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808 people sought eating disorder therapy help at Richmond in the last year

Discover how starting eating disorder therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 130 therapists in Virginia available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Eating disorder therapy

What is eating disorder therapy?

Eating disorder therapy is a specialized approach aimed at assisting those who are grappling with a range of eating disorders. These disorders are significant mental health conditions characterized by irregular or unhealthy eating patterns and an intense focus on body weight and shape. Common conditions addressed in Eating disorder therapy include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

How does eating disorder therapy work?

At Thriveworks, Eating disorder therapy begins with a thorough assessment and personalized treatment plan. Central to eating disorder therapy is psychotherapy, often employing cognitive behavioral therapy and other specialized techniques to target negative thought patterns.

Signs of an eating disorder

The signs of an eating disorder can include:

  • Drastic weight changes
  • Preoccupation with food and body image
  • Binge eating or extreme dieting
  • Excessive exercise
  • Social withdrawal and secrecy around eating
  • Physical and emotional symptoms like fatigue and anxiety

What is the success rate of CBT for eating disorders?

CBT’s remission rate, according to some research, is generally between 50-30% for those seeking assistance for eating disorder symptoms.

What is the recovery rate for people with eating disorders?

The recovery rate for those seeking assistance with eating disorders depends entirely on the individual’s involvement in sessions, the severity of their symptoms, and their willingness to change their eating habits and relationship with food.

Is eating disorder therapy conducted in person or online?

Eating disorder therapy at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does eating disorder therapy last?

The length of Eating disorder therapy will vary from one person to the next, dependent on their specific needs. Your therapist can help to determine what might be most beneficial for you.

Need more help deciding?

Jane Fonda. Lily Collins. Demi Lovato. Elton John. Kesha. Zayn Malik. Zoe Kravitz. Hillary Duff. Russell Brand. Shawn Johnson. These are only a handful of Hollywood’s stars who have opened up and spoken out about their struggle with eating disorders. Bulimia and anorexia are often associated with celebrity culture, but the reality is that they afflict as many as 30 million regular people.

Eating disorders are characterized by a distorted view of one’s own body shape and size along with irregular, compulsive, and unhealthy eating habit. Some may mischaracterize them as a pick or finicky stage in a teen’s life, but they are harmful, possibly even deadly, psychiatric disorders.

Yet, only about 10 percent of people receive the treatment they need for anorexia or bulimia. And these have effective interventions. Psychological treatments and medical treatments can be combined and tailored to individual needs. Getting started may be as simple as asking for help.

If you are struggling with disordered eating, know that the therapists and psychologists at Thriveworks Richmond are ready to help. We have helped many people find the holistic treatment they need to break free from anorexia or bulimia.

Identifying Anorexia and Bulimia

There are many types of eating disorders, but anorexia and bulimia may be the most well-known. Abnormal eating habits and acute anxiety about one’s body weight are symptoms of any eating disorder. They typically surface during teen or young adult years, but people of all ages can have an eating disorder, as can both men and women. PTSD, other anxiety disorders, and depression often co-occur with eating disorders.

Anorexia and bulimia share many characteristics, but they are separate disorders and diagnoses.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) identifies anorexia nervosa (most often called simply anorexia) with the following characteristics:

  • Irrational and severe fear of weight gain that leads a person to obstruct healthy weight maintenance and gain.
  • Feelings of disgust for one’s body weight and size with an inability to perceive one’s low body weight.
  • Intentionally reducing food consumption so that a substantially lower body weight results (in relationship to healthy standards for one’s age, sex, developmental trajectory, and physical health).

The DSM-5 identifies bulimia nervosa (most often called simply bulimia) with the following characteristics:

  • One’s body weight and size dominates one’s self-perception.
  • Repeated times of binge eating that involve…
    • Eating more food than most people could eat during the same circumstances and time period.
    • Losing control over food consumption during the binge.
  • Repeated behaviors that attempt to compensate for food intake such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of medications such as diuretics and laxative; fasting too long and too often; exercising in an extreme manner.

How Do Anorexia and Bulimia Develop?

The specific causes that may lead to anorexia and bulimia developing in a person are often person and even intimate. Each case is unique. And yet, mental health professionals speak generally about two categories into which these causes fall: environmental causes and biological causes:

  1. There are many examples of environmental causes, including living in an environment engrossed with unrealistic beauty, thinness, and body type; childhood trauma; peer pressure to appear a particular way; family trauma.
  2. There are many examples of biological causes, including a genetic predisposition, irregular hormone functions, and nutritional deficiencies.

Co-occurring Physical Health Problems

Just as mental health problems can occur alongside of bulimia and anorexia, so can physical health problems. Cultural values, unfortunately, can confuse the concepts of a slim or sculpted body with a healthy body. Healthy does not always means skinny, and skinny does not always mean healthy. Anorexia and bulimia often come with and cause a host of physical health problems.

Anorexia holds the highest death rate of any psychiatric disorder. A low heart rate, abnormal heart beat, low blood pressure, increased risk of heart failure and disease, infertility, disruptions in the menstrual cycle, disruptions in the endocrine system, premature osteoporosis, low white blood cell counts, anemia, kidney damage, and ultimately death can also occur with anorexia.

Ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, tooth decay, gastric rupture, constipation, kidney damage, electrolyte imbalance, and heart failure can occur with bulimia.

Treating Anorexia and Bulimia

Thriveworks Richmond provides treatment for anorexia and bulimia. Our therapists and psychologists offer holistic care, and we have helped many clients receive the psychological and medical care they need.

Calling to schedule treatment can feel overwhelming, and we want to give each client support, even from the first time they dial our office. If you call to schedule therapy for anorexia and bulimia, a person will answer and find an appointment that is convenient for you. We offer evening and weekend appointments, and many clients see their counselor within 24 hours of their first call. We also accept many forms of insurance.

Effective interventions for bulimia and anorexia are available. You do not have to fight them by yourself. Call Thriveworks Richmond to get started.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Richmond therapists and counselors accept 25 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia Medicare Advantage

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

  • Humana Exchange

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Self-pay costs at Richmond
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.7 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
I have looked so long for a new counselor and finally found a wonderful therapist through thrive works… Rhiannon Price has been working with me and has helped me so much
Read more I have looked so long for a new counselor and finally found a wonderful therapist through thrive works… Rhiannon Price has been working with me and has helped me so much
Michelle Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★☆☆☆
My experience has been somewhat less desiring. My ongoing sessions with the counselor is not as expected. It’s not engaging and oftentimes we are sitting in silence. I even asked if there was an ending game plan so we know where we are working towards and I didn’t get an answer.
Read more My experience has been somewhat less desiring. My ongoing sessions with the counselor is not as expected. It’s not engaging and oftentimes we are sitting in silence. I even asked if there was an ending game plan so we know where we are working towards and I didn’t get an answer.
Chris Jan 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
I have known Scott Beach personally and professionally for almost 15 years. He is a caring and compassionate individual and an outstanding clinician. I highly recommend him to anyone seeking to engage with an ethical and skilled counselor who will meet you where you are without judgment and work with you to achieve your counseling goals!
Read more I have known Scott Beach personally and professionally for almost 15 years. He is a caring and compassionate individual and an outstanding clinician. I highly recommend him to anyone seeking to engage with an ethical and skilled counselor who will meet you where you are without judgment and work with you to achieve your counseling goals!
Richmond Jul 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Ashley Crouch has been been a blessing to me over the past year. I cannot begin to thank her enough for how she has impacted my life. She is very effective, professional, and respectful. My quality of life has improved by leaps and bounds and I'm forever grateful. I live in a rural area with few counseling options, so online counseling was a Godsend, and so was Ashley!
Read more Ashley Crouch has been been a blessing to me over the past year. I cannot begin to thank her enough for how she has impacted my life. She is very effective, professional, and respectful. My quality of life has improved by leaps and bounds and I'm forever grateful. I live in a rural area with few counseling options, so online counseling was a Godsend, and so was Ashley!
Richmond Dec 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Exceptional service.
Richmond Jan 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I’ve been seeing Ashley for about a month now at Thriveworks and I couldn’t be happier. She really helped me get back to person I use to be. I’ve had a rough couple years and she has me well on my way to a better me.
Read more I’ve been seeing Ashley for about a month now at Thriveworks and I couldn’t be happier. She really helped me get back to person I use to be. I’ve had a rough couple years and she has me well on my way to a better me.
Richmond Jan 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Great scheduling service. Emma Denat is fantastic as a counselor. Highly recommend this practice.
Read more Great scheduling service. Emma Denat is fantastic as a counselor. Highly recommend this practice.
Richmond Jan 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
So far, everything with Thriveworks has been great - easy to schedule, easy to meet, and really finding great help all around.
Read more So far, everything with Thriveworks has been great - easy to schedule, easy to meet, and really finding great help all around.
Richmond Jan 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Richmond is located off of Markel Rd, just south of Libbie Place Shopping Center. Our building is across the street from the Faison Center and next to Pandora’s Lashes and Coates and Davenport, P.C. Our office is in the Enterprise Center, which we share with Liquid Talent Agency and SIL Insurance, among other businesses.

Phone number

(804) 312-5498

Languages spoken by VA providers

  • Polish
  • English
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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