In philadelphia and online across pa
Specialized Eating Disorder & Body Image Therapy for the Queer & Trans Community
Art Therapy | IFS | Intuitive Eating | HAES Therapy
Proudly serving Philadelphia & online across PA for over 15 years | Christine Ruberti-Bruning LPC # PC008568 | ATR-BC # 13-271 | CEDS # 10032
Does this sound like you?
You’re scared to do this work, but you’re tired of struggling with your ED.
You want to feel comfortable in your own skin, but instead you’re stressed about how you look all of the time. It’s hard to shake the belief that your body is “wrong” and sometimes you feel like you are too. Maybe you thought you could handle this on your own, but you’re tired of always thinking about food. You don’t like the way you feel about your body, but recovery feels both impossible and terrifying.
Maybe you’re struggling with…
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You’re feeling depleted after years of counting calories and skipping meals, only to realize that no number on the scale will ever feel good enough. You keep turning down dinner invitations, only to spend the night scrolling your phone, feeling left out and sidelined in your own life.
You’re at happy hour and instead of joining in on the conversation, you’re stuck in your head because you can’t stop thinking about food. Maybe you’re distracted by trying to find the lowest calorie item on the menu, instead of what you actually want.
You rip through outfit after outfit, and pick yourself apart before you walk out the door. You find yourself staring at the mirror, wishing your body was different. Or maybe you avoid mirrors altogether because you’d rather pretend that your body doesn’t exist.
Maybe you’ve been managing your ED your entire life, and it's only been the past few years that you’ve actually started to acknowledge it was an issue. Your ED behaviors are starting to feel out of control and it’s scaring you.
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After many months, your name change has finally been processed and you’re noticing the effects from HRT. The reflection you see back in the mirror is starting to feel more like you, but you also can’t help but scan for more flaws. Maybe you’re a trans person who wants to pass, and you’re feeling the pressure from only seeing young, thin, trans people on Tik-Tok.
One part of you knows that societal expectations are BS, but another part of you still wants to blend in. Maybe your body doesn’t feel aligned with your gender, or maybe fitting in is a way to feel safer in a world that is scary and out of control. You wish you could feel more confident leaving the house, but you’re afraid of being judged by others. You’re tired of feeling like you’re broken and “wrong.” You just want to feel okay in your body.
Hi, I’m Christine, CEDS, LPC (She/her)
Art Therapist and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist
I believe it’s possible to love yourself wholeheartedly, even when the world tells you not to.
Recovery narratives like body positivity don’t really land for you, and that’s because they weren’t written with queer people in mind. As a queer therapist who’s been on the journey, I know how alienating that can feel. I am passionate about helping LGBTQ and trans people find fulfillment beyond their body struggles, so they can enjoy the life they have.
Identify-affirming care and size inclusivity are values that guide my practice.
When you talk about hating your body, I won’t pressure you to love your body nor impose my vision of recovery onto you. Instead, I’ll hold the space for your conflicting feelings from a place of curiosity and compassion.
We’ll use creative approaches like art therapy and IFS to help you get space from your thoughts and feelings so you can understand them more clearly. My approach helps you go beyond your analytical brain so you can connect to your emotions in a deeper way. We’ll trace the origins of your ED and body struggles, whether they come from past experiences or messaging from the world you live in.
LGBTQ Mental Health Services in Philadelphia & Online Across PA
Art Therapy
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Art therapy is a mind-body process that can help soothe your nervous system while connecting to your emotions in a deeper way. Putting your thoughts and feelings on paper can help you get space from them so you can understand them more clearly.
Sessions begin with a prompt that we come up with together. An example would be to make a collage about your therapy goals. You will make art for the first half of the session and then we will discuss the experience during the second half.
If we meet in person, art supplies will be provided by me. If we meet online, you can use whatever you have at home. All you need is paper and some simple drawing supplies like pencils and markers.
You don’t need to be good at art to benefit from art therapy.
IFS
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Parts can show up as feelings, thoughts, memories and bodily sensations. The movie, Inside Out, is a great example of how parts work.
IFS is truly a compassion-based model that views all of your parts with good intentions. Even the parts that lead to more challenging behaviors like disordered eating, doomscrolling, and lashing out.
Together, we’ll connect with your parts and explore how they work. In many cases, parts are like workaholics trying so hard to get a job done. As you get to know your parts, you’ll see opportunities to heal painful experiences from your past.
The goal is to create balance in your inner world so you can feel more at ease and trust your own inner wisdom.
Intuitive Eating Counseling
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Intuitive eating is an anti-diet approach that helps you trust your body’s natural cues rather than rigid food rules. IE is guided by 10 principles that focus on honoring your hunger and fullness, rejecting diet culture, coping with your feelings, finding joyful movement (if accessible), and challenging the food police. It’s especially helpful for chronic dieting, binge-eating, and later stages of eating disorder recovery.
Specialized therapy in society hill, philadelphia and pa
Support for Partners and Spouses of Transgender Individuals
As a queer woman married to a trans woman, I understand the joys and challenges of being in a relationship with a transitioning partner. It’s your journey too, and you deserve to be seen and supported. Whether you got together after your partner transitioned, or your partner just came out, I’m here for you.
Real, human connection with over 15 years of clinical experience.
No AI. No generic treatment plans.
What Other Therapists Say
“As a new friend and colleague of Christine’s, I have been truly impressed by her work ethic, dedication to her client’s care, and in awe of she is at the heart. Christine is a professional I would refer clients to for OCD, anxiety, and trauma therapy as well as LGBTQ and transgender care.”
“ Christine is my go-to referral source for disordered eating treatment. Not only is she highly trained, I truly appreciate a Queer Art Therapist who is neuro-affirming, and able to support our communities in finding ways to take care in this chaotic world. Christine's calm presence and curious mind offer a therapeutic space where you can figure out your stuff in your own way. And given her work with OCD and Trauma, you can expect a highly attuned eye as you navigate identity work and healing your relationship with yourself. If you're seeking specialty care, work with Christine.”
“Christine is a colleague of mind, and I’ve known her for 10+ years. Over her career as a therapist, I’ve seen her continue to evolve with a passion to learn, expand her offerings, and invest in her own growth/healing. Christine is a gifted artist and her presence has a soothing quality that makes clients feel instantly at ease. I recommend Christine as an excellent choice for clients looking for a therapist to help them navigate body image, relationship with food, identity, life transitions, and a more balanced sense of self worth.“
The process
Reach out
Schedule a free 20 minute phone or video consultation by booking directly through my website. We'll briefly discuss what brings you to therapy and how my approach might support your goals.
I believe the first few therapy sessions serve as a way to see if we’re a good fit, ensuring you feel comfortable in our work together.
Get Support
We’ll use creative and experiential approaches to understand the root of your food and body issues, and bring unconscious patterns into awareness.
Together, we’ll develop the tools you need to manage daily stress outside of the therapy room, and cultivate self-acceptance.
Take Back Your Life
You'll have more fulfilling relationships and you'll be ready to face life’s challenges without relying on your eating disorder. You’ll understand yourself better, and feel more in control of your life.
You don’t have to keep proving your worth.
It’s time to feel good enough as you are & start living on your own terms.
