Eating Disorders therapists

About eating disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental-health conditions with the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness — a fact that's underreported and often surprises people. They include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and the broad category of OSFED that captures patterns that don't fit neatly into the others. Most people who have an eating disorder don't look the way the popular image suggests. The disorder operates in your relationship with food, body, and self-worth — not in any particular body size.

Eating disorders require specialized treatment. General therapy isn't enough, and well-meaning therapists without specific training can sometimes cause harm by inadvertently reinforcing the disorder or missing acute medical risk. The therapists in this directory who treat eating disorders have specific training and typically work as part of a team that includes a medical provider, often a dietitian, and sometimes a psychiatrist. This multidisciplinary approach is the standard of care.

The evidence-based treatments depend on the diagnosis and the person. For anorexia nervosa in adolescents, Family-Based Treatment (FBT, or the Maudsley approach) has the strongest evidence and involves parents directly in renourishment. For adults with anorexia, CBT-E (enhanced CBT specifically for eating disorders), MANTRA, and Specialist Supportive Clinical Management have evidence bases. For bulimia and binge eating disorder, CBT-E is the front-line treatment, with Interpersonal Therapy as an alternative.

Some patterns require a higher level of care than weekly outpatient therapy — partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, residential, or inpatient programs depending on medical stability and severity. A specialized therapist will help you assess what level of care you need and coordinate referrals when outpatient isn't enough.

If you're worried about a loved one, particularly an adolescent, early treatment significantly improves outcomes. Don't wait for the diagnosis to be obvious or for them to ask for help; many people with eating disorders never ask. Submit the matching form on their behalf and our intake coordinator can help you think through next steps.

If you're medically unstable — fainting, chest pain, recent rapid weight loss, electrolyte symptoms, frequent purging — please reach out to your primary-care provider or an emergency department before starting outpatient therapy. Eating disorders cause real medical complications that aren't fixable through talk therapy alone.

For more information and support, the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) helpline is at 1-800-931-2237. To find a therapist for eating-disorder treatment, browse the profiles below or submit the matching form.