Disordered eating

ABOUT THE EPISODE

What we cover

Dr Anna Colton joins Natalie to discuss disordered eating, the questions therapists can ask, and when specialist support may be needed.

• Recognising disordered eating
• Knowing when to refer
• Questions to ask in the room
• Working with families

What might therapists notice and ask about in the room?

Dr Anna Colton and Natalie discuss recognising disordered eating and the questions therapists can ask. The conversation supports opening the subject rather than relying only on what is immediately visible or waiting for a client to use a particular diagnostic label.

Questions need to be held within the wider therapeutic conversation. The aim is to understand the client's experience and the concerns emerging in the work, while remaining aware of the therapist's competence and the limits of what can be concluded from one discussion.

When might specialist or wider support be needed?

Knowing when to refer is part of the episode's focus. A therapist may be able to offer useful support while also recognising when the client needs assessment or input beyond the therapist's own role.

The conversation also considers work with families. This highlights that disordered eating may sit within a wider network of relationships and support, and that decisions about involvement or referral need to be made thoughtfully rather than through a single standard response.

Related listening: For another conversation about attending carefully to bodily experience in therapy, listen to Bringing Body Work Into the Room, covering bodily cues, consent and pacing.