Therapy for Disordered Eating
Disordered eating refers to a spectrum of problematic behaviors such as purging, bingeing, food restriction, and other dysfunctional methods to lose or control weight; at the higher end of the spectrum are diagnosed eating disorders, which involve behaviours that are significantly detrimental to health. You may be experiencing difficulties with body image and maintaining a healthy relationship with food, without meeting the criteria of a diagnosed eating disorder. ​If you are not sure whether you have an eating disorder, you can contact your medical practitioner to arrange an assessment.
Effective treatment for Disordered Eating needs to addresss physiological, psychological and emotional factors, as well as environmental influences, such as family, culture, relationships, and social norms and values.
Targeted psychotherapy is an effective treatment for eating disorders, by helping you develop insight into your thoughts and feelings, helping you to adopt healthy coping mechanisms, and correct unhelpful behaviour patterns and body image issues.
CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:
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Recognise unhelpful or negative thinking, and patterns of behaviour.
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Develop skills to challenge and change unhealthy patterns.
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Learn strategies for coping with triggers.
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Improve life skills, e.g. communication, problem-solving.
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Learn techniques such as mindfulness and relaxation to manage emotions better.
Focal Psychodynamic Therapy:
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Address the way negative experiences and associations affect the way you process emotions.
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Gain insight into how patterns of relationship affect your habits.
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Explore how your eating habits are related to your thoughts, beliefs and self-esteem.
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Identify feelings you have about yourself and others in your life, and how these influence eating behaviour.
IPT - Interpersonal Psychotherapy:
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Explore how interpersonal difficulties influence the development and maintenance of the eating disorder.
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Identify changes for improving relationships.
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Support to take the lead in making change in the interpersonal realm.
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Maintain interpersonal gains to help with relapse prevention.
Each person has a different journey and requires individualised treatment, however deep trauma or attachment-related difficulties require longer term psychotherapy to address adequately. A supportive therapeutic connection creates the trust and safety necessary to nurture the development of healthy self esteem, which is the foundation of a balanced and integrated way of life.
To support this need for longer term therapy, Medicare now subsidises 40 therapy sessions per calendar year on an Eating Disorder Treatment and Management Plan from a GP or psychiatrist. See more information on the Fees and Rebates page.