Eating Disorders

You may be facing a time in your life where your relationship with food or exercise is occupying too much time, or it may have too much control over you.

Many individuals, of all ages, struggle with their relationship with either food or exercise. If you are wondering if you have a disordered eating pattern or unhealthy relationship with exercise, these questions may help you to determine if you need support in this area:

• Are you in an ongoing struggle with food? Do you use food to regulate or numb your feelings?
• Has food, or restricting food intake, become a way to punish yourself?
• Do you restrict food intake believing you are in “control” of your life; meanwhile you continue to feel completely out of control inside?
• Do you find yourself prioritizing exercise above all else, even if it means your relationships or work life suffers?
• Does your relationship with food or exercise have control over you?

Learn to have a healthy relationship with Food, Body Image and Yourself.

It is not always obvious if your relationship with food is unhealthy. We battle against many messages from society about diets, diet culture and what our bodies are supposed to look like. This can lead you to creating silent rules about what you can and cannot do with food. You may strongly believe that if you follow these rules, they will help with your body image, self-esteem and self-worth. We can be so convinced that following a diet, looking a certain way, or being a desired weight will make a person happy.

You may have been living with your disordered eating for a long time but believed that your behaviours and actions weren’t serious enough to change. Or, you may have tried to get better before but it was too hard. Whether it’s you, or a loved one who has a disordered eating problem, counselling can offer support and guidance as recovery begins.

The following are examples of rules you may feel obligated to listen to: 

Rules for Being Thin

• You believe that being thin is more important than being healthy. Losing weight is good, gaining weight is bad.
• You will “earn” all food and you cannot eat without feeling guilty.
• Being thin and controlling food intake is a sign of willpower and success.
• What the scale says is the most important thing.

Commandments of Emotional or Binge Eating

• You eat to deal with feelings when you are lonely, stressed, feeling down, or bored. You eat in secret.
• Food is how you comfort yourself; it has become your friend. Food is your primary relationship.
• You don’t know how else to express your feelings, so you binge and purge.
• Eating is your way to escape, numb out, or procrastinate.

Exercise and its Demands

• You judge a “good” day or “bad” day based on how much exercise you did. Exercise is a must, even if you are injured.
• Your self-worth is based on how much you exercise.
• You become anxious or agitated if something prevents you from exercising.
• Life is arranged around exercise, even if your relationships or social obligations take the back seat.

We know sometimes it’s overwhelming to overcome food and/or body issues on your own. Maybe you have tried in the past and been unsuccessful; maybe you feel hopeless that your life can be different. Regardless of how long you have suffered, there is hope for change.

What healing may look like

• Developing your healthy voice.
• Love your body; love who you are.
• Develop positive and healthy self-soothing methods.
• Find balance in exercise.
• Feel in control within yourself.

So, let’s begin…

We’ll help you create a new relationship to food and exercise. We’ll help you develop your healthy voice to stand up against your negative, destructive voice. We’ll help you learn more effective ways to cope with your emotions, develop a healthy self-esteem and re-connect with your life.

We know sometimes it’s overwhelming to challenge food and/or body issues on your own. Maybe you have tried in the past and been unsuccessful; maybe you feel hopeless that your life can be different. Regardless of how long you have suffered, there is hope for change. It takes courage and commitment to change your disordered eating/exercise patterns, but the possible gains are indescribable.