Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders

The experts at NYU Langone offer psychotherapy to help overcome eating disorders. Their goal is to change a person’s thoughts and feelings about food and weight—and, as a result, improve eating habits and overall nutrition.

Psychotherapy, or “talk” therapy, involves talking with a mental health professional to manage a mental illness. Psychotherapy can occur one-on-one or in a group.

Psychotherapy can teach people with eating disorders how to exchange unhealthy habits for healthy ones, as well as improve attitudes toward weight and body image. It may address self-esteem, stress, friendships, and family relationships, with an emphasis on building coping skills.

Eating disorders commonly occur along with other psychiatric disorders, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. These and other coexisting conditions can also be managed with psychotherapy at NYU Langone.

The length of therapy varies, depending on the diagnosis and your symptoms. Treatment for a mild eating disorder may be relatively short, requiring as few as five or six sessions. More severe eating disorders may require long-term therapy, which can last six months to a year or longer.