Eating disorder treatment services at Priory

Get help for an eating disorder from our world class experts at Priory.

  • Highly qualified specialists
  • Evidence-based treatment
  • Face-to-face therapy

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For many, enjoying food is a part of healthy living, but when eating habits become harmful, it can signal an eating disorder. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, develop when individuals engage in severe disturbances in their eating behaviours and related thoughts and emotions. At Priory, we understand that without professional help, eating disorders can lead to serious health issues. However, it's crucial to know that recovery is possible, and Priory is here to support you at every step towards reclaiming your wellbeing.

Getting help for your eating disorder is the first step to recovery. Once you’ve reached out for support, whether it's with your GP or a private eating disorder service like Priory, you'll need to have an assessment to determine the severity of your symptoms. From there, you and your support team will decide on what treatment plan would suit you best.

Our treatment programmes

Inpatient (residential) treatment

During inpatient treatment, you’ll stay in hospital on a residential basis to receive in-depth support for your mental health challenges.

Day care and outpatient treatment

Outpatient treatment consists of you attending one of our Priory sites to receive therapy for your mental health and/or addiction concerns, which are usually hourly sessions that take place on a weekly basis.

One-to-one therapy

One-to-one therapy takes place on an individual basis, between yourself and the most appropriate specialist for your needs, ensuring a personalised consultation.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of talking therapy that helps figure out how our thoughts and actions affect our feelings.

Free, same-day therapy assessments

We’re pleased to be able to offer free, same-day therapy assessments for potential eating disorder clients.

The eating disorder therapy assessments will take place over the phone or via video call with a member of our specialist therapy team. The assessment will consist of:

  • A discussion around the issues you’re currently facing
  • Exploring how you’re feeling on a daily basis
  • Exploring whether you have any additional mental or physical health concerns
  • An assessment of whether our residential programme would be suitable for you, based on your individual needs
  • A chance for you to ask any questions you might have on our treatment programme

How are eating disorders treated?

Every person struggling with an eating disorder will have their own experiences with food, and because of this, we understand that eating disorder treatment plans need to be tailored to each person. This often means someone receiving anorexia treatment will have a different treatment plan to someone receiving treatment for bulimia

Typically, our eating disorder treatment programme consists of intense therapy, wellness activities, and can include different medications depending on what type of eating disorder is being treated and the severity of the eating disorder.

Our specialists have years of experience delivering eating disorder treatment programmes, in different therapy formats. Each expert team at Priory is made up of:

  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Therapists
  • Nurses
  • Dietitians
  • Other mental health and eating disorder professionals

Specialist therapy types

We specialise in a range of different therapy types, which are all approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). These include:

  • Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
  • Dietetic advice and support
  • Supported meals
  • Occupational therapy, including food exposure interventions
  • Body image workshops
  • Parent/carer support sessions

We can also monitor your physical condition while you’re with us and offer supported feeding, if needed, on our residential treatment programmes.

"Eating disorders tend to hide and they don't want to be seen, and if somebody else can see it ... it's a lot harder to hide"

Charlie Carrol, one of Priory's expert therapists, speaks frankly about the pervasive nature of his eating disorder, how if affected his life and how he embarked on a remarkable journey of recovery.

Find out more about how Priory can support you

Watch Callum's story
Life Works, specialist eating disorder service
Watch Emily's story

Eating disorder treatment near me

We have a nationwide network of hospitals and wellbeing centres that provide our eating disorder treatment programmes. Depending on your symptoms and needs, you may be directed to different Priory locations that can help you overcome the challenges you’re experiencing.

For outpatient services, we also provide an online therapy service, connecting you with expert therapists who can provide therapy sessions wherever suits you best.

To find your nearest eating disorder treatment centre, please use the search form below.

Eating disorder treatment FAQs

Will I have to go into hospital to receive treatment?

When you lose a lot of weight, the effects of starvation can affect your ability to think clearly and may put your health at risk. In these circumstances, it may be recommended that you're admitted to one of our specialist eating disorder clinics to receive intensive eating disorder help and treatment.

How does anorexia affect family life?

Anorexia can affect the whole family, not just the person who's struggling with this eating disorder. Your loved ones may find it hard to understand that an eating disorder is actually about feelings and coping, rather than food itself. This can lead to misunderstandings, arguments and stress, particularly at mealtimes.

That’s why, at Priory, we make sure that family and friends are involved throughout your anorexia treatment and recovery process. We know that it’s helpful for relatives to understand that your eating habits are your way of coping with emotional difficulties and that you may have mixed feelings about changing your eating patterns. Our family support sessions allow you the opportunity to explore your difficult emotions with your loved ones in an open and honest way. This means that those who are closest to you can be involved in tackling your anorexia.

How long should I stay?

The recommended duration for inpatient eating disorder treatment is typically 28 days but can vary based on your condition and treatment progress. A detailed assessment with our specialists will help determine the best treatment length for you.

What if I'm in crisis?

Priory’s customer service team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure that people in crisis can be signposted to the best possible support, as quickly as possible.

How much is eating disorder treatment?

The cost of eating disorder treatment varies in the UK based on the treatment type, duration, level of required care, and facility amenities. Priory offers diverse options, from outpatient to residential treatments. Contact us for detailed pricing and to find the best plan for your needs and budget.

How to I pay for treatment?

There are two main ways to pay for treatment at Priory:

  • Self-paying - you can choose to pay for your treatment yourself. This option allows you the flexibility to select the specific treatment and duration that best suits your needs
  • Private medical insurance - Priory is an approved provider for all the UK’s leading private medical insurers, including Aviva, AXA Health, Bupa, Cigna, Healix, Vitality and WPA. You can use your private health insurance to cover the cost of your treatment, subject to the terms of your policy

For more detailed information on self-funding your treatment or utilising your private medical insurance, please call us on 0800 098 4816 or visit our fees and funding page. This will provide you with all the necessary details to make an informed decision about financing your treatment.

Private medical insurance

All of the services that we offer at Priory can be funded through private medical insurance. This includes:

  • Mental health treatment
  • Addiction treatment
  • Eating disorder treatment

All clients will have access to our highly skilled and accredited clinicians, many of whom are published experts in the field of mental health and addiction treatment. Whatever your needs, we're committed to working with you to get your life back on track.

Registered and approved provider

We are a registered and approved provider for all of the UK's leading private medical insurers.

Contact us to make an enquiry or for more information

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