NEDA TOOLKIT for Parents
Questions to ask when interviewing a therapist
What is your experience and how long have you
been treating eating disorders?
How are you licensed? What are your training
credentials? Do you belong to the Academy for
Eating Disorders (AED)? AED is a professional
group that offers its members educational
trainings every year. This doesn’t prove that
individuals are up-to-date, but it does increase the
chances. How would you describe your treatment style?
Many different treatment styles exist. Different
approaches may be more or less appropriate for
your child and family depending on your child’s
situation and needs.
What kind of evaluation process do you use to
recommend a treatment plan? Who all is involved
in that planning?
What are the measurable criteria you use to assess
how well treatment is working? Can you give me a
few examples?
Do you use published clinical practice guidelines
to guide your treatment planning for eating
disorders? How?
What psychotherapeutic approaches and tools do
you use?
How do you treat coexisting mental health
conditions such as depression or anxiety?
How do you decide which approach is best for the
patient? Do you ever use more than one
approach? When?
What kind of medical information do you need?
Will a medical evaluation be needed before my
child begins treatment?
How will you work with my child’s other doctors,
such as medical doctors, who may need to provide
care? How often will you communicate with them?
Will you work with my child’s school and
teachers? How often do you communicate with
them? Will medication play a role in my child’s
treatment? Do you work with a psychopharmacologist if
medication seems indicated or do I find one on my
own? What is your availability in an emergency? If you
are not available, what are my alternatives?
What are your criteria for determining whether a
patient needs to be hospitalized?
What is your appointment availability? Do you
offer after work or early morning appointments?
What happens in counseling sessions? If a
particular session is upsetting for my child, will
you advise me on how best to support my child?
How long does each counseling session last? How
many will there be and how often?
How often will you meet with me/us as parents?
How do you involve key family members or
friends? What specific goals will be set for treatment and
how will they be communicated?
How and when will progress be assessed?
How long will the treatment process take? How
do you know when recovery is happening and
therapy can stop?
Do you charge for phone calls or emails from
patients or family between sessions? If so, what do
you charge and how and to whom (insurance
company or patient) is that billed?
Will you send me written information, a treatment
plan, treatment price, etc.? The more information
the therapist or facility is able to send in writing,
the better informed you will be.
Do you deal directly with the insurer or do I need
to do that?
When is payment due?
Are you reimbursable by my insurance? What if I
don’t have insurance or mental health benefits
under my health care plan?
It is important for you to research your insurance
coverage policy and what treatment alternatives are
available in order for you and your treatment provider
to design a treatment plan that suits your coverage.
With a careful search, the provider you select will be
helpful. If the first time you meet is awkward, don’t be
discouraged. The first few appointments with any
treatment provider can be challenging. It takes time to
build trust when you are sharing highly personal
information. If you continue feeling that a different
therapeutic environment is needed, consider other
providers. Page | 62