I'm delighted you are here!
I'm Tanja, Psychologist for
Eating Disorders
& Body Image
About Me
As a psychologist for eating disorders and body image, I guide you with professional expertise and deep understanding on your path to a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image. My expertise covers the entire spectrum of eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia
- Binge-eating disorder
- Orthorexia
- Other specified feeding or eating disorders
What makes me unique as a psychologist for eating disorders: I have personally overcome anorexia and know the path to recovery first hand.
This personal journey, combined with my academic training—Bachelor’s in Psychology from Hamburg and Master’s in Psychology with distinction from the prestigious King’s College London—gives me a special perspective on your situation that purely theoretical knowledge cannot offer.
My Personal Journey
At age 12, my painful journey into anorexia began, accompanying me for over ten years. Instead of a carefree youth, I experienced:
- Endless cycles of dieting and restrictions
- Compulsive daily weighing and controlling
- Chronic exhaustion and social isolation
- Tormenting anxieties and depressive episodes
- A life dominated by thoughts of food and weight
- A shattered body image full of self-criticism, hatred, and rejection
The crucial turning point came when I realised: This is not the life I want to lead. The constant worries about food, the paralyzing guilt, the lack of joy—I longed for freedom from this self-created prison.
My healing journey led me to profound insights and transformative experiences. I learned to trust my body again, respect its signals, and strive for a state where I not only accept my body but value and love it. Today, I can eat intuitively, enjoy food, and have developed a positive body image—a freedom I could never have imagined during the darkest times of my eating disorder.
This personal transformation during my psychology studies significantly shaped my professional direction. As a psychologist for eating disorders and body image, I combine scientifically sound expertise with the authentic understanding of someone who has personally walked the difficult path to recovery.
My Expertise
As a psychologist for eating disorders, I bring comprehensive professional expertise alongside my personal experience:
- Deep understanding of various eating disorder forms and their dynamics
- Knowledge of the latest scientific findings in eating disorder treatment
- Experience working with affected people in various treatment settings
- Specialisation in body image work and developing healthy self-esteem
Throughout my career as a psychologist for eating disorders, I have worked in various therapeutic facilities, gaining valuable experience in supporting people with diverse eating disorder issues.
My Holistic Approach
My work as a psychologist for eating disorders is based on a holistic approach that considers the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social aspects of eating disorders. I combine various therapeutic methods, including:
- Elements of cognitive behavioural therapy and positive psychology
- Body-oriented approaches
- Mindfulness-based methods
- Resource and solution-oriented techniques
As a psychologist for eating disorders, it’s important to me to see each person in their individuality. There is no single path out of an eating disorder—each healing process is as unique as the person themselves.
Why I Love This Work
My work as a psychologist for eating disorders is more than a profession—it’s a matter of the heart and my personal mission. I know from personal experience how dark and hopeless life with an eating disorder can feel—and how liberating and fulfilling life after an eating disorder can be.
As a psychologist for eating disorders, I experience it as a deep privilege to accompany people on their path to freedom.
Every success story, every small step towards healing fills me with profound gratitude and strengthens my conviction: Healing is always possible.
Who I Can Help
As a specialised psychologist for eating disorders, I have in-depth expertise on all forms of eating disorders and their specific challenges.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is characterised by intense fear of weight gain, severe food restriction, and a massively disturbed body image. As a psychologist for eating disorders with my own recovery story, I particularly understand the subtle and complex psychological mechanisms behind this condition:
- The paradoxical experience of control and loss of control
- The connection between perfectionism and self-esteem
- The distorted perception of one’s own body
- The fear of letting go of the eating disorder as a “safe” identity
In my work as a psychologist for eating disorders, I help people with anorexia gradually develop normalised eating behaviour, overcome their fears, and build a healthy body image.
Bulimia
Bulimia is characterised by recurring episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviours such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or fasting. As a psychologist for eating disorders, I understand the special dynamics of this condition:
- The agonising cycle of control and loss of control
- The deep shame and need for secrecy
- Difficulties in emotional regulation
- The ambivalent relationship with one’s body image
In my work, I support people with bulimia in breaking this vicious cycle, developing healthy coping strategies for difficult emotions, and building a positive body image.
Binge-Eating Disorder
People with binge-eating disorder suffer from recurring episodes of binge eating where they lose control over their eating behaviour, without subsequent compensatory behaviour. As a psychologist for eating disorders, I recognise the specific challenges:
- The complex connection between emotional regulation and eating behaviour
- The effects of diet cycles and weight stigmatisation
- The impairment of body image through internalised weight discrimination
- The social and health consequences of the condition
In my work, I help people with binge-eating identify their triggers, develop healthy coping strategies, and build a positive body image.
Orthorexia
Orthorexia is a newer form of eating disorder characterised by an obsessive preoccupation with “healthy” eating. As a psychologist for eating disorders, I recognise how the initial desire for healthy nutrition can become a burdensome fixation:
- The rigid rules and black-and-white thinking regarding nutrition
- The moral loading of foods as “good” or “bad”
- Social isolation due to restricted eating behaviour
- The connection to a perfectionistic body image
In my work, I help people with orthorexia develop flexibility in eating behaviour, reduce anxieties, and find a relaxed relationship with food and their own body image.
What I Promise—and What I Don't
As a psychologist for eating disorders, I promise you:
- Empathetic and appreciative guidance as equals
- Professional competence and current scientific knowledge
- A deep understanding of your situation from personal experience
- Honesty and transparency in the therapeutic process
What I don’t promise:
- Quick “miracle cures” or magical solutions
- A healing path without challenges and difficult phases
- Standardised “one-size-fits-all” programmes without considering your individual situation
Overcoming an eating disorder is hard work—but it’s work that’s worth it, and I’ll accompany you every step of the way.
Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching
As a psychologist for eating disorders, I’ve developed a specialised coaching programme that supports people in overcoming their eating disorder and developing a healthy relationship with food. This Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching Programme includes:
- Uncovering and addressing underlying patterns and beliefs
- Developing healthy eating habits and restoring natural hunger signals
- Strategies for dealing with difficult emotions without dysfunctional eating behaviour
- Building a new identity beyond the eating disorder
Body Image Coaching
As a psychologist for eating disorders, I know that a negative body image is often a central factor in the development and maintenance of eating disorders. My Body Image Coaching offers:
- Methods for overcoming body dissatisfaction and self-rejection
- Techniques for a respectful and appreciative relationship with your own body
- Strategies for neutralising and coping with “bad body days”
- Building self-esteem that is independent of external appearance
The Path to Freedom Is Possible
As a psychologist for eating disorders with my own recovery story, I want to leave you with this: Complete healing is possible—regardless of how long you’ve been struggling with your eating disorder or how hopeless your situation may seem.
I succeeded in leading a life of freedom after more than ten years of anorexia. Many of my clients have also successfully taken this path. And I am convinced: You can do it too.
Your Future Awaits You
Imagine what your life could look like when:
- Eating means joy, not fear
- Your body is your ally, not your enemy
- Your thoughts revolve around your dreams and goals instead of calories and weight
- You can enjoy social situations without fear of food
- You use your energy for living, rather than wasting it in fighting yourself
As a psychologist for eating disorders, it is my deepest conviction: This freedom is yours to claim, and it is achievable—step by step, day by day.
Your First Step to Freedom
The path out of an eating disorder begins with a courageous decision—the decision to accept help and believe in change. As a psychologist for eating disorders, I offer you a safe, understanding space for this first step.
My Eating Disorder Coaching or Body Image Coaching begins with a non-binding introductory conversation where we discuss your current situation, your goals, and my working methods. You can ask questions, get to know me, and find out if my approach suits you.
Remember: Every journey begins with a first step. Your step towards healing can begin today.
Contact me and arrange your free initial consultation for your individualised Eating Disorder Coaching or Body Image Coaching with me as an experienced psychologist for eating disorders. Together, we’ll find your path to a life full of lightness, self-love, and freedom.
Do you want to accept your body finally and make peace with it?
Get my free Body Acceptance Guide!
With Tanja – Psychologist for Eating Disorders & Body Image