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By Carolyn Comas, LCSW, CEDS-S, Clinical Supervisor Navigating the world in a fat body can be frustrating and may feel disheartening. There are, unfortunately, some activities and spaces that do not accommodate people in large bodies. When someone in a big body encounters spaces that do not accommodate their larger body, it’s common to conclude …
![CBT plus HAES for Eating Disorders [Image description: large bodied gender neutral person seated and facing a therapist whose back is to the camera]](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/allgo-an-app-for-plus-size-people-OxwQT1woe-Y-unsplash.jpg)
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is the most effective approach for treating adults with eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. The most recent and commonly taught and implemented version is an “enhanced” protocol, CBT-E (Fairburn, Christopher G., 2008). Unfortunately, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for eating disorders is not always employed in a weight neutral way, …
![Health at Every Size and Eating Disorder [Image description: black larger bodied woman eating a donut]](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/bodyliberationstock-82137_ccexpress-1024x683.jpeg)
Eating disorders are not only about body image. Nor have they only recently arisen in response to societal pressures to be thin. In fact, eating disorders date back to at least the 13th and 14th centuries, when it was documented that women were fasting to demonstrate religious devotion. However, today eating disorders do occur in …
![Weight Stigma and Figure Skating [Image description: Carolyn at an ice skating competition]](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Carolyn_ice_skating_nationals2-copy-688x1024.jpg)
By Carolyn Comas, LCSW For a long time I was embarrassed to tell people that I was a figure skater. I was afraid that someone would look at me and laugh at the idea that someone like me skated. I felt this way because I am in a larger body and have always been. Even …
“People are concerned about the fact that I’m a therapist and have an eating disorder, and I’m like, ‘You’re concerned about me? I’m concerned about our entire fucking field.’” — Shira Rose, FoodPsych with Christy Harrison This quote has generated a lot of reactions. In this podcast, Shira—who lives in a larger body when she …
A disclaimer: I have no vested interest in Weight Watchers’ new Kurbo app. This app will in fact create more work for me. But let me be clear: I do not want this kind of work! I know that you mean well and are merely concerned about your child’s health, but I can assure you …
by SJ Thompson Belmonte, Resilient Fat Goddex and Lauren Muhlheim, Eating Disorder Therapy LA “Body positivity can’t be just about thin, straight, cisgendered, white women who became comfortable with an additional ten pounds on their frame.” —Stacey Rosenfeld, Ph.D., Shape magazine (July, 2018). Eating disorders are about so much more than body image, but the …
I’ve recently returned from the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) Conference and I’m reflecting on all I’ve learned. I’ve wanted to share and further explore Substantia Jones’ keynote, “Fat Visibility Through Photography: the Who, the How, and the Hell Yeah.” Jones is a photographer, a “Fat Acceptance Photo-Activist,” and the proprietor of the …
Recently, I went to visit my grandmother, who is almost 103 years old. She was complaining of leg pain. She asked me to help her put on her shoes. I tried really hard. But in her sweltering apartment (she can’t stand any temperature below 80), I was sweating and the shoes were not going on. …
Dear Family Member, I understand your fears. I get it. You want the best for your loved one. You want him or her to have the best and healthiest and fullest life possible. I do too. You believe that helping your loved one to lose weight will help achieve these goals. Here, I disagree—I will …