Therapy for Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders are complex conditions which can cause significant emotional pain, shame and interpersonal distress. They include diagnoses such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder as well as other more Atypical Eating Disorders (previously known as EDNOS, Eating Disorders not Otherwise Specified). Therapy for Eating Disorders forms an essential part of the clinical management of these conditions and number of different psychotherapeutic approaches are currently recommended by NICE guidance including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, MANTRA and SSCM amongst others (NICE 2017).

Therapy will aim at working through binge eating, over exercising, vomiting and food restriction etc. It can also be used towards addressing “feeling fat” and body image disturbance, including challenging the patient’s perception of, and relationship with, their own body.

Other treatments such as Focal Psychodynamic Therapy focus on the interpersonal aspect of Eating Disorders. Such therapeutic approaches explore the development and function of disordered eating in an individual’s life and how one can avoid repeating these familiar but destructive patterns in times of stress.

Our specialist practitioners are trained in a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of eating disorders and our expertise enable us to use different psychological models in a unique, collaborative method of working. At Oxford Mind & Body, we will assess and formulate a treatment plan specific to your personal needs following our initial consultation. Treatment can involve either brief focused work or longer term individual psychotherapy. We hope to help you address your issues around eating in a practical, flexible way and to recognise the underlying cause of your symptoms so that you can make the decision not to engage in these behaviours repeatedly in the future.