An anorexia therapist is a mental health professional who works with anorexia patients. Inpatient and outpatient therapy may be used, and the therapist may work with patients long term to identify and discuss disordered eating habits after the anorexia has been treated. Anorexia therapists can include psychiatrists, psychologists, nutritionists, and pediatricians.
Anorexia treatment entails addressing a number of different aspects of the patient’s condition. Getting the patient physically healthy is a top priority for patients with acute malnutrition caused by anorexia. Furthermore, mental health care is required to investigate the causes of anorexia and to provide counseling to assist patients in their recovery. This can include a variety of therapeutic approaches, and in many cases, a patient care team led by an anorexia therapist is required to meet the patient’s mental and physical needs.
Patients and their families meet with the anorexia therapist to discuss the condition, develop a treatment plan, and set treatment goals. Inpatient therapy allows patients to meet with their therapists on a daily basis in private and group sessions. Outpatients may attend treatment on a daily basis at first, but as they become more stable, they will spend less time in therapy. Anorexia therapists can also visit patients at home, which can help them identify problems that aren’t visible in the hospital or clinic.
Patients with anorexia frequently report that it is a lifelong disease that requires a consistent care regimen for the rest of their lives, rather than interventional treatment followed by no additional care. An anorexia therapist’s job may include patient follow-up and collaboration with patients on long-term management strategies, such as regular therapy, meetings with nutritionists, and so on. For athletes with anorexia, the anorexia therapist may collaborate with coaches and teammates to develop a strategy for keeping the patient healthy.
The scope of this work varies greatly, as do the pay grades, which are determined by an individual’s experience and level of skill. The location in which a therapist works can also influence pay. Benefits may be an important aspect of pay for people working in inpatient clinics, and highly reputable clinics may pay a recruiting bonus to particularly talented and experienced therapists, with the goal of providing the best possible care to their patients. The work can be emotionally draining, and it necessitates collaboration with a variety of medical providers in order to cover all aspects of a patient’s care.