Supporting Recovery and a Healthier Relationship with Food

Eating disorders can affect both physical health and emotional well-being. For teens and young adults, struggles with food, body image, or eating behaviors often develop alongside stress, anxiety, perfectionism, or difficulty managing emotions.

Many young people feel trapped in patterns that are confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to change on their own.

Early support can make a meaningful difference. Therapy provides a structured and compassionate environment where individuals and families can work toward recovery and a healthier relationship with food and body.

Eating Concerns I Treat

I work with teens and young adults who are experiencing a range of eating-related concerns, including:

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Binge Eating Disorder
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
• Chronic dieting or restrictive eating patterns
• Body image concerns
• Anxiety around food or eating situations

Eating challenges often occur alongside other concerns such as anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, or perfectionism.

How Eating Disorders Affect Teens and Young Adults

For many teens and young adults, eating behaviors can become a way of coping with difficult emotions or managing stress.

Common experiences may include:

• Feeling preoccupied with food, weight, or body image
• Avoiding certain foods or eating situations
• Feeling out of control around food
• Experiencing guilt or shame related to eating
• Increasing stress around meals or social situations involving food

These patterns can be distressing for both the individual and their family. With appropriate support, many young people are able to move toward recovery.

My Approach to Eating Disorder Treatment

Eating disorder treatment often requires a thoughtful, structured approach that addresses both emotional and behavioral aspects of recovery.

My work is informed by evidence-based treatments including:

Family Based Treatment (FBT)

FBT is one of the most effective treatments for adolescents with eating disorders. This approach actively involves parents and caregivers in supporting their child’s recovery and restoring healthy eating patterns.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT helps teens and young adults develop skills for managing intense emotions, reducing harmful coping behaviors, and improving relationships.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps individuals identify and change patterns of thinking and behavior that may contribute to eating disorder symptoms.

Supporting Families in the Recovery Process

For adolescents, family involvement is often an important part of treatment. Parents frequently feel unsure how to help or how to respond when eating concerns arise.

Part of the therapy process involves helping families:

• Understand eating disorder behaviors and recovery
• Develop supportive strategies during meals
• Reduce conflict around food and eating
• Strengthen communication and connection

Many families find that having guidance during this process helps them feel more confident in supporting their child’s recovery.

Specialized Experience in Eating Disorder Treatment

My experience in eating disorder treatment includes:

• Postdoctoral training in an Eating Disorder Program
• Extensive training in Family Based Treatment (FBT)
• Experience treating co-occurring concerns such as anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and self-harm behaviors
• Integration of DBT skills for emotional regulation and coping

This background allows me to provide individualized, evidence-based treatment tailored to each client’s needs.

When to Seek Support

Parents or young adults may consider reaching out for support when they notice:

• Significant restriction or avoidance of food
• Rapid weight loss or concerning eating patterns
• Increasing anxiety around meals or body image
• Binge eating or purging behaviors
• Increasing distress related to food or appearance

Early intervention can help prevent eating behaviors from becoming more entrenched and support long-term recovery.

Taking the Next Step

If your teen or young adult is struggling with eating concerns or body image, support is available.

Therapy can help individuals and families move toward recovery, develop healthier coping strategies, and rebuild a more balanced relationship with food and body.

I provide therapy for teens and their family in Charlotte and the greater Charlotte area including Matthews, Weddington, Marvin, Ballantyne, Fort Mill and Indian Land.

To schedule a consultation, please email me at drheidi@ballantynepsych.com