Eating Disorder & Body Dysmorphia Therapy in Colts Neck, NJ

Eating disorders are among the most serious and complex mental health conditions — and they are almost never truly about food. Beneath the restriction, the purging, the bingeing, or the relentless preoccupation with perceived physical flaws lies a profound emotional story: of pain, of control, of shame, of survival. If you are struggling with your relationship with food, your body, or the way you see yourself in the mirror, you deserve compassionate, expert care that goes far beneath the surface.

At Dr. Dana Spada Psychotherapy, we approach eating disorders and body dysmorphia with deep respect, clinical expertise, and a whole-person perspective — addressing the emotional wounds beneath the behaviors, not just the behaviors themselves.

Disordered eating and body image struggles exist on a broad spectrum. Dr. Spada supports clients navigating:

• Anorexia Nervosa: Severe food restriction driven by intense fear of weight gain and profoundly distorted body image
• Bulimia Nervosa: Cycles of bingeing and purging through vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise
• Binge Eating Disorder (BED): Episodes of compulsive overeating followed by intense shame and distress
• Orthorexia: An obsessive focus on clean or healthy eating that becomes increasingly restrictive and all-consuming
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD): Obsessive preoccupation with perceived physical flaws that others cannot see
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): Extreme food avoidance unrelated to body image concerns
• Emotional Eating: Using food to manage, suppress, or escape difficult emotions
• Exercise Addiction: Compulsive exercise driven by body image anxiety or emotional regulation needs

Dr. Spada's approach to eating disorders and body dysmorphia is gentle, deeply respectful, and always led by the client's pace and readiness for change.

Her integrative approach uses CBT to address the distorted thinking patterns around food and body image, DBT to build emotional regulation and distress tolerance as alternatives to disordered behaviors, Somatic Therapy to gently rebuild a compassionate and connected relationship with the body, Mindfulness to cultivate present-moment body awareness and deep self-compassion, and Psychodynamic Therapy to explore the emotional roots and relational patterns underlying the disorder.