At Monmouth Psychological Associates, we believe that the eating disorders of Anorexia Nervosa (deliberate self-starvation) and Bulimia (the binge-purge syndrome) are serious illnesses which must be treated by an interdisciplinary team consisting of a psychotherapist experienced with eating disorders, a nutritionist, and a medical doctor.
We also believe that the thinking and behaviors that make up the eating disorder are really just the tip of the iceberg. The part of the iceberg that we can see, the behaviors, thoughts, etc., is on top, and underneath is a huge, complicated structure that has to do with self-esteem, adjustment issues, development, identity, etc. In treatment, it becomes the goal of the patient and their therapist to explore that portion of the iceberg below the water, while the patient with the nutritionist tries to manage and control the behaviors that are unhealthy and preoccupying.
Our goals are to help individuals with eating disorders recognize that they have a life-threatening illness, develop control over their unhealthy behaviors, gain insight into underlying psychological issues, and achieve a well-defined path of recovery. We work with patients to implement these goals through our outpatient facility, which provides structure, support, and hope. Each treatment plan and approach is individualized ... patients are not "plugged" into a program. Special care is taken to holistically assess the total needs of the patient given the presence of the eating disorder in what may be a very full, busy life.