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.

While stress is a normal part of our modern, everyday lives, it can also have dramatic side effects. Chronic stress can lead to behavioral issues, such as drug abuse that can harm relationships. However, most commonly, chronic stress can affect a person's physical health in a number of ways. Many people avoid asking for help in coping with stress management, accepting it as a common hazard of today's fast-paced life.

Yes, at some point everyone suffers from challenges with stress management, but if at any point in time you feel like you have trouble handling it, it is time to get help. Signs that you are not coping with stress management includes a change in your sleeping or eating habits, feeling physically unwell (headaches, ulcers, frequent colds and flu), reduced productivity and decreased pleasure in activities you enjoyed before.

Stress is common when dealing with life changes or situations such as job losses, getting married, breakups or divorces, discrimination, parenting, moving house, death of a pet or loved one, being diagnosed with a serious medical condition.  

Therapy can help you to better deal with stress management issues. Negative moods reduce the quality of several aspects of our lives, including productivity and interpersonal relationships. Through cognitive restructuring, negative thoughts can be challenged and rescripted to help you create a more positive mindset.

Stress can often cloud the validity of our interpretations of certain events and circumstances, and cognitive restructuring challenges those assumptions. In the case of invalid interpretations, the way we think about situations naturally changes, which has a positive effect on our moods and ability to handle stress better.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who will help you manage stress more effectively you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Trauma counselling can assist with a wide range of internal emotional reactions to devastating situations. Some people experience things as more traumatic than others, and therefore they will need help in coping the emotional burdens of an event or situation.

Stressful events such as death of a loved one, rape, abuse, accidents, divorce, violence or bullying can leave people unable to cope or process the emotional burdens. However, it is not only events linked to the individual personally, but also being a witness to events that might leave a person with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This includes being a victim to violence or natural disasters - there is no limit to the causes of trauma.

In the case of PTSD, people can develop many different psychological reactions, as determined by their own coping skills, emotional stability and background. Symptoms of PTSD include a anger, depression, flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, social withdrawal, loss of self esteem and confidence, and substance abuse.

It takes a strong person to have the courage to stand up and request trauma counselling. This is no time to compare yourself to other people in similar situations, but rather to recognize that everyone has a different reaction to trauma. Therefore, it is important to address the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder as soon as possible to help you deal with emotions in a healthy way and to overcome the difficulties you are facing. Trauma counselling can help avert potentially more severe psychological disorders, that can occur if PTSD is left untreated.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who provides  trauma counselling to address your posttraumatic stress management issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.