Eating Disorder Service

CBT is a collaborative, time-limited, present focused therapy which looks at problems through recording and mapping out the relationship between an individual’s thoughts, feelings, body symptoms and actions. At times present thinking which brings up past issues and core beliefs will also be explored. This information helps the individual and therapist, work together, to find what is keeping the problem going. Individual’s goals are set which link in with planned challenging of thoughts and changes in actions in and out of sessions to break the problem cycle. CBT models and protocols also guide evidence based tasks; such as experiments around challenging unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, reducing body checking behaviours, introducing regular eating patterns, breaking dietary rules, reintroducing avoided foods  and psychoeducation topics related to the problem.

Clinical psychology is a talking therapy, which looks at helping you to make positive changes to your life. These might be changes in behaviour (things you do), changes in your cognitions (the way you think), or changes in your relationship with yourself, or with other people. It is likely to also include exploring some of your past experiences, and how these have impacted on you. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to talk about everything you’ve experienced.

Clinical psychologists have the title of ‘Dr’ but they’re not medical doctors, and they don’t prescribe medication. They will listen carefully to you, and try to help you make sense of your experiences and your difficulties. Together, you will agree the best way to try and support you, and made a plan of action. There are lots of different approaches a clinical psychologist might use to help you make the changes you want to, but they all involve you working together. You will usually be asked to try out different strategies, or reflect on what you’ve spoken about in sessions, at home in between appointments.

CFT is a kind of talking therapy. It is particularly useful for people who experience high levels of shame and/or self-criticism. This might include people who find it difficult to trust others, or those who find it hard to show kindness towards themselves, or accept it from others. CFT draws on lots of different ideas and techniques to help you learn how to be more compassionate towards yourself, and to feel safe and capable in a world that can seem overwhelming. It involves learning new skills and trying out different strategies, and practicing these in between each session.

Sometimes it is useful to come to appointments with other people in your family to talk about things. It can be helpful if everyone works together to tackle a problem. We call this family therapy.

Appointments are every 2 to 4 weeks and last about an hour. You come along with people from your family to talk and we will explain who we are and how things work. We like to hear what you think about how we are working so we can be as helpful as possible.

What we won't do:

• We won't try to force you to speak about things
• We won't tell you off
• We won't take sides

It is ok to:

• say if you don't understand what's said
• say you don't know if asked a question
• ask for a break
• to be quiet
• to say how you see things

FBT is an intensive approach which is particularly helpful for young people in the first three years of the eating disorder being around. FBT involves all members of the family, and helps parents/caregivers to feel more able to help their child.

There are three phases of FBT:

• In Phase 1, parents/caregivers make the decisions about mealtimes and what the young person will eat, as well as about physical activity, to stop the eating disorder from making the decisions.
• In Phase 2, once the young person is eating enough and is physically healthy enough, the young person gradually has more responsibility and makes their own decisions about food and exercise.
• Finally, in Phase 3, we look at getting back to things the eating disorder might have gotten in the way of e.g. doing things with friends, and how to stay well in the future.