Binge Eating Counselling in Christchurch & Dorset

Support for Binge Eating, Emotional Eating & Body Image Struggles

Binge eating and emotional eating aren’t about willpower. They’re about what’s happening beneath the surface.

I support people across Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole and the wider Dorset are who feel stuck in the binge-restrict cycle, overwhelmed by food thoughts, or deeply unhappy in their body.

Why People Binge - And Why Willpower Doesn’t Work

Most of the people I work with have spent years believing they “should” be able to control their eating.

But binge eating is often rooted in:

emotional suppression
perfectionism and self-criticism
people-pleasing
chronic stress
long-term restriction or chaotic eating
past trauma or emotional neglect
using food to cope with overwhelm or loneliness

When we understand the function food has been serving, shame loosens, and change finally becomes possible.

How I Work: A Gentle, Trauma-Informed Approach

I don’t use rigid rules or strict manuals.

My approach to binge eating and emotional eating is relational, compassionate and tailored to your life.

Together, we explore:

what drives the binge cycle
the emotions you’ve learned to silence
your patterns around boundaries, self-worth and people-pleasing
the inner critic and why it feels so loud
how your body has adapted to years of inconsistency

The First Few Weeks: Rebuilding a Stable Relationship With Food

One of the most underestimated stages of recovery is learning to eat regularly again.

It sounds simple, but it’s absolutely not, especially after years of dieting or chaos around food.

In the early sessions, we gently explore:

your current eating patterns (no judgement)
the physical and emotional triggers behind binges
what your body needs to feel steady again
how to create small, sustainable changes (never all-or-nothing)

This first few weeks builds the solid foundation for long-term healing.

What Recovery Can Feel Like

Recovery from binge eating isn’t linear, it’s gentle, sometimes messy process of learning new ways to look after yourself.

Many people expect to feel “better” immediately, but in reality, it’s completely normal to experience a mixture of:

✅ Hope and relief

Because you finally feel understood, and you’re no longer carrying this alone.

✅ Discomfort or uncertainty

New patterns can feel strange at first. Eating regularly, slowing down, or allowing emotions to surface can bring up unfamiliar feelings.

✅ Small shifts that build over time

Moments of clarity, a quieter inner critic, fewer binges, or a softer relationship with food - often in small steps rather than big leaps.

✅ A growing sense of steadiness

As shame eases and your needs have more space, you begin to feel more grounded, less chaotic with food, and more connected to yourself.

✅ Pride in progress you didn’t know you were making

Recovery rarely announces itself loudly. It shows up in the quiet moments, choosing rest without guilt, eating without conditions, saying no, noticing you’re being kinder to yourself

✅ Why this matters

You’re not “doing it wrong” if recovery feels emotional, slow or uneven. You’re healing years of patterns, and that takes time, gentleness, and support.

My role is to walk alongside you so that you don’t have to navigate this alone, and to help you understand that every step forward - even the tiny ones - count.

Beyond Food: Healing the Internal World

As eating becomes less chaotic, we naturally move into the deeper layers of the work including:

body image distress
harsh self criticism
shame around food
boundaries and people-pleasing
unmet needs
old emotional patterns that still shape your relationship with food and yourself

This is where real relief and long lasting change emerge.

A Therapist with Lived Experience - Without Judgement

My work is informed by clinical training and lived experience of disordered eating and recovery.

Nothing you say will shock me.

You won’t be judged, shamed or told to “just stop.”

This is a safe space to be honest - maybe for the first time - about what you are carrying.

What to do now……

Whether you’re at the beginning, the messy middle, or returning after many attempts, you’re welcome here.

You can:

book in for an introductory call - message me here and I’ll send you availability
send me a message here with any questions
browse my blogs - some of those may speak to you - read them here.

The journey is easier with support.

And you don’t have to do it all by yourself anymore.