Specialist Coaching and Self-Help Resources

Does stepping on the bathroom scale determine your mood for the rest of the day?

  • Does how you feel about your body stop you from living your life the way you want to?

  • Do you feel guilty and anxious around food?

  • Does food occupy your mind - what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, how many calories/points/syns are in it?

  • Do you only exercise to burn calories and ‘earn’ food?

  • Do you find yourself stuck in a cycle of dieting and binge eating?

I understand how exhausting it is to exist in a society that tells us to be at war with our bodies and fixate on our weight and appearance. Many of us worry about weight management, nutrition, and exercise in the pursuit of health. But in a culture that stigmatises bigger bodies and discriminates against people based on appearances, our health-promoting behaviours can easily slide into obsessive weighing and body-checking, excessive exercising and eating disorders.

I help clients recognise disordered eating and exercise patterns, heal from diet culture, improve their body image, and teach them the psychological tools for coping with distressing thoughts and emotions. Many of my clients have a long history of dieting. Some struggle with binge eating and other disordered eating patterns, and others want to learn how to accept their bodies.

YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE PEACE WITH FOOD AND YOUR BODY.

About Karen Lynne Oliver

Karen Lynne Oliver holding one of her Therapy Workbooks

Hi, I’m Karen. I’m a former Social Worker with a background in mental health, domestic abuse, sexual exploitation, and addiction. I am training to become a specialised therapist in eating disorders and body image.

I launched Beyond The Bathroom Scale® in 2012 and developed my award-winning coaching programme in 2018, which you’ll now find in the BeyondTheScale app.

Previously I have written for HuffPost UK and throughout my career I’ve been featured in The Metro, Cosmopolitan magazine, Calm Moment magazine, The Cambridge Independent newspaper, Professional Social Work magazine and Prospects Post Grad magazine.

My Approach

My approach is a blend of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). I am aligned with the Health at Every Size® and Body Positivity movements. The principles of Intuitive Eating and Body Neutrality influence my practice. I teach practical skills for emotional regulation and distress tolerance.

Multi Award-Winning Specalist Coaching

Prestige Awards 2021 Beyond The Bathroom Scale
SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards 2021 Beyond The Bathroom Scale
AQ Business Excellence Awards 2021 Beyond The Bathroom Scale
AQ Business Excellence Awards 2020 Beyond The Bathroom Scale

My Qualifications

Qualifications:

  • BSc (Hons) Psychology, The Open University (2021-2025)

    - Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)

  • MA Social Work, the University of Leicester (2014)

  • BA Sociology, the University of Leicester (2012)

Counselling Training:

  • Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB) (2024) - Recognised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

  • Level 2 Counselling Skills, Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB) (2023) - Recognised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

  • Certificate in Counselling Skills (TQUK Level 2)

  • Mental Health First Aid (NCFE Cache Level 2 certificate)

  • NCFE Cache Level 2 in Understanding Autism (2024)

  • Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling (2023)

    - Recognised by the National Counselling Society (NCS) and mapped to the BACP and ACTO competencies

Professional Body Registration:

Student Member of The British Psychology Society since 2021

Additional Relevant Training

  • Diagnosing Eating Disorders (Mental Health Academy)

  • Eating Disorders Diagnostic Criteria and Treatment (Mental Health Academy)

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression and Anxiety (University of Reading)

  • Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (Mental Health Academy)

  • DBT for Eating Disorders (Mental Health Academy)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Counselling Tutor CPD)

  • Developing Competencies for Digital Clinical Practice (British Psychology Society)

  • Suicide Prevention (Mental Health Academy & British Psychological Society)

  • Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence, Problematic Substance Misuse and Mental Health (AVA Project)

  • Grief & Loss (Counselling Tutor CPD)

  • Diversity training: LGBTQ+, Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity (Counselling Tutor CPD)