Compassionate psychological support for eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image difficulties in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Evidence-based therapy for children, teens, and adults.
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Understanding Eating and Body Image Difficulties
Eating difficulties exist on a spectrum — from subclinical concerns about food, weight, and body image through to diagnosable conditions including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). All presentations involve significant psychological distress and warrant compassionate, evidence-based support.
Eating difficulties are not about vanity or a desire for control. They typically involve complex relationships between self-worth, emotional regulation, body image, and the social and cultural meanings of food. Effective treatment addresses these underlying drivers rather than focusing on food and weight alone.
At CAYA World in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, we provide psychological therapy across the full spectrum of eating and body image difficulties. We do not provide medical or nutritional management ourselves but can assist with appropriate referrals and coordinate with treating teams.
Signs That May Indicate This Service Is Right for You
Significant preoccupation with food, weight, calories, or body shape
Restrictive eating, food rules, or rigid avoidance of certain foods or food groups
Binge eating episodes followed by guilt, shame, or compensatory behaviour
Distorted body image that does not reflect how others perceive the person
Using food to manage difficult emotions — eating to cope, or restricting to feel in control
Significant anxiety around mealtimes, eating in public, or social food situations
Very limited range of accepted foods in children causing nutritional concern
Significant impact on physical health, daily functioning, or relationships
What to Expect
Assessment
A thorough assessment of eating patterns, body image, history, and co-occurring difficulties, forming the basis of the treatment plan.
Psychoeducation
Understanding the psychological and physiological factors that drive eating difficulties and body image distress.
Therapy Sessions
Structured CBT-E, FBT, or DBT-based sessions targeting the cognitive and behavioural patterns maintaining eating difficulties.
Coordination of Care
For presentations requiring medical input, collaboration with the client's GP or specialist to ensure integrated care.
What We Work On
Understanding the psychological drivers of eating and body image difficulties
Challenging distorted thoughts about food, weight, and self-worth
Reducing food rules, restriction, and dietary rigidity
Addressing binge-purge cycles and associated shame
Emotional regulation and tolerance of difficult feelings without using food
Body image distress and developing a more flexible relationship with the body
Family and parent strategies for supporting a child or teenager
Building a sustainable, balanced relationship with food and eating
Common Questions
We provide psychological support across the full spectrum, from subclinical concerns to diagnosable eating disorders including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder. For medically significant presentations, we work in collaboration with the client's medical team.
Yes. We work with children, adolescents, and adults. Early intervention for eating difficulties is particularly important in younger populations and is associated with significantly better outcomes.
Psychological therapy addresses the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours driving eating difficulties. For some presentations, dietetic input alongside psychological therapy produces the best outcomes, and we can assist with appropriate referrals.
Yes. For adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa, Family-Based Treatment is the most well-evidenced approach. This model involves parents taking an active role in supporting their child's nutritional rehabilitation before gradually returning autonomy to the young person.
Virtual therapy is available for many presentations of disordered eating and body image difficulties. For more severe eating disorders, in-person therapy is typically preferable. We discuss the most appropriate format at the initial consultation.