The eating disorder therapy career path has become a point of interest for many psychology students in recent years. Eating disorder therapists help individuals avoid maladaptive eating patterns. The primary goal of an eating disorder therapist is to ensure that their counseling encourages patients to partake in healthier eating habits.
Unfortunately, eating disorders are all too common in our society. Although teenage females tend to be the most likely suspects for eating disorders, anyone (including men) can acquire this disorder at any point in their life. As a result, it’s safe to say that eating disorder therapists play a very important role in helping society function and progress forward.
What Does an Eating Disorder Therapist Do?
Eating disorder therapists use a variety of techniques and approaches in order to lessen, or even eliminate, maladaptive behavioral patterns that involve food. Usually, an eating disorder therapist may be asked to treat patients who are experiencing anorexia, bulimia, or morbid obesity. They may be required in conducting family therapy (in order to determine where the patient’s bad eating habits stemmed from).
Some forms of treatment that an eating disorder therapist might use include sensorimotor therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or psychodynamic therapy. Eating disorder therapists generally work with a very diverse group of professionals, ranging from psychiatrists to dieticians. This is so that these professionals can deliver the best possible care for their patients.
What are the Requirements to Become an Eating Disorder Therapist?
Eating Disorder Therapist Education
First and foremost, students need to acquire their basic bachelor’s degree before they can take the steps necessary for becoming an eating disorder therapist. Remember that you will need to obtain a minimum of a master’s degree in order to apply for most serious and high-paying positions. Students should study areas like group dynamics, family therapy, personality, body image, and psychoanalytic therapy.
Obtaining a doctoral degree in psychology is highly recommended by most professionals, as it can significantly improve job prospects after graduation. To enhance your chances of being accepted into a graduate program of your choice, it is advised that you take and pass both the general and psychology-specific GRE exams. To earn a doctoral degree in eating disorder counseling, you will be required to successfully complete and submit a dissertation.
The application process for graduate school varies across institutions. Generally, there are two primary program types in counseling psychology to choose from: PhD and PsyD. PsyD programs involve more clinical work and are typically recommended for those who wish to focus on the practice of psychology, whereas PhD programs often have a stronger emphasis on research.
Other programs are considered “straight programs” because you will basically be applying directly for a PhD program out of graduate school. Once an individual acquires their Master’s degree, they can once again apply for a PhD program to receive their Doctorate. If you choose the latter, it’s important to join a lab so that you can get some hands-on experience as to what to expect from this career.
Eating Disorder Therapist Training
In order to pursue a career as an eating disorder therapist, you will be required to partake in, and complete, and clinical internship. This will generally be a supervised internship in which you will be able to work individuals who are suffering from eating disorders. Not only is this a requirement but it’s also a great way to gain experience about the field and develop first-hand knowledge about how people think.
Interns will generally work at low-cost clinics but in other cases, may end up working in state hospitals. Other work experience that you’ll be able to gain includes developing a treatment plan for people who are suffering from an eating disorder, as well as make crucial decisions about how to care for specific patients.
You’ll be expected to work with a clinical treatment team as well as attend meetings when necessary. In addition to being directly involved with patients, internships can also use this opportunity to build up their record-keeping skills.
Eating Disorder Therapist Licensure and Certification
The specific licensing requirements associated with becoming an eating disorder therapist will vary from state to state. Typically, you will need to a earn a masters degree and complete supervised training to apply for the licensure.
The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals provides the certification. However, this certificate is optional and may or may not be required to work in the field depending on where you are trying to get employed.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Eating Disorder Therapist?
The time it takes to become an eating disorder therapist can vary depending on the education and licensure path you choose, as well as your personal career goals. Here is a general timeline for becoming an eating disorder therapist:
- Bachelor’s Degree (4 years): Earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or a related field. This typically takes four years of full-time study.
- Master’s Degree (2-3 years): Obtain a master’s degree in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, or a related mental health field. This usually takes two to three years of full-time study.
- Licensure and/or Certification (1-3 years): Depending on your location and chosen field, you may need to obtain licensure and/or certification in your area of practice. This can involve completing a specific number of supervised clinical hours, passing exams, and fulfilling other requirements, which can take one to three years.
In total, becoming an eating disorder therapist can take anywhere from 7 to 10 years, depending on your education, licensure, and specialization choices.
What Skills are Required for an Eating Disorder Therapist?
As an eating disorder therapist, you will need to be firm, parental, compassionate, and empathetic. Eating disorder therapists need to have a solid understanding about various health boundaries, as well as be experienced in recognizing important clinical modalities.
As an eating disorder therapist, you will need to have the ability to interpret the behaviors of a patient, as well as understanding the underlying reasons for why they think and behave the way that they do.
Due to the unique nature of their profession, eating disorder therapists should not only maintain a healthy body weight, but also be free from mental health disorders themselves including anxiety, depression, or PSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
In order to become the best eating disorder therapist possible, you’ll need to have good communication skills, be persuasive, and above all, be very patient. This combined skillsets will allow you to find more work as well as treat patients more effectively over the long run.
What is the Salary for an Eating Disorder Therapist?
As of March 2023, ZipRecruiter reported that eating disorder therapists earned an average salary of $106,516 per year. Keep in mind that as the level of education increased, so did the average salary, indicating that it’s a good idea to acquire a Doctorate degree if provided the opportunity as this will open up many more career opportunities (that are also higher paying).