Get to Know MED-DBT

What is MED-DBT?

The acronym “MED-DBT” stands for Multidiagnostic Eating Disorder - Dialectical Behavior Therapy and was developed in the early 2000s to address the substantive need for new care pathways for  individuals who have not been adequately helped by standard eating disorder treatments, like FBT or CBT-E. MED-DBT is an intensive outpatient treatment program designed for individuals living with an eating disorder in the context of other co-occurring conditions such as recurrent suicide and self-injury, trauma, substance use, and/or pervasive difficulties managing relationships and emotions. 

MED-DBT is different from other adaptations of DBT for eating disorders in several important ways. 

DBT-BN and DBT-BED (Stanford Model) - these protocols were designed for individuals in Stage 3; those with primary EDs in the mild to moderate range and were not intended for those with anorexia nervosa,  or those with more complex presentations including those who engage in suicide or self-injurious behaviours.  These protocols focus on modified and abridged uses of DBT, focusing predominantly on the utilization of DBT skills. While DBT skills modified for ED treatments are essential, those with complex presentations require the full DBT framework to maximize success.

Robust & Compassionate Care

RO-DBT - this adaptation of DBT is also focused on individuals in Stage 3 treatment and requires clients to be medically stable, able to manage food and fluid intake independently (or with an outside team), and was not designed to manage the complex medical and nutritional needs of those in Stage 1. 

The MED-DBT program is a temperament-based approach designed for individuals in Stage 1 (e.g., severe behavioral dyscontrol) who need help managing intense emotional and relational challenges while also needing help to stay medically stable, manage food and eating, and cope with body disturbances. The model is based on more than two decades of direct and translational research demonstrating the utility of DBT for the treatment of multidiagnostic ED presentations.