The Importance of Having a Dietitian and Therapist on Your Treatment Team
Collab Counseling and Nutrition Team
Have you ever wondered whether you should work with a therapist or dietitian when seeking help for your eating disorder/disordered eating struggles? Maybe you’re nervous that a dietitian will make you gain weight or force you to eat specific foods. Perhaps you aren’t ready to talk about your struggles or even fully give up your eating disorder and you fear that a therapist will push you to do just that.
We understand that seeking treatment can be confusing, uncomfortable, expensive, and scary. Today, we plan to share some insights into what it's like to work with a dietitian and/or therapist at Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition, along with some tips for building your treatment team.
Building a Treatment Team
When it comes to recovery from an eating disorder, it’s important to have a team. No single professional can address all the facets that come with recovery. A treatment team generally includes a therapist, dietitian, psychiatrist, and primary care physician. Depending on cost and access to care, some individuals might not have all members as a part of their team, and that’s okay. Some people might feel more comfortable starting their recovery journey with a dietitian, while others might start with a therapist. There is no right or wrong approach, as long as you are working with team members you trust and support you.
A few recommendations when seeking professionals/building your treatment team
Our top recommendation is to work with a professional(s) that are eating disorder informed. This helps to ensure they are familiar with the nuances and challenges that come with recovery and can support the individual in the best possible way.
Consider working with professionals that are HAES-aligned (Health At Every Size). HAES principles include weight inclusivity, health enhancement, respectful care, eating for well-being, and life-enhancing movement [1]. Weight inclusivity and respectful care are two crucial ideas that can make a significant difference in recovery because people of all shapes, sizes, genders, ethnicities, abilities, and ages deserve access to quality, affirming care.
Inclusivity and accessibility are crucial. BIPOC individuals are 50% less likely than non-BIPOC people to be diagnosed with an eating disorder or receive treatment [2]. Eighty-seven percent of LGBTQIA+ youth report being dissatisfied with their body, with rates 10% higher among transgender and nonbinary youth [2]. Of adults with eating disorders, 20-30% have autism [2]. People in larger bodies are half as likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder [2]. As you can see from these few statistics, eating disorders do not discriminate and do not just affect thin, white, affluent women. Quality eating disorder treatment needs to include team members that affirm and treat all people.
Benefits of Working with a Dietitian
A dietitian’s main role is to address malnutrition and encourage proper nutrition. A dietitian focuses on addressing malnutrition, medical complications, mental health, and day-to-day struggles.
A dietitian provides education and knowledge regarding the physical issues of your eating disorder—specifically malnutrition. Many patients get used to their symptoms, which makes them harder to detect. Thanks to dietetic training and education, we use lab results, intake, and patient records to detect symptoms of malnutrition. Your dietitian works with your physician to address medical complications or concerns.
Unlike other professionals on your recovery team, a dietitian provides nutrition education by simplifying changes to your intake and how to make them. We set realistic goals that are challenging while supporting you. Although many mental health professionals are knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition, they need to use their time addressing mental health concerns, not dietary concerns. Likewise, dietitians spend their time addressing nutrition concerns, not mental health concerns.
A dietitian’s job is to communicate frequently with you. This lets you and your dietitian work through barriers to changing your intake. Open communication helps relieve the anxiety that stems from making changes to your intake. Your dietitian understands these challenges and will be there to support you.
Benefits of Working with a Therapist
A therapist's main role is to address the underlying or contributing factors of an eating disorder. There is no single factor that can predict the development of an eating disorder, but rather a host of contributing factors ranging from genetics and trauma to environmental and cultural factors. Therapists work to create a space where individuals feel comfortable and safe sharing their struggles.
A therapist provides education and knowledge regarding the mental and emotional issues of your eating disorder. At Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition, we like to call eating disorders Emotional Management Systems. This points to the fact that eating disorders are often used as a (maladaptive) coping tool to manage mental, emotional, and physical distress. Essentially, eating disorders are not just about food or body image. The problem is not the problem. Therapists work to understand distress and struggles in an effort to allow individuals the opportunity to process the things that happened to them so they can work toward healing.
Unlike other professionals on your recovery team, a therapist provides psychoeducation on how to manage mental and emotional distress using evidence-based practices. This might look like helping clients learn to identify, understand, and express their emotions. Therapists help clients work through disordered thought patterns and distorted self-perception. Additionally, therapists help individuals learn to identify and express their needs and find sustainable coping strategies. Most of all, therapists meet clients where they are at.
A therapist’s job is to foster a relationship in which the individual feels comfortable and safe communicating. For some, a therapist is the only person that truly understands their world by listening to and supporting them. The strongest predictor of positive outcomes is the therapeutic relationship. Therapists do not fix problems; they support the client in removing barriers that keep them from helping themselves.
Seeking Help
The therapists and dietitians at Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition are all eating disorder informed and HAES-aligned. Our aim is to provide holistic and compassionate eating disorder treatment services. Because dietitians and therapists work in the same office, we regularly collaborate and work to meet clients where they are in order to provide the best care.
If you are someone you love has been considering help for their eating disorder, please feel free to fill out the contact form on our website and a team member will get in contact with you.
[1]. ASDAH. (2023, April 1). The Health at Every Size® (HAES®) Principles - ASDAH. https://asdah.org/health-at-every-size-haes-approach/
[2]. Giachin, G. (2023). Eating Disorder Statistics | General & Diversity Stats | ANAD. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. https://anad.org/eating-disorders-statistics/
Collaborative Counseling & Nutrition is an outpatient nutrition and body image counseling center, with locations in Indianapolis and Carmel, that provides compassionate, holistic eating disorder treatment. Through practicing mindfulness, intuition, and Health At Every Size, we are on a mission to help you find a true state of well-being! We take an anti-diet, weight-inclusive approach with all our clients and work to help guide you towards a way of healthy living designed by you, just for you! This post is for education purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for treatment for an eating disorder. If you are looking for a registered dietitian or therapist to assist you on your recovery journey, please reach out today!
