Finding the Right Dietitian?

Question:

How do you go about picking the right dietician or therapist for you? With so many options, and with a lot of dieticians who do not promote the kind of balanced perspective that people in recovery from eating disorders need, how do you filter out the unhelpful/potentially triggering practictioners?

Hi, E,

There are a lot of dietitians and therapists who have different specialties, so navigating through the sea of health professionals can be daunting, but it can be done! It is valid to be concerned about finding the right one. Since I’m a dietitian, I wanted to give you some tips on finding the right RD for you.

Many of these tips can also be applied to finding the right therapist for you.

There are registered dietitians (and therapists) who specialize in eating disorders, so you definitely want to start there.

You may want to look for a dietitian who has the Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) credential. In order to achieve this credential, dietitians must have 2,000 documented hours working with eating disorder patients. Therefore, if you see this acronym, you know the dietitian has extensive training in working with clients with eating disorders.

However, there are plenty of dietitians who specialize in eating disorders but have not yet achieved this credential, and they can still provide excellent care!

When looking at dietitians online, read his or her biography. Determine if the biography mentions experience working with eating disorders. Look to see if the biography mentions the dietitian’s philosophy on health, nutrition, and/or working with eating disorder clients.

If you find a dietitian you are interested in working with, call him or her. Some keywords to look for: “all foods fit,” “non-dieting,” “health at every size,” and/or “positive relationship with food.”

Ask these questions:

• What is your experience in working with eating disorder clients?
• What is your approach when working with people who are struggling with [name eating disorder]?
• What is your philosophy related to food and treating people with eating disorders?

If you feel comfortable with these answers, then this dietitian may be a good fit for you!

Going in for an initial consult is also a good way to “get to know” the dietitian and see if he/she would be a good fit for you!

Do you need help finding an eating disorder dietitian in your area? Try the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Find an Expert. They have a listing of all RDs and their specialties, so it may be a good place to start.

Sincerely,

Alex Raymond, RD, LD

Ask An Expert Column Disclaimer: Our “Ask an Expert” column is meant to serve as a place to ask a question anonymously and receive a public response from a certified health professional in the form of a Q&A-style article. Although our Experts are certified professionals in their area of expertise, their advice may not be suitable for your situation, and thus is not to be taken in place of that given by your personal healthcare team. Please always consult your own healthcare team before making any changes to your medication, activities, or recovery process. Always use your own good judgment, and consult a licensed mental or physical health practitioner for specific treatment. Do not use this column if you are in crisis. If you are in crisis, contact 911 (in North America), your local emergency number, or one of the Helplines listed in our resources section.

Alex Raymond, RD, LD, CEDRD

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Alex Raymond is an eating disorder dietitian in private practice in College Park and Columbia, MD. Alex specializes in treating individuals struggling with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. She practices from an intuitive eating model and enjoys working with individuals to improve body image. She is a passionate Health at Every Size © advocate and anti-diet dietitian. Alex provides eating disorder nutrition counselling in College Park and Columbia, MD. Alex's College Park office is within walking distance from the University of Maryland.