EATING BEHAVIOUR DISORDERS
Eating behaviour disorders operate in closed, self-perpetuating cycles and must be addressed properly and effectively.
Online and Face-to-Face Appointments
When psychological, biological and socio-cultural factors come together, they can lead to significant changes in eating patterns. This includes excessive control over eating, episodes of compulsive overeating, and compensatory behaviours to control weight — as seen in anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
The impact of emotions on how we eat
Food often provides comfort — a pattern seen at every stage of life and across cultures. Sometimes, hunger appears not because of a physical need but due to specific situations, with emotions, rather than nutritional requirements, driving eating behaviour.
These patterns fall under the concept of emotional hunger — also described as hunger without hunger. This is a type of hunger unrelated to sustaining life and not triggered by real physiological signals. Instead, it disregards them and reflects psychological factors — acting as a way to cope with tiredness and stress, a form of self-punishment, or a strategy to soothe negative feelings.
The main difficulty comes when these emotional eating episodes repeat. The initial sense of comfort and pleasure from food can quickly turn into guilt, loss of control and regret. This cycle tends to repeat itself, often leading to sadness and anxiety, fuelling a vicious cycle of overeating.
On the other hand, emotional eating can also appear as restriction. In these cases, emotions drive a reduction in food intake, often as an attempt to gain control or a sense of power — physical hunger is ignored. Initially, the feeling of strict control can bring a sense of relief, but soon severe physical and psychological consequences appear, as the body’s basic needs are neglected.
Intervention Plan and Approach
Our programme is based on an adapted DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) protocol designed specifically for eating behaviour problems such as bulimia and binge eating.
Programme Goals
The main goal is to help individuals stop compulsive eating patterns (including purging or other compensatory behaviours) as well as behaviours linked to disordered eating, such as mindless eating, emotional hunger, impulsiveness and cravings.
Participants learn practical emotional regulation strategies — including mindfulness skills to manage emotions, anxiety and discomfort — which help replace harmful eating behaviours with healthier coping mechanisms.
To improve overall wellbeing, the programme also works on body image and self-esteem, not just the relationship with food.
This approach is suitable not only for patients with bulimia, binge eating disorder or obesity, but also for people who, although not diagnosed with these conditions and maintaining a normal weight, have an unhealthy relationship with food or their own body dominated by emotional eating patterns. For severe cases, ongoing follow-up care is usually recommended after an initial intensive programme to ensure lasting results.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND DIGITAL SECURITY
MedicalPort respects the protection of personal data and fully complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure maximum confidentiality.
ONLINE EATING BEHAVIOUR DISORDERS CONSULTATION
The consultation can be carried out online via our Stuward telemedicine and telehealth platform, designed specifically for doctors, therapists, psychologists and other healthcare professionals. This platform ensures the highest level of data security, guaranteeing full protection of clients’ digital information.
Using the platform does not involve any additional costs and does not require downloading any application — all you need is an internet connection.
Doctors who perform this medical procedure
Psychologist
Professional Registration No. 14426
Master in Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Lisbon, with advanced training in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy.
Master's degree in Public Health, specialising in health promotion, from the Nova University of Lisbon, and a bachelor's degree in Dietetics and Nutrition from the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon.
Her areas of intervention and interest are the promotion of psychosocial well-being and eating behaviour disorders.
Joana Martins • Parental Counselling
Professional Registration No. 23814
I've been fascinated by human behaviour since I was a child—the "why" behind our emotions, our reactions, and the relationships we build. This fascination led me to pursue a degree in Health Psychology, which I completed in 2007.
Over the years, my journey has evolved naturally. I started in the geriatric field, then moved on to working with adults, and later had the opportunity to work with children—an experience that turned into a deep passion. Today, I work with both children and adults, but it is within the world of childhood that I find some of my greatest challenges and motivations.
As I work daily with children, parents, and schools, I felt the need to deepen my knowledge of education. This led me to embark on a new journey and return to university, where I am now completing my second degree, this time in Education.
I love stimulating children's cognitive development, and I believe that each child has their own pace and unique needs. My commitment is to tailor every intervention individually, ensuring they feel understood, supported, and capable of reaching their full potential. I also strive to help families feel more secure and confident in their role—because raising a child can be challenging, but with the right support, everything becomes easier!
For me, true change happens when children, families, and schools work together. When everyone moves in the same direction, the results speak for themselves.
Clinical Psychologist
Professional Registration No. 25389
Master’s Degree in Psychology– Clinical Psychology and Health section, Psychology of Health and Disease nucleus. Postgraduate course Integrative and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies, adult (on going). Work experience in clinical psychologist private practice (online and in person) with adults.
Member of the Portuguese Psychological Association since 2020.
Fields of interest: anxiety, depression, mourning, intra and interpersonal difficulties.
