What Is CBT-E?

Written By Lauren Nutbrown

What Is CBT-E?

A personalized, evidence-based approach to healing your relationship with food, body, and self—gently and collaboratively.

A Gentle Introduction to Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders
By Nutbrown Counselling

If you’ve been looking into treatment options for an eating disorder or disordered eating, you may have come across the term CBT-E and wondered what it means.

CBT-E stands for Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy—a modern, evidence-based approach specifically designed to help people of all body shapes and diagnoses heal their relationship with food, eating, and self-worth. It’s one of the leading treatments for eating disorders, and it’s known for being structured, compassionate, and tailored to each person’s unique experience.

Let’s explore what CBT-E is, how it works, and whether it might be the right fit for you or someone you care about.

What Does CBT-E Treat?

CBT-E was developed to treat a wide range of eating difficulties—not just one diagnosis. It’s often used for:

  • Anorexia nervosa

  • Bulimia nervosa

  • Binge eating disorder (BED)

  • OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders)

  • Disordered eating that doesn’t meet full criteria for a diagnosis

It’s designed to get to the root of unhelpful thoughts and patterns that keep someone stuck in cycles of food restriction, bingeing, purging, body checking, or rigid rules.

How Does CBT-E Work?

CBT-E is a structured, time-limited therapy that usually runs between 20–40 sessions, depending on the severity and complexity of the eating difficulties.

At its core, CBT-E helps you:

  • Understand what’s maintaining the eating disorder (not just what started it)

  • Build awareness of thoughts, emotions, and behaviours related to food and body image

  • Break free from rigid rules and rituals around eating and appearance

  • Learn new, compassionate ways to cope with distress, uncertainty, and self-worth challenges

  • Rebuild a peaceful, flexible relationship with food and your body

It’s called “enhanced” because it incorporates tools to address core maintaining mechanisms like perfectionism, low self-esteem, interpersonal difficulties, and mood intolerance—when these are part of the picture.

What Does a CBT-E Session Look Like?

CBT-E sessions are collaborative and goal-focused. Your therapist won’t tell you what to eat or shame you for how you’re coping. Instead, you’ll work together to:

  • Identify current eating patterns and triggers

  • Set personalized goals (not just weight-based goals)

  • Explore thoughts and beliefs driving disordered behaviours

  • Practice new strategies and reflect on progress

Between sessions, you’ll often be invited to try out real-life experiments or reflections—not as homework to “get right,” but as ways to gently challenge stuck patterns and build confidence.

What Makes CBT-E Different?

CBT-E is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It's designed to be:

  • Personalized: It meets you where you're at—whether you've been struggling for months or years.

  • Empowering: You’re not told what to do—you’re supported in making changes that matter to you.

  • Flexible with structure: There’s a roadmap, but it’s adjusted to fit your needs and readiness.

  • Focused on the present: Rather than digging into the past, CBT-E focuses on what’s happening now—and how you want to move forward.

Is CBT-E Right for Me?

CBT-E might be a good fit if:

  • You feel stuck in thoughts or behaviours around food, eating, or your body

  • You want a structured approach, but one that feels respectful and collaborative

  • You’re open to looking at how your thoughts and behaviours are connected—and learning new ways to respond

  • You’re ready to make changes, even if it feels scary or uncertain

You don’t have to be “sick enough” or have a formal diagnosis to benefit from CBT-E. Eating struggles are valid at every size and stage.

Final Thoughts

CBT-E is a powerful, evidence-based approach to healing from eating disorders and disordered eating—but more than that, it’s a compassionate, respectful way to reconnect with your body, mind, and self-worth.

At Nutbrown Counselling, CBT-E is one of the approaches I may integrate alongside other supportive therapies depending on your needs and goals. You don’t have to navigate recovery alone—and you are worthy of healing, just as you are.

Warmly,
Nutbrown Counselling
In-person & virtual counselling in Kelowna, BC
🌐 www.nutbrowncounselling.com
📅 Book a Session

Disclaimer

The content of this blog is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a mental health condition.

Nutbrown Counselling is a Canadian counselling practice offering services within the counsellor’s professional scope and jurisdiction. Any use of the information in this post is at your own discretion and risk.

References

Fairburn, C. G. (2008). Cognitive behavior therapy and eating disorders. Guilford Press.

Fairburn, C. G., Cooper, Z., & Shafran, R. (2003). Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders: A “transdiagnostic” theory and treatment. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41(5), 509–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(02)00088-8

National Eating Disorders Collaboration. (n.d.). CBT-E: Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://www.nedc.com.au

Academy for Eating Disorders. (2016). Position statement on the use of CBT-E in eating disorder treatment. https://www.aedweb.org

Lauren Nutbrown
Next

What Does It Mean to Be “Trauma-Informed”?