Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
Being in the restrict/binge cycle feels isolating and overwhelming. You are not alone and deserve to feel at peace with food.
Does it feel like food is running the show? Or like you have tried evrything to stop bingeing? Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorders. But, many people who experience BED also experience shame with the disorder, making it difficult to ask for help. Courage to Nourish supports clients who are struggling with binge eating disorder through nutrition therapy and counseling. Our highly skilled clinicians understand the nuances associated with binge eating disorder treatment and can provide compassionate care and gentle guidance toward recovery.
Does Any of This Sound Familiar?
- You feel out of control around food. You wish you had more “willpower.”
- You’ve dieted, restricted, or labeled foods “off-limits,” only to find yourself eating them anyway, often more than you intended
- You eat quickly, past the point of fullness, and feel guilt or shame afterward
- You often wonder how you can just “eat less.”
- You spend a significant amount of time and energy thinking about food, your next meal, or your next diet
If this resonates, you deserve support.
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge eating disorder (BED) involves recurring episodes of eating that feel out of control — often eating rapidly, past the point of comfortable fullness, and experiencing significant shame or guilt afterward. It’s the most common eating disorder, and yet it remains one of the most stigmatized.
Dieting, restriction, and labeling foods as “good” or “bad” are some of the biggest drivers of binge eating. The more foods get restricted, the more likely the brain and body are to respond with intense urges around those very foods. It’s a biological response, not a personal failing. We hear this often from our clients.
What helps heal BED is consistent, adequate nourishment, a wider range of accepted foods, and real support in understanding the emotional and physical patterns underneath the binge cycle.
How We Treat Binge Eating Disorder
At Courage to Nourish, we understand BED and how to navigate breaking the restrict/binge cycle. Here’s what working with us looks like:
We help you eat enough, consistently. Restriction fuels bingeing. One of our first priorities is making sure you’re eating adequately and regularly throughout the day. This alone often reduces the intensity of binge urges.
We work on permission to eat. We support you in confidently incorporating your “binge foods” back into regular meals and snacks. While this can be scary, when a food is no longer forbidden, it tends to lose its power.
We discuss the emotions behind bingeing. Binge eating often serves a purpose. Whether that’s coping with stress, emotions, or difficult experiences, we make space to explore that alongside the nutrition work. We collaborate with therapists and other providers on your team as needed.
We keep caseloads small and stay accessible. You’ll have a consistent relationship with your dietitian, along with email and text support between sessions, so you’re not facing this alone between appointments.
We never judge. Whatever your relationship with food looks like right now, you’ll be met with curiosity and compassion here.
Typical Clients We Work With
We work with people of all ages who are navigating binge eating disorder — children, teens, college students, adults, and pregnant or postpartum individuals. We also work with athletes who need support balancing fueling for performance with healing their relationship with food. Whatever your life circumstances, our approach adapts to meet you there.
If your family has been affected by a loved one’s binge eating disorder, we also work closely with parents and partners to help create a supportive home environment around food.
FAQs About Binge Eating Disorder
How do I know if I have Binge Eating Disorder?
If you suspect you or a loved one has BED, please take our quiz. It takes courage to reach out so be proud of yourself for taking the first step
How long does it take to treat Binge Eating Disorder?
Treating an eating disorder takes time! Most of the clients we see are “long term” clients who we work with on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. It is difficult to set a time frame, but it’s not uncommon for clients to meet with us on a weekly basis for at least 6 months. If you feel like your healing journey is taking “too long,” just remember that recovery is not linear. It’s normal to have ups and downs.
Will I need to follow a meal plan?
That is up to you! While we can support you in creating a meal plan that meets your needs, we also recognize that meal plans aren’t helpful tools for everyone. We would never want you to feel like you are on a diet or enabling your eating disorder.
How can I help a loved one with Binge Eating Disorder?
Supporting a loved one with an eating disorder, including BED, can be so difficult. As loved ones, we often want to “fix it.” But, recovery takes time and there’s not much we can do other than offering a listening ear and a non-judgemental space. Read our blog on Supporting a Loved One with an Eating Disorder. Also, visit our resources page and sign up for our newsletter to get more tips on how to support your loved one.
How can I find support for Binge Eating Disorder?
Courage to Nourish is happy to help. Contact us for more information about working with us. We provide both virtual and in person services. If for some reason we are unable to support you, we would be glad to refer you to other resources. You can also read our blog and resources page for more ideas and support on eating disorder recovery.
Have more questions?
Visit our Treatment FAQ page.
Ready to Break the Cycle?
You don’t have to keep fighting your body. Let’s talk about what real, lasting recovery from binge eating disorder can look like for you.
We see clients in person in College Park, MD, Columbia, MD, and Alexandria, VA, and via telehealth across Maryland, Virginia, and nationwide.
Service Locations
IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS
VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS
About Courage to Nourish
Courage to Nourish is a group of eating disorder specialized dietitians. We have in person locations in Alexandria, Virginia, Columbia, Maryland, and College Park, Maryland. We offer virtual services across the state of Maryland. Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. We offer individual nutrition therapy. As well as support groups. We would love to guide you in building a better relationship with food.
