What is it?
To understand your eating, you first have to understand yourself – (Dr Ian Campbell, Founder of the National Obesity Forum)
The program has been developed by Julia Buckroyd, Emeritus Professor of Counselling of the University of Hertfordshire and Honorary Fellow of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Julia is a registered psychotherapist who has been working in the field of disordered eating for some 30 years.
The program is aimed at helping people understand their emotional attachment to food. This is one of the few programs which looks at the psychological barriers to weight loss and explores how food is used for emotional management. In my experience helping people understand their compulsion to eat enables them to realise their choices and begin to find other ways to manage.
Who will benefit from the program?
This is not a dieting program. It is likely that you already know what a healthy diet and lifestyle look like.
The program will be helpful for:
- Anyone who is interested in exploring whether they use food to manage emotions (sometimes called comfort eating)
- Anyone who worries so much about their weight and size that it interferes with their daily life
- Anyone who is concerned about their eating behaviour and feels it is outside of their control
- Anyone who would like to explore other ways to manage their emotions rather than using food.
How is the group run?
- Groups are small with a maximum of 10 attendees
- Groups run for 2 hours each week for a period of 5 weeks
- You will be encouraged to look at the underlying emotional reasons for eating. Issues such as self esteem, self image and relationships will be explored
- You will explore alternative ways to help you get through the day rather than eating
Please note that although you will be encouraged to share feelings and experiences you will not be required to divulge anything that you do not wish to.