Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders

Abstract

This chapter explores the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), particularly enhanced CBT (CBT-E), in treating eating disorders. It outlines CBT's core principles, including the identification and restructuring of distorted thoughts and behaviors, and explains how CBT-E is adapted to address eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and ARFID. The chapter describes the four stages of CBT-E and emphasizes its effectiveness across diverse populations. Case examples illustrate real-world applications, showing how CBT-E promotes recovery by targeting the psychological, behavioral, and emotional components of disordered eating.