The Eating Disorders Clinic

In general, treatment focuses on Eating Disorder symptoms, as well as emotional, family and interpersonal concerns. Commonly, individuals also experience significant anxiety, depression or relationship problems. These conditions will also be assessed for and treated. The goals and length of treatment is dependent on the presentation of each individual and are tailored to their needs
Services Include

• Diagnostic evaluations
• Individual and/or group psychotherapy
• Parent participation or family treatment, as indicated
• Case management and consultation with medical, psychiatry and nutritional specialists

Our program uses manualized treatment approaches, which have received extensive clinical and research support.
Treatment Descriptions:
FAMILY THERAPY (MAUDSLEY APPROACH) — Adolescents 18 years and younger
The Maudsley Approach is applied to adolescents living with their families.
It is designed to intervene aggressively in the first stages of illness and is a short-term model (as short as 20 sessions, or six months in duration).
The initial focus is on putting parents temporarily in charge of helping reduce control that the eating disorder has over their child’s life.
The first stage of treatment focuses on weight restoration and reduction of eating disorder symptoms.
Once the eating disorder is under control, parents return charge over eating back to their child and help him/her with normal developmental tasks.
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice for adults with Anorexia Nervosa & Bulimia Nervosa
The therapy aims at correcting errors in thinking and perception that lead to negative self-perceptions and eating disorder symptoms. It is aimed at normalizing eating behavior and reducing restrictive eating by re-introducing “taboo” foods and planning meals.
Therapy involves self-monitoring of food intake, bingeing and purging episodes, and thoughts and feelings that trigger these episodes. CBT also involves regular weighing.
CBT for Bulimia Nervosa is generally short-term (20 sessions). The length of treatment for Anorexia Nervosa is typically longer.
Individual and/or group therapy formats may be used.