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Counseling Services

Disordered Eating Therapy for Women

Compassionate counseling for women in Hickory, NC, and surrounding communities who are struggling with food-related thoughts, eating patterns, self-criticism, or a difficult relationship with their bodies.

Food can become connected with emotions, control, stress, shame, rules, or self-judgment in ways that make everyday life more complicated.

You may spend significant mental energy thinking about what you ate, what you plan to eat, whether you made the “right” choice, or how food may affect your body. You may also notice patterns that leave you feeling guilty, out of control, restricted, or disconnected from your body.

I will provide a confidential space to explore the thoughts and emotional patterns surrounding food while helping you develop greater awareness of what is happening internally. I am based in Hickory, North Carolina, and serve women in Hickory, Conover, Newton, Morganton, Statesville, Charlotte, and Lenoir.

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A Supportive Space

Disordered Eating Counseling at a Glance

Who this is for

Women experiencing distressing food-related thoughts, rigid patterns, guilt, shame, or difficulty developing a more peaceful relationship with eating.

Counseling may support

Recognizing thought patterns, understanding emotional influences, reducing self-criticism, becoming more present, and building healthier ways of responding.

My approach

Compassionate, collaborative, personalized, neuroscience-informed, and confidential.

Location

Based in Hickory, NC, serving women in surrounding communities

Next step

Contact me to ask whether my services are appropriate for your needs.

THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, AND FOOD

Understanding Disordered Eating

A difficult relationship with food is not always obvious to other people.

You may appear to eat normally while privately spending a great deal of time thinking about food, weight, appearance, or whether you followed certain rules.

You may also notice cycles of restriction, guilt, emotional eating, comparison, or self-criticism.

These patterns can become deeply familiar over time. Counseling can help you become more aware of the thoughts and emotions surrounding eating without reducing your experience to willpower or discipline.

SPACE TO UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND

How Counseling Can Help With Disordered Eating

Depending on your needs, counseling may provide:

  • Space to discuss food-related shame without judgment
  • Support noticing rigid or self-critical thought patterns
  • Help understanding emotional triggers surrounding eating
  • Present-moment skills for becoming more aware of internal experiences
  • Support reducing all-or-nothing thinking
  • Exploration of body image and self-worth
  • Practical skills you can use between sessions
  • Support developing greater self-compassion

My role is counseling. I do not replace the care of a dietitian, nutritionist, physician, or other medical professional when that level of support is needed.

RECOGNIZING YOUR EXPERIENCE

This Support May Be Helpful If…

  • Thoughts about food take up significant mental space.
  • You feel guilty or ashamed after eating.
  • You follow rigid rules around food.
  • Eating feels connected with stress or difficult emotions.
  • You frequently judge yourself based on what or how much you ate.
  • Your body image strongly affects your mood.
  • You compare your eating or appearance with other people.
  • You feel caught in patterns that you understand intellectually but struggle to change.
  • You want a more peaceful relationship with food and your body.

Working Together

My Approach to Disordered Eating Therapy

I approach this work from a neuroscience-informed and compassionate perspective.

Rather than treating harsh or repetitive thoughts as facts, we can learn to notice the conditioned patterns your mind has developed around food, body image, and self-worth.

Present-moment awareness can also be important. Part of our work may involve getting out of constant mental commentary and becoming more connected with what you are actually experiencing in your body.

Because nutrition and physical health can interact with emotional well-being, I may discuss broader wellness habits as they relate to our counseling work. However, I do not present myself as a dietitian or nutritionist.

Compassionate

Shame usually makes these struggles harder. I want counseling to be a place where you can talk openly without being judged.

Personalized

Food-related struggles can look very different from one woman to another.

Supportive

We can combine thoughtful exploration with practical skills you can use outside of counseling.

A Collaborative Process

What to Expect in Disordered Eating Therapy

Step 01

1. Begin With What Is Happening Now

We can talk about the patterns that concern you most.

Step 02

2. Notice Patterns

Together, we can identify recurring thoughts, emotions, situations, and behaviors.

Step 03

3. Practice New Skills

We may work on present-moment awareness, responding to self-critical thoughts, and other coping strategies.

Step 04

4. Apply What You Are Learning

You can practice these skills when familiar food- or body-related patterns appear.

Additional Support

Related Counseling Services in Hickory, NC

Body Image & Body Shame Counseling

Body Image & Body Shame Counseling ↗

Support for body-related shame, comparison, and self-criticism.
Learn More
Women’s Counseling

Women’s Counseling ↗

Counseling for emotional and life concerns affecting women.
Learn More
Anxiety Counseling

Anxiety Counseling ↗

Support for worry, overthinking, and rigid thought patterns.
Learn More
Depression Counseling

Depression Counseling ↗

Support for low mood, self-criticism, disconnection, and feeling stuck.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Disordered Eating Therapy



No diagnosis is required to reach out and ask whether counseling may be appropriate.


Yes. We can explore the thoughts and emotions surrounding eating without judgment.


No. My role is counseling, not dietetics or nutritional treatment.


Yes. Body image and self-criticism may be important parts of what we discuss.


We can discuss whether my practice fits your needs and whether additional or different professional support would be more appropriate.


I am based in Hickory, NC, and serve women in Hickory, Conover, Newton, Morganton, Statesville, Charlotte, and Lenoir.


Contact me to ask about availability and whether my services are a fit.

Read More FAQ Contact Leslie

Take the First Step

Begin With a Conversation

If thoughts about food, eating, or your body are taking up too much of your attention, counseling can provide a place to begin understanding those patterns.

I work with women in Hickory, NC and surrounding areas including Conover, Newton, Morganton, Statesville, Charlotte, and Lenoir.

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Crisis Disclaimer

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 for immediate support.