You Don't Have to Keep Struggling With Food, Your Body, or Yourself
Maybe food feels like it takes up far more space in your life than you wish it did.
You may find yourself constantly thinking about what you've eaten, what you "should" eat, or how your body looks. Perhaps you're stuck in cycles of restricting, binge eating, overexercising, or feeling overwhelmed by guilt and shame around food. Even when you're spending so much energy trying to control your eating, it can still feel like food is controlling you.
Living this way can be exhausting.
If you're wondering whether your relationship with food could be healthier, you don't have to wait until things get "bad enough" to seek support. You deserve help now.
You don't have to have an eating disorder diagnosis to benefit from therapy. If food feels stressful, emotionally charged, or takes up more space in your life than you'd like, you deserve support.
At Kate Boyle Counseling, I provide compassionate eating disorder therapy in Denver for adults struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, body image concerns, and the emotional challenges that often accompany them. Together, we'll work toward healing your relationship with food, your body, and yourself.
I offer in-person therapy in Denver's Platt Park/University area as well as virtual therapy throughout Colorado.
Eating Disorder Therapy in Denver
Who I Help
I work with adults who are ready to build a more peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.
You may be struggling with:
Restricting food or skipping meals
Binge eating
Emotional eating
Feeling out of control around food
Eating in response to stress, loneliness, boredom, or difficult emotions
Feeling guilty or ashamed after eating
Obsessive thoughts about food or weight
Body image concerns
Fear of certain foods
Compulsive exercise
Constant dieting or feeling trapped in the "start over Monday" cycle
Feeling like you've tried every diet but nothing lasts
Swinging between being "good" with food and feeling like you've completely "blown it"
Perfectionism around eating or body image
Anxiety related to food, eating, or weight
Difficulty trusting your body's hunger and fullness cues
Whether you've been struggling for years or have only recently noticed that food and body image are taking up more space in your life than you'd like, therapy can help. Together, we'll work to better understand your relationship with food, reduce shame, and build lasting patterns that support both your physical and emotional well-being.
You Don't Have to Fit a Stereotype
One of the biggest misconceptions about eating disorders is that you have to look a certain way to deserve help.
The truth is that eating disorders affect people of all body sizes, genders, ages, and backgrounds. There is no "look" that determines whether someone is struggling, and many people silently live with an eating disorder for years because they don't believe they fit the stereotype.
You do not have to be underweight.
You do not have to be in a larger body.
You do not have to meet someone else's definition of being "sick enough."
If you're living in a larger body, you may have been told to simply "eat less" or "try harder," even though you're struggling with binge eating, emotional eating, or a relationship with food that feels painful and out of control. Unfortunately, weight stigma and misconceptions about eating disorders can make it even harder to recognize when someone needs support.
If you're experiencing episodes of binge eating, feeling out of control around food, eating in secret, or carrying guilt and shame after eating, your struggles are real. These experiences are not a reflection of laziness, lack of willpower, or personal failure. These experiences deserve compassion and effective treatment.
Whether you're restricting food, binge eating, caught in cycles of dieting, or constantly consumed by thoughts about food or your body, your experience matters. You don't have to wait until your symptoms become more severe or look a certain way before reaching out for help.
Signs Your Relationship With Food May Need Attention
Many people assume that eating disorders only involve extreme behaviors. In reality, eating disorders and disordered eating can show up in many different ways, and they aren't always obvious to others.
You may notice yourself:
Thinking about food for much of the day
Feeling like food takes up too much mental space
Avoiding social situations involving food
Categorizing foods as "good" or "bad"
Feeling anxious before meals
Feeling guilty or ashamed after eating
Eating in secret or hiding how much you've eaten
Feeling out of control during eating episodes
Turning to food to cope with stress, loneliness, boredom, or difficult emotions
Feeling stuck in a cycle of restricting followed by overeating or binge eating
Constantly starting over with a new diet or promising yourself you'll "be better tomorrow"
Constantly checking your body in the mirror
Weighing yourself frequently or allowing the number on the scale to determine your mood
Exercising to compensate for eating
Feeling like your mood or self-worth depends on what you ate that day or what your body looks like
Believing your worth is tied to your appearance or weight
If these experiences feel familiar, you're not alone. Whether you're struggling with restriction, binge eating, emotional eating, body image concerns, or feeling consumed by thoughts about food, therapy can help you build a more peaceful and compassionate relationship with yourself.
What Therapy for Eating Disorders Looks Like
Recovery isn't about willpower.
Eating disorders often serve an important purpose, helping people cope with overwhelming emotions, anxiety, perfectionism, or a need for control. Together, we'll explore the role your eating disorder has played while building healthier ways to meet those needs.
Our work may include:
Understanding what maintains your eating disorder
Reducing shame around food and eating
Challenging food rules
Processing body image concerns
Learning to recognize hunger and fullness cues
Developing coping strategies for difficult emotions
Addressing perfectionism and self-criticism
Building self-compassion
Reconnecting with your values outside of food and appearance
Recovery is rarely linear. There may be setbacks along the way, and that's okay. My goal is to provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space where you can continue moving forward at a pace that feels manageable.
My Approach to Eating Disorder Therapy
Healing your relationship with food is about much more than changing behaviors.
My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and individualized. I believe meaningful recovery happens when you feel understood, supported, and empowered to make changes that align with your values.
I integrate evidence-based approaches, including:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Helping you respond differently to difficult thoughts and reconnect with what matters most.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Identifying and changing patterns that contribute to eating disorder behaviors.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Building skills for managing emotions, distress, and urges without relying on eating disorder behaviors.
Compassion-Focused Therapy
Developing a kinder relationship with yourself and reducing the shame that often accompanies eating disorders.
Collaboration
When appropriate, I also enjoy collaborating with registered dietitians, physicians, psychiatrists, and other members of your treatment team to provide coordinated, comprehensive care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be diagnosed with an eating disorder to start therapy?
No. Many people seek therapy because they recognize that food, eating, or body image are taking up too much space in their lives. You don't need a diagnosis to deserve support.
What eating disorders do you treat?
I work with adults experiencing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder), body dysmorphia, and disordered eating patterns.
What if I'm not "sick enough"?
This is one of the most common concerns I hear.
If you're struggling, your experience is valid. You don't have to wait until your symptoms become more severe before reaching out for help.
Do you work with body image concerns?
Yes. Body image is often an important part of recovery. Together, we'll explore the beliefs, experiences, and messages that have shaped how you see yourself while working toward greater body respect and self-compassion.
Will you tell me exactly what to eat?
Therapy focuses on the emotional and psychological aspects of recovery. If nutrition support would be helpful, I may recommend working alongside a registered dietitian so you receive care from a team that addresses both your emotional and nutritional needs.
What if I'm scared to let go of my eating disorder? Who am I without it?
If you've had an eating disorder for a long time, it's completely understandable to feel scared about recovery. Many people worry that without their eating disorder, they'll lose a part of themselves or won't know how to cope with difficult emotions, stress, or uncertainty.
Eating disorders often develop for a reason. They may have helped you feel a sense of control, cope with overwhelming emotions, or navigate painful experiences. Even when the eating disorder is causing significant distress, letting go of something that has felt protective can be frightening.
In therapy, there is no expectation that you'll be "ready" to give it up right away. We'll move at a pace that feels manageable, exploring both the part of you that wants recovery and the part that feels afraid of change. Together, we'll work to understand what your eating disorder has been doing for you while building new ways to meet those needs.
Recovery isn't about losing who you are. It's about creating space to reconnect with the parts of yourself that have been overshadowed by the eating disorder and building a life that feels fuller, more flexible, and guided by what truly matters to you.
Why Choose Kate Boyle Counseling?
Recovery can feel overwhelming, especially if your eating disorder has been part of your life for a long time.
You don't have to navigate it alone.
My goal is to create a space where you feel safe enough to be honest about your struggles without fear of judgment. Together, we'll explore what's beneath the eating disorder while building practical tools that support lasting recovery.
I believe healing is possible. Not because you'll become "perfect" with food, but because you can learn to respond to yourself with greater compassion, flexibility, and trust.
Take the First Step
Imagine what it would feel like if food no longer occupied so much of your mental energy. If meals felt less stressful. If your body wasn't something you were constantly fighting against.
Recovery is possible, and you don't have to do it alone.
If you're ready to begin, I'd be honored to support you.
Schedule a free consultation to ask questions, share what you're looking for, and see if we're a good fit. Together, we can begin helping anxiety take up less space so you can make room for the life you want to live.