Eating Disorder Treatment
Specialized Therapy for Eating Disorders, Disordered Eating, and Body Image
Eating disorders and difficulties with food and body image can take many forms. For some people, concerns about eating, weight, or appearance have become increasingly consuming and interfere with daily life. Others may not identify as having an eating disorder but recognize that chronic dieting, rigid food rules, body dissatisfaction, or anxiety around eating are taking up far too much mental and emotional space.
Dr. Hill specializes in working with adolescents ages 16 and older and adults struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image concerns. Treatment is available in person in Annapolis, Maryland, as well as through telehealth for clients located in PSYPACT participating states.
Experience in Eating Disorders and Body Image
Eating disorders and body image have been a focus of Dr. Hill's clinical and academic work for many years. While completing her doctoral training at Stanford University, her dissertation research examined body image dissatisfaction among adolescent and preadolescent girls. Since 2009, she has worked extensively with adolescents and adults experiencing eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image difficulties.
Dr. Hill remains actively engaged in the eating disorder professional community through ongoing consultation with other eating disorder specialists, professional consultation groups, and continued study of current research and treatment approaches. This ongoing involvement allows her to bring both longstanding clinical experience and current evidence based thinking to her work with each individual.
A Broader Understanding of Eating and Body Image Concerns
Problems with eating rarely exist in isolation. They are often intertwined with anxiety, perfectionism, self esteem, relationships, identity, emotional regulation, and the ways individuals have learned to cope with difficult feelings and experiences.
For this reason, Dr. Hill's work is not focused solely on changing eating behaviors. While addressing problematic behaviors is an important part of treatment, she also helps individuals understand the function of these patterns, including how they developed, what continues to reinforce them, and the purposes they may have come to serve. Together, Dr. Hill and her patients work to develop meaningful and adaptive alternatives that can help them function and feel better.
Treatment may address concerns including:
Eating disorders and disordered eating
Restriction or rigid rules around food
Binge eating and loss of control around eating
Chronic dieting
Preoccupation with food, weight, or appearance
Body dissatisfaction and negative body image
Anxiety related to eating or weight
Perfectionism and high self criticism
Difficulty trusting hunger, fullness, or other internal cues
The impact of life transitions, relationships, identity, and emotional stress on eating and body image
Individuals do not need to know whether their concerns meet criteria for a particular diagnosis before seeking help. If a relationship with food or one's body is interfering with well being or taking up more of life than desired, therapy can be a useful place to begin.
Dr. Hill's Approach to Treatment
Dr. Hill takes an integrative and individualized approach to eating disorder treatment. Her work draws from evidence based psychological treatments while also recognizing that each person's history, relationships, temperament, and circumstances are different.
An important part of treatment is understanding how current difficulties developed and what continues to reinforce them. From there, Dr. Hill works with patients to develop more effective ways of managing emotions, responding to difficult thoughts, navigating relationships, and making choices that are consistent with their broader goals and values.
Depending on an individual's needs, treatment may incorporate elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, and other evidence based approaches. When appropriate, Dr. Hill collaborates closely with eating disorder dietitians, physicians, psychiatrists, and other members of an individual's treatment team.
If a higher level of care becomes necessary, Dr. Hill can help patients and their families understand the options and navigate that process. When appropriate, she remains in communication with the treatment team during higher level of care and helps facilitate the transition back to outpatient treatment. Having continuity throughout this process can make a potentially overwhelming transition more manageable and support a smoother return to everyday life and ongoing treatment.
Dr. Hill's goal is to help individuals develop a deeper understanding of the factors underlying and maintaining their symptoms while learning more adaptive ways to cope, heal, and move forward. Treatment can help individuals develop a more flexible and sustainable relationship with food and their bodies while building the insight and skills needed to feel more effective in other areas of life as well.
Eating Disorder Therapy in Annapolis and Across PSYPACT States
Dr. Hill provides in person therapy at her office in Annapolis, Maryland. She also provides telehealth to patients located in PSYPACT participating states, making specialized treatment available to individuals who may not live near an eating disorder psychologist or who prefer the flexibility of meeting virtually.
Dr. Hill works with adolescents ages 16 and older and adults across the lifespan, including college students, young adults, and older adults.
Getting Started
Finding a psychologist who is both experienced in eating disorders and a good personal fit is important. An initial consultation provides an opportunity to discuss what an individual has been experiencing, treatment history and goals, and whether working with Dr. Hill makes sense.
To learn more about treatment or schedule an initial consultation, please contact Dr. Hill for a complimentary 15 minute consultation.