Emily Prentice, MS, LMSW (she/her)

One of the scariest parts about recovering from an eating disorder is reckoning with the unknown. A part of you might be longing for recovery and aching to step into a more aligned and meaningful life, while another part might be held back by thoughts like, “Who will I be without my eating disorder?” and “How will I accept myself if my body changes?”

 It can be difficult to imagine the freedom of recovery when it feels like you’ve lost some or all of who you are to the soul-sucking, mind-numbing, predictable misery of disordered eating. That’s where I come in! 

Hi, my name is Emily, and I’m a therapist who is passionate about helping adults and adolescents find freedom from disordered eating, eating disorders, and anxiety! I aim to help you find and strengthen your authentic sense of self so you feel empowered to say goodbye to your eating disorder. 

Working together, we will explore your values and purpose, learn skills to release unhelpful thoughts and regulate difficult emotions, and practice opening up to the world around you to promote harmony and mindfulness. We will collaborate to create your vision of a meaningful life and empower you to take steps toward embodying that reality!

I have helped people of all genders, ages 13 - 50+ free themselves from disordered eating at all levels of care. In addition to my experiences at Walden Behavioral Care residential facility and in outpatient settings, I am currently a therapist at Esperanza Eating Disorder Center, empowering individuals and their families to gain their lives back from disordered eating, anxiety, and depression.

Though no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start now and make a brand new end.

- Carl Bard

I Specialize in…

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

You don’t have to get rid of every painful thought or emotion to live a meaningful life. ACT helps you let go of the constant mental fight and focus instead on taking action toward what truly matters to you. I’ll help you notice unhelpful thought patterns, connect with your values, and build a life that feels aligned—even when things feel hard. This work is especially helpful if you feel stuck in overthinking, avoidance, or perfectionism.


Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

If you often feel overwhelmed by your emotions or like you’re constantly swinging between extremes, DBT offers tools that actually work. You’ll learn how to regulate emotions, set boundaries, manage stress, and build stronger relationships—without shutting down or exploding. This approach is ideal if you’re tired of feeling reactive, disconnected, or out of control and want skills that help you feel more balanced and empowered.

Temperament Based Therapy with Support

TBT-S is designed specifically for individuals recovering from eating disorders. It helps you understand your unique brain wiring so you can stop blaming yourself and start working with your natural temperament—not against it. We’ll focus on increasing flexibility, reducing anxiety, and building supportive routines while involving trusted people in your life. If you’ve felt misunderstood in treatment or like you’re just “too much,” this approach helps make sense of it all—and gives you a path forward that actually fits you.

Approach to Therapy

If you are looking for a blank-slate counselor, I am probably not your girl! 

I use a humanistic approach, and it’s not uncommon for laughter to pepper sessions with me. I want you to embrace your authenticity in session, so we can build a genuine relationship that lays the groundwork for transformation and healing. I believe therapy needs to be individualized, so I weave in various evidence-based modalities and integrate experiential activities, including expressive art and yoga, to meet you where you are. If you enjoy somatic tactics, I can draw on my knowledge as a certified yoga instructor with specialized training in facilitating trauma-informed yoga for people with eating disorders. 

As a social worker, I recognize the influence of anti-fat bias and weight discrimination on our relationships with food and our bodies. Therefore, I practice from a weight-inclusive, anti-diet, and trauma-informed perspective. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and sensitive to the needs of people with marginalized identities healing from diet culture. 

I use the following evidence-based practices to help you meet your therapy goals:

  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills (DBT)

  • Temperament Based Therapy with Support (TBT-S)

  • Embodiment and the Treatment of Eating Disorders. 

Formalities

Education

  • Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Theatre (Baldwin Wallace University)

  • Master of Social Work in Micro Social Wok - Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy (University of Georgia)

License and Certifications

  • Licensed Master Social Worker (TX) 

  • Certified Yoga Instructor (200 hr)

Memberships

  • International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals

Fun Facts About Me

  • My undergrad is in musical theatre, so I will ask what your favorite musical is if you admit to liking theatre.

  • I consider myself a skilled (and lucky!) thrift shopper. I love to look for anything “cottage core.”

  • I am obsessed with podcasts, and Maintenance Phase is one of my favorites.

  • My core values are wholeheartedness, beauty, and gratitude.

  • I have lived in some really cool cities, like Atlanta, New York City, Cleveland, and Austin.