Referrals open for Compassion-Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders group

GPs can now refer patients to the next cycle of our Compassion-Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders (CFT-E) online group

What is CFT-E?

What is CFT-E?

CFT-E is an online group which offers a comprehensive psychological therapy for individuals who can manage recovery from their eating disorder in the community.

The group is open to all individuals with an eating disorder diagnosis. The individuals who will benefit from this intervention tend to share many common problems, including being worried about their size, shape, and weight.  They are also likely to use food, dieting, activity, vomiting or weight loss drugs to manage difficult experiences, relationships, or painful thoughts, feelings and memories.

The group incorporates education for both service users and their family members; skill-building; and therapeutic elements. It aims to target both the biological factors and the underlying psychological processes which underpin and maintain an eating disorder. The group helps service users to develop the ability to treat themselves in a more compassionate way and fosters social connectedness. The group is particularly suitable for individuals who struggle with shame, guilt or self-criticism.

Who is the group for?

Who is the group for?

Adults most likely to experience some benefit from attending this group are:

  • Individuals experiencing an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or eating disorder not otherwise specified)
  • Individuals who struggle with shame, guilt, or self-criticism
  • Individuals who do not require supervision of their eating and who have expressed a desire to recover from their eating disorder and are able to take responsibility in relation to this
  • Individuals who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 16.5kg/m2 or above
  • Individuals who have access to a service (such as a multidisciplinary team or GP) that will monitor their physical health (bloods, electrocardiograms (ECGs) where applicable) throughout the duration of treatment.

Individuals experiencing additional mental health difficulties are welcome.

What is the group structure?

What is the group structure?

LEVEL ONE

LEVEL TWO

LEVEL THREE

LEVEL FOUR

Psychoeducation Skills training Therapeutic Intervention Aftercare
  • One day session for patients
  • Evening session for family and friends
  • Eight half-day sessions
  • One morning per week for 17 sessions
  • Three morning sessions in the two to three months following Level Three
plus individual review plus individual review plus individual review plus individual review

 

When and where does the group run?

The group takes place online via Microsoft Teams, on Wednesdays, and the next cycle is due to begin in March 2021.

Who runs the groups?

Groups are run by a team of two clinical psychologists and an assistant psychologist.

How are referrals made?

Any service user interested in attending the group can discuss it with their team who will refer them to one of the clinical psychologists who facilitates the group to assess whether the group is a good fit for their needs.

Referrals can also be made to the group by outside agencies including GPs, consultant psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, nurses and other mental health professionals.

New referrals are welcome at any time but will be waitlisted until the next cycle commences.  Intakes occur once or twice per annum. 

If you have any queries about the group, please do not hesitate to contact:

Continue to…

Founder's Day 2020 conference available to view online