Disordered Eating — Ana Mazdy Therapy

Disordered Eating.

Eating problems arise in our lives for a reason. They serve some sort of purpose. Often, they come into our lives at a certain time to provide a particular function. Overtime, they may continue to provide that function, or manifest into serving a different purpose (or many different purposes).

Bottom line: there's a reason it's there -- it's serving a purpose. That's why even despite all the suffering and misery it causes, the problematic pattern persists. Our work begins at that bottom line, rather than at the top of the surface. From here, we ask: What purpose does my eating behavior serve? What need does it fulfill? Keeping judgment and shame out of the picture, we instead bring curiosity into the picture. Am I recruited into disordered eating behaviors when I'm bored, feeling lonely, overwhelmed, needing entertainment, needing control, feeling out of control, distracting from something, wanting to numb myself, wanting to feel better, wanting to avoid a hard feeling, wanting to evade a hard task, wanting to check out?

Once we identify these very real and valid needs for relief and reprieve from feeling dysregulated by something, we begin to disempower the stronghold of an eating problem. We have our starting point. Holding awareness of what triggers or activates us into certain behaviors is only the first step. What do we do now when we experience any of the above states? Now, we bridge awareness with action.

What does this process look like?

Find Out

Areas of Interest & Specialty:

Binge Eating, also referred to as Binge Eating Disorder
Bingeing/Purging, also referred to as Bulimia
Restricting, also referred to as Anorexia
Unhealthy obsession with "health" foods, also referred to as Orthorexia
Compulsive Overeating
Yo-yo Dieting
Compulsive Exercise/Overexercise
Laxative/Diuretic Abuse
Body Image

In addition to my private practice, I work at Woodleaf Eating Disorder Center - an Intensive Outpatient (IOP) treatment center - as well as Mills College, where I am on staff as an Eating Disorder Specialist at the school's Counseling and Psychological Services counseling center. Additionally, I have trained through UC Berkeley's Eating and Weight Disorders Certification Program, JFK University's Eating Disorder Treatment Certification Program and JFK University's Nutritional Psychology Certification Program.