to create positive change. I walk alongside you to support you through agreed practical steps you can take for yourself.
Eating Disorder Therapies
Behavioural Therapy
We might use a combination of behavioural therapies to assist you. CBT is especially helpful for eating disorders. It can help to change the way you think about yourself and the way you behave in relation to yourself and eating habits.
EMDR
Eating disorders are the end symptom of an underlying psychological difficulty. Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Therapy can help you to reprocess the root cause of the eating disorder as well help you with current triggers and future experience. It can also help you to develop the resources to create change.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy provides a safe container from which to work together on eating difficulties. Eating disorders are about you not the food itself. Working with the psyche in an in-depth way helps us to get to the root cause or an eating disorder difficulty.
Eating Disorder Therapy Benefits
Feel happier
As you get a handle on your difficulty you will start to feel happier and more in control.
Homeostasis
Restoring balance into your life can help you feel more relaxed and calmer.
Relationship
Change your relationship with food into a positive one.
Coping
Develop healthier coping mechanisms helps with your overall sense of wellbing.
Eating Disorder Therapy Benefits
Relationship
Change your relationship with food into a positive one.
Coping
Develop healthier coping mechanisms helps with your overall sense of wellbing.
Homeostasis
Restoring balance into your life can help you feel more relaxed and calmer.
Feel happier
As you get a handle on your difficulty you will start to feel happier and more in control.
Eating Disorder Therapy Hertfordshire
The Trauma Practice Hertfordshire address: Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6
My home based practice is located in leafy green Hertfordshire. A five minute walk from Cuffley train station and located ten minutes by car from junction 24 or 25 of the M25.
Cuffley is ideally located to help clients in: Ware, Hatfield, London Colney, Waltham Cross, Harlow, Hertford, Potters Bar, Stevenage, Baldock, Hoddesdon, Enfield, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, St Albans, Hitchin and Barnet.
Therapy Enquiry
If you would like to book therapy with us or have a therapy enquiry please fill in our contact form.