We all know that in order to survive we must eat.  In many cultures eating is not just about keeping ourselves alive, it is about being part of family or a group, sharing and showing hospitality.

Eating is a primal activity as we have to be able to suck when we are born in order to survive, we then hopefully bond with our Mother on the breast, and later we are often rewarded or comforted with food as young children. So it can be seen that food can relate to the emotions, the love of self and the love of others.

In people with eating disorders, their attitudes to food become distorted.  They are unable to treat food as an enjoyable part of life but start to see it as an enemy, a weapon or in some cases a best friend.  Eating or not eating is no longer a response to physical hunger but is driven by emotional needs.  Their relationship to food starts to dominate their life, whether they starve themselves or eat uncontrollably.

Attitudes to body shape also become abnormal. Getting and staying thin can turn into an obsession and people can lose their ability to judge their body size accurately.  

Eating disorders are complex, but it is generally accepted they are an expression of underlying emotional problems. Society’s obsession with slimness and physical fitness also plays a large part, putting pressure on the young to conform to the ideal body size regardless of their own shape and bone structure.

 

Anorexia and Bulimia are often seen to be a person's own area of control. A part of their lives that no one else can control or a way of getting their family or loved ones to give them more attention. Thereby controlling their environment and family.

A combination of  Hypnotherapy,  Neuro- Linguistic Programming (NLP), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(CBT) and Emotional Freedom Technique( EFT) will gently help to reframe the attitude towards eating, give more motivation to improve health and fitness and to resolve any inner conflict.  It will also instil a sense of calmness, peace and personal security to enable the person to move forward and grow stronger at a pace that feels safe and comfortable for them.

 

Sue uses very motivational techniques to help the person focus on their goals and their strengths. Getting them to tap into their creativity and driving force. Moving their lives forward  finding independence and freedom and letting go of unwanted patterns or obsessions.