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Eating Disorder Treatment Team & Credentials
There are many fields in which individuals can proclaim themselves to be “specialists” without actually having the necessary credentials. If you think eating disorder treatment is not one of them, I hate to inform you that it is.
Unfortunately, there is no strenuous regulation of nutritionists, dietitians, therapists, physical therapists, and even doctors who claim they specialize in eating disorder treatment.
Terminology in searching for treatment will likely run the gamut from professionals stating they “treat eating disorders,” “specialize in eating disorders,” or are “certified in treating eating disorders.” It is important to note that these professionals are not intentionally manipulating or providing false information.
Information on eating disorders and effective treatment methods are minimally covered in most educational institutions, including doctoral programs. As such, those that took additional coursework may feel as if they are qualified to be considered “specialized [1].”
Credentials and What it Takes to Earn Them
One article clarified that “information necessary to provide standard of care treatment is not widely known nor is it required to be taught in educational and training settings [1].”
As the article clarifies, certain terms are considered “protected,” meaning they are regulated, and an individual must prove certain education and experience to qualify to use them. Terms such as “specialized,” “treats,” or “expert” are not protected [1].
When it comes to receiving treatment from someone with protected credentials, the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) is currently the only nationally recognized licensing certification for eating disorder treatment.
Those certified by IAEDP will have credentials as follows:
- Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) – Therapists, Doctors, Nurses
- Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) – Dietitians
- Certified Eating Disorders Registered Nurse (CEDRN) – Nurses
- Certified Eating Disorders Creative Arts Therapist (CEDCAT) – Music, Art, Recreation, & Dance/Movement Therapists [2].
However, this does not mean that those without these certifications do not have sufficient education or experience to treat eating disorders. Some professionals may simply not want to pay the annual fee for their credential or complete the necessary paperwork and supervision for the credential.
Hopefully, the credentialing system for qualified eating disorder treatment professionals will improve.
Why Improvement is Needed
One article about the need for credentialing in Australia and New Zealand notes that credentialing in eating disorder treatment is important due to “the imperative to provide safe and effective care, promotion of workforce development in eating disorder practice and, importantly, readily available and transparent information for referrers, consumers, and carers to identify health professionals credentialed to provide eating disorder treatment [3].”
Until these credentials are more regulated, an effective source can be asking the professionals themselves what experience and education they have to support them working with eating disorders. Whether or not their answer satisfies you will be up to your own comfort regarding how much expertise you want your treatment professional to have.
It is also helpful to use someone a trusted professional has referred you to or to contact their licensing board to ensure they have no infractions against them or on their record.
While it can be hard to weed through professionals that may not actually be equipped to support you, finding one will make all the difference to your treatment and recovery.
Resources:
[1] Spotts-De Lazer, A., muhlheim, L. (2019). Is your eating disorder “specialist” really a specialist? Kantor & Kantor Law, retrieved from https://www.kantorlaw.net/blog/2019/march/is-your-eating-disorder-specialist-really-a-spec/. [2] Unknown (2020). Certification Overview. International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.iaedp.com/certification-overview/ [3] McLean, S. A., Et al (2020). Credentialing for eating disorder clinicians: a pathway for implementation of clinical practice standards. Journal of Eating Disorders, 8:62.About the Author:
Margot Rittenhouse, MS, PLPC, NCC is a therapist who is passionate about providing mental health support to all in need and has worked with clients with substance abuse issues, eating disorders, domestic violence victims, and offenders, and severely mentally ill youth.
As a freelance writer for Eating Disorder Hope and Addiction Hope and a mentor with MentorConnect, Margot is a passionate eating disorder advocate, committed to de-stigmatizing these illnesses while showing support for those struggling through mentoring, writing, and volunteering. Margot has a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective on eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Published December 7, 2020, on EatingDisorderHope.com
Reviewed & Approved on December 7, 2020, by Jacquelyn Ekern MS, LPC
