“In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” | Abraham Maslow
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor providing psychotherapy in Northeast Pennsylvania. I specialize in the treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating, as well as mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, and other mental health concerns that often accompany eating disorders. A trained pastoral mental health counselor, I also work with clients’ religious and spiritual experiences and the impact that these have on mental health and wellbeing.
I use an integrated approach to treatment that is grounded in psychodynamic psychotherapy and utilizes elements of dialectical behavior therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS) tailored to each individual’s unique needs. My practice is trauma-informed and embraces principles of social justice and Health At Every Size / weight inclusion.
Background
I have spent the last decade working in the field of eating disorders, clinically as well as non-clinically. I have a Master’s in Pastoral Mental Health Counseling from Fordham University and a certificate in the Psychotherapy of Eating Disorders from the Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia in Manhattan. I am the current co-chair of the Experts by Experience Committee for the Academy for Eating Disorders, and I was a member of the Scientific Planning Committee for the 2024 International Conference on Eating Disorders. In the past, I served as an advocate with both the National Eating Disorders Association and the Eating Disorders Coalition, working to make these public health issues a legislative priority at the state and federal levels. Before entering the mental health field, I worked for a number of years in journalism, first as a news reporter and later as a public relations writer.
Please feel free to contact me to learn more about working together.
joannamercuri.com 