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Eating disorders

Throughout my career, I have also specialized in the psychology of eating disorders.  I have worked in community and inpatient services to help set up and develop safe and effective ways of supporting people with eating distress.

In the context of a cultural obsession with healthy eating and dietary rules about “good” and “bad” foods, where self-esteem and body image are much influenced by perceptions of weight and shape, there has been a rise in associated distress amongst adolescents and young adults.  

An increasingly rigid approach to eating healthy, "pure" foods or following particular diets can become obsessive and all-consuming for some — affecting our relationships, social life or work.  This can be referred to as orthorexia.  Similarly, eating behaviours can become associated with self-soothing in the face of distress or self-punishment when there’s been a sense of loss of control. Early help and support for people who become concerned with controlling what they eat and how they look is essential to prevent more serious disorders developing.  

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Psychological trauma

Most of the time our bodies routinely manage new information and experiences without being aware of it. However, when something out of the ordinary occurs, the natural coping mechanism can become overloaded, resulting in disturbing experiences remaining unprocessed. This can mean that raw emotions or distressing thoughts from the past continue to affect the present, often intruding into awareness, affecting the way a person feels about themselves, relates to others and interacts with the world.

Throughout the course of my work in specialist NHS services, and in private practice, I have honed my skills and knowledge in the treatment of the effects of trauma. It is my experience that untreated trauma can cause significant ripple effects over time, increasing the suffering of individuals, families and communities across many domains of life. I am committed to working to alleviate the effects of the past with my clients so that they can move towards more fulfilling experiences in the present.

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Appearance-related concerns

The psychology of appearance-related concerns is closely related to my interest in the treatment of trauma and eating disorders. I regularly work with clients who are pre-occupied by features or aspects of their body and whose self-esteem may be adversely affected by how they feel about their appearance. Bullying, teasing or other body shaming experiences can contribute to a negative body image or low self-confidence. Psychological treatment can help alleviate these concerns and enhance areas of life which had been negatively affected, such as self-care, relationships or work goals. 

I have worked closely with a leading cosmetic surgeon in a joint endeavour to improve standards of psychological care in this sector. I offered all of our surgical clients a pre-surgery psychological consultation to discuss their expectations and goals for cosmetic surgery. I am happy to be contacted by cosmetic surgeons or individuals considering cosmetic surgery and you can read more about the services I currently provide in this area below.

Psychological care and cosmetic surgery

The decision to permanently change the appearance of a feature of the body is a significant one. For most clients, a pre-surgery psychological consultation is an important opportunity to reflect on their motivations and hopes, how they will manage the process of appearance change and consider any concerns or anxieties which might be present.

For others, seeking cosmetic surgery can be motivated by complex thoughts and feelings, such as low self-esteem, social anxiety or difficulties such as body dysmorphic disorder. During a pre-surgery consultation, I explore this with the client and jointly consider whether their expectations of changing their appearance are likely to be achieved with the surgical plan or if there is a risk of disappointment from the procedure. Establishing a realistic and clear understanding of the client’s reasons from surgery, within the context of the inherent risks and uncertainties involved, is linked to better outcome.

For those whom surgery is indicated, I can also be involved in preparation for the procedure as well as during the post-operative phase of recovery. Preparation for surgery might involve support to manage anxieties associated with medical procedures or interventions to reduce behaviours which might adversely impact recovery or surgical outcome (such as repeatedly checking appearance). Services during the post-operative phase can include interventions to assist with adjustment to changes in appearance or to manage residual appearance concerns which surgery cannot help with.

If you are interested in arranging a pre-surgery consultation (which includes assessment report), preparation and coaching ahead of surgery or post-operative psychological support, please contact me here.