TOPIC: How to Stop the ED Voice: Therapy That Helps with Eating Disorders
POST BY: Lyla Mills, LMSW - CLICK HERE TO SEE HER BIO
WRITTEN: June 26, 2025
WILL BE REVIEWED: June 2028
Eating disorders are complex — anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorders, are extremely challenging. They can be life-threatening and have a vast amount of emotional consequences.
Eating disorders can feel like an internal war - a battle between control and chaos and the body and the mind.
Living with an “ED”, eating disorder, voice in your head is incredibly challenging... and in so many different ways. Whether it is a consistent fear of
gaining weight, relentless pursuit of a "perfect" body - there is no such thing as perfect, as we are imperfect unique beings, or a shame that accompanies binging/purging/ or compulsive eating. It can begin to consume our sense of self. It can lead to anxiety, loneliness, depression...
Living with an eating disorder is not just about the food, it's about living with the consistent weight of pain, control, identity, and often, silent suffering. But there is hope. Therapy and the appropriate level of treatment can offer hope.
Therapy and the right level of treatment can provide individuals with the safe, empathetic space to explore their relationship with food, their bodies, and their emotions. ED voice/eating disorders often thrive in the silence, and the guilt and shame... Therapy helps individuals regain their voice, break the cycles, and rebuild healthy patterns and relationships with food.
Oftentimes, past trauma and feelings of overwhelm can be tied to eating disorders. Some modalities to look for when searching for the right fit in
therapist are: DBT, CBT, and ACT. Dialectical behavioral therapy can assist with emotional dysregulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness - assisting individuals with learning and utilizing skills to reduce behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy can assist individuals with identifying and changing their distorted thoughts/behaviors surrounding food/food noise and negative self-talk patterns that the eating disorder voice is pushing into the heads of the individuals suffering. Acceptance and commitment therapy is a powerful modality as well - allowing individuals to stop struggling with their thoughts and feelings, but living life aligned with their deepest values.
Therapy for eating disorders is not just about symptom management - it's also helping individuals find themselves and silencing the ED voice. The therapeutic focus for outpatient level eating disorder treatment is to focus on keeping individual's on the pathway to healing - through continued restoration of trust in one's body, self-worth, and mind.
The right fit therapist will be able to do an intake session with you in a compassionate, direct way to ensure you are at the level of care you need.
With the right fit in therapist that is competent in working with outpatient level eating disorders, recovery is possible and real.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At JCACounseling, every step is met with empathy, understanding, and compassionate, personalized support for individuals and families facing life’s challenges. Begin the journey toward healing and growth through Healing Through Connection—call to speak with a therapist today or schedule a consultation.
📞 Call 404-834-2363 or visit https://calendly.com/jcacounseling to schedule a consultation.
