Roles of Eating Disorder Therapists & Dietitians in Recovery

Eating disorder recovery is rarely a one-person job. I often describe the therapist and dietitian as two important pieces of the same puzzle, with different areas of expertise that come together to support the whole person.

As a therapist, my role is to help you understand the emotional and relational pieces of your eating disorder, explore what your behaviors may be doing for you, and build a relationship with yourself that isn’t organized around food, exercise, or your body.

In our work together, we might explore the function of eating disorder behaviors, unpack messages you’ve absorbed from diet culture, work through body image concerns, and develop a more expansive understanding of health and wellbeing. We may also look at relationships, perfectionism, self-worth, emotions, and the experiences that have shaped how you relate to yourself and your body.

I work from a weight-inclusive, Health at Every Size-informed perspective, which means I’m not interested in helping you pursue a smaller body or measure your recovery by your weight. Instead, we can work toward greater flexibility, connection, and autonomy in your relationship with food, movement, and your body.

And when you're also working with a dietitian, we can each bring our own expertise to the process. Your dietitian can support the nutritional and medical pieces of recovery, while I focus more deeply on the emotional, psychological, and relational ones. Together, that can create a much more complete picture of what you need to heal.

Eating disorders often coexist with other mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance use, and complex trauma. Therapists assist individuals in engaging more adaptive coping strategies to manage stress, triggers, and emotions outside of unhelped behaviors. Eating disorder therapists also work collaboratively with clients to explore the root causes around disordered behaviors, such as trauma, prior experiences, and family-of-origin.

They may use a variety of approaches including narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (also known as “parts work”), and somatic therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). 

What Is the Role of a Dietitian in Eating Disorder Recovery?

Dietitians have a specialized focus on nutrition to ensure that clients are receiving the proper nourishment needed to recover. Dietitians thoroughly assess an individual’s relationship with food, current habits, behaviors, preferences, and dietary needs. Through this personalized assessment, they start a plan to help clients fuel themselves and enjoy food again. 

Dietitians provide education around nutrition, debunk myths around diet culture, support clients in tackling fear foods, and offer meal support. You might talk about your beliefs about food and rules around food. This work might also come up in your therapy sessions where your therapist can help you further unpack core beliefs and emotions around food, bodies, and movement. I recommend working with a Health at Every Size-aligned dietitian who can also provide support around intuitive eating and intuitive movement.

Who Else Might Be on My Recovery Treatment Team?

Treating eating disorders is complex and takes a holistic team. Recovery does not happen in isolation, which is why a strong support network of professionals, peers, and loved ones is needed. Other providers include psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners for medication management as well as a physician to monitor medical stability. We aim to collaborate with all providers to ensure holistic and lasting care. 

How Do Therapists and Dietitians Work Together in Eating Disorder Recovery?
With client consent, therapists and dietitians communicate regularly to create a more cohesive treatment plan. They may share notes and insights, offer updates on progress, or consult with one another to ask questions that may fall into the other’s area of expertise. Eating disorder recovery is an intricate and nuanced process that requires a multifaceted approach.

Collaboration between therapists and dietitians is essential for addressing the intricate interplay between mental health and nutrition. By recognizing and appreciating the distinct yet interconnected roles of these professionals, individuals on the path to recovery can benefit from a comprehensive and supportive framework that nurtures both the mind and body.

Ready to start working with an eating disorder therapist? Fill out my contact form to get in touch!