Sööma strongly believes in a multidisciplinary approach to treat various conditions and provide quality care. Psychotherapy is imperative in the treatment of eating disorders, but can often be beneficial for various experiences such as disordered eating, under fueling in sport and other mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, burnout and others.

 

Below, we outline how psychotherapy can be beneficial in the treatment of eating disorders, but please note that our psychologists treat a variety of mental health diagnoses and presentations outside of eating disorders and disordered eating.

Psychotherapy and Eating Disorders

Psychotherapy is a critical component in the treatment of eating disorders, which include conditions such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

Here are some key benefits of psychotherapy in this context:

Addressing Underlying Psychological Issues

  • Root Causes: Psychotherapy helps identify and address the underlying psychological issues that contribute to eating disorders, such as complex trauma, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and anxiety.
  • Behavioral Patterns: Therapists work with patients to uncover harmful thought patterns and behaviors related to food, body image, and self-worth.

Developing Effective Coping Mechanisms

  • Emotion Regulation: Individuals learn more effective ways to cope with stress, anxiety, and challenging emotions that allow them to move away from disordered eating behaviors or other harmful behaviors that are interfering with their quality of life.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Therapy can enhance an individual’s problem-solving skills, which can help them deal with everyday challenges more effectively.

Improving Emotional Regulation

  • Mindfulness: Individuals become better at recognizing thoughts, sensations and experiences and understanding their emotions, which can reduce the urge to use food as a means of control or comfort.
  • Regulation Techniques: Therapists teach techniques to notice, befriend and regulate intense emotions, such as mindfulness and cognitive restructuring.

Enhancing Interpersonal Relationships

  • Communication Skills: Therapy often includes improving communication skills, which can help individuals express their needs and feelings more effectively.
  • Social Support: Building and maintaining a support network is crucial, and therapy can help individuals develop healthier relationships with family and friends through boundary setting, expression of needs and investment in relationships that feel energizing and supportive.

Practicing Self Compassion

  • Balanced, Non Judgmental Awareness: Therapy may increase capacity to hold one’s painful thoughts and feelings in balanced awareness rather than over-identifying with them. Mindfulness involves observing negative thoughts and emotions with openness and clarity, without trying to suppress or deny them.
  • Gentleness: Being warm and understanding towards oneself when encountering suffering or personal shortcomings, rather than ignoring the pain or being self-critical.
  • Shared Experience: Recognizing that suffering and personal failure are part of the shared human experience. Understanding that one is not alone in their struggles can foster a sense of connectedness with others.

Building Self-Esteem and Body Image

  • Body Acceptance: Therapy can help individuals develop a more realistic and neutral body image.
  • Body Neutrality: Therapists can accompany individuals in understanding how experiences, family dynamics and beliefs contribute to placing great importance on appearance, body shape and weight.

Types of Psychotherapy Used for Eating Disorders

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors.
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Teaches skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
  • Family-Based Treatment (FBT): Involves family members in the treatment process, particularly effective for adolescents.
  • Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): Addresses issues in personal relationships that may contribute to the eating disorder.
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Encourages acceptance of difficult emotions and commitment to personal values and behavior change.

Psychotherapy offers a comprehensive approach to treating eating disorders by addressing the multifaceted nature of these conditions. It helps individuals understand the psychological factors behind their eating behaviors, develop more effective coping mechanisms, improve their emotional and interpersonal skills, and provide a space where they can practice mindfulness and self compassion. Through these processes, psychotherapy can significantly contribute to recovery and the prevention of relapse.

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