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.

Parent teen conflict is one of the most common reasons why families opt for counselling. The adolescent years are fueled by raging hormones, insecurities, anxieties and mixed emotions for the teenagers, while the parents have to deal with precocious strangers who have invaded their little children's growing bodies.

Adolescence must be one of the most challenging stages a parent could face. Puberty brings on a range of changes, and growth spurts.

Suddenly, a sweet and caring child could turn disrespectful, defiant and disrespectful. A social butterfly could turn into a stranger who struggles to fit in with her peers, and an adoring, confident young man could become embarrassed to be seen near his mother. Anxiety is a very real symptom of adolescence, as is rebellion. A child who used to share everything with his parents might start hanging with a new group of friends that you don't know, and he might even start taking drugs.

Adults caught in the trap of parent teen conflict might feel saddened by the changes in their children. They might lose their temper and yell more than usual. They may even say things they later regret. Punishments are often ineffective, and parents usually feel guilty, thinking that they are not good parents. Anxiety over losing control over the teenager's behavior could lead to problems with other family members. Blame is a common pitfall that may lead to even more parent teen conflict.

Parent teen conflict requires professional help when the relationship seems to be getting worse instead of better. A range of therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy form part of effective parent teen conflict counselling.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers parent teen conflict therapy to address your relationship with your child you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

A positive self-esteem is an essential tool to help someone function as a productive member of society. Our basic sense of worth determines how well we are able to deal with situations and how well we perform in the family, at school, at work and in life.

Having a healthy self-esteem means that we have a sense of self-worth, self-respect and the ability to find the good in yourself. On the contrary, a negative self image can lead to social anxiety, loneliness, self-criticism, shame and even anger. A person with low self-esteem often feels isolated.

Self-esteem issues are usually created in childhood when negative experiences and poor influences and reactions from caregivers stunt the development of a positive self esteem. Self-esteem can also be affected by abuse, or by being different. A person may be stigmatized for his or her social identity, race, social class, behaviors or appearance.

However, a person's self-esteem can also be challenged during adulthood when one experiences marital issues, financial problems, career glitches or legal challenges.

Therapy can help a person come to terms with self-esteem issues. A therapist will help identify the causes of self-esteem issues and help the individual to regain control over circumstances through goal-directed therapy.

It can help someone with low self-esteem to separate who they are from what they have, or how they look in order to overcome low self-esteem issues. Discovering one's worth is a great way to take control of situations and to learn to feel adequate.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers goal directed therapy to address your self-esteem issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.