How to Stop Stress Eating with Brainspotting Therapy

You’re Not Alone: The Cycle of Stress Eating

You tell yourself you’re going to eat healthy. You stock up on the “right” foods, make a meal plan, and promise yourself that this time will be different. But then life happens. Work is stressful, the kids are demanding, or maybe you just feel… off. Before you know it, you’re in the pantry, mindlessly snacking, or finishing off a pint of ice cream straight from the carton. Then comes the guilt, the frustration, the promise to do better tomorrow. Sound familiar?

If this is you, I want you to know that you’re not weak, and you’re not failing. Stress eating isn’t about a lack of willpower. It’s your brain trying to protect you.

I get it because I’ve been there. Food consumed my thoughts for a long time. That’s why I got my undergrad degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. I wanted to figure out how to “eat healthy” without feeling completely controlled by food. But despite my education, I ate out of boredom, stress, or habit. When I had a rough day, all my knowledge about balanced eating flew out the window, and I ate purely for comfort.

As a child, food was my safe place. Sweet treats from my grandma were a highlight in our house, but they also came with competition—who got the most or who savored theirs the longest. I learned to overconsume, to indulge beyond fullness, to eat as a way to fill an emotional void. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was using food to avoid facing the trauma I had experienced. And if that sounds like you, there’s a reason for that.

The good news? There’s a way to break free from the cycle. Brainspotting therapy is a powerful tool that helps you heal the underlying emotional wounds driving stress eating. This blog will explore the connection between stress eating and trauma and how Brainspotting therapy might be the missing piece in your journey towards healing.

Why We Learn to Eat Our Emotions

Stress eating is more than just a bad habit. It’s a survival strategy.

Many of us learned early on that food was a source of comfort. When we were kids, we didn’t have the skills or support to deal with overwhelming emotions—sadness, fear, loneliness. So we found something that made us feel better in the moment—food. And let’s be real, food works—at least temporarily.

The warmth of mac and cheese, the crunch of chips, the sugar rush of cookies—they all trigger feel-good chemicals in our brain, giving us the relief we’re desperate for. But here’s the catch: it doesn’t last. And because it never truly fills the emotional void, we keep going back for more.

Fast forward to adulthood, and stress eating becomes our go-to coping method. Maybe it’s a hectic work schedule, relationship struggles, or the never-ending pressure to have it all together. Whatever the reason, food feels like the one thing we can count on to take the edge off. But deep down, we know it’s not fixing anything.

The Connection Between Stress Eating and Trauma

If you struggle with stress eating, there’s a good chance it’s tied to unresolved trauma. That doesn’t necessarily mean significant, obvious trauma. Sometimes, it’s the subtle, everyday experiences that shape us—feeling unseen as a child, growing up in a home where emotions weren’t safe, or constantly striving for perfection to feel worthy.

When trauma goes unprocessed, it doesn’t just sit in our minds—it stays stored in our bodies. Our nervous system gets stuck in survival mode, making us feel constantly overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected. And when that discomfort bubbles up? We reach for food to numb it.

This is where Brainspotting therapy can help.

How Brainspotting Therapy Helps Heal Your Relationship with Food

I know what it’s like to promise yourself you’ll “do better” next time. Tell yourself you just need more willpower. To feel out of control around food and wonder why nothing ever changes.

It’s exhausting.

But I want you to know: You are not broken. You’re not weak. Your brain is doing exactly what it was designed to do—protect you. It’s just that food became part of that protection.

Brainspotting therapy helps untangle the connection between food and emotional survival.

Think of your brain as a cluttered attic. Over the years, painful experiences, stress, and unresolved trauma got shoved into boxes and pushed to the back. You don’t think about them daily, but they’re still weighing you down. And when life gets overwhelming, your brain does what it’s always done—it reaches for food to help you cope.

Brainspotting is like turning on a light in that attic. It helps you find those old, forgotten boxes and finally unpack them—without judgment or force, just allowing your brain to process in a way that feels natural and safe.

With Brainspotting therapy, we tap into where emotions are stored in your nervous system, so you can heal the deeper wounds that keep you stuck in the cycle of stress eating. It’s not about trying harder or learning another strategy to control food. It’s about finally allowing your brain to release what it’s been holding onto.

Imagine a life where food is just food—not a battle, not a source of guilt, not the thing you turn to when life feels too much. That’s what healing looks like. That’s what’s possible with Brainspotting.

What to Expect with a Brainspotting Therapist

As a Brainspotting therapist, I aim to help you heal—not just manage symptoms. I work with women just like you who are exhausted from battling food and body image struggles.

During a Brainspotting session, we’ll create a safe space to explore the deeper emotions behind your eating patterns. You don’t have to have all the answers or even know where to start—that’s what I’m here for.

You’ll simply allow your brain to do what it’s designed to do: heal. Over time, as we release stored trauma, you’ll start to notice shifts. You may feel more in control around food, less overwhelmed by stress, and more connected to yourself.

Ready to Break Free From Stress Eating?

If you’re tired of feeling stuck in the cycle of stress eating, you don’t have to go through it alone. Brainspotting therapy can help you heal at the root so food no longer feels like your only escape.

I offer online Brainspotting therapy for women in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Sandpoint, and all across Idaho. Let's chat if you’re curious about how this approach can help you. Schedule a free consultation to see if Brainspotting therapy is the right fit for you.

You deserve to feel at peace—with food, with your body, and with yourself.

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Jarae Swanstrom is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor practicing online throughout Idaho. She believes in a holistic approach to therapy, focusing on healing the whole body. Jarae helps women heal trauma, disordered eating, and negative body image. Learn more about Jarae or schedule a free consultation at mountainrivertherapy.com.