EATING DISORDER TREATMENT available at the luna clinic

Eating disorders are serious, complex and potentially life-threatening mental illnesses. They are characterised by disturbances in behaviours, thoughts and feelings towards body weight and shape, and/or food and eating. Eating disorders have detrimental impacts upon a person’s life and result in serious medical, psychiatric and psychosocial consequences.

Eating disorders are common and increasing in prevalence. There is a lifetime estimated prevalence of 8.4% for women and 2.2% for men.

Eating disorders do not discriminate and can occur in people of any age, weight, size, shape, gender identity, sexuality, cultural background or socioeconomic group.

Eating disorders are associated with serious medical and psychological complications.

A person with an eating disorder may experience long-term impairment to social and functional roles, and the impact may include psychiatric and behavioural problems, medical complications, social isolation, disability and an increased risk of death as a result of medical complications or suicide. Suicide is a major cause of mortality for people with eating disorders. Suicide is up to 31 times more likely to occur for someone with anorexia nervosa and 7.5 times higher for someone with bulimia nervosa than the general population.

The impact of an eating disorder is not only felt by the individual, but often by that person’s entire family or circle of support. The impact may lead to caregiver stress, loss of family income, disruption to family relationships and a high suicide risk.

At the Luna Clinic, we offer evidence-based treatment for people who:

* are aged 16+ years through to adults;

* have a (BMI >17; and

* have a referral from a paediatrician, GP, or psychiatrist;

* have mild to moderate symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of:

• Binge eating disorder (BED)
• Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED)
• Bulimia nervosa 
• Anorexia nervosa 
• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
• Unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED)

CBT-E is one of the most effective treatments for eating disorders. It is a “transdiagnostic” treatment for all forms of eating disorder including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other similar states​.

It was developed as an outpatient treatment for adults but has been adapted for younger people. 

CBT-E generally involves an initial assessment appointment followed by 20 treatment sessions over 20 weeks, lasting 50-minutes each, however may be offered more intensively.

CBT-E isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” treatment.  CBT-E is a highly individualised treatment. The therapist creates a specific version of CBT-E to match the exact eating problem of the person receiving treatment. 

CBT-E has four stages:

Stage One:  the focus is on gaining a mutual understanding of the person’s eating problem and helps to modify and stabilise patterns of eating. There is also emphasis on personalised education and the addressing of concerns about weight. It is best if these initial sessions are twice a week.

In the brief second stage, progress is systematically reviewed and plans are made for the main body of treatment (Stage Three).

Stage Three consists of a run of weekly sessions focused on the processes that are maintaining the person’s eating problem. Usually this involves addressing concerns about shape and eating; enhancing the ability to deal with day-to-day events and moods; and the addressing of extreme dietary restraint.

Towards the end of Stage Three and in Stage Four the emphasis shifts onto the future. There is a focus on dealing with setbacks and maintaining the changes that have been obtained.

Generally a review session is held some months after treatment has ended. It provides an opportunity for a review of progress and the addressing of any problems that remain or have emerged.

With people who are underweight, treatment needs to be longer, often involving around 40 sessions over 40 weeks. In this version of CBT-E, weight regain is integrated with addressing eating disorder psychopathology. Before embarking on weight regain, patients and therapists spend the first weeks of this treatment carefully considering the reasons for and against this change. The goal in CBT-E is that patients themselves decide to regain weight rather than having this decision imposed upon them. During the final step of weight regain the patient becomes accomplished at maintaining their weight.

At the Luna Clinic, as part of a wholistic treatment plan, we will work collaboratively with you, as client, and your treatment team including family members, your doctor and a dietician, to ensure that you are provided with the best opportunity toward recovery.

(Sources: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/whats-an-eating-disorder; https://www.cbte.co/what-is-cbte/a-description-of-cbt-e/)