08/27/2026
Few things feel more frustrating than hitting a wall in treatment where your client is no longer making progress, but isn't necessarily regressing either.
When a client gets stuck in a treatment plateau, it’s rarely because they are being "resistant." More often, the eating disorder symptom is acting as a necessary protective barrier against a underlying fear, trauma, or emotional transition that feels too dangerous to touch yet. Rushing them past that plateau without addressing the protective function of the behavior can cause them to pull back entirely.
Instead of pushing harder on behavioral goals, try shifting the focus to somatic safety and emotional tolerance. When we make it safe to explore why the symptom is keeping them safe, the plateau naturally begins to dissolve.
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