Orlando Treatment For Eating Disorders
Evidence-Based Treatment & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia, Bulimia, and Overeating Issues

At GroundWork Counseling in Orlando, we provide eating disorder treatment, and therapy through effective and evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We understand that for many, eating is a large part of our daily lives. It has the power to bring great pleasure while also being a source of fuel for our bodies to survive and maintain its energy needs. It often connects us socially and distinguishes us culturally. Yet, there are many who silently struggle with deeply, entrenched personal challenges around food and/or eating. Often, with a lot of these daily struggles come intense waves of emotion including guilt and shame. Many begin to feel helpless and filled with self-doubt from continuous attempts of climbing out of their own mental imprisonment by the use of their own determination and willpower …only to fall back into old habits once again.

Issues around eating and food are more prevalent in the times we live than ever before. We live, work, rest, play, and shop in media-saturated environments where images and messages come at us (and register in our brains with consistent exposure) faster than we realize to accept ideals and values around body image, beauty, and attractiveness. And media is just part of the issue. Eating disorders, disordered eating patterns, and overeating issues are complex in their nature. Each may manifest, survive, and be reinforced for a variety of reasons and will vary, person to person. Due to the often deeply entrenched, cognitive roots of these issues, one of the most effective treatment approaches available today is cognitive-behavioral therapy.

What is CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)?

When compared to other methods, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is known to be the most effective and evidenced-based approach to treating eating disorders, with supporting evidence from numerous controlled studies. CBT encourages clients to enter into counseling with an attitude based on adventure, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment since it requires a range of new thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, and feelings which may feel very uncomfortable for many at first. It calls for a high level of commitment on the client as they actively engage with the therapist in goal setting and fulfilling homework in between sessions that is relevant to their recovery.

CBT assumes thoughts and feelings are linked with one’s behavior. It helps clients to understand what they can and cannot control and learn new skills to reframe negative, self-defeating thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes leading to destructive actions or behaviors in their lives. In session, a trained counselor may pick up on a client’s language connected to self-defeating thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs and rationally challenge them in order to promote awareness and change.

Why is CBT the Preferred Treatment For Eating Disorders?

Considered the gold-standard approach to treating eating disorders and disordered eating patterns, CBT has proven itself to not only show the highest success rate in terms of recovery and the prevention of relapsing among clients with eating disorders but this approach is also popular among clients due to its short-term effectiveness. Typically, CBT treatment lasts no more than six months.

After six months, clients are recommended to continue with recovery sessions (which may be spaced with less frequency than previous weekly sessions). This phase encourages clients to continue the ongoing practice of skills gained, reinforcing overall positive changes while also offering continued support towards any new goals.

Find Qualified Help

Today, both culturally and clinically, we have more awareness around many eating disorders, disordered eating patterns, and overeating issues. Although there is still so much work to be done, at least there are effective treatments in place for those seeking healing and recovery. When seeking therapy, it is important to find a therapist who is equipped who has received certification in CBT to be sure you are receiving evidenced-based practices.

At GroundWork Counseling in Orlando, we provide eating disorder treatment through effective and evidenced-based CBT coupled with nutrition consultations.