How Effective is Eating Disorder Therapy?

Treating such complex conditions is, unfortunately, not a one-size-fits-all situation. Usually, several types of therapy are needed to help a patient address and overcome their eating disorder symptoms and the many contributing factors that drive them.

Thankfully, there are also many effective therapies for eating disorders. The most effective treatment for eating disorders will vary from patient to patient and depend on a number of individual factors. However, many people can achieve sustainable recovery through a combination of individual and group therapy, nutritional therapy, and other types of care.

Effective Individual Therapies for Eating Disorders

Individual therapy is essentially what it sounds like: meeting with a mental health professional for one-on-one sessions. Nearly all eating disorder treatment programs involve some form of individual therapy.

There are many different types of individual therapy, with different structures and guiding philosophies, which may be more helpful for different people. But in general, these programs are considered effective therapy for eating disorders.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most common—and effective—therapies for eating disorders. It’s the leading recommended treatment for patients with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.¹

The program helps patients learn to recognize their disordered thought patterns and offers tools to help redirect these thoughts in healthier ways. A version of this treatment called enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-e) is considered even more effective, helping patients address both disordered thoughts and behavioral complications that work to maintain eating disorders.¹

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

Interpersonal psychotherapy was developed to help people better navigate significant life changes and social relationships. As such, it focuses more on present issues rather than looking back on previous experiences and gives patients tools to better set and enforce boundaries and communicate more clearly and honestly, with hopes of boosting self-esteem and other positive emotions.

It’s also an effective therapy for eating disorders and has been found particularly helpful for those with BED, BN, or other disorders that involve binge eating.² The idea is that helping people repair their sense of self-worth can help them reduce the type of stress that may trigger binge eating episodes.²

Family-Based Therapy (FBT)

Family-based therapy, sometimes called family-based treatment, involves parents and sometimes other family members in treatment. Parents or caregivers are educated and empowered to take a more significant role in a patient’s food choices, and that role is slowly reduced as therapy continues.

The overall idea of FBT is to help parents or caregivers learn how to create an environment at home conducive to recovery. Due to the involvement of caregivers, this type of therapy is considered especially helpful for adolescents struggling with anorexia nervosa.³

Group Therapy for Eating Disorders

Group therapy is also similar to what it sounds like: meeting up with groups of people who are struggling with eating disorders and going through therapeutic exercises together. One or several mental health professionals can administer this type of treatment, and sessions can revolve around individuals sharing specific concerns or the group working together on certain skills or concepts.

Group therapy can also be part of other therapy programs, including CBT. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), another effective therapy for eating disorders, requires patients to attend group therapy sessions as part of the program.

Group therapy offers other benefits for those recovering from eating disorders. Interacting with others struggling with similar experiences can help combat feelings of isolation and loneliness while building a support network for patients. It can also empower patients to heal by sharing their experiences and giving them a safe space to practice new coping skills.

Nutritional Therapy for Eating Disorders

Nutritional therapy is also part of many eating disorder recovery programs. This broad term covers a number of strategies and techniques designed to help someone repair their relationship with food.

Through nutritional therapy, patients may be counseled on the nutritional value of food and taught how to design a well-rounded, healthy meal plan. They may also work more specifically on overcoming fears tied to specific foods and learning to expand their diet in healthier ways.

Nutritionists may also help patients better gauge their hunger levels with tools like the hunger-satiety scale to reduce instances of binge eating or related issues.⁴ This type of care can also address physical or medical problems related to malnutrition, and some nutritional counselors also help patients build a healthier relationship with their bodies and body image.

Effective Alternative Therapies for Eating Disorders

When exploring effective therapy for eating disorders, there are several evidence-based treatments or those that have been thoroughly tested by the scientific community and are generally agreed to work. But alternative therapies may also be helpful.

These methods generally aren’t as well-tested as evidence-based treatments, but patients report anecdotally that they help. Some of the most common alternative therapies for eating disorders include:⁵

• Art therapy
• Exposure therapy
• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Bright light therapy

When treating eating disorders, alternative therapies are usually used alongside other forms of care rather than as a primary treatment.

How Effective is Therapy for Eating Disorders?

While eating disorders can be challenging to overcome, treatment has been found to help.

Several studies have looked at the effects of treating binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa with therapies like IPT, cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based treatment, and other types of care, finding these methods to be successful. Overall, behavior-based treatment, like cognitive behavioral therapy, was found to be the most effective treatment for eating disorders.⁶

The effectiveness of group therapy for eating disorders has also been studied. Results indicated that attending these sessions was also helpful for patients, by and large, and encouraged recovery at a greater rate than those who did not participate in group therapy.⁷

Why Therapy for Eating Disorders is Important

Eating disorders are among the most complex mental health conditions, often developed from a combination of genetic, cognitive, and environmental factors and involving nearly all aspects of health and wellness. Combating these types of issues is, unfortunately, not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Therapy is an essential part of the treatment process. Speaking with a mental health professional can help patients better identify their emotions and understand why they feel this way. Therapists also provide patients with new tools or skills to help them move on from harmful thoughts and behaviors.

Nutritional counseling can help patients mend their relationships with food and body image. Alternative therapies, like art therapy, can help them access thoughts and emotions they otherwise would not be able to express.

These programs are effective because they force patients to address their problems directly. This is often the first step toward helping patients understand why their thoughts or behaviors are harmful and giving them the support they need to pursue recovery.If you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder, it’s important to find help. These conditions may be complex, but recovery is always possible with the right kind of care.