How Individual Psychotherapists Help with Eating Disorders

Are you affected by eating disorders? It is a serious problem that most people often ignore, but in the long term, it can cause many significant issues. Eating disorders often lead to low blood pressure, slow or irregular heartbeats, weak bones, or feeling tired and even faint.

This is where individual psychotherapists in Chicago come into play, helping individuals alleviate food disorders. In this article, you will learn how a psychotherapist helps you with eating disorders.

Types of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders significantly affect one’s physical, psychological, and social function. Here are the types of eating disorders:

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia nervosa
• Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder
• Binge eating disorder
• Rumination
• Pica

Understanding How an Individual Psychotherapist Helps Alleviate Eating Disorders

Assessing the Sufferer’s Condition

Eating disorders are often connected with the person’s emotional and psychological aspects. That’s why the psychotherapists begin with a thorough evaluation of the person’s thoughts, behaviors, and history.

Establishing a Safe Therapeutic Relationship

Building trust is essential, especially since eating disorders often involve secrecy and shame. A consistent, non-judgmental relationship helps the sufferer feel safe to explore difficult emotions.

Addressing Underlying Psychological Issues

Eating disorders often stem from deeper emotional issues such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, trauma or abuse, and difficulty managing emotions. Therapists work to uncover and resolve these root causes.

Teaching Healthy Coping Skills

The therapist helps learn healthier ways to manage stress, anxiety, and negative emotions without using food or body-related behaviors. Skills often taught include emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Developing a Healthier Relationship with Food

While therapists are not dietitians, they help clients reduce food-related fear, guilt, and rigidity. They may use exposure techniques to help clients face fear foods or break binge/purge cycles.

Improve Your Eating Habits with a Psychotherapist!

Are you looking for the best individual psychotherapists in Chicago? Look no further than Chicago Clinical Associates. It is a reputable company with a team of expert psychotherapists. Please visit chicagoclinical.org to get more information.