realistic body therapist
Eating disorders are a global challenge affecting countless lives.
I am a psychologist who struggled with an eating disorder in the past. So I get it
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Zeynep Demirelli Sağ, MSc. | Therapy for Eating Disorders • Recovered from EDs & poor body image. Now a therapist helping others heal💜
Online/In-person therapy📍Leiden, NL
Represented by @urmomgodd (MMBCreative)
Online/In-person therapy📍Leiden, NL
Represented by @urmomgodd (MMBCreative)
When you’re praising weight loss, you might be unknowingly praising pain. 💔 -Z @realistic.body.therapist
🌱I offer online/in-person therapy sessions for eating disorders and body image struggles. Send me a message via the link in my bio for more information!
#weightlossstruggle #dontcomplimentweightloss #bodyimageissues #healthateverysize #bodyneutrality #suddenweightloss
Real kindness is knowing when to speak and when to stay silent. If it’s something someone can fix in 30 seconds—like a smudge on their face, their hair looking weird or something stuck in their teeth—sure, a gentle comment might be appreciated. But when it comes to things like weight, skin, shape of teeth, stretch marks, let’s keep our comments and thoughts to ourselves. What seems like a little comment to you could leave a lasting scar or insecurity on someone else. Remember that your words have an impactIn a world obsessed with looks and weight, the best we can do is to aim to be the voice of kindness. - Z @realistic.body.therapist
🌱I offer online/in-person therapy sessions for eating disorders and body image struggles. Send me a message via the link in my bio for more information!
#choosekindness💕 #bodypositivitymovement #wordsmatter #mentalhealthawareness #bodyimagehealing
I’m recycling or selling the pants that no longer fit me because clothes should fit YOU, not the other way around! 💪✨ This is your sign to let go of anything that doesn’t serve you—start with your closet, bestie 💖 -Z @realistic.body.therapist
#antidiet #antidietculture #ClosetCleanout #bodypositive #Declutter #ownyoursize #healthateverysizemovement #healthateverysize #edrecoveryquotes #bodyimage #bodyimagehealing #bodyimagepositivity #bodyimagewarrior #healingbody #healingbodyandsoul #healingbodyandmind
We often hear remarks like:
“Wow, you have an eating disorder? How do you manage to not eat? I love food too much to not eat. I wish I hated food like you do—then I wouldn’t eat as much!”
But do people with eating disorders really hate food?
This widespread misconception stems from two false beliefs: first, that anorexia nervosa is the only eating disorder, and second, that people with anorexia hate food, which is why they don’t or can’t eat. These assumptions often lead to the mistaken idea that all people with eating disorders dislike food and restrict their intake as a result.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
People with eating disorders don’t necessarily hate food—in fact, many love it. The issue lies in their relationship with food, which becomes fraught and complicated due to their disorder. For them, food can become something frightening and uncomfortable. Whether they love it or not becomes irrelevant, as food starts to be associated with a host of distressing thoughts and feelings, like “body image, stress, disgust, feeling unloved or unseen, comfort, loneliness, exercise, control, depression, fat, weight loss.”
It becomes impossible to eat without these negative associations creeping in, which leads to behaviours like restriction, bingeing, purging, and more. The crux of the issue isn’t about whether someone loves or hates food—it’s about the intense mental and emotional turmoil that distorts their relationship with eating. Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that use food and eating patterns as a way to express deeper psychological struggles. The focus on food is often a symptom of underlying issues like anxiety, depression, or a need for control, making the disorder far more than just a matter of food preferences.
So now you know! Next time someone shares that they have an eating disorder, try saying “Thank you for sharing with me, how can I support you?” Instead of making assumptions about their relationship with food. -Z @realistic.body.therapist
Living with an eating disorder can feel like you’re trapped in a relentless cycle—one moment you are battling the urge to binge, consuming thousands of calories in an attempt to fill an emotional void, and the next, you’re restricting, trying to gain some sense of control. It’s a daily struggle, and the unpredictability can be exhausting and isolating.
As an eating disorder therapist, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside many clients in their journey toward healing. But I also know this struggle deeply because, for many years, I was stuck in that same cycle. The unpredictable swings between bingeing and restricting were a constant battle, and it felt like there was no way out.
If you’re in this place right now, please know recovery is possible. I’ve been there, and I’ve seen others come through it too. There is hope, and there is help. Healing doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right support, you can reclaim your life and find peace. Reach out to me and let’s take this journey together, one step at a time. 💜 -Z @realistic.body.therapist
#bedrecovery #bingeeatingrecovery #bingeeatinghelp #edhealing #edrecoveryjourney #edrecovering #edwarrior #recoveryisworthit❤️ #bodyimagehealing #eatittobeattit #edrecoveryfam #disorderedeatingrecovery #edrecovery #healthateverysizemovement #edrecoveryquotes
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Feeling lonely as an expat in the Netherlands? 🌍 Join our Mental Wellbeing Walks and connect with others who truly understand the challenges of living abroad. Led by psychologists from AntiLoneliness, these walks are a supportive space to boost your mental health, make new friends, and enjoy the outdoors. 🌿
✨ Why Join? ✨
🌱 Supportive Community: Meet fellow expats who share your experiences.
🌱 Learn New Skills: Practice skills that will help you cultivate mindfulness, manage stress, and tackle mental wellbeing challenges.
🌱 Professional Guidance: We will guide you through all activities together with my colleagues from AntiLoneliness @vassia.sar and @realistic.body.therapist
🌱 Social Interaction: Build friendships in a safe, non-judgmental space.
🌱 Accessibility: Activities tailored to diverse needs (let us know about your needs through our form!)
🌱 Physical Activity: Gentle exercise and fresh air to boost your mood.
📅 When: Every Thursday, 20:00 - 21:00
📍 Where: Leiden
Sign up now! 🎟️ Spaces are limited. Link in bio.
Let’s walk together toward better mental health. 💚
#MentalHealthWalks #ExpatsInNetherlands #CommunitySupport #Mindfulness #OutdoorWellness #MentalHealthMatters
As a therapist working with people who battle eating disorders, I see the hidden pain that’s often overlooked by our weight-obsessed society. Here’s the reality: two people can engage in the same harmful behaviors—over-exercising, restricting food—but their experiences are seen through completely different lenses depending on their body size. The person in a larger body is praised, showered with compliments like, “You look amazing! Keep it up!” But the person in a smaller body? They’re met with concern: “Are you okay? You’re hurting yourself.”
Isn’t the person in the larger body hurting themselves just as much by engaging in harmful, disordered behaviors?
Extreme dieting and over-exercising are unhealthy—no matter what size the body is. Period.
This is a clear example of fatphobia at work. Our culture has demonized being at a higher weight to the point that we learned that all disordered eating and exercising behaviours are deemed totally fine for people in bigger bodies, while someone in a relatively smaller body does it, we get worried that they are hurting themselves. This is dangerous. By applauding weight loss, we may be fueling someone’s eating disorder. We’re rewarding them for behaviours that could be harming their physical and mental health.
We need to rethink our approach to health and well-being. It’s not about shrinking our bodies to fit societal ideals; it’s about caring for ourselves, mind, body, and soul. So before you compliment someone’s weight loss, stop and consider the bigger picture. Is that *really* what we want to celebrate? Let’s work toward a world where we value bodies of all sizes and stop tying worth to weight. -Z🫶 @realistic.body.therapist
#edhealing #fatphobia #fatphobiaisreal #edrecoveryjourney #edrecovering #edwarrior #recoveryisworthit❤️ #bodyimagehealing #eatittobeattit #edrecoveryfam #disorderedeatingrecovery #edrecovery #healthateverysizemovement #edrecoveryquotes #fatphobic
This is why so many people struggling with binge eating disorder (BED) hesitate to seek help. They’re often met with dismissive comments like, “Just eat healthy and exercise,” or, “You just lack self-discipline.” But let’s be clear: BED is a real and serious eating disorder. In fact, it’s the most common eating disorder actually, affecting more people than anorexia and bulimia combined. BED isn’t about willpower or laziness—it’s a complex mental health condition often tied to unmet emotional needs and deeper emotional struggles, not just a lack of self-control.
These harmful stereotypes only deepen the shame and self-blame, making it even harder for people to reach out for help. But you deserve understanding, compassion, and support, just like anyone else. Remember, you’re not alone, and your feelings are valid. Recovery is possible, and you are worthy of it. -Z💖 @realistic.body.therapist
Feeling overwhelmed and misunderstood? Reach out via the contact form in my bio, and let’s get you the support you deserve. 🫂🤝🏻
#bodyimage #bodyimagehealing #edwarrior #edsupport #bingeeatingdisorderrecovery #bingeeatingdisoder #mentalhealthbloggers #bedrecovery #bingeeatingdisorderrecovery #recoveryisworthit #recoveryjourney #edrecoveryfam #fyp #raisingawareness #bedawareness #edsupport #edhealing
TO ALL THE WOMEN WHO GREW UP HEARING THEIR MOTHER COMPLAIN ABOUT HER BODY:
Dear Beautiful Soul,
I want to take a moment to speak directly to your heart. Growing up, you might have often heard your mum criticize her own body, and it’s possible that you’ve looked in the mirror and seen her reflection in yourself. I know how deeply those words can settle in, how they can shape the way you see yourself, and how they can make you question your own worth.
But here’s what I want you to know: you are NOT defined by those criticisms. Your body is not about how it looks. It’s about what it allows you to do. It allows you to dance, to hug the people you love, to walk through the world, and to express yourself. It’s a vessel for your soul, and that soul is brilliant.
Our mothers, aunts, or the women around us may have struggled to see their own beauty because they, TOO, grew up in a world that often told them they weren’t enough. But their struggles don’t have to be yours. You have the power to break that cycle. You have the right to love every part of yourself, just as you are!
If ever you feel weighed down by the words or feelings you’ve inherited, know that it’s okay to feel that way. But also know that you can rise above it. You can create a new narrative—one that celebrates who you are in all your fullness.
Take small steps. Start by being gentle with yourself. Notice when negative thoughts creep in, and challenge them. Remind yourself of your strengths, your talents, and your worth. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and remind you of your beauty, both inside and out.
And most importantly, know that you are loved. Just as you are.
With all my heart,
Zeynep❤️ @realistic.body.therapist
#bodyimagehealing #edsupport #edrecoveryquotes #transgenerationaltrauma #edrecoveryjourney #edfamilyrecovery #edrecoveryfam #eatittobeattit #edwarriors #recoveryisworthit❤️ #disorderedeatingrecovery #embraceyourbody
