Specializations
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that can have serious, and sometimes life-threatening, effects on a person's physical and emotional well-being. They involve difficulties with eating-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and can affect many areas of a person's life.
Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of age, body size, gender identity, sexuality, or cultural or socioeconomic background. They are not a choice, nor are they simply about food or appearance. They develop through a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
Common eating disorder diagnoses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED).
Disordered Eating &
Body-Image
You don't need to have an eating disorder to struggle with food or your body. Disordered eating and body image concerns can show up in many ways, from feeling preoccupied with weight, shape, or appearance to developing rigid food rules or using eating behaviours to cope with difficult emotions.
Some common signs include:
-
Frequent negative thoughts or conversations about weight, shape, or appearance
-
Turning to food for comfort or finding that eating is closely tied to stress or boredom
-
Skipping meals, fasting, or repeatedly trying restrictive diets
-
Labelling foods as “good” or “bad,” or feeling the need to avoid certain foods or food groups
-
Feeling guilty, anxious, or ashamed about eating
-
Exercising rigidly or feeling compelled to compensate for what you've eaten
-
Experiencing episodes of binge eating or engaging in behaviours such as purging, even if these don't happen frequently
These experiences can affect anyone and may have a significant impact on emotional well-being, physical health, relationships, and day-to-day life. They can also overlap with symptoms of an eating disorder. You don't need to wait until things feel more serious to seek support. If food or body concerns are taking up too much space in your life, therapy can help you explore what's happening and develop a more comfortable, flexible relationship with food and your body.
Anxiety
We all experience anxiety from time to time. Feeling nervous before an important test, a job interview, or speaking in front of others is a normal part of life. Anxiety can sometimes even help us prepare for situations that matter to us.
But when anxiety becomes frequent, overwhelming, or starts to get in the way of everyday life, it can be harder to manage. You might find yourself worrying constantly, avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable, or spending a lot of time trying to prevent things from going wrong. For some people, distress also comes with intrusive thoughts, a need for certainty, or repetitive behaviours or mental rituals that are difficult to resist, as can happen with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Some common signs that anxiety may be affecting your life include:
-
Difficulty sleeping or changes in appetite
-
Trouble concentrating or a mind that won't switch off
-
Avoiding situations, activities, or experiences because they feel overwhelming
-
Physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach discomfort, muscle tension, or restlessness
-
Sudden waves of intense fear or panic
-
Spending a lot of time worrying, seeking reassurance, or feeling the need to have things under control
-
Intrusive, unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviours, and mental rituals that are difficult to resist
Anxiety can take up a lot of space, but it doesn't have to dictate how you live your life. Therapy can help you better understand your anxiety, develop ways to respond to difficult thoughts and feelings, and gradually feel more comfortable facing situations you might otherwise avoid. The goal isn't necessarily to eliminate every anxious feeling, but to help you feel more confident in navigating uncertainty and doing more of what matters to you.