Allison provides Eating Disorder Treatment in Asheville
ABOUT ME
This page used to list my degrees and credentials and was carefully crafted to be distant but warm. It was ironic because it’s not at all how I work with my clients or how I am in the world. I’m warm, yes, but am typically the opposite of distant. I want this page to help you decide if we’ll work well together, not just list the things I’ve done (though I will at the end for those interested).
What you probably want to know most of all is a) do I know what I’m doing and b) what inspires me to work with clients with eating disorders and anxiety. The first part will be answered by the resume-type stuff, though it is definitely informed by what I’m about to tell you.
I love working with clients with these struggles because I’ve been there. I get it on a level I couldn’t without living through it. I know those pits of despair well enough to have my own personal road maps out. Your road map will be different; we won’t rely on mine, but I want you to know that I’ve fought my way through, too. And I believe you have the resilience and moxie to make it out.
A quick confession is that when the going got tough I used to intellectualize. It’s my favorite defense mechanism. It looks like this: “I’m totally overwhelmed with misery. Hmmm… misery… how can I better understand the concept of misery? What does the research say? How has everyone I’ve ever met expressed and dealt with misery?” It took me a while to figure out that if I just learned to feel my feelings without occupying myself in some other way I get through it faster. The up side is that in all that avoidance I learned a ton. I’m happy to pass on that knowledge so you don’t waste time and spin your wheels like I did.
Because I've gone through this too, I know the work it takes to get out. I work best with people who are so sick of being unhappy that they're willing to make some changes. I can't change you. You have to change you and I am thrilled to help support you in that.
I AM NOT THE SMILE AND NOD THERAPIST. I roll up my sleeves and get in there with you. I have a great BS detector. I'll call you on your stuff. We'll laugh (a lot). I'm not afraid to talk about anything you need to talk about. Sex? Money? Cellulite? Feeling Entitled? Constipation? After so many years in this field I'm unshockable. Let's get it all out; there's nothing to be ashamed of.
And to answer the very first question: Yes, I do know what I'm doing. I love what I do and I'm damn good at it.
Alrighty, here's the resume-type stuff (aka my old About Me):
I have been working with people with eating disorders since 2001 and trauma survivors since 1998. After working at an inpatient eating disorder treatment center I coordinated the Eating Disorder Treatment Team within the University of Georgia's Health Center. I have had private practices in Athens, Georgia, Seattle, Washington & Asheville, North Carolina. I have earned the distinction of being a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals.
I've been on the Board of Directors of The Cottage: a Sexual Assault Center and Children's Advocacy Center, The Puget Sound Chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp), and T.H.E. Center for Disordered Eating. If you're looking to support a non-profit, these are great organizations!
I love working with people with eating disorders because they tend to be intelligent, sensitive, driven people who accomplish so much once their anxious energy is channeled in a healthy way. I enjoy working with people in their late teens, twenties, and thirties, because establishing healthy communication and appreciation of self early allows people to enjoy their lives much more. Helping free up my clients over 40 from what has been a lifetime of self-reproach is incredibly rewarding. I'm so grateful to guide people to complete recovery. Eating disorders don't have to be a part of your life forever.