Dr. Gupta is a licensed psychologist and professor at Barnard College, Columbia University. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety and eating/weight issues at Tribeca Psychology in NYC
Do African-Americans, Caucasians, and Hispanics differ when it comes to binge eating? Do they engage in binge eating at similar rates and have similar attitudes towards eating and weight? Twenty prominent researchers from universities throughout the United States examined these questions in a new study released online.
Beginning psychotherapy is a difficult and important step for many people suffering from bulimia and binge eating. It’s often assumed that therapists will use the best available techniques to treat eating disorder symptoms. However, a study released online this month shows this is not the case - many therapists fail to practice types of therapy that have been demonstrated, in numerous scientific studies, to help people with eating disorders
Most people hear “eating disorders” and think of bulimia and anorexia. More recently, binge eating disorder has gained national attention as its own eating disorder. However, do people with symptoms of eating disorders really fit into these categories? Many of them do not – they end up shifting between different eating disorder diagnoses throughout their life or they are diagnosed as having an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). Is there a better way to classify eating disorders?
Could the season in which you were born be related to your eating disorder? A study published this month suggests that bulimia and binge eating are correlated with a fall birthday.
How important is it to feel connected to your therapist? When the therapy follows a structured plan, does it affect the connection? A study published this month examined the strength of the connection that patients with eating disorders felt with their therapist, or the “therapeutic alliance.” The study found a strong therapeutic alliance after a few sessions of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which is a structured and goal-oriented treatment.
January 26, 2012