Family and Marriage Counseling. Eating Disorders and Anxiety Therapy. Los Angles, Pasadena, Covina, Claremont, CA
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Eating Disorder Help


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from our
Eating Disorders Group Blog

Kids, Teens and Eating Disorders

Talk Therapy With Ilissa, MS, MFT

No Age Limit on Picky Eating .

Talk Therapy w/ Ilissa, MS, MFT

Help Your Teenage Daughter Manage Her Weight

 

 

Ilissa Banhazl, MS, MFT
Background & Other Services

 

Eating Disorder Recovery &
Body Image Group

Eating Disorder & Body Image Group will be starting up soon.
Please call for more information.

Visit Ilissa's main website.

Facilitator: Ilissa Banhazl, MFT

This is a wonderful opportunity to join other women who struggle with some form of eating disorder.

Talking about your eating disorder in a safe and caring atmosphere is the first step toward recovery.

A Peek Inside Group Therapy

I wanted to let you know that we will be starting up a new Eating Disorder and Body Image Group soon. The last group that I facilitated was very special. The women were warm and supportive and became close friends easily.

Individuals with eating disorders tend to have difficulty identifying their feelings. Sometimes our meetings begin with a “Feelings Round”. Each person shares 3 feelings that they are having in that present moment. If you struggle with that, I have a nice big list of feelings to choose from! After that, I ask the women if anyone needs time to share.

Psycho-education is an important part of our group. Here we discuss anything we have read that we relate to or have a question about. Women interact with one another during this time in respectful ways.

The group is made up of women who are 20 years of age and older. All eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Compulsive Overeating, or somewhere in between) are welcome because experiences and feelings and thoughts are very similar across the board. It doesn’t matter which eating disordered behavior you choose as a coping skill.

I have seen each woman in my group show growth in their thinking and behavior. In fact, when new members join, I always enjoy listening as the older members share how the group has helped them. Group therapy is a wonderful way to find support for your eating disorder. Listening to others share is always so comforting and validating of our own issues. For your confidentiality, we sign a contract stating that “whatever goes on in group, stays in group”.

If you are looking for support with your eating disorder, please feel free to call for more information. We can arrange a meeting at no charge to talk and see if you would like to join the group.

You are only a phone call away from belonging to a supportive family-like group of women! 626-335-0903

 


Ilissa Banhazl, MS, MFT. --  Offering Counseling & Suport for Eating Disorders - Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating or Compulsive Overeating.

Serving Southern California -- including Los Angeles, Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Covina, La Verne,
Chino, Pomona, San Dimas, Glendora and Claremont.

 


 

Characteristics / Symptoms of Eating Disorders

Defining Characteristics of Anorexia:

Individuals with anorexia nervosa are unwilling or unable to maintain a body weight that is normal or expectable for their age and height (most clinicians use 85% of normal weight as a guide). Individuals with anorexia nervosa typically display a pronounced fear of weight gain and a dread of becoming fat although they are dramatically underweight. Concerns and perceptions about their weight have a extremely powerful influence and impact on their self-evaluation. The seriousness of the weight loss and its physical effects is minimized or denied.
People who suffer from anorexia often have low self-esteem and a tremendous need to control their surroundings and emotions. The eating disorder is often a reaction to external and internal conflicts (i.e. anxiety, stress, and unhappiness can be leading factors).

Defining Characteristics of Bulimia:

Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a highly secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging. Bulimia includes eating large amounts of food (more than most people would eat in a meal) in a short period, then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative abuse. The bulimic's self-evaluation is centered on the individual's perceptions of his/her body image. Concerns about weight and shape are characteristic of those with bulimia nervosa.

Defining Characteristics of Binge Eating Disorder:

Binge eating disorder is a relatively recently recognized disorder (it is sometimes referred to as compulsive overeating).  Some researchers believe it is the most common of the eating disorders affecting millions of Americans. Similar to bulimia nervosa, those with binge eating disorder frequently consume large amounts of food while feeling a lack of control over their eating. However, this disorder is different from bulimia nervosa because people with binge eating disorder usually do not purge (i.e. vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise, etc) their bodies of the excess food they consume during a binge episode. 

Defining Characteristics of Compulsive Eating:

Compulsive eating is any eating out of relation to physiological hunger and satiation. This means that anytime one eats for reasons other than hunger or bringing hunger to satiation, we say that eating was compulsive in nature. Which is to say, we all eat compulsively at times (i.e. for reasons other than physiological hunger).

People with eating problems, however, eat compulsively consistently and feel terrible shame about both the behavior and the effects of the behavior (perceived or real) on their body size. In fact, each compulsive eating episode tends to be accompanied by a great deal of shame. Indeed it could be said that shame is the main ingredient that turns a "normal" experience of compulsive eating into a repetitive anguished pattern.

 

DISCLAIMER
Every individual and situation is different. The information presented here is general and educational. It is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should it be considered to be a substitute for consultation with a qualified mental health professional that is familiar with your particular situation. There is also no guarantee being made as a result of information provided or counseling services offered.