Find a CBT-E Therapist for Eating Disorders
Finding the right therapist for eating disorder recovery.
Not just ANY therapist but the RIGHT therapist.
Finding the right therapist for your eating disorder recovery journey is critically important. Your therapist will be your partner and guide as you work toward normalizing your relationship with food and your body.
Find a Therapist: Not just any therapist but the right therapist for eating disorder recovery
You may have read some of our blogs about Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is considered the gold-standard outpatient therapy for eating disorders. CBT-E is designed specifically for eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder. It is an effective, efficient, time-limited and comprehensive treatment. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with this potent treatment, it’s time to find a provider who can deliver the treatment in the way it was designed. This is no small task; it takes a lot of training and experience to treat eating disorders effectively and to provide CBT-E with integrity.
As you set out to find a CBT-E therapist, here are a few tips:
Be sure that your therapist is trained and experienced in CBT-E specifically. Enhanced CBT is very different from standard CBT. There is no “certification” per se in CBT-E; any health care provider can use the manual. Ideally, though, the therapist can explain how he/she was trained in CBT-E. It’s best if he/she received consultation from an experienced CBT-E provider while implementing the treatment over time. Alternatively, The Centre for Research on Dissemination at Oxford (CREDO) provides an online training for professionals. This is an excellent way to learn CBT-E.
Make sure that the therapist plans to adhere fully to the CBT-E treatment. “Using techniques” from CBT-E is not enough. Without a doubt, completing the treatment as it’s intended is how you will get the best result. In a therapist bio, you’d want to avoid eclectic or "integrated" therapist approaches(i.e. “integrating psychodynamic psychotherapy,” “insight-oriented therapy” etc). Again, for behavioral change, adherent CBT-E is the best course.
You can get a sense of adherence if the therapist explains at the start that the treatment is time-limited (roughly 20 weeks for bulimia and binge eating; more like 40 weeks for anorexia). That it consists of three distinct stages. That there is a clear agenda for each and every session. That the focus is on the factors getting in the way of regular eating; issues unrelated to eating are important, of course, but should not occupy session time. The treatment is solely focused on helping you with your eating problem.
A “program” (i.e. multiple group therapies, yoga, art therapy) is not always necessary. In it's pure form, CBT-E can be THE intervention. A lot of extra “stuff” adds little additional value. Note: for anorexia, supported meals can be helpful – even necessary - but other group interventions are mostly ineffective until the individual is weight-restored. For bulimia and binge eating, if we integrate group, it is typically DBT Skills training which when delivered properly, can be helpful.
Children and adolescents require a very different and specific treatment approach. The CBT-E therapist should be knowledgeable about Family-Based Treatment, which is the gold standard treatment for adolescent and childhood anorexia and bulimia. In most childhood/adolescent eating disorder cases, FBT should be the first line. CBT-E may be integrated in the case of Binge Eating Disorder in a child/adolescent or in some cases of Child/Adolescent Bulimia.
the first step in eating disorder recovery
Embarking on the journey of finding the right therapist for eating disorder recovery is a vital step toward healing. A therapist trained in Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can provide the structured, evidence-based support you need to rebuild your relationship with food and your body. Remember, it's not just about finding a provider; it's about finding the right fit for your unique needs. As you navigate this process, prioritize experience, adherence to the CBT-E model, and a focus on your specific challenges. The right therapist will not only guide you through your recovery but will empower you to reclaim your life. Take this important step—your path to recovery is worth it.
Columbus Park’s entire treatment team is trained and experienced in Enhanced CBT. We offer treatment in NY, CT, NJ, PA and CA. Reach out to us for more information or to get started!
