CBT-E

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – Enhanced for Eating Disorders is an enhanced version of the existing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), which has been specifically developed for the unique and complex needs of individuals who are suffering from eating disorders.
 
The focus of CBT-E is to assist you in becoming the expert on your own eating disorder so that together with your clinician, you will be able to identify and then systematically conquer each of the key factors which have been allowing your eating disorder to keep itself going over time. 
 
CBT-E for Eating Disorders Focus CBT-E for Eating Disorders is a medium to long-term treatment which can range from 20 to 40 sessions in length. You and your clinician will discuss and decide together which length of treatment will be most suitable for your particular needs. CBT-E can employ a variety of techniques, with treatment interventions focused on three
key areas:
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1) Psychoeducation and motivation: 

These techniques help to empower you in understanding the ins and outs of your eating disorder and how it’s entanglement with the psychological and physical needs of your own mind and body are currently playing out. This will prepare you to make your own decision about taking on your eating disorder and how you may benefit from doing so.

2) Cognitive:

These techniques involve identifying unhelpful thought patterns which may be keeping you stuck and gradually shifting them towards being more helpful and realistic.

3) Behavioural:

These techniques aim to assist you in making positive choices by changing behaviour patterns that have been fuelling those unhelpful thinking patterns over time. Behavioural techniques will be tailored to your own unique needs, and might involve helping you to get more active in special life areas which your eating disorder has been keeping you away from, it might involve learning and using more powerful social skills to enhance your social bonds and assertiveness, it might involve learning distress tolerance and problem-solving skills to help you to adapt to triggering situations more effectively, and it will involve working with your clinician and a dietitian to gradually begin building healthy eating behaviours in a safe and controlled way.

The Goal of CBT-E for Eating Disorders

• Identify and enhance awareness of eating disorder thoughts and patterns.

• Build motivation, momentum and a support team to arm you for conquering the maintaining factors.

• Become equipped with psychoeducation on the mind, body image, eating and all things in between.

• Identify and address unhelpful thinking styles and food rules which are exacerbating symptoms.

• Change patterns of feelings and behaviours that result from unhelpful thinking styles and beliefs.

• Foster independence in healthy eating choices and relapse prevention techniques.

• Uncover the origins of the eating disorder and address core emotional needs and ensure that they are met in healthy, adaptive ways.

• Build interpersonal and social skills.

• Re-engage with vital life areas.

• Learn how to adaptively manage frustration and distress when certain needs can't be met.

• And most importantly, to help you to build many new, and varied sources of self-evaluation.

 
CBT-E has been demonstrated to be effective in treating 

1. Anorexia Nervosa

2. Bulimia Nervosa

3. Orthorexia Nervosa

4. Otherwise Specified Eating Disorders 

5. Not otherwise Specified Eating Disorders

6. Body Dysmorphia

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Further information about CBT-E can be found at:  CBTE.co
 
If you would you like to talk to us more about CBT-E for Eating Disorders and whether this approach fits you, please contact us on 02 9555 4810 or email us at info@treatyourselfwell.com.au