You Don’t Need to Struggle Alone

Meet Keri Baker (she/her), LCSW and therapist in Tampa, FL

Your struggle with food, your body, or your relationship with yourself or others feels like it is constantly in the way. You find yourself overthinking everything, and in awe of others that seem to “have it all together.” You cannot imagine that being your life.

Are you looking to understand all of the BS rules that you have been blindly following your whole life?

I work with clients who are looking to gain a deep understanding of what has brought them to this point in their lives. You might be noticing negative self-talk and want to be more compassionate towards yourself. You might feel so terrible about your body that it keeps you from doing things that you once enjoyed. You might have dieted and restricted for so long that you have absolutely no idea how to feed yourself without the stress. You might feel like you “aren’t sick enough” to deserve support. Sometimes you feel like you are simply a lost cause and there is no chance for recovery, even if you want it *so* badly. 

Therapy Should Be Non-Judgmental and Compassionate

You feel like you’ve tried it all. You’ve read all the books, listened to the podcasts, and possibly even seen other therapists - but nothing seems to stick. It seems like you have all of the knowledge that you need to make a change, but each time you feel like you fall flat. You’ve been trying long enough to do this on your own and you need someone to walk beside you and believe your lived experience.

I understand how to help because I’ve been there.

I struggled with my relationship with food for over 20 years. I hated my body and was completely miserable, constantly on some sort of path to “fix” it. I’ve watched my body change and felt like it was all my fault.  I didn’t understand my own mental health and nothing that I did seemed to make a dent in how I felt. I’ve been where you are and believe you that this all feels SO HARD.

I don’t think that a therapist needs to have walked the same path as their clients (and our individual experiences are so unique no matter what), but when it comes to food and body I know just how important it can be to share my own experiences. I will never ask a client to go further than I am willing to go myself. 

I believe that you have everything that you need inside you to live a life that feels meaningful to YOU. It doesn’t matter what I want for you, or what your parents/friends/partner/society, etc want for you.  YOU get to decide what you want your life to look like, which can often mean ditching rules that have not been working yet you felt that you had to follow. I believe that I can help you do that. And I believe that your coping up until this point has been rooted in wisdom (aka you have done the best that you could).

Clients describe me as compassionate, non-judgmental, sassy (I curse when I get passionate, sue me), understanding, and direct when I need to be. I can hold your hand and walk gently beside you, and I can call out the BS when I see it. Sessions are 100% about you which for some clients can be a completely new experience. You deserve a space to say the things you need/want to say with zero judgment. You deserve a place to heal.

Disordered Eating

Body Image

Eating Disorders

Self-Compassion

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in FL #SW20630

  • MSW (Masters in Social Work), Columbia University, 2006

  • BA Psychology, Lehigh University, 2004

Education & Licensure

  • Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor

  • Level 1 Trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Phase 1 Trained in Brainspotting

  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Motivational Interviewing for Weight Inclusive Providers

Training & Certifications

  • National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

  • Co-Facilitator of support groups with the National Alliance for Eating Disorders

Professional Associations

Guiding Principles

Weight Inclusive Care

Weight stigma is real and it is deadly. Fat bodies are equally as deserving of care as those in smaller bodies are.

Authenticity

I aim to foster a space where no subject is off limits and you are free to be your authentic self.

LGBTQIA+ Affirming

Anti Diet

Part of healing our relationship with food and body must include understanding diet culture and its impacts.

I celebrate clients of all genders and sexualities and consider my office a safe space for exploration.

Compassion

We all can benefit from showing ourselves and each other more compassion.

Acceptance

I accept and will support all of you, no matter what you bring to the table.

Methods & Modalities

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Understanding our internal experiences through a parts lens is both gentle and active. Accepting all parts of ourselves and helping parts heal can be key to living a life that feels self-led and aligned. There are no bad parts - they all have a purpose and job in our lives.

Brainspotting

Brainspotting is based on the premise that where we look impacts how we feel. This can help us to mindfully process deeper trauma and core beliefs in a gentle way through a deeper understanding of how the brain works. 

Intuitive Eating

Intuitive Eating is a self care framework that can help you develop the skills to be more attuned to your internal needs. It focuses on improving your relationship with food, body, and movement, and can help you distance yourself from diet culture and the rules that we have been taught.