Eating Disorder Therapy

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes

~

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes ~

Healing your relationship with food, body & self

At Novel Minds Therapy, I provide compassionate, specialized therapy for individuals navigating eating disorders and disordered eating. Whether your struggle looks like restriction, bingeing, purging, over-exercise, ARFID, or something in between, you don’t have to face it alone. My approach is grounded in relational care, trauma-sensitivity, body-respect, and an understanding of how eating and body challenges often reflect deeper emotional, relational, or systemic issues.

Create by Ellie Levin for Novel Minds Therapy

Eating disorders are complex — they impact mind, body, emotions, identity, and relationships. They are rarely about “just food” or “just body image.” Rather, they can be the way your mind and body have learned to cope with distress, trauma, shame, unmet needs, relational pain, or cultural/ systemic pressures.

Some common presentations include:

  • Restrictive eating, extreme dieting, or “control” of food intake

  • Binge eating (feeling out of control around food)

  • Purging behaviors (vomiting, misuse of laxatives, compensatory exercise)

  • Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) — when eating is restricted due to sensory issues, fear of choking/vomiting, or other non-body-image driven concerns

  • Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) — when symptoms don’t neatly fit one category but the suffering and disruption are real and valid

What is an “eating disorder?”

A formal diagnosis can be helpful or validating for some, AND it’s not a requirement to begin therapy. I recognize that eating and body image struggles can look different for everyone, and all experiences are valid and welcomed. Early intervention can support healing feeling more manageable and less overwhelming.

My approach

  • Evidence-based interventions – I use a blend of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Family-Based Therapy (FBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

  • Harm reduction focus – Healing looks different for everyone. We work together to reduce harm, increase safety, and build skills that support nourishment, regulation, and emotional resilience.

  • Collaborative and structured – Sessions balance structured interventions (like exposure hierarchies) with collaborative reflection. I support you in recognizing their own strengths rather than only their fears.

  • Understanding the “why” – We explore what contributed to the eating disorder’s development and separate the disorder from the person. This helps you see the eating disorder as a coping mechanism that once made sense — while also identifying new ways to meet those underlying needs.

  • Compassionate realism – Not everyone’s journey leads to complete recovery, and that’s okay. My role is to help clients define what healing means for them, while prioritizing safety, self-trust, and reconnection with the body.

  • Grounding in core values – I believe food is fuel — nothing more and nothing less. Therapy emphasizes restoring balance, flexibility, and nourishment, rather than control or rigidity.

  • Collaborative care and support – When appropriate, I coordinate with family members, partners, friends, dietitians, physicians, and other providers to ensure care feels cohesive, safe, and supported across all areas of a client’s life.

My work with eating disorders is grounded in harm reduction, compassion, and collaboration. Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all — and healing doesn’t always mean being “fully recovered.” My goal is to help clients move toward safety, connection, and self-trust, at a pace that feels possible for them.

Rather than focusing on perfection, therapy centers around understanding what the eating disorder is trying to communicate and creating space for new ways of coping, relating, and nourishing the self.

Frequently asked questions

  • No! If you are feeling distressed about eating, food, body, shape, or if these patterns are limits your quality of life, reach out!

  • Recovery looks different for everyone. Weight change may or may not be part of your recovery journey. The focus is on building safety, autonomy, nourishment, and a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Getting a dietitian who is eating-disorder–informed can be incredibly helpful in recovery. Medical and physical complications can arise, and having providers who are specialized can help limit complications and reduce discomfort.

  • Nope, part of my job is to support coordination of care. I’ll help provide relevant and trusted referrals to support a multidisciplinary approach.

  • There’s no fixed timeline. Depending on severity, co-occuring conditions, readiness for change, and other factors recovery can look different for everyone.

  • Relapse may be part of the ED recovery process. We will build tools to help navigate setbacks, integrate new understanding, and most importantly work together to keep you safe.