Finding the Right Treatment

Identifying the right eating disorder treatment for you or your loved one is often a daunting task for people. You may be asking yourself things like, “Where do I begin?” “How do I find qualified professionals?” or “What type of treatment would be best?”

The information below explains how to determine the appropriate level of care, who to include on your treatment team, and what questions to ask eating disorder professionals with whom you are considering working.

Inpatient or Outpatient?

There are many levels of care, or types of treatment, available to you or your loved one. The following information provides a short description of who may benefit the most from each level of care. Levels of care are listed in order from highest to lowest; people may vacillate between these levels depending on their symptoms.

1. ✴Emergency Hospitalization: this temporary level of care is recommended when a person is medically and/or psychiatrically unstable; their vital signs present an acute risk and they are experiencing medical complications; they are suicidal; a person may check him/herself into the hospital or a mental health professional can admit them.
   
   

2. ✴Inpatient/Residential: this level of care is recommended when a person is experiencing life-threatening physical problems and/or severe psychological or behavioral problems because of the eating disorder; clients live in a residential facility for many weeks (as determined by treatment team and insurance) and then transition into partial hospitalization or outpatient; click here for a list of inpatient/residential centers in Arizona.
   
   

3. ✴Partial Hospitalization/Intensive Outpatient: this level of care is recommended when a person is medically stable and there are no life-threatening issues; the person is not suicidal but the eating disorder is impairing the person’s ability to function throughout the day; eating disorder symptoms occur on a daily basis; client attends program several days a week for many hours per day (e.g., 4 hours per day 5 days a week).
   
   

4. ✴Outpatient: this level of care is recommended when a person is medically stable and does not need daily medical monitoring; symptoms are under sufficient control such that the person is able to function in normal social, educational, and/or vocational situations; emphasis in treatment is on eliminating all eating disorder symptoms and achieving a more fulfilling life; client typically attends no more than 1-2 hourly sessions per week.
   **This is the type of treatment I provide at A New Beginning.**
   
   

Treatment Team

A treatment team is a group of professionals working together with the same client who are all helping this person achieve the same goal. Members of a treatment team may all work at the same center and know each other very well, like the team with whom I work at A New Beginning; other times, clients create their own treatment team of professionals who do not necessarily know each other but who maintain ongoing communication as to your progress.

Ideally, a treatment team for a person with an eating disorder includes, but is not limited to, the following qualified professionals:

1. ✴Therapist: focuses on the mental health issues associated with an eating disorder
   
   

2. ✴Nutritionist/Dietician: creates an individualized nutrition plan that will help a person restore their physical health after experiencing an eating disorder; monitors physical complications that may arise while rebuilding a “normal” eating routine
   
   

3. ✴Psychiatrist: diagnoses the eating disorder and may recommend specific medication to help ease symptoms of bulimia, binge eating, or other mental health issues (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD)
   
   

4. ✴Physician: monitors the physical health of a person recovering from an eating disorder, conducts appropriate blood work tests to ensure a safe recovery
   
   

Other professionals who may be included in a person’s treatment team include: dentist, gynecologist, art therapist, dance/movement therapist, massage therapist, personal trainer, and bariatric surgeon.

Interview Questions to Ask Eating Disorder Professionals

When searching for the right provider for you or your loved one, there are many things to consider when determining if this person will be a good match. The following interview questions may help you in determining which provider will be the best fit for you. As they answer your questions, be mindful of your personal reactions to what they are saying - your instinct will help you determine if this person feels like a good fit for you or your loved one.

1. 1) Are you licensed by the state in which you are practicing?
   
   

2. 2) How long have you been specializing in the treatment of eating disorders?
   
   

3. 3)Have you worked with a diverse clientele, including men and racial/ethnic minorities with eating disorders?
   
   

4. 4) Have you had clients successfully recover from their eating disorders?
   
   

5. 5) What is your treatment style?
   
   

6. 6) What is your belief about why people develop eating disorders?
   
   

7. 7) What is your belief about when and how people should try to stop using eating disorder symptoms?
   
   

8. 8)How do you handle medical emergencies, in which symptom use is severe or somebody threatens to harm themselves or others?
   
   

9. 9)What is your belief about whether or not people should take medication to help them recover from an eating disorder?
   
   

10. 10) If I don’t already have a treatment team established (e.g., psychiatrist, nutritionist), can you provide reliable referrals? Have you worked with these professionals before? Are they knowledgeable about how to specifically work with people who have eating disorders?
    
    

11. 11) Do you allow family members and/or friends to participate in therapy if the client prefers that?
    
    

12. 12) What is your belief about if and how parents can help their children recover from an eating disorder?
    
    

13. 13) What is your appointment availability? How often will we meet? How long do the appointments last?
    
    

14. 14) How long will the treatment process take? When will we know it’s time to stop treatment?
    
    

15. 15) Can I use my insurance to pay for services?
    
    

16. 16) Are you available via phone or email in between sessions?