ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how clients use food for emotional regulation and how attuned eating helps them become better able to explore psychological issues without turning to food. It describes how clients translate emotional issues into food and weight concerns and view dieting as the solution to their problems. Further, this chapter explains how clients can understand the role food and binge eating plays in helping them soothe or numb themselves in times of distress or as the result of trauma, and how they can develop self-compassion for their need to do so. It emphasizes the importance of not using control to avoid emotional eating, and instead presents a variety of client stories to illustrate how as clients move in the direction of attuned eating and learn new strategies to cope with uncomfortable feelings, they are in a stronger position to tolerate their emotions without turning to food.
