Clinical Psychologist & Author
Dr Anna Colton is a leading clinical psychologist specialising in the psychology of food, eating, and emotional wellbeing in children and adolescents. With experience across the NHS and private practice, she works with adolescents, adults, and families on issues ranging from eating disorders, particularly anorexia, to everyday food challenges and weight loss including with the use of GLP1s. She helps parents navigate the emotional and psychological complexities of feeding and raising children, especially when they are still healing their own relationship with food.
At a time when debates around ultra-processed foods, body image, and weight loss medications dominate public discourse, Dr Anna brings a calm, evidence-based voice. Her first book, How to Talk to Children About Food (Leap, 2025), explores how to create a positive food culture at home, understand the psychological and societal influences that shape eating behaviours, and break the intergenerational cycle of food and body struggles. Her work is a call to shift from crisis response to prevention, equipping parents and professionals with the tools to build resilience, confidence, and understanding around food.
Beyond her work with eating and feeding, Dr Anna has significant expertise in adolescence, the adolescent brain, complex trauma and performance psychology. She supports high performers - including actors, musicians and barristers - facing performance anxiety and stage fright. She is the only psychologist to have been resident on West End shows and tours, including Billy Elliot, Matilda the Musical, Cameron Makcintosh Ltd, and she consults to theatre companies, and works with the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).
In addition she is also one of the leading media psychologists behind the camera. She supports production companies and contributors on reality TV shows and documentaries assessing fitness to participate and supporting contributors throughout the production process.
A regular voice in the media and keynote speaker, Dr Anna contributes to TV, radio, podcasts, and print. She speaks She is a passionate advocate for early intervention in mental health.
