PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
Prior to engaging in psychological services, you/your child should undergo a medical examination by a pediatrician or family doctor to rule out physical causes for emotional and/or behavioural symptoms.
Following this, a comprehensive psychological evaluation is completed, lasting from 2-4 sessions. At the end of the evaluation, initial impressions and a working diagnosis are formulated. A treatment plan is then developed, tailored to your specific needs. If you/your child presents with an eating disorder, we can provide you with a nutritional assessment and treatment plan.
TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS:
FBT - Family Based Treatment For Restrictive Eating Disorders
FBT consists of three phases across 20 treatment sessions over a 12-month period. The main difference between FBT and traditional eating disorder treatments is that parents are seen as a key resource in assisting their child to recover.
Treatment for ARFID- CBT-AR & FBT
Because possible signs of ARFID can be so hard to interpret, it’s important to get a thorough evaluation from an experienced eating disorder specialist. The primary treatment goals of CBT-AR are to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, correct any nutritional deficiencies, eat foods from each of the five basic food groups and feel more comfortable eating in social situations.
FBI-Feeling and Body Investigators-ARFID DIVISION
Nancy Zucker’s Feeling and Body Investigators (FBI)—ARFID Division is a playful, developmentally appropriate treatment designed for children with ARFID. Although it was originally developed for young children, its principles and activities are also being adapted and used with older children and tweens. Children are invited to become “Feeling and Body Investigators” who approach their bodies with curiosity rather than fear.
CBT-E-Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Enhanced
CBT-E centres on the individual, encouraging adolescents to take control of their recovery journey. Parents are involved in a supportive role, helping to create a positive environment for the patient’s recovery, though the primary responsibility remains with the adolescent. A major goal of CBT-E is to address the core psychological factors of eating disorders—concerns about shape, weight, dietary restraint, and restrictive behaviours.
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY FOR AN (ACT-AN)
Eating disorders have been difficult to treat because individuals closely link their disorder to their identity. ACT is an effective treatment for eating disorders because it encourages a more flexible and inclusive sense of self that is anchored in the life-affirming direction of one’s values.
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS FOR EATING DISORDERS
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapy that helps teens understand and heal the different “parts” of themselves. All of us have parts—some may be self-critical, others protective, and others overwhelmed. In eating disorders, certain parts often use food or body image to cope with painful feelings or experiences.
Dietician Services
Malnutrition can occur in all different types of bodies, requiring comprehensive assessments for all eating disorder presentations, regardless of diagnosis and body size. In collaboration with you and your therapist, our registered dietician will help you create achievable goals to ensure your child is adequately nourished throughout recovery. This can be challenging, as nutritional needs can fluctuate in youth, especially during periods of growth.
OTHER TREATMENTS PROVIDED:
CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a short-term treatment (8-12 sessions) that can be highly effective for many disorders including childhood anxiety, depression, and explosive anger disorders.
DBT- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
DBT allows young people to learn a variety of skills in the following areas: mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance. DBT seeks to balance two concepts that may appear to be quite opposite; acceptance and change.