Emotional Eating Support Group

‘’Eating and feeding reflect our attitude and relationship with ourselves and with others as well as our histories.’’
Nowadays few of us see food purely as a source of nutrition for our bodies. Food is generally associated with pleasure and reward, however there is a whole range of human emotions and conditions that are sometimes underlying our eating patterns. Although emotional eating/restricting could help us to cope with negative thoughts and feelings in the short term, it surely has many long-term implications that might affect our mental as well as physical health.

If you are struggling with your relationship with food and your emotions, and feel trapped in a negative cycle of short term comfort that leads to more difficult feelings and thoughts, you must know that you are not alone. Many of us experience this, too.

The good news is that there are ways to get out of this cycle.

We have created a support group for those who want to address their emotional eating. Taken by the hand of one of our expert psychologists with experience in counseling on emotional eating, we will start a journey towards a more balanced relationship with food.
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What to expect

The support group will meet once per week (in the evening), during a 5 week period. Each session will be focused on a specific topic related to emotional eating. During the 2 hour sessions we will learn practical tools that will help you cope with your specific emotional eating pattern.
You will learn tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Mindfulness that will provide you with new insights and skills to help you reach a more balanced and healthy relationship with food. 

The group will also provide a safe, non-judgmental space where we will  support and guide you throughout your individual process. 

We will also share additional reading and exercises that you can use in between the group meetings.

5 group meetings

  1. Dysfunctional eating patterns - the link between food and emotional regulation. In this session we will learn more about our individual eating patterns and how we can become more aware of our eating behavior.
  2. Emotional awareness - learn to identify and welcome feelings rather than fear them. In this session we will learn how to recognize our emotions and emotional triggers and how challenging emotions can be cues that could help us learn more about our  emotional needs.
  3. Coping styles - stop control over food in order to distract yourself from feelings. In this session we will learn more about our coping behaviors in relation to emotions.  
  4. Strategies for emotional regulation - learn more adaptive coping styles. In this session we will focus on learning practical strategies for emotional regulation without food as a moderator.
  5. Mindful eating - learn to listen back to your internal hunger cues In this session you will learn how to get back in touch with your hunger cues and to follow your body

Information

FEES: 30€ for each meeting  
PLACE: Koninginnegracht 101, The Hague 
NO OF PARTICIPANTS: 6 max.
​REGISTER below
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**Your presence means a lot to other people who are counting on your support, so please join us only if you feel attending almost every meeting.**

What they said: 

"I've recently joined a new Support Group. I didn't know what to expect but each time I have been, I've noticed that there is a healing 'energy' in the room. People share their stories and situations in a safe way. It's a small intimate group, it feels good to have a window to share with others travelling a similarly difficult journey. Vassia who facilitates holds the group in a very talented way. She gives home exercises that are really causing me to be brave and deepen the process of acceptance."
​(M., from the Divorce Support Group-Leiden)

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"Vassia is a skillful, caring, empathetic and assertive counselor.
With her energy and her endless will to help, the support group exceeds our expectations."
​(J., from the Divorce Support Group-Leiden)
Cancellation Policy

Upon cancelling within less than 24 hours there is 100% charge. In case of cancellation 24 hours prior the session/meeting, there is a 50% charge. No charge is placed upon cancelling 48 hours or more prior the session.