Eating Disorders

If you think you or a loved one may be struggling with problems around food and/or body image please read Types and Symptoms of Eating Disorders.

Eating and body image challenges can present themselves through a variety of behaviors, thought patterns, and body shapes. Eating disorders are complex and they impact physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Not only do they impact the person struggling with the eating disorder but they also impact most everyone in relationship with that person. While we don’t have a clear picture of exactly what causes eating disorders, we do know it is imperative to treat eating disorders early with the help of specially trained professionals that understand the medical, psychological, and relational complexities of eating and body image challenges.

I began treating individuals and families struggling with eating disorders in the Eating Disorder Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado as an intern during my graduate training. Following graduation, Children’s Hospital Colorado hired me as a primary therapist treating children, adolescents, and families in inpatient, day treatment, and outpatient treatment for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, excessive exercise behavior, and other unspecified eating and exercise challenges. Through this experience, I gained extensive and specialized knowledge in the particular challenges associated with eating, exercise, and body image challenges. I worked closely with a team of experts including physicians, psychiatrists, and dietitians and this allowed me to gain specialized knowledge in the medical, nutritional, and comorbid psychological factors associated with eating disorders.

In my outpatient private practice I treat children, adolescents, adults, and families struggling with eating disorders, body image challenges, and other eating challenges to help avoid admission to higher levels of care as well as support the recovery process after a discharge from higher levels of care. With appropriate treatment, you and/or your loved one will find a path to health, compassion, flexibility, and fulfillment.

The specific techniques and tools I utilize to help and support you have strong support in clinical research literature:
Family Based Treatment for eating disorders (FBT) also known as the “Maudsley Method”
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)