Therapy for Emotional Eating in Chester, Wirral & Online
Counselling For Emotional Eating
Emotional eating happens when food becomes a way to cope with feelings rather than a response to physical hunger.
Physical hunger typically develops over a longer period and can be fulfilled by eating wholesome, nourishing meals. In contrast, emotional hunger often comes on quickly, leading to cravings for specific comfort foods.
While it’s normal to experience emotional eating once in a while, it can become a concern if it turns into a regular way of dealing with emotions, potentially affecting your health and overall well-being.
What is Emotional Eating?
Emotional eating is when you turn to food in response to emotions like stress, sadness, boredom, loneliness, or even happiness.
While food might provide temporary relief, it often creates a cycle that can feel impossible to break without support.
This cycle, known as the emotional eating cycle, can leave you feeling stuck and unsure of how to move forward.
Signs You May Benefit From Therapy
If emotional eating is something you’re struggling with, it might be time to consider reaching out for support. Here are some signs that therapy could help:
Do you notice any of these eating habits?
Eating when you’re not physically hungry
Eating quickly and past the point of feeling full
Feeling out of control around certain foods
Hiding your eating habits from others
Using food as a reward or to celebrate
Struggling to tell the difference between physical and emotional hunger
How do you feel after eating?
Feeling guilty or ashamed after eating
Using food to cope with stress or difficult emotions
Relying on food as your main source of comfort
Noticing mood changes connected to eating
Spending a lot of time thinking about food and eating
Are your eating patterns affecting your health?
Weight changes that seem tied to emotional rather than physical factors
Digestive issues caused by eating too quickly or too much
Feeling physically uncomfortable after emotional eating episodes
Experiencing energy fluctuations or feeling sluggish most of the time
If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone. Emotional eating can feel overwhelming, but with the right support, it’s possible to make positive changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
I have many years of experience helping people with emotional eating and related issues. During our sessions I provide a safe and confidential space so that you are comfortable to work towards the changes you would like to make.
I am a Accredited Member of BACP (No. 380481), which stands for British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. This means that I have undergone rigorous assessment and evaluation to meet the BACP's strict standards for professional practice, so you can rest assured that you are choosing a qualified and ethical counsellor.
I understand how overwhelming it can feel to take that first step toward getting help. My approach is warm, supportive, and tailored to your unique needs.
Whether your emotional eating has been a long-term struggle or is linked to recent challenges, I’m here to help you regain control and develop a healthier relationship with food and yourself.
-
Counselling for emotional eating focuses on understanding the reasons behind your eating habits and finding healthier ways to cope. Unlike diet plans that only focus on what you eat, therapy looks at why you eat and helps you address the root causes of emotional eating.
This is especially important because diets often fail for those struggling with emotional eating, as they don't address the underlying emotional triggers that drive the behaviour.
-
As counsellor with experience of helping people with emotional eating, I will work with you to explore the triggers that lead to emotional eating and help you develop tools to manage these triggers in a healthier way.
Together, we’ll look at your relationship with food, past experiences that may have shaped your eating habits, and set realistic goals to help you move forward.
Sessions are tailored to your needs, and we’ll work at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Whether you’re looking for emotional eating therapy to better understand your behaviours or want practical tools to help you feel more in control, counselling can provide the support you need.
-
Counselling is a talking therapy that can go a long way in helping people come to terms with problems they are facing. The sessions give you time to talk about anything that is going on for you in a safe and confidential way.
This might be because you want to change things, there might be something you are struggling to come to terms with - whatever the reason counselling could well be the answer for you.
By talking about the things that are going on for you, you will be able to get a better understanding of your thoughts and feelings, while at the same time I will help empower you to identify new solutions, allowing you to facilitate change and have the life you would like/deserve.
-
I work with young people aged 16+ and adults.
-
I provide face-to-face counselling in Chester and Heswall. I also provide online therapy.
-
Yes, I provide online counselling sessions via Zoom, or sessions by phone.
-
Yes, I am a Registered Member of BACP (No. 380481), which stands for British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. This means that I have undergone rigorous assessment and evaluation to meet the BACP's strict standards for professional practice, so you can rest assured that you are choosing a qualified and ethical counsellor.
Find out more about my and my experience.
-
I have a special interest and further training in:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
All forms of historic child abuse and trauma including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, neglect
PTSD
I also have experience of helping people with:
Anger management
Attachment issues
Bereavement and grief, including pet bereavement
Bullying (School and workplace)
Depression
Gender identity
Family relationships
Self-harm
Self-esteem tress
Suicidal thoughts
Trauma
Additionally, I am a Rewind Practitioner which means that I have been trained to use the Rewind Technique to treat trauma and phobias.
I am also a Survivor to Thriver Practitioner which means that I can help individuals who have experienced trauma to move beyond simply ‘surviving’.
In my time as a counsellor, I have worked with so many different issues.
Whatever it is, please just reach out so I can give you the support you deserve. Find out more about my experience and qualifications.
-
I provide a confidential and safe space so that you are comfortable to work towards the changes you would like to make.
Everything you share with me is confidential unless you mention anything which means you or someone you know is likely to come to serious harm, you mention anything to do with the drug trafficking act, the children’s act or money laundering.
View my privacy policy to understand more about how your personal data is processed and kept safe.
-
Our first session together will include an assessment so that I understand more about the challenges you are facing, and at the same time it gives you the opportunity to see if I am the right counsellor for you. At the end of the first session you can decide if you would like to continue working with me and we can arrange further appointments.
-
The number of sessions you will need will very much depend on your individual circumstances. For example, someone who needs help with anxiety might not need as many sessions as someone who has experienced years of childhood trauma. I can however say that I will be open and honest with you throughout and we can look at this together. Regular reviews are done to see how well things are going and what the next steps will be. Remember the choice is always yours.
-
Before you first session I will send you information by email that hopefully covers everything you need to know before we meet.
During your first session we will spend some time going through the counselling agreement together. This gives us a chance to look at what I can offer you as a therapist and gives me an idea what it is you are hoping to get from our time together.
I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation by video or phone whichever suits, giving us a chance to have a chat before our first session.
-
The main difference between a counsellor, therapist, and psychotherapist lies in their focus and depth of work.
Counsellors typically provide short-term, solution-focused support for specific issues like stress or grief, using practical tools and coping strategies.
Therapist is a broad term that can refer to anyone providing therapy, including counsellors and psychotherapists, and their approach varies depending on their training.
Psychotherapists, however, focus on deeper, long-term emotional work, exploring the root causes of issues such as trauma or chronic mental health conditions. They often have more extensive training and work with both mild and severe psychological challenges.
-
Yes, of course. You are not locked into any contracts and the choice is always yours.
-
For full details visit my pricing page.
-
For cancellations 24 hours’ notice is required.
-
Get in touch to arrange a free informal 15-minute chat about what you are looking for and to see if we are happy to work together.
Take the First Step Towards Feeling Better
If you’re ready to explore how counselling could help, get in touch. We’ll have a chat about what’s going on for you and how I can support you. There’s no pressure — just a chance to see if this feels like the right fit for you.
You don’t have to face this alone. Let’s take that first step together.
Annabelle
Related
Counselling & Therapy In-Person & Online
-
Chester, Cheshire
Face-to-face sessions available in Chester.
-
Heswall, Wirral
Face-to-face sessions available in Hewsall.
-
Online Counselling
Therapy online via Zoom or phone.