Find An Eating Disorder Therapist in Otterburne, MB.

Food is one of the first ways we learn to receive comfort. It is also sometimes one of the few ways people find success in gaining a sense of control in their lives. Whatever your relationship with food might presently look like, I am committed to helping you get what you need in healthier and more effective ways. This generally involves building up a 'tool box' of strategies to regulate distress (stress, anxiety, shame, etc.) and exploring opportunities for transformation in other areas of life.

For many, eating disorders serve as a means to cope with pressures in life that are believed to be beyond their ability to cope. There is no single cause for an eating disorder. Risk factors can include negative body image, low self-esteem, disconnection from others, disallowed self-expression, preoccupation with food, and/or unrealistic family expectations. In therapy, you will begin to identify underlying issues that maintain eating disorders and gain awareness of your strengths and ability to cope, increasing self-esteem and hope.

I have worked with both men and women who have struggled with eating disorders, whether it is anorexia, bulimia, overeating, body issues, or any issue with food that has had a negative affect on life. I believe that early intervention is best. I recognize that individuals with eating disorders are often sensitive, and usually have deep past wounds or thinking issues. I believe in working with this population with both sensitivity and boldness.

If you’ve struggled with disordered eating, you are all too familiar with compulsive behavior, obsessive thoughts and a disconnect from the body. You may also have a constant need for control while at the same time feeling a frightening and exhausting loss of all control. Please know that none of this is your choice, but rather is a state of stress and overwhelm while you do your best to feel better. I have nothing but compassion for the distress that comes with food-related challenges, and you have my commitment to help you care for the difficult underlying emotions involved. Together, we will create a safe space to move towards healing and a safe relationship with food and the body.

I help clients overcome addictive relationships with food. Like all addictions, the behavior is the tip of the iceberg, used to cope with underlying thoughts and emotions. Through collaborative conversations, clients gain insight into underlying concerns, gaining coping skills to more effectively navigate these issues. I draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), helping clients achieve a sense of freedom and control over their lives, leading to long-term change.

Our relationship with food, a necessity of life, can be fraught with internal conflict, particularly when coupled with the nuances of our own self concept, the vulnerability to societal expectations, and the epidemic of feeling powerless or voiceless in our lives. I work with clients to begin to define the relationship-with food, with body, with self. And to support small but continual shifts, in a way that both respects the valid payoffs of maintaining this relationship as is, while also acknowledging the need for change and growth.

While most eating disorder issues are treated by cognitive behavioral methodologies or specialized outpatient/inpatient programs, Grey Matters International and the work of Kevin J. Fleming, PhD provide relief first and foremost for the brain of one suffering from an eating disorder----without giving them medication. We believe that the neural circuitries responsible for the compulsive behaviors with eating are not necessarily only a neurotransmitter issue but of overused neural networks that affect the harmonization, balance, and decisions of the whole brain. Contact kevin@kevinfleminphd.com or 877-606-6161 to learn more about this safe and effective alternative.