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Eating Disorders Treatment in Michigan | Counseling & Therapy

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Eating Disorders Treatment in Michigan helps people who feel stuck in food rules, body worry, bingeing, purging, or not eating enough. Many people try to “fix it” with willpower, but the thoughts and urges keep coming back and can harm your health and your life. Treatment gives you a safe, planned way to heal your relationship with food and your body, one step at a time. It is for teens and adults who want support, medical safety, and skills that last.

Signs You Might Benefit

Eating disorders can look different from person to person. You do not have to “look sick” to need help. If food, weight, or shape takes up a lot of your day, you deserve support.

  • Big swings in eating (binge eating, long fasting, strict dieting, or skipping meals)
  • Purging behaviors (vomiting, laxatives, diet pills, or over-exercising)
  • Fear of weight gain or strong body shame that affects school, work, or relationships
  • Hidden eating, guilt after eating, or feeling “out of control” with food
  • Rules around food (only “safe” foods, cutting food groups, panic when plans change)
  • Health concerns like dizziness, fainting, fatigue, missed periods, stomach pain, dental issues, or trouble sleeping
  • Mood changes like anxiety, depression, irritability, or isolation

Benefits of Treatment

  • Safer health through coordinated care and monitoring when needed
  • Less food noise (fewer obsessive thoughts about eating, weight, or calories)
  • Skills for urges like bingeing, purging, restriction, or compulsive exercise
  • Better coping for stress, trauma reactions, perfectionism, and big feelings
  • More trust in your body with steady eating and a kinder body image

Evidence-Based Approach

Effective care is structured and team-based. We use treatments supported by research and match them to your needs, your medical risk, and your life. The National Institutes of Health notes that eating disorders are serious medical and mental health conditions and respond best to early, evidence-based care (NIH, n.d.). We also follow Michigan licensing standards for ethical practice, privacy, documentation, and clinical competence (State of Michigan licensing requirements for behavioral health professionals).

Comprehensive Assessment and Medical Safety

Eating disorders can affect the heart, electrolytes, digestion, hormones, and brain function. When needed, we coordinate with your primary care provider and/or a psychiatrist and a registered dietitian. This helps ensure you are medically safe while you work on the psychological parts of recovery.

Therapy Modalities We May Use

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT / CBT-E): Helps change the thoughts and habits that keep the eating disorder going. CBT-E is a specialized form often used for eating disorders and focuses on patterns like restriction, body checking, and rigid rules.
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills: Teaches tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and impulse control, which can lower binge/purge urges and help with self-harm risk.
  • Family-Based Treatment (FBT) support: Often helpful for teens and young adults when family or caregivers can be part of care. It supports structured eating and reduces blame.
  • ACT and mindfulness strategies: Builds the ability to handle hard thoughts without obeying them, and to move toward values (health, school, sports, friendships) instead of the eating disorder’s rules.
  • Trauma-informed care: If trauma is part of the story, we go at a safe pace and use grounding and stabilization first. We do not push for details before you have strong coping tools.

Clinical Reasoning: How We Choose the Right Plan

We match the level of care to your current risk and needs. Some people do well in weekly outpatient therapy. Others may need a higher level of support like intensive outpatient (IOP), partial hospitalization (PHP), residential, or inpatient care for medical safety. The American Psychiatric Association provides level-of-care guidance used widely in eating disorder treatment planning (APA, 2023).

What to Expect

Starting can feel scary. We will move at a pace that feels steady and clear, while still making real progress. You will always know what we are doing and why.

First Contact and Intake

  • Brief phone consult (if available): We listen to your concerns and review next steps.
  • Intake session (60–90 minutes): We talk about eating patterns, body image, health history, mood, stress, sleep, exercise, and any purging behaviors. We also discuss supports at home and school/work.
  • Screening for safety: We ask about fainting, chest pain, self-harm, suicidality, and medical symptoms. If there is urgent risk, we help you access emergency or higher-level care right away.

Your Treatment Plan

You will get a plan with clear goals, like building regular meals, reducing binge/purge cycles, easing fear foods, and improving body respect. We also set goals for anxiety, depression, perfectionism, or trauma symptoms when relevant.

  • Session frequency: Often weekly at first; may increase during higher-risk times.
  • Skills practice: Simple homework like meal structure planning, urge surfing, coping cards, and thought logs.
  • Collaboration: With your permission, we coordinate with a dietitian, medical provider, psychiatrist, and family/support people.

Ongoing Sessions

Sessions are focused and supportive. We review wins, problem-solve barriers, and build practical tools. You can expect help with:

  • Planning balanced, regular eating (not dieting)
  • Managing fear foods and eating in social settings
  • Reducing body checking, comparison, and compulsive exercise
  • Handling triggers like stress, conflict, or comments about appearance
  • Building self-worth not tied to weight or performance

Insurance

Many patients use insurance for eating disorder care, but benefits can vary by plan. We will help you understand your options and what costs may look like.

Common Out-of-Pocket Costs

  • Copay: A set amount you pay per visit (for example, $20–$60), depending on your plan.
  • Deductible: The amount you may need to pay before insurance starts paying more of the bill.
  • Coinsurance: A percentage you may pay after the deductible (for example, 10%–30%).

Mental Health Parity

Mental health and eating disorder treatment may be covered under parity rules, which aim to make mental health benefits similar to medical benefits. Coverage still depends on medical necessity and your specific plan. If your claim is denied, you may have appeal rights. We can provide documentation to support medical necessity when appropriate.

Good Faith Estimates

If you are self-pay or out-of-network, you may be eligible for a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs as required by federal law. Ask our team for details.

FAQ

Do I need a diagnosis to start eating disorder treatment?

No. If eating, body image, or exercise behaviors feel harmful or out of control, you can start now. Early support can prevent symptoms from getting worse (NIH, n.d.). If a diagnosis is needed for insurance or treatment planning, a licensed clinician can assess that with you.

Is eating disorder treatment only for people who are underweight?

No. Eating disorders can happen at any weight and still cause serious medical risks. Treatment is based on behaviors, thoughts, and health impact, not appearance.

Will you work with my doctor or a dietitian?

Yes, with your written permission. Many people do best with a care team. A medical provider can monitor vitals and labs when needed, and a registered dietitian can support steady nutrition and meal planning.

What if I’m not ready to change my eating yet?

This is common. We can start with small steps, education, and safety planning. Treatment can help you understand the eating disorder voice, build motivation, and practice skills before making bigger changes.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2023). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/clinical-practice-guidelines
  • National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Eating disorders. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders