What is a…

Specialist nurse?

Our specialist nurses are trained as both general health and mental health nurses. Their role within the team is to monitor your physical health and support your mental health after assessment and whilst on the therapy waiting list.

Specialist nurses work with people who may not feel ready for treatment. Their aim is to support clients through listening to their difficulties and helping them to improve their understanding of these, and to motivate clients towards making small changes in their behaviour with food.

Assistant psychologist?

The assistant psychologists analyse data collected from you about your treatment and the service. They often shadow clinicians during treatment sessions in order to learn more about treatment for eating disorders and are often trained in guided self help. You will always be asked for permission before an assistant psychologist sits in on your session. Assistant psychologists also co-facilitate CBT group therapy programmes.

Psychiatrist?

A psychiatrist is a medically qualified doctor who specialises in understanding and working with mental health difficulties adults or children and young people experience. A large part of their work involves identifying what the difficulties are, understanding what may have caused them to develop, and giving advice about what may help. Psychiatrists are also able to recommend and prescribe medication.

Clinical psychologist, Counselling Psychologist and CBT therapist?

We have a number of therapists with specialist therapy (CBT) training. Our CBT therapists work together with you to understand how thoughts, feelings and behaviour affect one another. They also help you try and make changes in your thinking and behaviour. It is likely that you will be asked to do some ‘homework’ in between sessions. Practising new skills in-between sessions will allow you to maximize the benefit from your therapy here at the eating disorder service and will help you to learn how to manage without regular sessions in the future.

The CBT therapists tend to see people over the age of 18 because family therapy is often effective for young people. However, we may offer CBT to some people under the age of 18 if we feel it would be appropriate or if you would prefer this.

Dietitian?

The dietitian's role within the team is to assess your nutritional requirements, design and review eating/nutrition plans with you. Depending on your needs, you may meet with a dietitian every week or fortnight, or for two to three times over several months and then again as needed. The dietitian will help monitor your weight and alter eating/nutrition plans as appropriate.

Family therapist?

Eating disorders are known to have an impact on the whole family and family therapy is the leading evidence-based treatment for child and adolescent eating disorders.

Our family therapists aim to work with the members of your family and others who are close to you, to enable all members of the family to understand how difficulties within the family are having an effect on everyone and to then find strategies that will help the family overcome such difficulties.

However, due to their child and adolescent mental health expertise, the team’s family therapists tend to mostly see clients under the age of 18. Family therapy is also offered to adult families.

Service leads?

The service manager ensures that our service runs efficiently so that you can receive the best possible care and support in overcoming your eating disorder. In addition to managerial responsibilities, the service manager also has clinical responsibilities within the service, which involves assessing, monitoring and providing therapy for clients.