Therapy For Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can take up an enormous amount of space in your life.
You may spend far more time than you want thinking about food, your body, weight, exercise, or what you should and shouldn't eat. Or you may be worried about your teenager or young adult and wondering whether what you're seeing is something that needs specialized help.
I'm Jenni Samuel, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) in Fort Worth. I work with adolescents and adults struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, chronic dieting, and body image concerns.
Whether you're seeking treatment for the first time, returning to therapy after previous treatment, or looking for ongoing support in recovery, you don't have to navigate it alone.
Specialized Treatment for Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are complex, and effective treatment requires more than simply telling someone what or how much to eat. I work with clients experiencing:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Binge eating disorder
- OSFED
- Chronic dieting and restrictive eating
- Compulsive exercise
- Body image concerns
- Difficulties maintaining recovery following a higher level of care
I also work with clients who don't have a formal eating-disorder diagnosis but recognize that food, weight or body image is taking up too much mental and emotional space.
What Does CEDS Mean?
CEDS stands for Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. The credential reflects advanced education, training and clinical experience specifically in the treatment of eating disorders.
For clients and families, working with an eating-disorder specialist can be especially important because these illnesses involve psychological, behavioral, nutritional and medical concerns that often need to be addressed together.
Eating Disorder Treatment Is Often a Team Effort
Depending on your needs, I may collaborate with physicians, registered dietitians, psychiatrists and other members of your treatment team. I also work with clients transitioning from residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), or intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) who need ongoing outpatient support.
The appropriate level of care is different for every person. If outpatient therapy is not enough to safely meet your needs, I'll talk openly with you about that and help you consider appropriate treatment options.
Eating Disorders Don't Always Look the Way People Expect
Someone can be struggling significantly with an eating disorder while continuing to work, attend school, care for a family, make excellent grades or appear successful to everyone around them.
You also don't have to look a particular way or reach a particular weight before you deserve help.
Sometimes the first indication that something is wrong is simply realizing how much energy is being consumed by food rules, guilt, body checking, exercise, restriction, bingeing or anxiety about eating.
Eating Disorder Therapy for Adolescents
When an adolescent develops an eating disorder, parents are often frightened and unsure how much to intervene. I work with adolescents and their families to understand what's happening and determine what support is needed. When appropriate, I coordinate with other members of the treatment team so psychological, nutritional and medical needs are addressed together.
Eating Disorder Therapy for Adults
Eating disorders aren't limited to teenagers and young adults. Some adults have struggled with food and body image for decades. Others develop significant symptoms during periods of transition, stress or loss.
Some people realize much later in life that behaviors they considered normal dieting have become increasingly restrictive or distressing.
There is no age at which it is too late to develop a healthier relationship with food and your body.
Eating Disorder Therapy in Fort Worth
I provide in-person eating disorder therapy in Fort Worth, Texas, as well as Telehealth for clients throughout Texas.
Jenni Samuel, MS, LPC, NCC, CEDS
Certified Eating Disorder Specialist