Boston-Area Eating Disorder Therapy

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving a disturbance in eating patterns. Other not formally diagnosed eating habits are also important to treat. Symptoms may include eating much less than is needed for a healthy diet, or eating in the absence of hunger, not maintaining an appropriate weight and being underweight, binge-eating followed by behavior that compensates for the overeating such as purging or fasting.

In spite of the seriousness, eating disorders are one of the most treatable mental illnesses and there is hope for a recovery.

Eating disorders should be treated by skilled therapists who take a collaborative approach, with partnerships that may include dieticians, primary care doctors, and psychiatrists. Therapy sessions might focus on the beliefs that drive your disordered eating behaviors, learning new coping skills, and gradually replacing your disordered behaviors with other self-soothing strategies.

Treating eating disorders in Boston

What are the types of eating disorders?

As you read through this website, it is important to remember that there are many types of eating disorders. These include anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, as well as other specified feeding or eating disturbances (OSFED) more commonly known as an “eating disorder not otherwise unspecified.”

• Anorexia nervosa refers to restricting food intake, leading to the body weighing less than what is deemed acceptable and normal for the person’s height and age.
• Bulimia nervosa includes the individual feeling a lack of control over their eating. They often have periods where they binge and purge, as well as using self-induced vomiting, laxatives, fasting, or exercise to compensate for overeating.
• Binging, or binge eating disorder, is characterized by episodes of consuming large quantities of food very quickly (typically over the span of a few minutes) without any self-induced vomiting or other compensatory behaviors found in bulimia. Staying healthy and getting treatment for eating disorder symptoms is crucial to a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

What is the prevalence of eating disorders?

Eating disorders affect at least 30 million people in the U.S., including men, women, and children of all races and ethnicities. Eating disorders have a fatal outcome for at least one person every hour.

What age groups do eating disorders typically occur in?

Eating disorders are not limited to the young. Approximately 1 out of 8 people 50 and older have an eating disorder.

Boston Eating Disorder Treatment

What is the typical treatment plan for eating disorders?

Treating an eating disorder usually involves a team of healthcare professionals, including a therapist, nutritionist, physician and psychiatrist. Treatment is tailored to the severity of the patient’s symptoms. The best approach to understanding and treating an eating disorder is holistic. It encompasses all parts of the problem, including management of body image, nutrition, and thoughts about food.

Dietitians, with their expertise in nutrition and counseling abilities, can provide an important service to individuals recovering from eating disorders. A dietitian can help someone recovering from anorexia, for example, learn how to eat a healthy diet and identify foods which are considered “safe.”

Boston Resources for those with Eating Disorders

What eating disorder treatment centers and associations are located in the Greater Boston Area?

Walden Behavioral Health: Walden Behavioral Health offers a holistic approach for people suffering from eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED), orthorexia, and diabulimia. Walden Behavioral Health has in-network arrangements with major insurance companies and accepts out-of-network insurance arrangements. All plans have co-payments and deductibles that the patient or guarantor is responsible for paying. If your insurance company does not cover Walden’s services, the staff will work with you on alternatives. They are one of the first hospitals in the United States to provide a spectrum of care ranging from diagnosis, individual counseling, and diet. Services offered by the center include inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient care and typical outpatient treatment. They have 8 locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut. In Massachusetts, they are located in Waltham, Braintree, Peabody, Milford, Worcester, and Amherst; in Connecticut, they are located in Vernon, South Windsor (serving Tolland County), Guilford.

Best of all, I have worked there for many years!

Multi-service Eating Disorders Association (MEDA): MEDA is a resource for those with eating disorders in Newton, Massachusetts. MEDA’s mission is threefold: to heal, educate and empower the individual with an eating disorder; their family and community members who are impacted by mental illness. Besides direct support for the professionals treating eating disorder patients, they also provide important services directly to those suffering from eating disorders and their families, such as finding nearby treatment centers.

The Renfrew Center: The Renfrew Center is a residential treatment center for the treatment of eating disorders. The company offers evidence-based, emotion-focused treatment interventions for eating disorders. Renfrew accepts more than 430 different health insurance plans and will work with patients to provide an individualized plan if a particular company does not cover their services.

Monte Nido: Monte Nido Eating Disorder of Boston treats both male and female adolescents and adults. Individual counseling, weekend group therapy, or monthly family therapy are available to people of all ages. They have a program for adolescents called Adolescent Day Treatment Programming. Admission specialists work with patients and families to figure out how much coverage the patient’s insurance will provide. In addition, Monte Nido coordinates with insurance companies to provide the best care possible while reducing costs. This may include contracting for a single case agreement. They have two programs, their day program in Downtown Boston and their residential program in Medford, MA.

What eating disorder-focused support groups are available in Boston?

Group therapy sessions can also provide support for those with eating disorders. The Cambridge Eating Disorder Center holds a free support group once per month every first Tuesday at 6:00 pm for anyone dealing with an eating disorder. On the second Tuesday of every month, they offer a group for family members of those with an eating disorder.

Are there other resources are available for eating disorders in Boston?

Project HEAL: Project HEAL is a non-profit organization that advocates for everyone who is seeking treatment, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation or income level. They provide financial assistance for treatment to people who may not be able to afford it. Included in their services is Communities for HEALing, a peer mentorship program where they offer one-on-one and local weekly support groups. Communities for HEALing is undergoing a research study that will demonstrate whether different kinds of mentorship can help people recover from an eating disorder.

IAEDP: The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP) of Metro Boston is a wonderful resource for clinicians seeking feedback from their peers and advice from therapists with expertise in eating disorders.