How Long Should I Meet With My Dietitian In Eating Disorder Recovery?

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Director of Content and Social Media at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope

Eating disorders involve extremely chaotic relationships with food. Whether eating too little or too much, restricting, binging, purging, hoarding food or any other behaviors that are abnormal when it comes to eating, learning how to normalize a relationship with food can be a difficult aspect of recovery.

For most individuals who are struggling with an eating disorder or any form of disordered eating, professional intervention is needed to assist recovery efforts. Because of the complex nature of eating disorders, professional treatment typically needs to be comprehensive, meaning, it must involve professionals from multiple specialties.

How a Registered Dietitian Can Help

Registered Dietitians who specialize in eating disorder recovery can be an invaluable part of the treatment process. Registered dietitians are involved with eating disorder treatment on multiple levels, including inpatient, residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment and outpatient care.

Dietitians will work with a patient on an individual and group basis, providing nutrition education, meal plan support, and tailored meal plans that meet the unique needs a person may have. Other aspects of medical nutrition therapy might include intuitive eating coaching and personalized meal support for restaurant outings, grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking, and more.

As a person continues on in their recovery and progress in what they are learning, having the support of a registered dietitian may not be as necessary as in the earlier aspects of the recovery process. In the early stages of eating disorder recovery, particularly when weight restoration is needed and when interventions are necessary for meal support, consistent and frequent support from a registered dietitian is usually warranted. However, as a person heals and begins to practice normalized eating behaviors, the frequency of a dietitian’s support may be decreased.

Working With Your Dietitian

If you are at an outpatient level of care and unsure how frequently to meet with your registered dietitian, have a direct discussion with your health professional about recommended plan of care. Your dietitian should be able to provide recommendations for frequency of sessions based on many different factors, including stabilization of your weight and eating habits.

You can always adjust based on your personal needs: for example, you are going through a difficult or rough patch in your recovery and with your eating, you may benefit from more frequent sessions. Think of your dietitian as a resource in your recovery tool box that can be utilized as frequently as necessary in order to keep your recovery efforts ongoing and progressive.

Community Discussion – Share Your Thoughts Here!

How has a dietitian helped you in your recovery?

About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.

As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on September 18, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com