Eating Disorder Therapy for Teens

Eating Disorder Therapy for Teens and Body Image Therapy

Body image issues and disordered eating usually begins during puberty. Adolescence is a vulnerable time as their bodies are changing. Adolescents search for identity and turn to their peers and social media for the ideal body image. They see their friends posting pictures that may be digitally enhanced. This fuels their insecurities even higher and may trigger food restriction, excessive exercise, or compensatory behaviors.

Negative body image has little to do with weight or muscles. It is their ‘perception’ of how they look. No amount of weight loss or exercise can help. Their struggle with their body can go under the radar as it impacts their health and emotional well-being.

Negative body image may co-occur with other conditions such as eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. These symptoms can trigger isolation, feelings of embarrassment, and guilt.

Understanding What Your Child Says

At Greenwich Psychology Group, our top priority is listening and understanding what the adolescent has to say. We understand each child’s complexity and resist the temptation of simplifying issues or providing a diagnostic label. We work together to see the world as they see it; we listen, embrace their complexity, understand how negative body image came to be, offer evidence-based treatments and connect with them.

Entrusted with your child's care, your child will be under the care of a compassionate, specialized, trained clinician. We view parents as the experts on their children and feel their knowledge and support are critical to successful treatment and can also empower parents as it allows them to learn new ways to relate to their child.

Treatment for Eating & Body Image

We focus on a two-pronged approach that emphasizes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and problem-solving skills. CBT helps adolescents focus on the critical role of thought and behaviors that play a role in maintaining a negative body image.

The cognitive (thought) piece addresses and challenges their constant negative evaluation of their body and distortions in the way they see themselves. The behavior piece focuses on changing the negative behaviors by analyzing how they react to their negative thoughts. As they become more aware of their patterns, their ability to interrupt negative thoughts can overcome body image issues.

Conclusion

We also focus on emotional regulation skills, stress tolerance strategies, and communication skills to encourage assertiveness and healthy boundaries rather than letting the body be the scapegoat. An essential piece in helping the adolescent see that self-bullying does not create positive change; it perpetuates the problem. It is hard to care for a body we hate. We help the adolescent identify what these negative thoughts and symptoms represent.

Have questions? Ask our experts.

Take the GPG Symptom Checker

At Greenwich Psychology Group, our symptom checker helps clients track their symptoms of depression or anxiety. Taking the assessment doesn't provide a formal diagnosis, but it can help you determine what next steps you may need to take. The evaluation uses a series of questions to review the feelings and symptoms you've experienced over the past two weeks. The results will help you distinguish if professional help is the best next step.

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