Emotional Eating – Relationship Wellbeing

Emotional Eating Programme

The Emotional Eating Programme involves around 10 sessions of therapy to look at how food is used to regulate mood. It is particularly helpful for clients that may have yoyo dieted, attempted many different diets and who have a tendency to binge eat to try and feel better.

Usually emotional eating is not as a result of hunger but other factors; perhaps to relieve low mood, boredom, loneliness, sexual avoidance or relationship tension etc. Looking at all of this within a counselling context enables the role of food to be explored in much more depth, looking at a client’s relationship with themselves and others, as well as unmet needs. It looks at how emotions drive the need to eat and the inner conflict that is often present that generates self- criticism and which can often feed a continuing cycle to sooth in this way.

If you would like to make sense of what you eat, when you do and why, then please get in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my partner doesn’t want to join me in therapy?

If your partner doesn’t want to join you for couples relationship counselling or psychosexual therapy then it can still be helpful for one partner to speak to a counsellor individually, to gain fresh perspectives and new insight on their difficulties. Speaking to someone neutral who isn’t emotionally involved can be hugely beneficial and provides clients with an outlet to verbalise their thoughts and feelings with undefended honesty and make sense of what has happened as well as consider useful strategies or treatment pathways to improve their situation.

Do I have to be referred by my GP?

No, most people self refer for therapy. That said, if you are suffering with specific sexual difficulties you may find it helpful talking to your GP first to rule out any underlying medical problem. For example, erectile difficulties can be an early indicator of possible cardiovascular problems or diabetes. Also sexual difficulties might be a side effect of medication and considering an alternative prescription could be helpful.

How long is each appointment and how many sessions will be needed?

Most appointments are scheduled for 1 hour. Longer appointments of 1.5 or 2 hours can be requested, subject to counsellor availability. The amount of sessions needed is on a case by case basis as each individual or couple case is different as clients bring a variety of issues. It also depends on whether clients can make regular appointments to keep up the momentum and transfer any learning and insight into their lives outside of the therapy session.

Clients accessing relationship counselling may find that they are close to reaching their goals of therapy by around 6-10 sessions, some sooner. For those accessing a sex therapy programme or emotional eating programme, this can be longer, e.g. 10-20 sessions.

It is perfectly normal, during any type of counselling to experience ups and downs throughout the counselling process and life doesn’t stop just because you are in therapy. There is no quick fix and usually counselling addresses issues that may have become entrenched for some time but it can also be a transforming experience for many clients.

I also have clients that after a period of counselling may arrange adhoc check in appointments going forward as an opportunity to give their relationship a health check. It also may be the case that clients dip in and out of therapy as and when they encounter different life events or notice a disconnection in their relationship. So what I am saying is that it can be a short term intervention or provide long term support to suit your needs.