Eating Disorder Therapy for Teenagers
If you’ve noticed that you’re teenager or young adult is restricting their food intake, dieting, counting calories, preoccupied with how they look, or going to the gym or exercising more than usual, they may be developing or have developed an eating disorder.
Maybe they’ve already been diagnosed with an eating disorder and you’re wondering how to provide them with the best therapy. Or they’ve completed their inpatient or outpatient program and you’re now looking for a therapist to help them continue recovering, transition to college/university, or maintain progress and prevent relapse.
Adolescence is the highest-risk age for the onset of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. (The onset for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is most commonly in childhood.) Evidence shows that early intervention has the highest rate of recovery.
Occupational Therapy for Eating Disorders
I’m Lori, an occupational therapist who also provides psychotherapy for teenagers and young adults who are struggling with:
an eating disorder
disordered eating
body image concerns
body dysmorphia
over exercising / compulsive exercising
are overly-focused on “clean eating” or “health”
sensory differences
autism/ADHD and an eating disorder
My sessions are very practical and combine talk therapy (psychotherapy) with occupational therapy (the practical application of skills to daily life).
I help clients become more aware of their thoughts and how they affect their emotions and behaviour. We delve into their core beliefs about themselves and food, and work to “debunk” the thinking that keeps the eating disorder going.
We also co-create strategies for regulating emotions and moods, as well as tolerating discomfort and overcoming anxiety. I teach them embodied ways to navigate eating and movement. This is especially effective for those who have not responded well to cognitive therapies, who are neurodivergent and who have experienced trauma. We then take these skills and work on bringing them into daily life through practice.
Occupational therapy is particularly helpful during transitions: after intensive therapy programs, progressing through different stages of recovery, changing schools, graduating and entering college/university, moving out, hormonal changes, friendship changes, parent separation or divorce, and returning to physical activity, if it was stopped during previous treatment.
Sensory Differences and Eating Disorders
For those who have difficulty eating certain textures or tolerating certain smells, colours and tastes, sensory work can be highly beneficial.
I teach clients how our sensory systems work, especially how they affect our ability to self-regulate and cope with distress. We start by exploring their sensory profile (what they’re over-responsive or under-responsive to) and relating this to food. This helps them try new foods and experiment with safe foods to expand their food variety. We also work on skills like how to self-soothe, manage anxiety, and tolerate difficult sensations (like fullness after a meal) using a sensory approach.
For most teenagers, balancing talk therapy and occupational therapy with sensory work is very effective.
My Rates
Initial assessment (first appointment - 1 hour): $200 CAD
Initial Parent(s)’ session (50 minutes): $150 CAD
Follow up sessions (50 minutes): $150 CAD
Follow up parent(s)’ sessions (25 minutes): $85 CAD
Follow up parent(s)’ sessions (50 minutes): $150 CAD
Consultations for parents/families (50 minutes): $150 CAD
Written report: $85 CAD
More information about extended health benefits and autism funding can be found on my Rates page.
Please contact me if you’d like to speak further. I offer a free, 15-minute phone call to go over logistics and answer any questions you may have. Otherwise, you can always email me to book your first appointment.