SPECIALTY · ANOREXIA NERVOSA
You are more than the number on a scale
If you are looking for an anorexia nervosa therapist in Santa Clarita or anywhere in California, you have come to the right place. I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience treating anorexia in teens, adults, and families.
Ph.D. -Eating Disorder Psychologist
Telehealth in Santa Clarita and throughout California
Adults, Teens 14+, and Families
There is often a part of you that knows something is wrong. And another part that is not ready to let go. Both of those parts are welcome here.
YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS
What anorexia feels like from the inside
You might count, calculate, and plan around food from the moment you wake up. Eating feels frightening, and the rules that once felt like safety have slowly become a prison. You may look fine to the people around you. Inside, you are exhausted.
Food thoughts take up most of your mental space, often from the moment you wake up.
Your body feels like something to be managed, controlled, or punished rather than lived in.
You may be functioning at a high level at work or school. The people around you might not know anything is wrong.
The rules that once felt like safety have quietly become something you can't imagine living without, and also a wall between you and the life you can sense is possible.
Part of you knows something needs to change. Another part is not ready, or not sure how.
UNDERSTANDING THE DIAGNOSIS
What is Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by restricted food intake, an intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted or deeply painful relationship with body image and self-worth. It is not a choice, a phase, or a reflection of vanity. It is a complex psychological condition with real medical consequences.Anorexia affects people of all genders, ages, body sizes, and backgrounds. It does not discriminate, and it does not always look the way the media portrays it.
Common signs of Anorexia Nervosa include:
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Rigid rules or rituals around food
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Preoccupation with calories or body shape
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Wearing loose clothing to hide the body
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Fatigue, feeling cold, lightheadedness
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Low mood or irritability
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Intense fear of weight gain
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Withdrawal from social eating
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Excessive or compulsive exercise
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Difficulty concentrating
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Distorted body image
A Note on Atypical Anorexia
Atypical anorexia is a diagnosis given when someone meets all of the psychological and behavioral criteria for anorexia but is not underweight. It is equally serious, equally dangerous, and equally deserving of treatment. Many people with atypical anorexia are told they are fine because their weight appears normal. They are not fine, and they deserve care.
TREATMENT
How I treat Anorexia Nervosa?
Treating anorexia requires more than symptom management. It requires understanding what the eating disorder has been doing for you, what it has been protecting you from, and what a life without it might actually feel like. That is the work we do together.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E)
One of the most rigorously researched treatments for anorexia. CBT-E addresses the specific thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that maintain the eating disorder and works systematically to loosen their grip. Examples include: the overvaluation of shape and weight, perfectionism, and rigid food rules.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
This approach goes beneath the surface to explore the emotional roots of the eating disorder, early experiences, attachment patterns, and the deeper meaning the eating disorder has come to hold. This is slower, more exploratory work, and it is often where the most lasting change happens.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers practical tools for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and building a life that feels worth living without using the eating disorder as a coping mechanism. DBT is particularly helpful around emotion regulation and distress tolerance.
Coordinated Care
I always recommend working as part of a team that includes a physician and a registered dietitian specializing in eating disorders. Recovery from anorexia is most effective when medical, nutritional, and psychological care are happening in parallel. If you don't have these providers yet, I can help you find them.
What about higher levels of care?
If I believe you or your loved one needs a higher level of care (intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential, or inpatient), I will help you navigate that process. Many clients also come to me after stepping down from a higher level of care to continue the work in outpatient.
Terms
IOP = Intensive Outpatient Program
PHP = Partial Hospitalization Program
Attachment-Informed Therapy
We explore how early relationships shaped your sense of safety, self-worth, and connection to your own needs. These are particularly relevant when anorexia developed during adolescence or in the context of difficult family dynamics.
Family Based Treatment (FBT)
For adolescents, if appropriate, I incorporate FBT principles, which involve parents as active, empowered partners in early recovery. Research consistently shows that parental involvement significantly improves outcomes for teens with anorexia.
WHO I SEE
Who I work with
I work with adults, teens aged 14 and older, and families navigating anorexia nervosa in Santa Clarita and throughout California via telehealth.
Adults
Individual therapy for adults at any stage of recovery, whether newly recognizing a problem or returning after years of struggling.
Teens (14+)
Specialized care for adolescents, with family involvement through FBT principles and a strong emphasis on the teen's own voice in treatment.
Families
Support, guidance and therapy for the parents and caregivers of someone with anorexia.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I have to want recovery to start therapy?
No. Ambivalence is one of the most common and well-documented features of anorexia. You do not need to be fully ready or fully convinced. You just need to be willing to show up and see what happens. We can work with uncertainty.
02
What if I have been struggling for a long time? Is it too late?
It is never too late. I have worked with people who have lived with anorexia for decades and have gone on to build full, meaningful lives in recovery.
03
What if my teen refuses to come to therapy?
This is very common. I can begin by working with parents alone, helping you build a stronger understanding of the eating disorder and a more confident approach at home, while we work toward getting your teen engaged in treatment.
04
Do you treat atypical anorexia?
Yes. Atypical anorexia is as serious as any other presentation of the disorder and receives the same level of specialized, evidence-based care in my practice. Being told you are "not sick enough" is one of the most harmful things a person with atypical anorexia can hear.
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Do you collaborate with dietitians or medical professionals?
Absolutely. I often work in coordination with registered dietitians, physicians, or psychiatrists to ensure that your care is comprehensive and aligned across disciplines. When needed, I help you assemble a collaborative team that supports both your emotional and physical well-being.
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What if I need a higher level of care than outpatient therapy?
If at any point I believe a higher level of care is needed, I will tell you directly and help coordinate the transition. I will not leave you to navigate that alone. I have referral relationships with leading eating disorder programs across California.