Frequently Asked Questions
What is nutrition therapy? Nutrition therapy is much more than simply educating you about good nutrition and exercise. Nutrition therapy is a collaboration between you and your dietitian to help you:
- To change relationship with food, so that a supportive eating style becomes second nature to you.
- To re-learn how to use internal signals of hunger, fullness and satisfaction to successfully manage food and weight.
- To challenge beliefs that keep you stuck in old patterns and develop new beliefs that will support healthful eating patterns and weight.
- To develop a lifestyle that includes pleasureable eating and joyful movement that supports health and well being.
- To establish an attitude of acceptance and gratitude regarding your natural body.
- To trust in your ability to maintain a healthy weight range and have a peaceful relationship with food, eating and your body.
How is nutrition therapy different from psychotherapy? Nutrition therapy focuses on food, weight, body image, physical activity and thought patterns that are keeping you from living a healthful, balanced life. It’s about finding alternatives to the diet mindset and behaviors that are non-supportive while developing an awareness of personal needs and learning how to use internal cues to manage your food and weight.
Psychotherapy focuses on the underlying issues fueling the eating problems, dealing with past and present relationships, feelings, trauma history, etc.
How long will nutrition therapy take? How much nutrition therapy you need depends on your goals. We have seen clients just one time, only to have them contact us later saying they had met their goals. However, with disordered eating and eating disorders, it can take anywhere from three months to five years, depending on many factors. We can give you an idea of how long it may take after your initial nutrition assessment. The Nutrition Therapist on your team will collaborate with your therapist and other members of your eating disorder treatment team to walk you through unraveling patterns that have taken years to establish.
How do I know if nutrition therapy is right for me? When eating issues and weight concerns are interfering with a full and functional life, the time is right for nutrition therapy. Changing disordered eating patterns requires a commitment and a willingness to take risks to restore health. A dietitian specializing in eating disorder recovery can assist you in making incremental changes in your eating patterns and be a supportive member of your recovery team.
Is it possible to fully recover from an eating disorder?