Eating Disorders

I view eating disorders as coping skills that many of us develop in a state of survival - they protect our bodies from things that are perceived as unsafe to know, feel, or embody. Though these patterns are maladaptive, they serve a real purpose and it's only when we can befriend these protective parts that we effectively let them go. Healing is viewing the disordered eating in a compassionate light and bringing the body back into safety.

At The Couch Therapy, we are a therapy practice that offers health at every size (HAES) therapy for eating disorders or disordered eating. We believe in a gentle approach to helping those struggling with disordered eating. When working with a HAES aligned therapist, you can expect to sit in a safe space to process the timeline of your relationship with food, process significant moments in life that influenced your beliefs, and remind you to release the petri dish of shame you’ve been holding.

I have a history of working with clients with eating disorders, and find that body positivity is an integral part of any body belief.

It may feel like the eating disorder is taking over your life. Maybe you’re stuck in shame and patterns you know aren’t serving you. You want to reclaim your life and work through the underlying issues that impact your relationship to food & body. I approach issues around food & body from a trauma-informed, intersectional, and HAES (Health at Every Size) lens. I'm passionate about helping you reconnect with joy around food & cooking, finding neutrality & joy in your body.

I am a certified eating disorder specialist, trainer and educator

I have over 8 years of experience working with people who struggle with disordered eating at the residential and outpatient levels. I recognize that most people who struggle with disordered eating and negative body image don't fit into a neatly defined DSM-5 diagnosis and I take this into consideration when adjusting my treatment approach to each individual client. I am body positive, HAES inclusive, and solution focused in my approach.

Over the past year I've worked with multiple clients struggling with anorexia. Together we've been able to find a balance between addressing symptoms such as calorie restriction, body-checking, and strict rules around food consumption, as well as understanding the purpose these behaviors serve in terms of control, distraction, and self-soothing.

An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that adversely affect a person's physical or mental health. Common types include binge eating disorder, where a person eats a large amount in a short period of time; anorexia nervosa, where the person has an intense fear of gaining weight and restricts food or overexercises to manage this fear, & bulimia nervosa, where individuals eat a large quantity (binging) then try to rid themselves of the food (purging).

In therapy our overall goal will be to help you make peace with food and normalize your eating patterns. We will begin by assessing the nature of your struggles and collaborate on a plan for treatment that feels right for you. This plan may include changing negative thought patterns as well as processing any issues that might underlie the eating disorder. Whatever your needs are, we will address them with care.

Alyson is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist-supervisor. She has been working in the eating disorder field for over 15 years and has experience working at higher levels of care as well as outpatient therapy. Alyson takes a compassionate approach to treating eating disorders which integrates client-centered therapy and evidence based practices.

Disordered Eating? I've been there and done it all. I've been to the dark side of both under and over eating and learned so much in my 15 years of recovery. My training and experience has taught me that intuitive eating can be an eventual reality for everyone. I take a Health at Every Size approach to recovery and wholeheartedly believe in your ability to find freedom with food. Note that health at every size and intuitive eating does not mean chaos and endless weight gain (I promise!)

Whether you are navigating emotional eating, body dysmorphia, or more severe struggles with food such as binging, purging or starving, I believe you do not have to figure it all out alone. Our relationship with food can feel very shameful and difficult to talk about. However, things cannot change while they stay in the darkness. When we can bring these tender experiences to someone who can compassionately hold and gently explore it with you, things start to change.

For the past seven years, I have worked with clients struggling with eating disorders at the partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient level. After working as a milieu therapist, primary therapist, and group therapy facilitator at an eating disorder treatment center, I began working as an outpatient therapist in private practice specifically focusing on members of the LGBTQ+ community who struggle with body image and eating disorder behaviors.

I come from a Healthy at Every Size approach and encourage balanced eating vs any type of dieting or food restriction. I work with individuals to understand the role of the eating disorder in their life and help them work towards more sustainable coping methods.

As someone who's recovered from an eating disorder myself, I know that eating disorders can happen to otherwise totally normal people. In fact the research shows that the same things that make you a shining star in every other area of your like (being compassionate, tenacious, driven, strategic, disciplined, ect) make you more likely to develop an eating disorder. It's my passion to help people make peace with their bodies and fall in love with their life.

For the past seven years, I have worked with clients struggling with eating disorders at the partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient level. After working as a milieu therapist, primary therapist, and group therapy facilitator at an eating disorder treatment center, I began working as an outpatient therapist in private practice specifically focusing on members of the LGBTQ+ community who struggle with body image and eating disorder behaviors.

I will help you heal your relationship with food & body size and help you explore the underlying messages that contributed to & maintain the eating disorder.

I use a blend of evidence-based approaches to help people break free from Binge Eating Disorder, disordered eating, and body image issues such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. As a HAES-aligned therapist, I support body diversity and utilize weight-neutral, evidence-based approaches including Intuitive Eating, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Many of our therapists have received advanced training in eating disorders and have years of experience helping clients overcome disruptive eating behaviors.