What is an MDT during treatment in an Eating Disorder Recovery Centre? Recovery can be a frightening journey, and the idea of attending a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) can be unnerving at first. The idea of professionals sitting in front of the person may remind them of the scariest job interview. With a little bit of information about the team and the process of the meeting, the fear can be reduced and converted into a meeting to look forward to having your say and giving feedback too.Recovery can be hard, and the team is there to support and guide you. At first some of their suggestions may feel overwhelming, but their experience and knowledge are why you are there.
Your goals in treatment are the goals the MDT are trying to reach with you.
Who can be at a multidisciplinary team meeting?
Your meeting may have the professionals that work with you throughout the week. Each week during your treatment, individual professionals will be interacting with you formally and informally, guiding you on your journey. The skills of these professionals enable them to provide the needed intervention more casually and also in structured sessions throughout the week.
The Psychiatrist and Dietitian who met you at your assessment also developed your initial treatment plan. Mental Health Nurses who work with you each day and support you, Dietitians who manage restoring balance to your system, Psychologists and psychotherapists who work with you individually and in groups exploring your thoughts and beliefs, A social Worker that supports your applications and accesses services with you. You will also meet our Family Therapists who help repair the home environment to enable a smooth transition back home. Peer Support Workers that listen and guide you through your journey using their own personal experience of recovering from an eating disorder. The support staff are also an essential part of your team: our Chef, Health Care Assistants, our students (Nursing, Dietitians, Doctors, Peer Support Worker).
Don’t worry, the MDT will collaborate and have discussed your progress throughout the week and at the MDT not everyone will be in front of you. Key members of the team will have received an overview and update and have a clear understanding of your needs.
What does the individual members of the MDT do?
The key member of the MDT is you. There is no MDT without you. Never underestimate the amount of work you have done to reach this point. Each member is only here to listen to your goals for treatment and to support your journey.
Eating Disorder Recovery
Consultant Psychiatrist and Registrar Doctor in eating disorders
The human mind and body are more complex than most people understand. How conditions such as malnutrition, anxiety, and depression compound an eating disorder requires experienced management and this is where Consultants are your allies in your recovery. With their expert experience in anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, arfid, and other conditions, they are a strong advocate in your recovery, guiding the MDT.
Dietitians in eating disorders treatment
Often scary at the start but loved by the end. It’s a tough job to negotiate with an eating disorder; anorexia does not want to give up control, rituals, routines, release the grip of fear foods, but NEDRC’s Dietitians have the skills and experience to empower you to gain control of the eating disorder and challenge it, realising that you are stronger than your eating disorder. Giving trust and allowing them to build a therapeutic relationship with you builds your strength also. You may not agree with everything at first, but remember you are here to move slightly beyond your comfort zone each week with the goal of recovering. Lack of nutrition and sufficient, varied nutrition impacts on your mind and body’s functioning.
Therapists, Psychologists, and Psychotherapists specialising in eating disorders
NEDRC’s experienced Therapists helps people with all types of eating disorders each day. We focus on the thoughts and beliefs that present with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, arfid, and others each day. People with an eating disorder can have some deep, firm beliefs and it takes time to help figure these out. The experience they have from additional training and clinical experience is second to none. They use their knowledge and experience to understand your goals for recovery and work hard to help you achieve these.
Mental Health Nurses
Mental Health Nurses or Psychiatric Nurses provide compassion, empathy and support for NEDRC’s clients. They have experience in helping clients regulate their emotions and understand in a caring environment what might be happening for the client in those times of confusion. Recognising that for clients with bulimia it might be after the supported meal that anxiety could increase. Using their compassion, care, skills and experience to help a client before anxiety gets too high. Teaching clients these skills so they are empowered and realise they can actually mange this.
Peer Support Workers
Expert by experience is the only way to describe their wonderful input. They have walked in your shoes and are here now because they want to help you recover, just like they have. Your recovery and goals are their priority; the more open you are with NEDRC’s Peer Support Workers, the better they understand you and what is important to you.
Family Therapists
Eating disorders by their nature can cause conflict, difficulties and upset in any family. Loved ones want to help but don’t know how, and this can cause frustration and sometimes difficult situations. NEDRC’s family therapists understands that families are doing their best with the information, skills, tools they have; but they were never trained on how to manage this at home. Our family therapists are there to guide and support, not blame. Providing tools and discussing possible conflict and providing closure to a time that could have been challenging. With the goal of opening up constructive communication and rebuilding relationships that may have broken down.
Occupational therapists
Occupational therapists (OT) focus on the practical support a person may need. Clients with some conditions or neurodivergencey, such as ASD, ADHD, and OCD can benefit greatly from individual work to address any barriers to treatment related to these conditions. Providing structure and order to some tasks that may have been overwhelming at first but, with a plan, became manageable. Managing School, College or work while seeking or engaged in treatment can be challenging, but the NEDRC team is here to support you. They can advise on what supports are available in education and help you deal with and support your return to College or work. Stress at College or work can evoke a person with binge eating disorder to feel overwhelmed and exasperate their symptoms of the eating disorder; knowing someone is there to support you to navigate the processes in work such as human resources or the head of your course could help lower your stress.
Other members of the NEDRC team
During each day, your interactions and experiences are essential part of recovery. Each member of the NEDRC team will treat you with compassion and empathy. Knowing that someone is there all of the time to support you, provides a safety blanket and a sense of comfort knowing the team understand eating disorders and how to offer you support.
The benefits of a multidisciplinary care team compared to single therapy
Your journey in recovery is going to be unique and requires individual care focused on your goals and your life story.
If you can think about the MDT as the missing step on a ladder. Yes, you can reach the top of a ladder with fewer steps, but it’s much harder. The support from your team changes it from big steps each time to smaller, more manageable steps. Sometimes a person could be missing a few steps, and this could have made recovery feel out of reach. Your team is there to support you and fill in the missing pieces of your recovery.
When a person has tried to recover at home without professional help, they are trying to be an MDT by themselves. Not everyone can be a one-person band, and it is easier with support. Much research has been done to show the benefits of the MDT approach. One such study looked into the importance of including Occupational Therapists as part of the multidisciplinary team in the management of eating disorders. It showed OTs are uniquely skilled in identifying the meaning that provokes participation in an activity and understanding how this engagement impacts one’s well-being and sense of self. NEDRC want and will support you to have a good quality of life, a life outside of an eating disorder.
Reaching your goals and your vision of recovery
Team support is always going to achieve a better outcome for a person. Few people can embark and sustain this journey alone; reaching out for support is not a sign of failure but a sign of strength and motivation for change.
Each person who takes the brave step in asking for help has their own unique vision of recovery and how much they feel able or willing to let go of the safety blanket an eating disorder provides. Your team is here to listen to you and stand with you during and beyond your treatment. yourself.
If you would like to discuss the concerns you have about a love one, contact NEDRC in confidence. We are happy to listen and guide you through.
NEDRC can help you and your loved one take that vital step to regain a happy, healthy life. Please use the contact details below to find out about our eating disorder treatment options available to you and your loved one. Contact NEDRC
Telephone: 01 564 4450 or Mobile: 087 7755996 / Email enquiries@nedrc.ie
For referrals from Healthcare/ Therapeutic professionals please contact via : referrals@nedrc.ie or healthlink@nedrc.ie or online via Healthlink
Healthmail users can send referrals to healthmail@nedrc.ie
