Eating Disorder Program

The Eating Disorders Program helps people overcome anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders. The clinic offers a variety of treatment options through individual therapy, consultation with a dietician, and a series of groups that address concerns associated with eating disorders.

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Services

• CBT-T- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Ten session, approach is a form of Eating Disorder therapy that can be used with clients who have a diagnosis of Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and other eating disorders in clients that are non-underweight. CBT-T has 5 phases, meal structure, cognitions around food, emotional triggers, body image, and relapse prevention. This evidenced based approach has been shown to have comparable outcomes as the standard therapy in half the time when client complete all ten sessions.

• CBT-AR- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a 20-30 session treatment for client with ARFID who are over the age of 15, regardless of underweight status. This evidenced based approach follows 4 stages, psychoeducation and early change, treatment planning based on individual presentation, addressing maintaining mechanisms, and relapse prevention.

• Outpatient Day Program - This outpatient program runs Monday-Friday from 0800-1800, and is a 10 week program located at the QE2 Hospital in Halifax NS. This program treats clients with Atypical Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and other eating disorders in clients that are non-underweight. This program includes supervised meals where clients prepare all of the food, in addition to attending groups that help clients develop skills like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Emotions Focused Therapy, Nutrition groups, Body Image groups, Process Groups, and weekly individual treatment planning with a clinician. For clients that live more than 50km distance, lodging is arranged through the Point Pleasant Lodge, or available hotels close to the hospital.

• Inpatient Eating Disorder Program - This inpatient program treats clients with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, ARFID, or other eating and feeding disorders where symptoms are severe, or medical fragility is present. Treatment can run an average of 8-10weeks, however may be longer or shorter depending on medical status and treatment progression. Inpatient treatment includes 24 hour support and medical monitoring, including a baseline EKG, daily bloodwork for 7 days to monitor for Refeeding Syndrome, and an intake assessment with unit hospitalist. All meals and snacks are provided to clients through hospital food service, and are supervised by specialized Eating Disorder nurses. Bathroom supervision, nutritional supplement, and bedrest are utilized to manage urges to purge, restrict, and excessively move, to provide clients with the best opportunity to recover and not engage is disordered symptoms. Once weight restoration to a BMI of 19-20, and/or an elimination of compensatory behaviors is realized, discharge planning to home, or outpatient services can be arranged.

• FBT- Family Based Therapy - FBT focuses on supporting parents in stopping their child or adolescent’s disordered eating. FBT is the most common type of child and adolescent treatment for eating disorders. In FBT Parents will help children learn how to eat and live without the eating disorder, and gain healthy control of their food and activity choices. FBT has 3 phases:

1. Restoring weight and/or developing normal eating habits and hunger cues.
2. Helping the child or adolescent regain independence with eating.
3. Returning to healthy development.