Emma Salazar

I currently have availability to take on 3 new clients. Our sessions can be as regular or infrequent as you want them to be. I understand the difficulties of planning a schedule if you work shifts, or have children, and I'll work around you and your availability. I do not charge more for evenings or weekends and am often most available during these times. Currently, I only work online.

My primary area of work is with people aged over 15 who are struggling with an eating disorder, disordered eating, and/or body image distress. I work with all types eating disorders including bulimia, anorexia, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and difficult experiences with eating that might not fit in one particular box or label. We can discuss diagnosis if that would be helpful for you, but I will work with you in a personalised way that is solely focused on your personal relationship with food, your body, your identity, your culture, your life experiences, and your circumstances.

Eating difficulties oftentimes don't exist on their own, and it is common for people with eating disorders to also struggle with depression, anxiety, experiences of trauma and PTSD, grief, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, relationship difficulties, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and questions around their identity (including gender, sexuality, and faith). These are all areas we can explore together, if relevant for you. I also have particular interest and experience in working with people with ASC, ADHD, or traits of neurodivergence.

As a therapist, I aspire to be warm, authentic, relaxed, honest, and non-judgemental. No topic is ever off-limits and you can swear as much as you like - it's your space! I'd also definitely class myself as a bit of a nerd, and I love weaving in my knowledge about neurology, biology, evolution, and genetics into helping you better understand how your brain works, and why it might do some of the things it does (that is, only if you want to learn about the science-y stuff). I decided to work in the field of eating disorders because I have recovered from an ED myself. I'm open to sharing and reflecting on my own experiences of recovery with you, if you want to ask about it, but importantly, our time together is about you - and us finding what will work best for your brain, your body, and your circumstances.  

As a Doctor of Psychological Therapies, I have been trained in multiple therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy, compassion-focused therapy, humanistic therapies (including person-centred therapy), integrative counselling, and solution-focused brief therapy. I am trained in all three NICE-recommended approaches for the treatment of eating disorders. These include MANTRA, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Enhanced for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), and Specialist Supportive Clinical Management (SSCM). I also like weaving Compassion-Focused Therapy into my work with clients who struggle with self-criticism, perfectionism, and low self-esteem. Each therapy has its own unique style and focus, and we can talk about what each has to offer and how we can combine these therapies to best meet your needs.

I offer a free 20-minute consultation video call to get to know each other a bit. It's important that you feel we are the right fit.

I am able to offer training on evenings, weekends, and some weekdays.

I am an eating disorder psychotherapist with additional experience as the Clinical Lead of an NHS Community Eating Disorder Service. I have recovered from an eating disorder myself, and am deeply passionate about helping others navigate the path towards recovery.

I'm trained in all three NICE-recommended talking therapy treatments for eating disorders and have special interests in working with men, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent folk with eating disorders, disordered eating, and/or body image distress. Supporting the loved ones and carers of people with eating disorders is another of my areas of interest and expertise.

Alongside my client work, I also provide specialist training for mental or physical health clinicians and colleagues to learn more about how to better support people with eating disorders in their area of practice. I have a wealth of experience as a lecturer, conference speaker, and trainer within the NHS and private sectors.

I've spent the last decade completing my Doctorate, MSc, and BSc. I am proud to be able to bring the wide variety of skills I've learned and developed to my work with patients. As a therapist, I aspire to be warm, authentic, relaxed, honest, and non-judgemental. I'd also definitely class myself as a bit of a nerd, and I love weaving in my knowledge about neurology, biology, evolution, and genetics into helping clients better understand how their brain works, and why it might do some of the things it does (that is, only if you want to learn about the science-y stuff).​

As a trainer, I hope to bring a lot of energy, enthusiasm and passion to the room. I also weave in my love of science as well as my own lived experience when I'm speaking or delivering training.

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I bring my expertise as an experienced eating disorder clinician, as well as my lived experience as someone who has recovered from an eating disorder, to my training and speaking sessions. My enthusiasm for teaching is immense, and I hope your team will find my passion about this field to be infectious.

Topics I typically cover in eating disorder training include:

- What are eating disorders, what eating disorders are there, and myth-busting common stereotypes and assumptions

- What eating disorder treatments are there, what do they look like, and how are they delivered (formulation, treatment steps, etc.)

- What not to say to someone with an eating disorder

- How to best communicate with someone with an eating disorder

- What to look out for in physical health/medical concerns

- How to broach the topic of eating disorders with someone

- Top tips and lessons I've learned from working with patients

- Anecdotes from my lived experience as someone who has navigated recovery

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I also offer enhanced eating disorder training, which is more tailored and bespoke to your service's needs. Additional topics include:

- Exploring the crossover between eating disorders and neurodivergence (autism and ADHD)

- Working with sensory sensitivities

- Understanding links between eating disorders, body image distress, and marginalised groups such as the LGBT+ community​

I offer a free 20-minute consultation so we can collaboratively discuss your training needs. I am flexible on session contents and delivery format, and I provide sliding scale pricing for not-for-profit and charity organisations. ​My hourly rate for training and speaking takes into account prep time. I offer training either virtually, or in-person if within the Northwest.