CBT-E for Eating Disorders

This service is for adults only. You may be eligible for treatment via the NHS and I encourage you to speak to your GP (doctor).

CBT-E is a specialist treatment for people with eating disorders, primarily directed at preventing binge eating. It is a ‘transdiagnostic’ treatment which means that it is relevant to the range of disordered eating, including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. It has been developed by the eating disorder research unit at the University of Oxford, is recommended by NICE and is used by the NHS. It has been in existence for many years, continually developed and updated.

There is a lot of information about CBT-E via the weblinks provided at the bottom of this page, as well as links providing information about the health risks associated with eating disorders. If you think you have an eating disorder you are advised to contact you GP (doctor).

For most individuals the treatment is 20 weeks in duration. For people that are underweight, the treatment is considerably longer – 40 weeks. I do not currently provide the longer treatment so anyone considering undertaking treatment with me will need to have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of more than 19. If you are not sure or want to discuss this please contact me, or speak to your GP.

If your BMI is under 19 and have an eating disorder, you can be considered ‘underweight’. There could be serious health issues / implications, and you should contact your GP (doctor).

Prior to agreeing to provision of the 20 week treatment commencing I require individuals to arrange with me:

Consultation session (50 minutes)
Assessment session (1 hour 30 minutes)

For the treatment to be effective individuals must be committed and motivated to change. This involves arranging a set time and day for sessions. For the first 4 weeks this involves sessions twice a week. After that sessions move to once a week, and towards the end of treatment, to once per fortnight. No sessions can be missed in the first 6 weeks and after that, there should not be a break of more than 2 weeks. Once treatment has started, sessions are 50 minutes – 1 hour long.

Treatment is usually provided on a one to one basis. But, if you are interested in joining a group treatment please let me know. The size of a group can be 2 or 3 people maximum. Joining a group does reduce fees and can provide some benefits in terms of group dynamics. Information about fees is provided on the Fees webpage.

Self-help:

It is very possible to work through CBT-E without a therapist. The book which can be used is:

Overcoming Binge Eating: Second Edition: The Proven Program to Learn Why You Binge and How You Can Stop (guilford.com)

See also this online workbook, in-line with the CBT-E method:

Eating Disorders Self-Help Resources – Information Sheets & Workbooks (health.wa.gov.au)

This is also a compatible method:

Eating Disorders Self-Help Resources – Information Sheets & Workbooks (health.wa.gov.au)

Another book which I believe is very useful and compatible with this approach is:

Binge No More: Your Guide to Overcoming Disordered Eating with Other – Joyce D. Nash (joycenash.com)