At First Steps we have a number of qualified counsellors and trainee counsellors offering individual sessions for anyone affected by eating disorders. Daytime and evening appointments are available for a series of up to 12 sessions (to be reviewed after 6), for some clients our care plan may be extended to offer a series of up to 18 sessions (reviewed after 6 and 12).
It is kindly asked that a £5 donation is given for these counselling sessions which are funded from a mix of sponsors and funders which will ensure that First Steps can continue to provide our services to many other people suffering from eating disorders. As a charity, we reinvest 100% of fundraising back into our services.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced-based practice that has been used for decades to treat mental health conditions and more recently eating disorders.
Typically an individual talks about issues and problems at hand and learns to identify negative patterns in thinking, emotions, and behaviours. The client and our psychotherapist builds therapeutic rapport and trust agreeing a joint treatment plan to progress forward together as the eating disorder care plan.
The psychotherapist-client will address and reduce negative behaviours that are associated with the eating disorder with the counsellor providing education and awareness to healthier eating, behaviours and cognitive processes.
Coping strategies are typically developed for managing negative emotions, usually distraction, prolonging urges, and stopping thoughts are some of the skills taught to cope with overwhelming triggers and feelings.
The cognitive phase involves restructuring techniques where clients are encouraged to challenge their internal thought process and identify unhealthy interfering thoughts which are replaced with evidenced based eating disorder coping techniques to help shift perspectives.
CBT for eating disorders is focused on overcoming distorted thoughts about self, body image and self-esteem and how this relates to disordered eating and to reduce unhealthy practices that can impact mental and physical wellbeing.
The final stage of CBT for eating disorders involves the maintenance and relapse-prevention phase and focuses on the skills learned during the previous stages to create a comprehensive self-care recovery plan.
This plan involves improving self-care as individuals become more comfortable with learnt skills and the knowledge to identify triggers to prevent replace and deterioration. Another part of First Steps CBT care plan is to build upon the clients self-confidence encouraging them to join our eating disorder groups and even to consider the benefits of befriending, providing their own lived experience for the direct benefit of new clients starting out at the beginning of their peer support and counselling recovery journey.
CBT helps to normalise eating behaviours and responses to food, helping to regulate thoughts, and emotions and the actions that can be taken as part of self-care when eating disorders symptoms are present.
First Steps works hard to ensure that we can keep on top of our counselling and peer support waiting lists whilst also working double hard to ensure that our approach to funding our services remains sustainable for sufferers today and emerging generations.
Everybody who completes an initial assessment with one of our councellors or support workers is offered the opportunity to join our funded waiting list, but some people and their families choose to fund their care plan through our private counselling option. Private clients do not loose their place on our funded waiting list, instead are able to access specialist eating disorder support straight away and then migrate at no further cost once the waiting list allows.
As a charitable organisation our rates per session are significantly below what of many private CBT and IAPT counselling services charge and the fee covers the professional counsellor and costs for providing the service by First Steps with 100% of this income reinvested into our core services which means that we can fund and support many more people waiting to access our services.
If you would like to find out further information or to sign up for the service, please contact First Steps on 01332 367571 or [email protected]. Or alternatively, you can self-refer or refer another here.
Our Body Image Awareness Sessions are based upon the Cognitive Behavioural Model; applying cognitive behavioural methods to look at the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Body image is how we behave towards our bodies and is NOT about how you look. Body image can be positive or negative.
This programme consists of 5 weekly sessions.
To provide a place to discuss issues regarding changing body shape.
To provide psycho-education focusing on issues related to body image.
Do you feel that you are exercising too often and for too long?
If so, First Steps now offer the Loughborough Eating-Disorder Activity Therapy [LEAP] Programme which is designed to support to those struggling with compulsive exercise in conjunction with their eating disorder.
Educating the service user about the cognitive view of the maintenance of compulsive exercise.
Promoting an insight into the factors maintaining a service user’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviours towards exercise.
LEAP is not aimed at making service users stop exercising, but rather educates them about what constitutes 'healthy/non compulsive' exercise".
If you are interested in accessing this support, please contact Marc (LEAP Facilitator) via e-mail: [email protected] or phone: 01332 367571.
My name is Tinka, I am a Jack Russell aged 8 years young!
I first came to First Steps when my companion died, as I was very upset and was off my food for a long time. My owner (Cathy) decided that I needed to do some voluntary work to get me out of the house!
Volunteering at First Steps has given me a new lease of life and I adore being a P.A.T Dog as I can't get enough fuss and attention and everyone is so lovely to me!
I attend the Support Group For All Ages and you may occasionally see me at the Young Persons Support Group. I am in the office most days and I also attend board meetings and other meetings at our offices with professionals and volunteers. I love being with people and going for walks.
Please feel free to pop in and see me!
Hypnosis is a natural state that everyone has experienced. It's not magical or mysterious. Anything that fully absorbs your attention so that you ignore distractions is an experience of hypnosis.
Here at First Steps, we are pleased to offer this type of therapy on a fortnightly basis.
To book a place, receive support or for more information regarding any of this support, please contact First Steps on 01332 367571 or [email protected].