Eating Disorder Treatment
Have you (or someone you love) been experiencing issues with food, eating, weight and shape? You are not alone. As you may already sense, eating issues are often linked to underlying psychological or emotional processes. Finding help can be scary - but looking at options (which, I'm guessing, is why you're reading this!) is an amazing first step. The best big leap is reaching out to a therapist who resonates with you, even a little, to begin exploring your options.
What can you expect? In general, you can expect to get better. Research shows that most people who seek treatment for eating disorders do see improvements with time. We have certainly witnessed this time and time again in our own work. Otherwise, our general process tends to look as follows:
Intake and Needs Assessment
Goal-setting and Development of an Individual Formulation + Plan
Motivation and/or Readiness Enhancement
Behavioural Change / Reduction of Harmful Behaviour/Physical Risks
Coping Replacement and Psycho/Social Support, which may include:
Emotion Regulation/Skill Development
Cognitive Regulation/Skill Development
Neural/Habit Change
Assertiveness and Interpersonal skills
Body Image Improvement and Acceptance
Self/Identity Development and Life Enhancement/Re-engagement
Maintaining Freedom and Peace + Relapse Prevention
These steps and changes are supported through evidence-based techniques including Motivational Interviewing, Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, EMDR Therapy and Mindfulness-Based therapies. Throughout this process, you will not only establish a regimen that will help you live and maintain more freedom, peace and balance with your body and food; but you will also address the thoughts, feelings, circumstances and behaviours that maintain disordered eating and have prevented you from coping in more self-supportive ways. Clients who go through the process walk away with a life that they are excited about and thrilled to engage in, which is more than most clients even envision for themselves when we start working together.
Which eating disorders do you treat? We work transdiagnostically and have strong experience (inpatient, outpatient and private practice) treating a wide variety of eating disorders. Experience includes treatment of Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, “Orthorexia”, ARFID and other eating disorders.
What ages do you treat? We treat adults and youth, 16+. Younger youth (14 and 15 years old) outside of major city centres may be considered if the following requirements can be met: the youth shows good maturity and ability to communicate inner experiences, the youth is motivated for change, caretakers/family (esp. parents/guardians) is/are willing to attend each session, the eating disorder symptoms are mild and/or this is a follow-up to completed hospital-based treatment, and the client has strong medical monitoring supports (Registered Dietician and close supervision by their physician). Parents/guardians/family members of youth 16-18 should also expect to be at least somewhat engaged in treatment and meal support.
What about my family or loved ones? where relevant and/or desired, family members, partners, or close others are included in client’s process and the whole system can be addressed or healed. Loved ones often find they not only better-understand what the person who suffers with the eating disorder is going through; but they also learn more effective ways of offering support without enabling or enmeshing themselves in the process.
How do we achieve these changes? our approach is based on evidence-based treatments grounded in Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E) and supported through Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT); Mindfulness-based techniques, such as enhancing self-compassion, mindful eating, or urge surfing; as well as aspects of psychodynamic and acceptance-and-commitment therapeutic techniques. What does all that mumbo-jumbo mean? We will start by practically assessing your thoughts and behaviours related to food, eating, weight, and shape so we can address behaviours first and create some immediate change, while using techniques that explore deeper feelings, beliefs, life-experiences, traumas, and relationships (to yourself and others) so that we can uncover what is happening at a core level and support you in meaningfully creating a life and view of yourself that you'll love.
Not sure? We are happy to help you consider getting help. Call or text for an initial conversion: 647-880-7118.
Digital Therapy for Eating Disorders
Prefer online treatment? Whether you live somewhere that it is hard to access treatment or you just don’t want to commute, it isn't always easy to access strong support, especially for speciality fields like eating disorder treatment. We do offer distance e-counselling via online video conference (Zoom).
Learn more here or call or text ua for an initial conversation at: 647-880-7118, or email info@kernelofwisdom.com.