Whilst some people come to The London Centre with a clear idea of what therapy or support they would like, some people are not sure at all. We are happy to discuss what you might benefit from in your assessment appointment, but here is a bit more information about some of the services we have available.

There are many types of therapies available, offered by a range of different professionals (psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists). Some therapies (such as CBT) have a very good evidence-base when being used for eating disorder treatment. However, sometimes there is less evidence available about what might work best (for example in anorexia). And sometimes the best evidenced therapy doesn’t suit the individual.

Here at The London Centre we have a range of health professionals, who are all specialists in treating eating disorders and trained in evidence based treatments. The specialist nature of the clinic and the experience of our team also means that we are able to offer a broad variety of treatment approaches and therapies.

Psychiatrists are medically trained doctors who have chosen to specialise in mental health. Within the field of eating disorders, Psychiatrists can diagnose, evaluate and monitor medical risk, prescribe medication for any relevant co-morbidities such as depression or anxiety, provide an opinion on treatment planning, and assist with stepping up to a more intensive form of treatment if required. Whilst not all clients will need, or want, medication, for many, medication may be an important part of their treatment planning. Additionally where physical or medical risk is present, it may be important to have someone have oversight in order to make recommendations to help ensure your safety.

For more information on Psychiatry at The London Centre, please see our Psychiatry Information Sheet.

Our clinical psychologists largely offer integrative CBT. This means that they use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as the starting point for treatment, but that they can then draw on other relevant therapies during the course of treatment. This allows them to ensure that they are offering an evidence-based treatment, but that they are tailoring it to meet each individual’s requirements.

However, our clinical psychologists also have additional training in other therapeutic approaches (please see their biographies for details) which they can draw on if you do not feel CBT will be helpful for you.

Sessions are typically weekly and will usually last 50-60 minutes.

Our counselling psychologists offer a more integrated approach. Whilst they are able to draw on their knowledge of different theoretical models, there is a greater focus on giving the client space to explore their own story, in a safe and supportive space.

Sessions may be more exploratory and less structured, using a mixture of techniques and the relationship between the client and the psychologist to engender change. You can read more about our counselling psychologists here.

Sessions are typically weekly and will usually last 50 minutes.

We are pleased to be able to offer lower cost sessions with our Trainee Counselling Psychologists. These are psychology graduates who are currently on a Counselling Psychology Doctorate Course. As part of this, they receive three years of training whilst also working on placements and offering therapy.

The trainee counselling psychologists offer the same form of treatment as our qualified psychologists. They have all received additional training in working with eating disorders, and will discuss your case on a weekly basis with a qualified member of staff who will offer further input. You can read more about our current trainee counselling psychologists here.

Trainees come to us towards the end of their clinical training. We see this as an opportunity to receive a very high quality treatment from someone with a lot of training, but fewer years of experience, at a more affordable cost.

Our specialist dietitians use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to support and guide you towards a healthy diet plan that will help you to maintain physical, emotional and psychological health.

The aim of these consultations is to help you create a structured, healthy and balanced meal plan that will enable you to reduce bingeing; maintain, gain or lose weight as appropriate; and to keep your energy levels constant so that dips in mood, energy levels and urges to overeat are reduced.

A dietetic session could be a one off, or a series of consultations (usually fortnightly or monthly). Dietetic sessions are usually, but not always, offered in addition to psychological therapy at The London Centre. You can read more about dietetic sessions here.

Occupational therapy is designed to enable people to live their lives to the full, by providing practical advice and techniques. In particular, an OT could work with you to improve the structure and routine in your daily life, to increase your independence with eating outside the home, or preparing for a social occasion. This may include practical sessions in the community, and can help you to build your confidence in these challenging areas. It may be possible to arrange sessions in your home, practising the whole process of creating a meal plan, visiting the supermarket, and cooking and eating a balanced meal.

OT sessions can also assist you with securing paid or voluntary work, or returning to work after some time off. This can include assistance with job searches, applications and interview techniques.

OT can be offered when clients feel they have had a lot of therapy already and would be interested in a different approach or following or alongside therapy to tackle specific feared or challenging situations. You can read more about Occupational Therapy here.

Family Therapy encompasses a number of different therapy approaches including: Family Therapy (FT), Family Support and Psychoeducation, Maudsley Family-Based Treatment (FBT), and Parent Supported Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E).

Family Therapy (FT) is suitable for couples or for families (regardless of whether the person with the eating disorder is a child or adult). It aims to provide a supportive environment for couples/ the whole family to think about and work through difficulties. This might include giving help and guidance to address difficulties that have occurred, or are occurring within the relationship or family; dealing with issues around grief or separation; or looking at unhelpful patterns that couples or families have fallen into either prior to or after the onset of the eating disorder. 

Family Support and Psychoeducation involves offering guidance and support to families or partners of those suffering from an eating disorder.  ‘Caring’ for someone with an eating disorder can take its toll. In addition to having a lot of questions about the eating disorder and the role of the family in supporting a loved one through recovery, families or partners may also need their own support throughout this process.  

FBT and Parent Supported CBT are more typically used with families with children and adolescents with eating disorders. Please see our Information for Families page for more details.