What is Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E) for eating disorders?

Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E) is an evidence-based treatment specifically for eating disorders. The therapist and client will explore several targeted issues with the goal of removing the client’s eating disorder psychopathology, correcting the mechanisms that maintain this psychopathology, and ensure these changes are lasting. The official CBT-E website is here.

Below you’ll find more information about session structure, length and duration. Although this is the ideal way to set up CBT-E sessions, many clients ask if it’s possible to be more flexible. Absolutely! I’m happy to talk about that in an intro call.

What Happens in Sessions

CBT-E is a form of talk therapy where a client and therapist work 1:1 over the course of 20 or 40 weeks. This includes “homework” for the client to do in between appointments. Sessions are structured but always collaborative and individualized.

  • Length of Sessions

    The initial assessment is a 2-hour session but can be broken up into 2, 1-hour sessions. After the initial assessment, clients are seen for 50-minute appointments. 

  • Duration of Sessions

    There are 2 session pathways for clients, depending on your diagnosis and medical status: either 20 sessions over 20 weeks or 40 sessions over 40 weeks. (These are not always weekly: some are twice per week and others every other week.)

    This will be decided during the initial assessment and reviewed after several weeks. As you progress, this timeline can be adjusted and the pathway may change.

  • For Adolescents

    The initial assessment is with just the adolescent (this can be broken up into 2, 1-hour sessions). Parent(s) of adolescents should attend an additional 50-minute session during the first week of their child’s treatment (without their child). 

    After that, parents should book 3-10 follow-up sessions (25 minutes or 50 minutes) throughout the duration of their teenager’s treatment, depending on need.

    For parents: if you do not want to be involved at all, we can still use the CBT-E approach. Parent involvement isn’t essential, although it’s useful.