Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Rollin.
Hi Jennifer, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m an eating disorder therapist and founder of The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland, which provides therapy for teens and adults with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, orthorexia, OSFED, body image issues, as well as survivors of trauma (through EMDR). My practice provides therapy in a variety of states, including Maryland, Virginia, and DC. We also offer eating disorder recovery coaching worldwide.
I recovered from my own eating disorder, which is what inspired my passion for this work. After working in a residential setting for almost three years, I started my private practice. Then, I recognized that there was a shortage of excellent specialized eating disorder professionals. I started the group practice, The Eating Disorder Center, to be able to help even more people who are struggling.
I am so excited that recently, we expanded our services and will be offering EMDR for folks who are struggling with eating disorders and are also survivors of trauma. This is a really important intersection and a common co-occurrence. We are also able to offer EMDR trauma therapy for folks who are not struggling with eating disorders.
Living with an eating disorder is exhausting, and I am so grateful that my group practice helps folks to heal their relationship with food, their bodies, and ultimately themselves.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My own mental health journey was definitely not a smooth road. I struggled with an eating disorder and am also a survivor of trauma. I remember feeling depressed, exhausted, and so drained by constantly thinking about food and my body.
At times, I remember feeling hopeless – unsure if I would ever get better. I was also very scared to let go of the eating disorder. It provided temporary “highs” but ultimately left me feeling very miserable. At times, I didn’t want to be alive anymore because I felt like I was in so much pain. Hearing about other people who had recovered from eating disorders, however, gave me some hope. Recovery definitely wasn’t a linear journey. However, it ended up being so worth it.
Now, I no longer struggle with an eating disorder and have a peaceful relationship with food and my body. I am married to the love of my life and have a toddler son who is my world. I love to travel and eat things that were very scary for me in my eating disorder.
These were all dreams that I had when I was younger, and for a long time, I was convinced that they would never happen. While, of course, no one’s life is perfect, I am incredibly grateful for the life that I have today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
The Eating Disorder Center provides therapy for teens and adults with eating disorders & body image issues in Rockville, Maryland (MD, VA, and DC virtually), as well as survivors of trauma through EMDR.
One thing that sets us apart is that many of the clinicians have either personally recovered from eating disorders or have supported a loved one in recovery. We also pride ourselves on being action-oriented therapists. We are not smile and nod therapists. We love giving homework, doing food exposure, and setting goals with our clients. We are compassionate, yet we will push you when it comes to helping you recover from an eating disorder & body image issues.
We enjoy working with individuals of all body sizes. We are also neurodiversity-affirming. We are passionate about helping people recover from eating disorders and body image issues, as well as empowering trauma survivors to find healing.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I have always been a big animal lover. One of my favorite childhood memories was of science class, where, at my school, we got to play with animals, including bunnies.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
Image Credits
Wild Honey Photography
