Healing Your Relationship with Food, Body, and Self: Specialized Care for Eating Disorders and Body Image
Do you feel trapped in a battle with food and your body?
Is your obsession with food stopping you from living your life to the fullest?
Are negative thoughts about your appearance consuming your daily life?
Have you found yourself in a pattern of binge eating, restricting, or other distressing eating habits?
Are you tired of toxic diet culture and ready to free yourself from the cycle of guilt, shame, and self-criticism?
If any of this resonates with you, know you're not alone. At Proactive Therapy, we understand the challenges and complexities that can accompany these struggles. Our compassionate, highly skilled team of therapists is here to help you break free from the grip of disordered eating and find peace with your body and food.
We know firsthand how consuming and isolating it can be to battle with these issues. That's why we've dedicated our practice to supporting individuals like you who are seeking a way out of this challenging cycle. Whether you're constantly plagued by negative thoughts about your body, caught in a pattern of restrictive eating, or find yourself feeling out of control around food, we're here to provide the understanding and support you need. We offer a listening ear, a caring heart, a healthy amount of humor and light-heartedness, and the expertise needed to guide you towards healing.
A realistic approach to health and healing
We pride ourselves on setting realistic and attainable goals with our clients. We don’t pretend that everyone who has suffered from an eating disorder or negative body image will get to a place where they feel positive about food and their bodies. Instead, our goal is to help you develop a healthier way of relating to yourself, cultivate self-compassion and acceptance, and develop sustainable habits that support your overall well-being. Here’s how that manifests within our practice:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a powerful therapeutic approach that combines mindfulness, acceptance, and behavior change strategies. Whereas other popular modalities focus on challenging negative thoughts, ACT helps individuals embrace their experiences without judgment, accept and acknowledge their negative thoughts without coding them as truth, and cultivate present-moment awareness.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
We incorporate elements of CBT and DBT to help our clients overcome their challenges. Within CBT, we focus on understanding the connections between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors by identifying patterns and triggers and building skills for regulation. We find that DBT skills are especially helpful in reinforcing mindfulness, strengthening distress tolerance, and honing self-compassion and acceptance.
Health at Every Size (HAES)
Our practice is guided by the core principles of the HAES movement. We strive to create an accepting and inclusive space in which health is centric – not weight. Through the HAES framework, we help clients to acknowledge and accept the internal and external fat-phobia in their lives and how it impacts their self-image. We work on rewriting the script of what “healthy” looks like – shifting the perception of food and exercise to agents of joy and well-being rather than control over one’s appearance.
More on HAES – What is Health at Every Size®?
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a movement and framework that promotes inclusive and compassionate approaches to health and well-being. It recognizes that health is multidimensional and goes beyond just body weight or size. HAES challenges the cultural norms and biases surrounding weight, body image, and health, aiming to create a more equitable and inclusive society. As a practice, we are proud to back and uphold the spirit of this movement.
The principles of HAES encompass a holistic approach to health and emphasize the following key points:
Weight Inclusivity: Recognizing that people of all sizes deserve respect and access to healthcare, regardless of their weight or body size. This principle advocates for inclusive and non-discriminatory practices in healthcare settings.
Health Enhancement: Focusing on adopting health-promoting behaviors that are sustainable and individualized, rather than pursuing weight loss as the primary goal. This principle highlights the importance of cultivating improving the relationship with food, body acceptance, and joyful movement.
Respectful Care: Advocating for healthcare professionals to provide compassionate, unbiased, and person-centered care to individuals of all sizes. This principle emphasizes the importance of addressing weight stigma, promoting body autonomy, and fostering a trusting therapeutic alliance.
Eating for Well-being: Encouraging a balanced and flexible approach to eating that prioritizes nourishment, satisfaction, and pleasure. This principle promotes mindful eating, body attunement, and self-care in relation to food and eating habits.
Life-Enhancing Movement: Promoting enjoyable and sustainable physical activities that support overall well-being and body autonomy. This principle encourages individuals to find movement that feels good, honors their abilities, and aligns with their personal preferences and interests.
A compassionate and connected team of experts
Our clinical team consists of highly skilled professionals who have established themselves as leaders in the field of eating disorder treatment in the Chicagoland area and nationally. Each of us brings a wealth of expertise and leadership experience in the field of eating disorder and treatment, with a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding eating disorders, body image issues, and mental health. Our team includes certified eating disorder specialists who stay at the forefront of advancements in the field, ensuring that we provide the most effective and evidence-based care available. Not only do we provide direct client support, but we also play an active role in training other clinicians and are proud to be launching a program where we train physicians, as well.
With our collective knowledge and commitment to ongoing learning, we are dedicated to providing you with the highest quality of care. Our compassionate and non-judgmental approach, combined with our expertise, creates a therapeutic environment where you can feel safe, supported, and empowered to embark on your healing journey. You can trust that you are in capable hands as we work together towards your recovery and personal growth.
Start your journey toward health and acceptance
At Proactive Therapy, we are dedicated to helping you heal your relationship with food, body, and self. Our compassionate and experienced therapists will provide you with the personalized care and support you need to break free from the distress and limitations that come with these issues.
Take the first step towards a healthier and more fulfilling life. Contact us today to schedule a consultation or to learn more about our specialized care for eating disorders, body image, and embracing a Health at Every Size (HAES) approach. Together, we can create a plan tailored to your unique needs, helping you reclaim your life from the grip of eating disorders and negative body image.