An award-winning charity that runs addiction rehabilitation centres in Hertfordshire has extended its treatment range to include disordered eating.

The Living Room was founded by Janis Feely MBE in Stevenage in 2000, after she successfully overcame her own addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs.

The charity, which also has centres in St Albans and Watford, supports people with addictions to anything from alcohol and drugs to gambling and sex through free counselling, peer support and workshop therapies.

Using National Lottery funding, The Living Room is now running specialist disordered eating groups at its hubs in Stevenage and St Albans.

Debbie Coote, the charity’s clinical lead, explained: “Disordered eating addiction is characterised by unhealthy patterns of eating and obsessive compulsive behaviours often relating to food, exercise and body image.

"Like substance addiction, behaviour around food becomes a way of self-soothing and managing difficult feelings and emotions and dependence on this becomes a way of dealing - or not dealing - with life problems.”

Through free weekly group therapy sessions, counsellors help individuals identify possible triggers and unhealthy eating habits, provide people with the tools necessary to deal with their cravings, and foster self-worth and confidence.

For an assessment, call The Living Room on 0300 365 0304.