Eating Disorders, Perfectionism Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Eating Disorders, Perfectionism

Eating disorders comprise a range of attitudes and behaviors relating to food and body-image. The three main eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and ED NOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). These conditions manifest to different degrees in different people and can sometimes be mistakenly judged as poor eating habits, or a lack of willpower.

People with eating disorders don't eat in harmony with their bodies' needs, instead, people with Anorexia Nervosa eat much less than they need, while Bulimia sufferers binge and then induce vomiting. They may also do other things to compensate for overeating, including exercising or fasting. ED NOS combines any combination of the other two conditions.

Apart from the physical symptoms and behaviors above, someone with an eating disorder will generally also have poor self-esteem and obsessively research or talk about food, dieting or exercise. Poor body image will cause them to either wear clothes that cover up every inch of their bodies, or flaunt  in order to attract attention. They will find it hard to accept criticism and compliments.

Therapy for eating disorders depend on the patient. While some people respond well to short term outpatient treatment, others respond better to long-term inpatient treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy are long term treatments that have been proven to be effective, while group therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapies and feminist therapies work for people who will respond well to short term therapy.

Family therapy is often advised for children and adolescents who are experiencing eating disorders. Research has also shown dialectical behavioral therapy to be effective.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses eating disorders, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Perfectionism is considered as a personality trait among many mental health practitioners.  Perfectionists tend to view projects or tasks that are not perfect done, as unworthy. Unless they know that they can do something perfectly, they are unlikely to take it on. They tend not to care much about the learning process while completing a task, but rather about the end project, which, for them, is the most important aspect of any project they undertake.

Procrastination is a great obstacle with people who are perfectionists. They usually don't want to start a task until they are sure that they can do it perfectly. It's common for them to spend an enormous amount of time on a project, making sure that it is done to perfection. Yet, perfectionism prevents these people from appreciating a job well done. Instead, they don't believe that anything they do is good enough and they constantly compare their results with that of other people. They become fixated on achieving perfection.

There is a correlation between perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and some perfectionists also have OCD.  However, not all people with OCD are perfectionists. While most people with an ambition to succeed and therefore strive to excel in their pursuits, they are not necessarily perfectionists.

Therapy can be very helpful in treating perfectionism. Therapy will help the individual to reframe their thinking to change the end goal of his or her undertakings. A therapist may often help perfectionists recognize that some of the most successful people are not perfectionists at all.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers therapies to address your perfectionism or OCD issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological approach that deals with the way in which clients think about themselves, other people and the world. The outside world affects how we think and feel about ourselves and as a result, our behaviour. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help a person to change the way they think about thoughts and feelings, but it is not like other types of talk therapy.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on current issues and challenges that affect the client right now. It doesn't consider the past issues that caused distress, but rather looks for solutions that can improve the client's state of mind in the moment. Much of CBT involves looking at thought distortions that can affect mood and are affected by mood, and helps client examine and challenge distorted thinking patters.

CBT can help a range of problems, from OCD, PTSD, bulimia, stress, phobias and other issues that might seem overwhelming to the client, by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Ryan Leiderman

M.A., RCC
Congratulations on having the courage to work towards a better you.  As someone that has walked a similar path of self-improvement, I empathize with your struggle and truly appreciate the spark within you that... Read more

Samantha Lee

M.Ed., RCC
Hey there, I’m Sam! I provide therapy from a trauma-informed, client centered perspective that is anti-oppressive. My style of counselling prioritizes warm, transparent communication. I have experience supporting... Read more
One of my greatest passions as a counsellor is helping clients develop tools and coping skills to overcome disordered eating. Wherever you are in recovery, my approach is compassionate and client centered. In our first... Read more

Susanne Leach

M.S.W., RSW
Do you want to build a life that is worth living, filled with healthy balanced relationships with friends, family and important people in your life?  Do you want to build a stronger understanding of yourself and... Read more

chelsea mcgowan

MCP, RCC
I am a passionate therapist, teacher, and dancer. I bring these elements into the work I do, and the love I have to see people develop a deeper relationship to self and in turn others. I am not a “blank slate... Read more

Colette Mrazek

M.Ed., RCC
    • Online booking
My counselling career began over 20 years ago and since then, I have worked in a variety of settings with many different populations, such as youth at risk, children who have been orphaned, young parents,... Read more

Nadine Jans

M.Sc., RCC
Over-eating, emotiona - or binge eating, caregiving, trauma, guilt, shame, self sabotage, depression, anxiety, and self-esteem issues are the areas in which I have specialized training. I have seen powerful... Read more

Tiffany Brown

M.A., CCC
  Tiffany Brown, MA, CCC is honoured to work with folks who've experienced or have been affected by abuse from a partner, other forms of gender-based violence including sexual assault, or any form... Read more