Creating a Treatment Plan for Binge Eating Disorder: What to Include + Example (2024)

Binge eating disorder is a mental health condition that is known for the consumption of large amounts of food, or a high amount of calories, in a short period of time. During a binge, your clients may find themselves feeling out of control and are unable to control what they and how much they eat. Many find that they feel some form of distress after a binge and go to lengths to hide their binges from family and loved ones. Keep reading to learn how to create a treatment plan for binge eating disorder, with an example.

Clients who binge eat at least once a week for 3 months may be living with a binge eating disorder. A key difference between binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa is that those living with bulimia nervosa try to avoid weight gain with compensatory behaviors like self-induced vomiting, using laxatives, and excessive exercising.

Binge eating disorder is quite common in the United States, affecting 1.25% of women and 0.42% of men. This condition can affect individuals of all ages, and is believed to affect 1.6% of teens. Research has indicated that individuals who develop binge eating are around the age of 25, though they could be younger or older. Binge eating disorder is more common among individuals who are overweight or obese, as well as those who are living with diabetes. Additionally, individuals who grew up in an environment where there was a strong focus on their weight, size, or body shape, may find themselves more at risk for developing binge eating disorder.

Binge eating disorder is a serious mental health condition that can cause a variety of health complications. These are dependent on the severity of the disorder and can include obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Individuals may also have co-occurring anxiety, and depression, or experience suicidal thoughts. Binge eating disorder can also lead to difficulty in social situations which can affect a person’s daily functioning.

Setting Goals and Objectives With Clients in Your Treatment Plan for Binge Eating Disorder

Before you can begin developing your binge eating treatment plan, you first need to have an understanding of the full scope of your client’s presenting problem. To do this, a comprehensive assessment is generally done to understand the severity of their symptoms and their level of impairment. Due to the medical risks associated with this condition, medical assessments are also done to assess for health conditions that require medical attention.

There are several assessments, questionnaires, and screeners that can be used to determine the specific symptoms present, and the severity of your client’s symptoms. Examples of assessments that could be used include:

• Binge Eating Scale (BES)
• Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q)
• Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
• Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI)
• Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Binge Eating (Y-BOCS-BE)
• Compulsive Eating Scale
• The Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26)

Once you have gathered all the necessary information, you can then work on putting together your treatment plan. As you move through your treatment plan for binge-eating disorder, we encourage you to think about how you can tailor your treatment plan to your clients to give them a personalized experience. Something to keep in mind is how resources, such as worksheets, can enhance your work and provide your clients with something tangible to take home as a reminder of what they work on in session. Examples of worksheets from TherapyByPro that may be relevant to your binge eating disorder treatment plan include:

• Eating Disorder Worksheet Bundle
• Body Image Worksheet Bundle
• Treatment Plan Template
• Eating Disorder Intake Assessment Form

What to Include in a Treatment Plan for Binge Eating Disorder + Example

We will be following the TherapyByPro treatment plan example for the remainder of our article. Our case will follow a adult named Jane who has been struggling with a binge eating disorder. Her symptoms have caused clinical distress and impairment, which contributed to her reaching out for help. And now for Jane’s story:

Jane’s Story:

Jane is a 24-year-old female who came in for help after her partner voiced concerns about her eating behaviors. Jane shared that for about 7 months she has found herself having episodes where she loses control over her eating. She explains that she tends to eat whatever she can access easily, without rhyme or reason. During these episodes, she doesn’t feel in control of herself and continues eating despite feeling full. When the binge is at its end, she begins to feel physically uncomfortable because of the amount of food she has consumed, in addition to feeling guilty, ashamed, and sad emotionally. Jane denied engaging in compensatory behaviors after binge episodes. She shared that she has always been self-conscious, but she denied having any unhealthy eating behaviors until 7 months ago. Jane reported that she has one to two binges each week.

In the time that she has experienced binge eating episodes, Jane reported gaining weight and being frustrated that she is unable to control the binges. Jane denied having previous mental health concerns but noted that her parents did pay close attention to her weight when she was younger and pressured her to maintain a certain image. As an adult, she lives on her own and does not have the same experiences with them, in part because she does not see them frequently.

Jane explained that her partner came over unexpectedly and walked into her apartment during a binge and that he voiced concern after seeing containers and wrappers for the food she had consumed. She noted that he was gentle in his approach, and shared that he was concerned about her mental health. Jane explained that she knew the binges were unhealthy, and that she was embarrassed to ask for help before. Jane noted that she has found her concentration declining which has led to her falling behind at work. Jane does not have any known health concerns and denied taking medications at this time.

Agencies Involved and Plans for Care Coordination

This section of your treatment plan is where you would make note of other healthcare professionals that are being incorporated to ensure comprehensive care. For Jane’s case, it would be appropriate to refer her to her primary health care physician for an evaluation due to her reported weight gain and to assess for other health conditions that can arise.

Example for Jane:

Care Coordination: Refer to primary healthcare physician for health assessment, refer to a local nutritionist to review her diet and provide recommendations for healthy changes

Clinical Diagnoses

Jane’s symptoms align with the DSM-5 criteria for Binge Eating Disorder. This was evidenced by the presence of one to two binges each week which began 7 months ago. Jane reported eating until she was uncomfortable, eating when not hungry, and feeling guilty afterward. She indicated distress from her binges and does not engage in compensatory behaviors.

Example for Jane:

Clinical Diagnosis: Binge Eating Disorder, F50.81

Current Medications and Responses

Jane denied taking medications at this time so it is not necessary to list any. This can be adjusted if she does begin taking medications.

Example for Jane:

Current Medications: None at this time

Presenting Problem and Related Symptoms

This section of your treatment plan can be described as your case conceptualization, which allows you to give your professional thoughts about your client’s symptoms and overall health and wellness. Your presenting problem summary should discuss the symptoms that are related to the goals and objectives within your treatment plan, which will follow in the next section.

Example for Jane:

Jane is a 24-year-old female who sought help after her partner found her in a binge episode which led to him voicing concerns about her eating behaviors. Over the past seven months, Jane has experienced one to two binge episodes per week. She described her episodes as moments of uncontrolled eating, during which she rapidly consumes large quantities of food. She often experiences physical discomfort afterward because of overeating, which is then followed by feelings of shame, guilt, and sadness.

Jane shared that she has always felt self-conscious about her weight, which she traced back to her parents’ focus on her body image during childhood. Jane has noticed a decline in her concentration and work performance, which she attributes to her binge eating. Jane denied having current health problems and is not on any medication.

Jane’s symptoms align with the DSM-5 criteria for Binge Eating Disorder, including recurrent binge episodes, lack of control, and emotional distress.

Goals and Objectives

The goals and objectives of your binge eating disorder DSM-5 treatment plan will act as the road map for your treatment sessions. They should be tailored to your client’s current concerns, be realistic, and specific. You can incorporate the use of evidence-based approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). Treatment for binge eating disorder can include a combination of group therapy, individual therapy, and educational sessions.

Example for Jane:

Goal 1: Craft a realistic and personalized eating plan

• Objective 1: Work with a dietician and learn to create a healthy meal plan
• Objective 2: Learn about, and utilize mindfulness eating practices
• Objective 3: Track instances of emotional eating to process and review in sessions

Goal 2: Identify and cope with triggers contributing to binges

• Objective 1: Explore specific situations, emotions, and stressors that are precursors to binging episodes
• Objective 2: Learn about, and integrate healthy coping skills to cope with emotional distress
• Objective 3: Learn about, and integrate stress reduction techniques to cope with day-to-day life, such as mindfulness practices and meditations

Goal 3: Reframe internal beliefs that contribute to binge episodes

• Objective 1: Identify negative beliefs and use cognitive restructuring strategies to challenge them
• Objective 2: Engage in positive self-talk, such as positive affirmations and regular self-reflection
• Objective 3: Set specific and realistic goals that can reinforce personal strengths

Specific Interventions to Be Used

This section of your treatment plan will lay out the specific interventions that you can use to accomplish your identified goals and objectives. Your interventions should be respectful of individual different circumstances. You can also make a note of who will be responsible for the intervention which can be helpful for a quick review.

Example for Jane:

Intervention 1: Develop a structured eating plan

Responsible Person: Jane and her nutritionist

Intervention 2: Engage in mindfulness eating practices

Responsible Person: Jane

Intervention 3: Monitor and process emotional eating occurrences with a detailed food diary

Responsible Person: Jane and Counselor A

Intervention 4: Utilize trigger-tracking tools to explore and process in-session

Responsible Person: Jane and Counselor A

Intervention 5: Cognitive restructuring to address negative beliefs regarding her body image and self-worth

Responsible Person: Jane and Counselor A

Family Involvement

At this time, it does not appear that it would be helpful for her parents to be involved in her treatment. She may decide to include her partner, which could be added to the treatment plan at a later date.

Example for Jane:

Family Involvement: None at this time

Estimation for Completion

It is important to note that the estimated time of completion can be adjusted as you engage in treatment to accurately reflect her progress. Treatment for binge eating disorder is more often long-term, ranging from 6 to 12 months. The beginning of treatment should focus on developing a thorough understanding of her case, and making sure that she has developed the knowledge and skills she needs to safely manage her symptoms. From there you can focus on addressing her maladaptive eating patterns and challenging the negative beliefs that are tied to her unhealthy eating behaviors. Before treatment is terminated, time should be spent ensuring that she can maintain her progress, and effectively cope with distress as it comes up without slipping back into previous patterns.

Example for Jane:

Estimated time for completion: 6 to 12 months, based on her progress and needs

Aftercare Plans

The aftercare plan section of your treatment plan should be written as if your client was discharged today. There is always a chance that Jane could terminate early, whether it’s for factors within her control or not. To be prepared for this, it is helpful to make note of what she could do to continue working towards her goals if she were to discontinue treatment. Naturally, these plans should be adjusted as she progresses in treatment.

Example for Jane:

Aftercare plans: Continue meeting with nutritionist, follow up with primary care physician, and engage in outpatient treatment to address binge eating disorder symptoms.

Final Thoughts On Creating a Treatment Plan for Binge Eating Disorder

Thanks for reading our resource on how to create a treatment plan for binge eating disorder. It can be rewarding and challenging at times for professionals who work with clients living with binge eating disorders. This is a complex mental health condition that is often intertwined with both physical and psychological symptoms. The combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and nutritional counseling can provide your client with a holistic approach that helps them get one step closer to their optimal mental health. It is an honor, and often humbling, to walk beside clients with binge eating disorder seeing the work and dedication that demonstrate throughout their treatment.

TherapyByPro is an online mental health directory that connects mental health pros with clients in need. If you’re a mental health professional, you can Join our community and add your practice listing here. We have assessments, practice forms, and worksheet templates mental health professionals can use to streamline their practice. View all of our mental health worksheets here.

Resources:

• Cleveland Clinic. “Binge Eating Disorder.” Cleveland Clinic. Accessed August 8, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17652-binge-eating-disorder.
• “Definition & Facts for Binge Eating Disorder .” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Accessed August 8, 2024. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/binge-eating-disorder/definition-facts.