Seeking treatment and setting up a treatment team is the first important step you can take to get on the road to recovery. Eating disorders take lives and with mortality rate as high as 20 percent, it is crucial to seek help immediately. Do not let fear of being judged or not being “sick enough” stand in the way of getting help. Don’t wait – it may be too late.

The University of Massachusetts Boston’s Health Services Counseling Center here on campus (Quinn Building, 2nd Floor) offers counseling for eating disorders and other mental health issues. The UHS Counseling Center “offers anonymous and confidential on-line screening for eating disorders, “Screening for Mental Health, Inc,” and you may also call for a brief telephone screening between 11am and noon Monday through Friday. Call UHS 617-287-5690 to schedule an appointment for your initial phone consultation with a clinician, who will then set up an in-person counseling session and assessment with you. The entire process is confidential and is used to help decide the best plan of action in treating your specific symptoms.

Cost of treatment is as follows: “The Counseling Center does not charge for the brief telephone screening or the first three appointments. However, there is a fee for therapy services beyond the first three. The current fee structure can be obtained by contacting the UHS Counseling Center receptionist at 617-287-5690.”

*If you are experiencing an emergency and are on-campus during business hours, please call or come to the UHS Counseling Center right away. If you are experiencing an emergency on-campus after business hours, please contact Public Safety. If you are off-campus, please go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital.

(Information taken from: www.healthservices.umb.edu/counselingctr.shtml)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCESwww.nationaleatingdisorders.org – Information about eating disorders and getting treatmentwww.something-fishy.org – Recovery website filled with usefultools for recoverywww.medainc.org – Massachusetts Eating Disorders Association, Inc. focuses on providing info and helpwww.mclean.harvard.edu/patient/adult/edc.php – Offers multi-levels of care for kids and adultswww.eatingdisordercenter.org – Cambridge Eating Disorders Center is a treatment center in Harvard Squarewww.edreferral.com/states/ma.html -Comprehensive website to help find providers and programs in your area