By: Sara Peel, Dietetic Intern

Those words smoothly left my mouth the first time I met with a dietitian to work on my eating disorder.

The dietitian gave me a skeptical look and kindly stated that she hadn’t met anyone who had an eating disorder who fully recovered that didn’t also work with a therapist, but I was absolutely convinced I could be the exception to that rule.

Ha! I would show her just how motivated and controlled I was.

The joke was on me

Little did I realize that by trying to handle it with the minimal amount of support I was just leaning into the eating disorder instead of overcoming it. But did you know that therapy can be one of the most important parts of recovery?

While a dietitian is key to help you build sustainable eating habits, a therapist can help you discover the root cause of your eating disorder and help you work through it.

Therapists can help ground you in recovery, talk you through any confusing or scary thoughts, and help you feel supported during every step. Think about how nice it could be to have a team of people who truly care about you and want what’s best for you!

But what about…

You probably have a lot of reasons running through your head right now of why you still shouldn’t see a therapist:

It’s probably going to be so expensive…

I definitely don’t have time for this right now on top of everything else I’m handling…

I’ve already tried meeting with a therapist and it didn’t help…

I’m just feeling so overwhelmed with even just seeing a dietitian…

I really am fine, I don’t need the extra help…

These reasons can all feel real and be intimidating or seemingly practical barriers - but what would happen if you didn’t have to do it alone? What if you actually prioritized your mental and physical health for once?

Make sure you get a good one

If you’re slightly more open to having a therapist, just know that you might have to be patient. I had tried working with two different therapists before finally finding the right one for me! The difference was that on my third try, I finally found someone who specialized in eating disorders and it made ALL the difference.

Want help finding a therapist who can truly help you recover? We have a great referral list of therapists that we trust and would love to help you connect with them!

Remember, you don’t have to be alone in your recovery! Having a team behind you can help you not only recover more quickly, but also support you to gain stable life changes so you can fully live and enjoy every moment of your life.

Dive more into ways to love and respect your body by reading the book “The Body is not an Apology”

Want more resources? Here’s what our dietitians recommend