Lauren Muhlheim, Psy.D., FAED, CEDS-S, Owner
Licensed in California, Indiana, and New York (and telehealth license for Florida)
PSY#15045 (CA), 20043428A (IN),012827-01 (NY)
In-person and telehealth
Who I Am
I’m Lauren Muhlheim (she/her). I’m a psychologist, certified eating disorder specialist, "Diet Culture Deprogrammer," and the owner of Eating Disorder Therapy LA. I help people with food and body image issues, anxiety, and depression.
What I Do
I work with people who are stuck in a cycle of dieting, bingeing, purging, or over-exercising and can't figure out how to stop. I help adults with eating and body image issues to break the binge cycle, stop purging and over-exercising, achieve peace with food and their bodies and reclaim their lives. I have expertise with people of all ages and all eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder (BED), and other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED, formerly known as EDNOS). I have worked with other lesser-known eating disorders and behaviors including Night Eating Syndrome, Purging Disorder, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Chewing and Spitting, Orthorexia, and Muscle Dysmorphia and Male Eating Disorders.
I also work with families who have a teen who may have lost weight and can’t figure out how to get their teen to eat. Perhaps your teen is receiving an eating disorder treatment that excludes you and you want to play a more active role. Maybe other treatments haven't helped. I can empower you to help heal your teen with an eating disorder and enable you to do this work at home, together. With time and hard work your teen can resume their development into a healthy, independent young adult who can continue with the business of building his or her life.
I am one of the very few therapists in LA certified in Family-Based Treatment (FBT) for adolescent eating disorders. I have written a book for parents using this approach, When Your Teen Has an Eating Disorder: Practical Strategies to Help Your Teen Recover from Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating (New Harbinger, September, 2018). I do not believe that parents cause eating disorders and I know they can be an important part of the solution.
I also help adults with depression and anxiety. I have extensive experience treating panic disorder, self-esteem issues, and perfectionism. I have worked with emetophobia (specific fear of vomiting) and other phobias as well. I love to do exposure work, which involves supporting my patients in facing scary situations but opens up new worlds for them.
I am passionate about making evidence-based therapy accessible to more people. I love working with clients of diverse cultural backgrounds. I recognize and celebrate that bodies come in all sizes and shapes. I am active as an advocate for the acceptance of all body sizes and shapes and the inclusion of parents in treatment of their children.
You can read more about my qualifications.
More About Me
I lived in China from 2008 to 2010 and love to travel and meet people from different cultural backgrounds. I love spending time with my husband, our kids, and our several pets. In my spare time, I like to spin, do yoga, and cook. I volunteer at a neonatal kitten nursery and help feed and foster kittens.
How I Help
I believe that change involves hard work and the courage to face difficult situations. It is my honor to walk alongside patients doing this brave work. I help provide you with the tools you need to change behavior patterns and develop new coping skills. Patients find me supportive but firm.
Contact Me
If you are ready to begin the process of changing your (or your teen’s) problematic behaviors, reach out to schedule an appointment today.
You can use the encrypted form attached here.