Lighten the Load Therapy

Therapy and Services.

Types of Therapy

My Integrative approach

How I Work

I integrate a blend of therapeutic approaches, tailored to your individual needs, to support lasting change. These include:

Building Self-Awareness and Self-Worth

Person-Centered Therapy

This humanistic approach places you at the heart of the therapeutic process. Emotional eating often stems from a disconnection from our true feelings and unmet emotional needs. In person-centered therapy, I offer a non-judgmental, empathetic environment where you can explore your experiences at your own pace.

By fostering self-acceptance and emotional awareness, this approach helps you:

Understand and validate your feelings without relying on food for comfort

Tune into your body’s real needs, rather than using food as a coping mechanism

Build self-trust and confidence in your choices

Challenging Unhelpful Patterns

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps identify the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that keep the cycle of emotional eating going. You might notice thoughts like “I’ve already ruined today’s diet, so I might as well eat everything” or “Food is the only thing that makes me feel better.”

In CBT, we work to:

  • Recognize and reframe unhelpful thought patterns
  • Develop practical tools to respond differently to emotional triggers
  • Create alternative coping strategies for stress, anxiety, and low mood

By changing the way you think about food and yourself, you can build a more balanced and empowering relationship with eating.

Understanding the Emotional Roots of Eating Behaviours

Psychodynamic Therapy

Sometimes, our patterns with food are connected to past experiences or unmet emotional needs from earlier in life. Psychodynamic therapy helps uncover the unconscious processes and early life influences that may be shaping your current relationship with food.

Through this deeper exploration, you may:

Begin to heal longstanding emotional pain that food has been used to soothe

Understand how past emotional wounds influence your eating behaviours

Recognize patterns formed in childhood or adolescence

Exploring Inner Dialogue and Emotional Needs

Transactional Analysis (TA)

TA is a powerful model for understanding the internal “voices” or ego states that influence our actions—typically the Parent, Adult, and Child. In emotional eating, the Child might be seeking comfort, while the inner Parent might be harshly critical afterward.

Using TA, we can:

  • Understand your internal dialogue and how it impacts your eating
  • Strengthen your Adult self to make balanced, mindful choices
  • Respond to emotional needs with kindness rather than food

This approach empowers you to better manage inner conflicts and create a healthier emotional balance.