Lucy Myers MA

You’re wondering if everyone feels this way about food. Maybe you’re just starting to feel like something is off or you’ve been trying to recover from your eating disorder for years — we can work on this together. I work at a group practice specializing in eating disorders, and we use a variety of therapeutic approaches including CBT, ACT, relational cultural theory, and exposure therapy. The practice owner has worked in various levels of care for eating disorders.

Do you think about your body constantly? It’s hard getting dressed in the morning, you avoid being in pictures, and you can’t stop comparing yourself to everyone around you. You probably grew up hearing people criticize their bodies and maybe inherited some anti-fat bias that feels horribly misaligned with your values. You don't want to think this way and would love to feel more accepting of your body so it didn’t take up so much brain space.

Anxiety can show up as constant mental scanning — worrying about what might go wrong, replaying interactions, or feeling like you have to stay one step ahead. Even when you’re doing all the “right” things, your body may still feel tense or restless, and it becomes hard to fully relax or feel settled. We can work on understanding your anxiety, building a coping skillset, and bring back things you used to enjoy.

There’s a reason why people say we’re a product of who we spend the most of our time around. The relationships we have with our family, friends, and coworkers shape how we see ourselves, and we’re also hugely influenced by the culture around us. RCT doesn’t just look at personal relationships but also considers the impact of societal forces—like diet culture, racism, and patriarchy—and how they influence your self-esteem and identity.

Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re really critical of yourself or you make decisions that don’t get you any closer to what you want. For example, you have the thought that you can’t start dating until you lose weight so you avoid social situations even though you’d really like to have a meaningful relationship. CBT would help us look at where that thought came from, whether we can practice any flexibility with that thought, and identify behaviors that would get you closer to your goals.

Do you ever feel like the more you try to fight tough feelings, the worse they get? Or you’re just going along with life, not ever fully present or clear about what you want? ACT teaches you how to accept all emotions as a normal part of life, without feeling like your emotions control you. You’ll get clear on your values and learn how to make choices that are aligned with those values, even when things are hard. We’ll also work on mindfulness skills to help you stay present and reduce stress.