Katie Dunnigan Psychotherapy (M.A, R.P)
Holistic Therapy for Eating Disorders, Depression and Anxiety, Burlington, Ontario
Eating Disorders Therapy
Eating disorders are painful and often secretive symptoms that keep you stuck in a life that isn't meant for you. On the surface, it may seem that the pattern "works" in some way. But by looking a bit deeper, you may realize that you are no longer in control of the eating disorder, but rather it now controls you. Willpower, strategies, techniques, and meal plans commonly fail to help people free themselves. It is as if something inside of them cannot let go!
By learning to quiet the mind, you can connect with yourself on a level that is beyond the body; you can learn to stay with your emotions rather than turning to food or exercise to control and repress; you can learn to release thoughts that keep you stuck in suffering; and you can begin to listen to your intuition and use it to guide you towards healing.
I offer a process that is holistic, intuitive, and integrative. We focus on deeper awareness of the issues creating the eating disorder by gently bringing the unconscious into consciousness. People find true healing from this type of work, including:
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Peace of mind around food and the body
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Freedom to make choices intuitively rather than reacting
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Increased self-acceptance and self-compassion
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A strong sense of self (knowing who you are deep inside)
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Improved self-care and ability to follow-through
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Trust in yourself and life, and a willingness to let go of control
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Ability to manage stress in healthy ways
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Staying with and processing emotions without being overwhelmed
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Quieting the mind and letting go of unhealthy thoughts
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Finding purpose and living life in a meaningful way
Free Zoom Consult
To learn more about the therapy process I use, check-out my Individual Therapy Page. Or see my About page to learn how I healed from my own eating disorder.
Anorexia and Restrictive Eating Symptoms:
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Intense fear of weight gain or body changes
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Overexercising, under-eating, or skipping meals to compensate for prior food consumption
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Repressing hunger signals and avoiding social activities involving food
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Fixation with food preparation, watching food videos to avoid eating, obsessing over calories, fat, or other nutritional calculations
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Creating a mental list of "safe" and "unsafe" foods
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Hyper-focusing on body changes, "body checking" in mirrors or by touching certain parts of the body
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Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms:
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Eating large amounts of food quickly to the point of illness or pain
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Compensating for the binges by exercising, fasting the next day, vomiting, or using laxatives or diuretics
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Excessive urges to eat and food cravings, which eventually lead to giving in to a binge
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Going on auto-pilot to shut down awareness and binge, typically by watching TV, playing music, driving, or distracting in some other way
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Feeling "addicted" to food
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Intense feelings of guilt and shame after a binge
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Orthorexia Symptoms:
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Intense fixation or obsession around food properties and their connection to health
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Rigid rules about what foods can be eaten and distress when a rule is broken
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Cutting out entire food groups and avoiding being near certain foods
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Chronic worry about health, sickness, disease, death
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Not necessarily concerned about body image
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Sports Anorexia (Hyper-Gymnasia), Fitness Obsession Symptoms:
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Excessive exercise and obsession over calories, fat, weight, hours in the gym, and/or how the body looks fitness-wise
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Physical performance as a determinant of self-worth
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Denial around over-exercising and rationalizing it as a passion
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Ignoring the body's signals for rest and recovery
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Avoiding or missing out on activities because of the need to exercise in some way
Body Dysmorphia Symptoms:
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Preoccupation and obsession with a certain part of appearance (e.g. stomach) and how it looks, despite others not noticing a change
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Fear of being seen as flawed, damaged, ugly, fat, or judged in some other way due to this perceived issue
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Excessive efforts to try and control, manage, or hide the perceived flaw (e.g. checking in mirrors, feeling body with hands, pinching, picking, wearing makeup, only wearing certain clothing, etc.)
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Intrusive thoughts and fears that lead to seeking reassurance from others or avoiding socializing
Check out my blog posts on the Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Causes of Eating Disorders and Eating Disorder Thought Patterns to learn more about how I view underlying issues related to eating problems.
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I am a Registered Psychotherapist in Burlington, Ontario offering virtual therapy for eating disorders in Ontario.
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Are you ready to move beyond your body and connect inward? Full healing from an eating disorder is possible. Contact me for a free phone consult to see how my process can help you.
Free Zoom Consult
"The truth is that you already are what you are seeking."
-Adyashanti