Binge eating disorder therapy in Jacksonville
Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States — and one of the least talked about. Therapy at Summit Shores helps adults interrupt the binge–shame–restrict cycle, in person in Jacksonville Beach or by telehealth anywhere in Florida.
What is binge eating disorder?
Binge eating disorder (BED) involves recurring episodes of eating a large amount of food with a sense of being unable to stop, followed by distress, guilt, or shame — without the compensating behaviors seen in bulimia. It is a real, diagnosable condition, not a willpower problem, and it’s more common than anorexia and bulimia combined. It is also highly treatable.
Binge eating vs. overeating
Everyone overeats sometimes — holidays exist. Binge eating is different in kind, not just degree: episodes come with a felt loss of control, often happen alone or in secret, and leave real distress behind. If eating episodes are followed by shame, secrecy, or promises to “start over tomorrow,” that pattern deserves care, not more discipline.
The restrict–binge–shame cycle
Binge eating rarely travels alone. Most often it lives inside a cycle: strict rules or dieting → mounting deprivation → a binge → shame → stricter rules. This is why “just eat less” advice backfires — the restriction is usually feeding the binges. Therapy works on the whole cycle, including the emotional eating that food has been quietly handling.
Who this is for
- Eating quickly, past fullness, with a sense of being unable to stop
- Eating alone or in secret out of embarrassment
- Guilt, shame, or disgust after eating episodes
- Cycles of strict dieting that end in losing the reins
- “Food noise” — thoughts about eating crowding out the rest of the day
- Food serving as the main way to cope with stress or feelings
How therapy helps
Work together draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — the most-researched approach for binge eating — alongside acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and intuitive-eating-informed work: regularizing eating patterns, meeting emotions without the detour through food, and rebuilding trust with a body that diet culture taught you to override. When it helps, Mandy coordinates with dietitians and physicians as part of her broader eating disorder specialty. Body image work is often part of the picture too.
Practical details
- 50-minute sessions, $125–$150 — fees & payment (private-pay practice)
- In person at 931 3rd Street N, Jacksonville Beach — location & directions
- Telehealth available anywhere in Florida
- Free initial phone consultation — get started
Common questions
Binge eating therapy, answered plainly
Is binge eating disorder a real diagnosis?
Yes. BED has been a formally recognized eating disorder since 2013, and it’s the most common one in the United States. It is a treatable condition — not a character flaw.
Can therapy stop binge eating?
Therapy — especially CBT-based work — is a first-line treatment for binge eating disorder. It targets the restriction, emotions, and shame that keep the cycle running, rather than just the eating itself.
Do I have to give up dieting to recover?
Examining the role dieting plays in your binges is usually part of the work — for most people, restriction is fuel on the fire. What that means for you is worked out collaboratively, at your pace, sometimes with a dietitian on the team.
You’re not alone in this
The cycle can be interrupted
A free initial phone consultation is a low-pressure way to talk about what’s going on — no judgment, no lectures about willpower.
Or call 720.739.0208