Mel Strunk Therapy

02/16/2026

Eating Disorder Awareness Month is a reminder that healing is not about willpower — it’s about support, compassion, and feeling understood.

If this season has stirred something in you, I have a few openings available for eating disorder and body image therapy in Sussex County and virtually across Delaware.

Every body belongs. 🤍

Mel Strunk provides eating disorder and mental health therapy in Rehoboth Beach Delaware.

02/09/2026

Diet culture isn’t going away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fight back!

Diet culture is so prominent in our society and everyday life that it often goes unnoticed. It shows up in conversations with friends about weight, we see it all over social media posts, and we constantly hear people being praised for shrinking bodies. We have become so used to these messages that w...

02/04/2026

February is eating disorder awareness month. Anyone can struggle with an eating disorder. Many people try and keep the disorder hidden. There’s no one specific look of having an eating disorder. Self compassion, vulnerability , and finding the courage to ask for help are all ways to find freedom from the disorder.

Go to my website www.melstrunktherapy.com for information on mental health counseling related to eating disorders, disordered eating, and other mental health struggles. Both in person and virtual options available.

01/27/2026

Building and maintaining a positive body image can be challenging at any age or stage in life. Here are some practical ways to work on healing your relationship with your body ❤️‍🩹

Recovering from disordered eating often means rebuilding your relationship with food and your body at the same time. For many women, body image struggles didn’t begin overnight. They developed over years of dieting, body comparison, critical comments, and constant exposure to diet culture. Even du...

01/16/2026

Eating disorder or disordered eating; My latest blog offers some clarity on when it may be time to seek support.

Feeling Uncertain About Eating Disorder Therapy Is CommonIt’s common to feel uncertain before beginning therapy for an eating disorder. Reaching out for help can feel incredibly vulnerable—especially when struggles with food or body image have been present for a long time. Many people believe th...

01/12/2026

01/03/2026

New Year New You? The new year can bring about a lot of body and diet talk, but that doesn’t mean you need to listen. Drastic changes to your body, over exercising, and cutting out entire food groups is usually trending in January. These trends aren’t only dangerous for your body, but also your mental health. Instead of idealizing drastic changes this year focused on appearances, reframe your thoughts to caring for your body by fueling it properly, getting in movement that you enjoy and remembering that you don’t need to participate in trends that feel bad for your mental health. You don’t have to do it alone. Reach out if you need support ❤️‍🩹

12/19/2025

Good grief, it’s the Holiday season! A time of Joy, gratitude, the season of giving, Santa Clause is coming to town! But the holiday season is also a reminder of who isn’t here. The first for a lot of us missing some of our favorite people, pets, houses where we used to celebrate. Traditions that no longer happen and tears that won’t stop flowing. So instead of thinking you need to bake cookies, get a white elephant gift, and decorate like you used to-take this season to care for yourself, tend to your sadness, let people know the season looks and feels different this year. Make this a year with no expectations for yourself. Self kindness is the only requirement ❤️💚

10/24/2025

How often do you assume you know what someone else is thinking? 🧐 It’s easy to get caught up into thinking someone must be mad at me, I just know they don’t like me, I did something wrong to make them stop talking to me, she definitely thinks all of these negative things about me. A swirl of negativity in your head.

Sound familiar? Just because you’re thinking these thoughts, does not mean someone else is. Look for evidence in what you’re assuming to be true. Having thoughts around the situation is not evidence. Chances are, it’s not that deep and you’re maybe possibly potentially being kind of extra about it in your head. 🫣 Let’s reframe these thoughts by reminding yourself that you are not a mind reader. You aren’t responsible for what thoughts are in someone else’s head and unless they tell you, it’s not yours to figure out.

10/15/2025

What is ARFID? Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

Extreme pickiness of food where individuals may only eat a small variety of certain foods. These foods are deemed as safe foods. The idea of expanding beyond these foods can cause anxiety, dread, and panic. It literally feels unsafe for the individual with ARFID to venture outside of the safe foods they typically consume.

Textures, smells, consistency, and other sensory characteristics are all reasons why individuals with ARFID avoid certain foods.

Some people with ARFID generally have a lack of interest in eating food. I hear people tell me if there was a pill they can take instead of eating food, that would be preferable. Some people have a fear of choking. People typically aren’t preoccupied with their weight and body image like we see with other eating disorders. ARFID looks different for everyone.

Some individuals with ARFID are under weight. Some individuals are not. You can’t tell by looking at someone to know if they struggle with ARFID. Everyone that struggles with ARFID deserves to find help and support through psychotherapy and nutrition therapy. Recovery is possible ❤️‍🩹

04/17/2025

Here is a reminder that your mental health diagnosis does not define you. Having an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD or any mental health diagnosis doesn’t mean that is who you are. We are more complex than that. A diagnosis may be one aspect of what you experience, but it is not all of you. You may have an eating disorder, you may have anxiety,but you are so much more 🙌❤️