Food Addiction

[paradise 19]

What type of therapist should I be looking for to treat food addiction?

Psychiatrist, LMHC? Do those who treat eating disorders also treat obesity?

Would you please share your experience with food addiction counseling?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using the BariatricPal App

[Carrie P 24]

I see a LCSW that worked for 10 years as a psychotherapist at a center of excellence for eating disorders. She is very good. She is also my yoga instructor. She teaches yoga for Every{Body}. That's how I originally met her.

I would look for someone who specializes in eating disorders. Talk to that person and see if you click. Fortunately, there are several good therapists out there who can help.

[paradise 19]

Thank you for replying. Would you mind sharing a little about your treatment?

Do you journal? What does she have you do when you trigger?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using the BariatricPal App

[Carrie P 24]

Sure! Right now, we're focusing on mindfulness. I have a dissociative disorder. Basically, I'm pretty much on auto pilot all the time and never really take time to "feel" my feelings. I'm working on keeping myself grounded. I have to check in with my body several times a day. It's not natural for me to do that; so there's been a learning curve. I'm told that it will become easier the more I practice it. This is good because I tend to numb my feelings; especially with food.

One of the exercises that she has me doing is to every once in a while, look around wherever I'm at and pick five things to look at. I then have to name five descriptive things about it. For instance, right now I'm in my bedroom. I see my salt lamp. It's amber colored and sits on a smooth, round base. It almost looks like a craggy mountain top, with snow (lighter colored salt) resting on the top. It creates a warm ambiance as the light shines through the salt. It was a gift from my husband.

I also use this exercise when I'm hungry or feeling anxious. It helps to ground me in the moment so that I can identify what's really going on and make decisions based in the rational part of my brain instead of the survival part of my brain.

I do journal, but that is for my own self. She hasn't asked me to do it. Right now, I'm drawing mandalas as part of my journaling. It's interesting to see how they change each day. I got the idea from here: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-28018/want-to-figure-out-your-calling-try-this-10-minute-exercise.html

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.