Signs & Symptoms of Compulsive and Emotional Eating may include:

• Binge eating large quantities of food
• Constant grazing of food throughout the day
• Secretive eating
• Obsessive type thoughts of food, meals
• Obessive desire to lose weight
• Continued weight gain over time
• Sometimes obsessive with the scale or weighing oneself
• Inability to remain on a healthy meal plan without binging episodes
• Failed attempts to lose weight through various weight-loss diets, fasting or programs, some being extreme
• Marked decrease in self-esteem or self-confidence
• Possible mood swings
• Increased feelings of hopelessness or despair
• A feeling of not controlling eating compulsions
• Self loathing
• There is often a sense of "calm" which accompanies binging

Compulsive and Emotional Eating

Compulsive and Emotional Eating includes binge eating large quantities of food, overeating at almost every meal, thinking about food all of the time, and feeling like food is controlling your life. Compulsive and Emotional Eating is often caused by the need to “stuff” feelings and uncomfortable emotions deep down inside. Binges and overeating often intensify when difficult or stressful periods arise in one’s life.

Our emotional eating treatment approach includes teaching new strategies to cope with life stress, to deal with painful emotions, and to learn new life skills to gain a healthy perspective and relationship with food.

Eating Disorder Program Structure

Dr. Anita Johnston, Senior Expert Clinical Consultant for Moonpointe

Monday Evenings: Life Skills, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Monday evening is the only night that women from the Compulsive and Emotional Eating Program and women from the Anorexia and Bulimia Program come together. This unique group is a Life Skills group which, through a combination of didactic and experiential processes, teaches some of the basic life skills required for recovery from eating disorders and body image disturbances: i.e., anger and stress management, assertive communication, body awareness, etc. Emphasis in this group will be on cognitive distortions and behavioral patterns that contribute to the dysfunctional relationship with food and body. This group is led by Bonnie Watson.

Wednesday Evenings: Food & Feelings, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Wednesday evenings include two components: “Food and Feelings” and “Body Connections”. “Food and Feelings” leads participants through a variety of self-awareness exercises to help them recognize the relationships between their emotions and disordered eating behaviors. “Body Connections” is also experiential, where compulsive and emotional eating disorder patients are led through gentle exercises designed to help connect with and feel more comfortable within, the physical body. This group is led by Dr. Annie Wills, with special guest instructors Siri Khalsa-Zemel, Patty Dougherty, and Elizabeth Cole.

In addition to having the dietitian as a co-leader during “Food and Feelings”, participants will meet with the nutritionist individually, throughout their participation in the program, to assist them in creating a customized nutrition plan. After the initial individual session, they will see the nutritionist on a regular basis, as determined by their needs.

Thursday Evenings: Process Group, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

The group on Thursday evenings is a relaxed group where women are encouraged to identify and explore what they are doing with food. This is the place where women can express their feelings and struggles with eating and weight issues and get feedback and support from group members and therapy staff. The emphasis of this group is to help women understand how the other issues they struggle with in their lives are related to their struggles with eating, food, and weight issues. This group, led by Dr. Catherine Zook-Bell, may include mindfulness and meditation exercises in addition to talking and sharing.

Recovery is Possible

We believe that recovery from emotional and compulsive eating is possible for everyone. Call us for more information at 1-800-675-2041 or e-mail your questions today.