Eating-disorder support for all ages

Psychological support for children, teenagers and adults struggling with food, eating or their body, alongside support for parents. You don’t need a diagnosis or a perfectly clear explanation before getting in touch.

Who I work with

I offer therapy for eating disorders to people of all ages, in person and online. This includes support for:

• Anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia
• Bulimia nervosa
• Binge eating disorder
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
• Disordered eating without a formal diagnosis

However, please don’t feel you need to know which description fits before getting in touch.

For some young people, including those with ARFID, eating difficulties are not driven by worries about weight or shape. They may be connected to sensory sensitivities, a fear of choking or vomiting, or very little interest in food. We can begin with what you are noticing and think together about the support your child needs.

Seeking support for yourself?

You are welcome to enquire as an adult, whether these difficulties are recent or have been part of your life for a long time. The initial call gives us a chance to discuss what is happening, the support already in place and whether I am the right person to help.

My experience includes specialist CAMHS and CAMHS eating-disorder services, and specialist training in Family Based Treatment. The approach we use will depend on your age, circumstances and needs.

Psychological therapy and physical health

Eating disorders can affect physical health as well as emotional wellbeing. Psychological therapy is not a substitute for medical assessment or monitoring.

If you are concerned that you or your child may have an eating disorder, I will usually recommend involving your or your child’s GP. Depending on their needs, care may also involve a specialist NHS eating disorder service, psychiatrist, paediatrician or dietitian. With your consent, I can work alongside the other professionals supporting your child.

If your child is rapidly deteriorating, physically unwell, unable to eat or drink, fainting, very drowsy or confused, at immediate risk of harming themselves, or you believe there is an emergency, seek urgent medical help through NHS 111, A&E or 999 as appropriate.

How I work

I’m Dr Chloe Bedford, an HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologist, with 15 years’ post-qualification experience across NHS services and private practice, including specialist eating-disorder services.

My approach is integrative. I draw on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Family-Based Treatment (FBT/Maudsley), alongside other psychological approaches, depending on the young person and what is happening around them.

I do not try to squeeze every teenager or family into the same model. We will think about your child’s age, eating-disorder presentation, physical health, readiness for therapy and the support available around them. The work may involve individual therapy, parent-focused sessions, joint work or a combination of these.

Depending on your family’s needs, our work may include:

• Understanding the thoughts, feelings and experiences maintaining the eating difficulty.
• Supporting your child to respond differently to eating-disorder thoughts and urges.
• Making space for difficulties such as anxiety, low mood or low self-esteem.
• Helping parents find calmer, clearer ways to respond.
• Working alongside other professionals involved in your child’s care when appropriate.

Some teenagers want help; others are convinced they don’t need it or are worried about what therapy will mean. I’m used to working with that reluctance. I take their concerns seriously, acknowledge when things feel awkward and make time to get to know them beyond the eating difficulty. Warmth, directness and a little humour can help us begin to build trust.

Support for parents

Supporting a child with an eating disorder can take over family life. Parent sessions can take place alongside your child’s therapy. Sometimes working with parents is the most helpful place to begin, particularly if a young person is unsure about therapy.

We can think about responding to distress around food, setting boundaries, protecting your relationship and looking after yourself. I don’t see struggling parents as failing parents. This is hard, and you deserve support too. Involving you is not about blame: you are an important part of your child’s support system, and we can work together to find ways forward.

More about parent consultations

First appointments, fees and next steps

We begin with a free telephone call with you, or with a parent when the enquiry concerns a child, lasting around 15 minutes. Tell me what you have noticed and ask any questions you have. You don’t need to prepare a full account.

If we go ahead, the first appointment lasts 50 minutes and costs £140, as do subsequent therapy and parent sessions. Across the early appointments we will build an understanding of your or your child’s eating, wider wellbeing and circumstances, and discuss the most appropriate next steps.

If private therapy with me is not the right or safest option, I will be honest about that and help you think about where to seek support.

Fees and insurance details · Online therapy

Arrange a free initial call

Common questions

Does my child need an eating-disorder diagnosis before we contact you?

No. Many families seek help because they have noticed changes in eating, exercise, mood or body image but do not yet know what those changes mean. We can begin with what is happening now.

Should we also make an appointment with our GP?

Yes, if you are concerned that your child may have an eating disorder. Eating disorders can affect physical health even when someone does not appear visibly unwell. A GP can assess their physical health and help determine whether specialist medical or NHS eating-disorder support is needed.

Will parents be involved in therapy?

The level of involvement depends on your child’s age and presentation. I usually involve parents in the initial assessment and at reviews every six weeks. Parents may also join sessions, or have parent-only sessions alongside the young person’s therapy. I will discuss privacy and information-sharing with you and your child.

What if my teenager does not want therapy?

It’s not unusual for a teenager to say they don’t need therapy or don’t believe anyone can help. That can feel frightening when you can see they’re struggling. It doesn’t mean you’ve run out of options.

If we meet, I won’t expect your teenager to arrive ready to talk about everything. I take their concerns seriously, acknowledge that being brought to therapy can feel awkward and get to know them beyond the eating difficulty. I’m warm and direct, with room for humour when it helps. Building trust is part of the work, rather than something they need to bring to the first appointment.

We can begin with a parent telephone call. Parent consultations can help you think about responding to distress, keeping communication open and supporting your child, even if they aren’t ready to attend themselves.

If you’re worried about their physical health, don’t wait for them to agree to therapy before seeking medical assessment. Building trust and parent support do not replace medical assessment or monitoring. Please see the medical-support guidance above.

Do you offer online therapy for eating disorders?

Yes. I offer online appointments across the UK as well as in-person appointments near Putney Bridge in London. Whether online work is appropriate will depend on your child’s age, needs, medical risk and the other support around them.

How long will therapy take?

There is no single answer. It depends on what your child is experiencing, how long the difficulties have been present and the kind of support they need. We will review the work together rather than expecting you to commit to a fixed number of sessions at the outset.

You don’t need to be certain

Whether you’re worried about yourself or your child, you don’t need a diagnosis or all the answers before asking for help. If eating difficulties are worrying you, you’re welcome to send a brief enquiry. We can talk through what’s happening and consider what support might fit. I aim to reply within two working days.

Arrange a free initial call