Eating disorder therapy & therapist in Central London
Dr Philippe Jacquet is a specialist eating disorder therapist working in Central London and online, drawing on the same clinical depth as the Harley Street office. He has worked with eating disorder presentations throughout his 25-year career and holds Europe’s only doctoral-level research specifically on male eating disorders from an analytical psychology perspective, a clinical specialism that reflects both the seriousness of a gap in provision and the depth of his engagement with this population.
Presentations treated
The practice works with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID, orthorexia, and the many presentations that fall between or outside diagnostic categories. It works with both women and men, and with the particular presentations, defences and resistances that characterise male eating disorders, which are significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated relative to their prevalence.
Men and eating disorders
Male eating disorders are a particular specialism here. They present differently from the female picture, often hidden behind discipline, “clean” eating and hard training, and are routinely missed, even by clinicians. Dr Jacquet holds Europe’s only doctoral research specifically on male eating disorders from an analytical psychology perspective. He writes about what a male eating disorder really is, beneath the food, in his essay Body Number 2, and treats the full picture on the male eating disorders specialist page.
Treatment approach
Eating disorder therapy at the Central London practice is integrative, drawing on psychodynamic, Jungian, cognitive and body-based approaches depending on the individual’s needs. As an experienced EMDR practitioner, Dr Jacquet uses EMDR where there is a traumatic component to the eating disorder, which is frequently the case. Art therapy is available for presentations where body image and self-perception are central.
Accessibility
The Central London location is accessible from across the city and from other parts of the UK. Online therapy is available for those who cannot attend in person. Many people with eating disorders find online sessions a useful complement to in-person work, particularly in periods of instability.
A private, specialist practice
Beyond his own practice, Dr Jacquet supervises the clinical teams at PROMIS Recovery Centre and at Cardinal Clinic, a CQC-rated Outstanding private psychiatric hospital, both of which treat eating disorders. It is a level of institutional recognition few private therapists hold. Combined with Hazelden training and a doctorate in this field, it means specialist eating disorder therapy here is private, confidential and consultant-level, with no diagnosis or referral needed to begin.
Beginning
An initial consultation involves no obligation. It is simply a conversation, to understand what is happening and to determine whether this is the right place to continue.
Eating disorders in men require a different clinical approach. Dr Philippe Jacquet holds Europe’s only DProf specifically on male eating disorders from an analytical psychology perspective. Read the full specialist page on male eating disorder treatment.
Common questions
How do I know if I have an eating disorder?
If thoughts about food, weight or your body dominate your day, or eating has become secretive, rigid or out of control, it is worth talking to someone, whatever your weight, and without needing a diagnosis. You do not have to be 'bad enough' to deserve help.
How can I help someone with an eating disorder?
The hardest thing to accept first is that you cannot save them, if you could, you would already have. What you can do is create the conditions: a home less organised around food, weight and appearance, practical support for treatment, and protecting your own equilibrium so you do not become the one absorbing all the anxiety. You create the conditions; you cannot create the recovery.
Do you treat men with eating disorders?
Yes, a particular specialism. Dr Jacquet holds Europe's only doctoral research specifically on male eating disorders from an analytical psychology perspective.
Do I need a diagnosis or referral, and is it online?
No diagnosis or referral is needed. Sessions are available in Central London and online with the same clinical depth.
Is treatment private and confidential?
Yes. Sessions are private and strictly confidential, in person in Central London or online with no local footprint. Nothing is disclosed to any GP, employer or family member without your explicit consent, and no diagnosis or referral is needed to begin.
What makes a specialist eating disorder therapist different?
Eating disorders are rarely about food; they are a way of managing feeling, control and self-worth, and they respond to depth, not willpower. Dr Jacquet brings 25 years of clinical experience, doctoral research on male eating disorders, EMDR for any traumatic component, and supervisory roles at specialist clinics, so the work reaches what sits beneath the behaviour, not only the eating.