Do you struggle with eating too much or too little? Are you feeling preoccupied with your weight and shape? Do you want to get better but don’t know where to start?
Deciding to seek treatment for disordered eating is no easy task. You probably have hesitations, worries, and questions. You might not know exactly what you need to get better. Understanding the different types of eating disorder therapy in New Jersey can help you choose the best option for your needs. With guidance from a qualified professional, you or your loved ones can manage symptoms and step on the road to recovery.
Although each program may vary, treatment for disordered eating can include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy with others in recovery
- Family therapy
- Medical services
- Nutrition support and education
- Psychiatric services (also known as medication management)
You may be wondering, what level of treatment is best for me? Do I need to be hospitalized for my disordered eating? Choosing the right level of care to meet your unique needs is key to having a successful treatment experience. Let’s take a look at the levels of treatment and the different types of eating disorder therapy in New Jersey.
Different Levels of Eating Disorder Treatment in New Jersey
Inpatient Hospitalization
This is the highest level of care for individuals in need of medical support. Inpatient treatment for eating disorders in offers around-the-clock care. This means psychosocial, nutritional, and medical services are provided. It is geared towards severe eating disorders and is best for those with health conditions that need to be closely monitored. The goal of this level of care includes getting your body and mind to a stable state. In other words, being able to function well enough that you can survive, physically and mentally, in the outside world.
Residential Treatment
Residential care is similar to the inpatient setting as it offers 24/7 support. The main difference in this setting is severity. Those in residential treatment are medically stable, meaning their lives are not at risk. And yet, they are in need of structure and supervision to manage disordered eating behaviors. Here, you’ll receive nutritional, medical, and therapeutic intervention as you obtain the tools and skills to transition into a lower level of care.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Partial hospitalization is for individuals who don’t need around-the-clock care, but still need intensive support. Unlike inpatient and residential programs, PHP allows you to practice recovery skills in real-life settings. This means you go home at the end of the day to apply the skills you’ve learned. The intensity and frequency of this level of care are greater than what outpatient services (i.e. meeting with a therapist once a week) can provide. In PHP, you can expect to attend a program for several hours per day for about 5 days per week.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
The idea of intensive outpatient is to help you transition back to your everyday environment. At this level of care, there is some flexibility to remain/return to work or school. Depending on the facility and your unique needs, you can expect to attend a program for 2-5 days per week.
Outpatient Treatment
This is where we come in. Outpatient therapy is the lowest level of care. Outpatient treatment includes meeting with a New Jersey eating disorder counselor once or twice per week. Depending on your needs, you may have other professionals as a part of your outpatient treatment team (i.e., dietician, psychiatric medication prescriber). There are a variety of types of therapy that can be used in outpatient treatment.
Let’s explore some of the common types of therapy for NJ eating disorder treatment and how they can help in more detail.
Common Types of New Jersey Eating Disorder Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT can help you to understand the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Through CBT, you learn to recognize how certain thoughts and feelings impact eating disorder behaviors. CBT can help you to reflect and shift negative thoughts about food and appearance.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
In DBT you will gain greater awareness of harmful behaviors. You will learn to recognize situations and feelings that trigger those behaviors. With greater awareness, you will learn how to control your reactions. You will also learn to incorporate healthier skills to manage feelings that come up for you. DBT incorporates mindfulness practices, emotional regulation skills, distress tolerance skills, and interpersonal effectiveness skills.
Family Therapy
Incorporating your support system is an important part of the process. Family-based therapies help parents and caregivers learn skills for repairing relationships. Families learn ways that they can best support their loved one struggling with an eating disorder.
Other common types of therapy include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), Art Therapy, and Movement Therapy.
What eating disorder treatment is best for me?
Now that we have gone over the different types of treatment, you may still be wondering the best way to determine what level and type of treatment is best for you. The process for determining the appropriate level of care often starts with a comprehensive assessment. During this assessment, information about your needs are evaluated by a professional.
Recommendations for care are based on the standard of care guidelines for eating disorders and how severe your symptoms are. Other factors considered when determining the recommended level of treatment include:
- Co-occurring conditions (mental illness and substance use)
- Medical instability
- Treatment history
- Nutritional intake
- The accessibility of your support system
- Environment
- Access to transportation
- Insurance coverage
Qualified mental health professionals are here to help you review the above information and recommend the best course of treatment. Even just a 15-minute consultation with a New Jersey eating disorder therapist can help you figure out next steps.
Disordered Eating Treatment in New Jersey
Here at Mindful Connections Counseling, our New Jersey eating disorder therapists provide quality, outpatient treatment for disordered eating. Our approach includes assessing and treating the whole person. To ensure the best possible outcome, we create an individualized plan to best fit your unique needs. With a focus on restoring the body and mind, you will deepen your understanding of your emotional and physical symptoms. You can establish new and healthy strategies for coping with disordered eating, thinking, and behaviors.
Talk With an Eating Disorder Counselor in New Jersey
If you or a loved one is struggling with disordered eating, you’re not alone. Recovery is possible. There are many resources available to help you find treatment.
Don’t know where to start? Fill out a request form on our contact page. We will get back to you within 1 business day (excluding holidays) for a phone consultation. The initial phone consultation with one of our compassionate team members is complimentary and helps us learn more about how we can help on your wellness journey. This initial phone consultation includes telling us about what you’ve been struggling with, or what you hope to achieve. Our team members will then match you with one of our New Jersey eating disorder therapists.
New Jersey Family Therapy for Eating Disorders
If someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder, you might not know where to turn. You may feel too ashamed to tell anyone about how an eating disorder is impacting your family. You might fear judgment or unsolicited advice from others. Or perhaps, you’re too overwhelmed to take in any advice.
With the right guidance and techniques, families can learn to address the impact of an eating disorder on their family. This requires a professional who not only specializes in eating disorder therapy in New Jersey but is also skilled in treating families. Our New Jersey eating disorder counselors can help your family communicate more effectively.
If you’re ready to make a change, contact us by filling out a request form today.
