Looking for Eating Disorder Treatment in Columbus? We Can Help.

August 19, 2022

Clem&Thyme Nutrition has made it its mission to be a nutritional therapy resource for the Ohio community. We recently expanded our reach by opening an office in Columbus, OH. (Click here to view our extensive list of medical conditions we treat.) We sat down with one of our newest Registered Dietitians, Jaclyn Bendt, to discuss what makes her so passionate about helping people with eating disorders.

Why did you decide to specialize in eating disorder recovery?

My passion for being a dietitian specializing in eating disorder recovery is rooted in my past experiences. At a young age, I was exposed to diet culture and really struggled in my relationship with food. When seeking out help, I had the opportunity to meet with a Registered Dietitian, and the positive impact that she had not only on my relationship with food but on me as a whole person was profound. I soon realized that I wanted to be able to pay it forward and have this immense positive impact on my future clients.

There is often a lack of access to care in the eating disorder recovery world, which leaves many people struggling silently. I hope to counter that and provide quality care for others to realize that recovery is possible and that they are worth it.

Jaclyn Bendt is passionate about helping people recover from eating disorders.

What are some misconceptions about eating disorders?

Many people believe that eating disorders (EDs) are a choice. The reality is that EDs are complex medical and psychiatric illnesses that patients don’t choose, and parents don’t cause. The current thinking by eating disorder researchers and clinical experts demonstrates that both genetic and environmental factors cause eating disorders; they are bio-sociocultural diseases.

A societal factor (like the media-driven thin body ideal) is an example of an environmental trigger that has been linked to an increased risk of developing an eating disorder. Environmental factors include physical illnesses, childhood teasing and bullying, and other life stressors. Additionally, they may run in families, as biological predispositions make individuals vulnerable to developing an eating disorder.

Another misconception is that EDs have a “look.” Although the media portray most people with eating disorders as emaciated, you can’t tell whether someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them.

Research shows that most people with an eating disorder are not underweight. These perceptions can perpetuate the problem and may cause fear of not being “sick enough” or “good enough” at their disorder to deserve treatment.

You cannot determine if an individual is struggling with binge eating disorder (BED) based on their weight. It is important to remember that just because a sufferer has gained the weight back or has lost weight in the treatment process for BED, it doesn’t mean they are recovered. Individuals can experience a severe eating disorder at any weight, shape, or body size.

The final misconception I want to mention is that EDs aren’t that “big of a deal.” Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Up to 20% of individuals with chronic anorexia nervosa will die due to their illness. Community studies of anorexia, bulimia, and eating disorders not otherwise specified show that all eating disorders have similar mortality rates.

Besides medical complications from binge eating, purging, starvation, and over-exercise, suicide is also common among individuals with eating disorders. People who struggle with eating disorders also have a severely impacted quality of life.

Source: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/toolkit/parent-toolkit/eating-disorder-myths

What are the challenges to treating clients with eating disorders?

Eating disorders are complex and challenging to treat as they are a mental health disorder and are about more than just food.

Many who struggle with eating disorders have co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, substance use, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, which must be addressed by a mental health provider on the treatment team.

From the outside, it may seem as simple as “just eating normally,” but the depth of an eating disorder and the control, safety, and comfort it provides individuals are much more profound. The ED may have served as a coping mechanism that has gotten them through their pain, and it will require a lot of inner work to detangle this.

The goal is to get to the root issue masked with disordered eating patterns. Treatment and the recovery process take time and a significant amount of practice to quiet the ED voice that may have lived in one’s brain for years.

Also, we live in a society that is heavily entrenched in diet culture. In the media and in our daily lives, we see messages that worship thinness and equate it to health and moral virtue. We see those specific ways of eating are demonized while others are elevated. We see ads that promote weight loss as a means of attaining higher status, which compels us to spend massive amounts of time, energy, and money trying to shrink our bodies. Ultimately, encountering these messages can be extremely confusing and exhausting for those in eating disorder recovery.

Because EDs are so complex and challenging, extreme amounts of patience, compassion, accountability and continuous support are some of the most important things to help struggling clients.

What should potential clients expect in nutritional therapy if they work with you?

Clients should expect a warm, welcoming, and non-judgmental space where they can feel comfortable and confident. The nutrition therapy will be individualized as every client presents with different needs, placing the client at the center. Clients can expect to gain a new framework of how to look at food positively.

Clients will have the opportunity to learn about the science – they will begin understanding what is happening in their bodies when they eat, why different nutrients are important, and more to help decrease fears around food. I provide meal/snack support and/or food-exposure support when needed.

Clients can look forward to working with me to create an eating plan that optimally and adequately nourishes their bodies, leaving them feeling healthy, happy, and satisfied. I hope each client cultivates a strong trust with me as their provider.

Each of my clients will receive constant support and encouragement throughout their journey. Ultimately, my clients can expect to re-develop intuitive understandings of hunger, fullness, satiety, and a symptom-free relationship with food.

When are you available to see clients both in-person or virtually?

I am available to meet with clients virtually on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9 am-5 pm, with a few exceptions. Additionally, I am available to see clients in person a couple of Mondays per month, each Tuesday evening from 5 pm-8 pm, and every other Thursday and Friday 9 am-5 pm. Click here to make your first appointment.