Bergen County's Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS). Specialized Treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating & Food Anxiety in NJ
Dana Colthart, LCSW, CEDS brings the highest level of credentialed expertise to eating disorder treatment in Bergen County and throughout New Jersey.
Not All Therapists Are Trained to Treat Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are among the most complex and medically serious mental health conditions. They require far more than general therapy training, they demand deep, specialized expertise in how to actually move someone toward recovery without making things worse.
Dana's CEDS credential through iaedp™ (International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation) signals exactly that level of expertise. It means you're not getting a generalist who sometimes sees eating disorder clients. You're getting a specialist.
The CEDS, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, is the most respected and recognized certification for licensed mental health professionals who treat eating disorders. It is issued by the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation (iaedp™), the leading credentialing body in this field.
What It Took to Become Certified
Here is exactly what the iaedp™ CEDS certification process required:
01 Active Clinical Licensure
Hold a current, valid mental health license (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, psychologist, etc.), the CEDS is only available to licensed professionals, ensuring baseline clinical competency before specialization.
02 Documented Supervised Clinical Hours
Accumulate a significant number of clinical hours working directly with eating disorder clients under appropriate supervision, demonstrating real-world experience in the field, not just academic knowledge.
03 iaedp™ Core Course Completion
Complete iaedp's four required Core Courses, a deep curriculum covering the medical, psychological, nutritional, and ethical dimensions of eating disorder treatment and earn a certificate for each.
04 Consultation with an Approved CEDS Supervisor
Engage in formal consultation with an iaedp™ Approved Consultant (CEDS-C), a peer review process that evaluates clinical reasoning, case conceptualization, and application of evidence-based approaches.
05 Passing the CEDS Final Examination
Pass iaedp's comprehensive final certification exam, testing knowledge of eating disorder diagnosis, treatment approaches, medical considerations, ethics, and best practices in the field.
06 Ongoing Renewal Every Two Years
Maintain the credential by completing continuing education requirements and renewing every two years, ensuring that expertise stays current as the field evolves.
iaedp™ is accredited through the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), which means the CEDS meets national standards for professional certification rigor. When you see CEDS after a therapist's name, it means they have gone through a validated, standardized process, not a self-reported checklist.
For women and men in Bergen County, Monmouth County, and throughout New Jersey who are struggling with their relationship with food, their body, or eating, that level of credentialed, specialized care is available right here at Clear Light Therapy, in person in Englewood, NJ and via telehealth statewide.
Whether you are in Ridgewood, Tenafly, Teaneck, Hackensack, Paramus, Fort Lee, Wyckoff, Mahwah, or anywhere else in Bergen County or in Red Bank, Rumson, Shrewsbury, Middletown, Freehold, Colts Neck, Holmdel, or Marlboro in Monmouth County, you no longer have to settle for a general therapist who occasionally sees eating disorder clients.
Evidence-Based Treatment from a Specialist Who Actually Gets It
At Clear Light Therapy, we understand that disordered eating and body image struggles are rarely about food itself. They're driven by anxiety, perfectionism, and a need for control. The more you try to manage your body to feel better, the more stuck you become. Trying harder usually makes the anxiety louder, not quieter.
As a CEDS, Dana brings a structured, compassionate, and clinically grounded approach, not generic coping strategies, but treatment that is specifically designed for the complexity of eating disorders.
WHY SPECIALIZATION MATTERS
What Sets a CEDS Apart From a General Therapist
Most therapists are trained to help with anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Very few have the specialized training to treat eating disorders effectively, and this matters more than people realize.
A well-meaning therapist without eating disorder training can inadvertently make things worse, reinforcing shame, missing medical warning signs, or applying approaches that are not appropriate for someone with restrictive eating or binge-purge cycles. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition. This is not an area where generalist care is enough.
Working with a CEDS means your therapist has been rigorously trained and credentialed specifically for this work. They know the research. They know the clinical pitfalls. They know how to hold recovery alongside a client who is scared, ambivalent, or exhausted, without pushing them away from the process.
For clients in Bergen County and across New Jersey, that level of specialized, credentialed care is available right here at Clear Light Therapy, in-person in Englewood and via telehealth statewide.
SERVING NEW JERSEY
Eating Disorder Specialist in Bergen County & Throughout NJ
Clear Light Therapy is located at 60 Chestnut Street in Englewood, NJ, and serves clients in-person and via telehealth throughout New Jersey. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, Dana Colthart, LCSW, CEDS provides specialized eating disorder treatment to adults and teens across Bergen County, Monmouth County, and beyond.
If you're searching for an eating disorder therapist in Bergen County, a CEDS in New Jersey, or specialized food anxiety and body image treatment near you, Clear Light Therapy is here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything You Want to Know About Working With a CEDS in NJ. Questions about the CEDS credential, treatment approaches, eating disorders, OCD, insurance, and getting started at Clear Light Therapy in Bergen County, NJ.
What is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS)?
A Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) is a licensed mental health professional who has earned a specialized credential through iaedp™, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation, the leading credentialing body in the eating disorder field. Earning the CEDS requires holding an active clinical license, completing documented supervised clinical hours working directly with eating disorder clients, finishing iaedp's four Core Courses, passing a comprehensive final certification exam, and completing formal consultation with an approved CEDS supervisor. The credential is accredited through the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) and must be renewed every two years. It is the most respected and recognized certification for eating disorder treatment professionals.
Why should I see a CEDS instead of a regular therapist for an eating disorder?
Eating disorders are among the most complex and medically serious mental health conditions, they have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis. Most general therapists, even excellent ones, have not received specialized training in how to treat eating disorders without inadvertently making things worse. A CEDS has been rigorously trained and credentialed specifically for this work. They understand the medical risks, the clinical pitfalls, and the evidence-based approaches like CBT, ERP, and intuitive eating-informed therapy, and how to hold recovery alongside a client who may be ambivalent, scared, or exhausted. Working with a CEDS means you're not getting a generalist who occasionally sees eating disorder clients, you're getting a specialist.
How did Dana Colthart earn the CEDS credential?
Dana Colthart, LCSW earned the CEDS through iaedp™ by meeting all required criteria: holding an active LCSW license, completing documented supervised clinical hours with eating disorder clients, finishing all four of iaedp's Core Courses, passing the CEDS final certification exam, and completing formal consultation with an iaedp™ Approved Consultant (CEDS-C). The CEDS is not a self-reported credential or a weekend training, it is a rigorous, validated certification process that demonstrates genuine clinical expertise in eating disorder treatment. Dana also maintains the credential through ongoing continuing education and renewal every two years.
Do I need a formal eating disorder diagnosis to get help at Clear Light Therapy?
No. Many clients at Clear Light Therapy have never received a formal diagnosis, but they know something is off. Constant food anxiety, obsessive thoughts about food or weight, swinging between restriction and feeling out of control, never feeling comfortable in your body, or body image distress that affects your daily life are all valid reasons to seek specialized support. You don't have to be visibly sick or "sick enough" to deserve help. If food, your body, or eating is taking up mental space and keeping you stuck, that is enough to reach out.
What treatment approaches does Clear Light Therapy use for eating disorders?
Clear Light Therapy uses evidence-based approaches tailored to each client's needs, including CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to identify and challenge the rigid beliefs about food, weight, and self-worth that keep anxiety cycling; ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) for clients whose food anxiety and eating disorder behaviors have an OCD-like quality; ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to stop fighting the endless internal war against food thoughts and body anxiety and start moving toward the life you actually want; psychoeducation to understand how restriction, anxiety, and body checking reinforce each other so the cycle finally makes sense; and intuitive eating-informed therapy to rebuild trust with your body, reduce fear around eating, and step away from control-based coping.
What is the connection between eating disorders and OCD?
Eating disorders and OCD overlap far more than most people realize. Both involve intrusive, anxiety-driven thoughts and compulsive behaviors that temporarily reduce anxiety but ultimately make it worse. Someone with an eating disorder may obsessively check food labels, follow strict eating rituals, repeatedly weigh themselves, or engage in body checking, all of which mirror OCD compulsions. Many people with eating disorders also have co-occurring OCD or anxiety disorders. At Clear Light Therapy, Dana Colthart, LCSW, CEDS is trained in both eating disorder treatment and OCD treatment, including ERP, making this practice uniquely equipped to treat clients whose food anxiety and disordered eating have an OCD-like quality. If your relationship with food feels like it has rules, rituals, and consequences you can't escape, this overlap may be worth exploring.
What is ERP and how does it help with food anxiety and eating disorders?
ERP stands for Exposure and Response Prevention. It is the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for OCD and anxiety, and it is highly effective for eating disorder clients whose symptoms have an OCD-like quality. In ERP, a client gradually faces feared foods, situations, or body-related triggers while resisting the urge to engage in eating disorder behaviors like restriction, checking, avoidance, or purging. Over time, the brain learns that the feared outcome doesn't actually occur and anxiety decreases. ERP teaches your nervous system that you can tolerate uncertainty around food, your body, and eating without the behaviors that have been keeping you stuck. Dana Colthart, LCSW, CEDS uses ERP with clients in Bergen County and across New Jersey.
What is ACT and why is it used for eating disorders?
ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Rather than trying to eliminate anxious thoughts about food or your body, which rarely works and often makes things worse, ACT teaches you to change your relationship with those thoughts so they no longer control your behavior. In eating disorder treatment, ACT is especially helpful for clients who are exhausted from fighting a constant internal war with food thoughts, body dissatisfaction, and the urge to control. It helps you stop letting anxiety make your decisions, and instead start moving toward a life that actually matters to you, one that doesn't revolve around food rules, body checking, or the scale.
Does Clear Light Therapy accept insurance?
Clear Light Therapy is an out-of-network provider. Many insurance plans include out-of-network mental health benefits, which means a significant portion of your session fees may be reimbursable. We provide superbills, detailed receipts with the diagnostic and billing codes your insurance needs, that you can submit directly to your insurance company for reimbursement. Before starting treatment, we recommend calling the member services number on your insurance card and asking: "What are my out-of-network mental health benefits?" and "What is my out-of-network deductible?" This gives you a clear picture of your out-of-pocket costs upfront.
Do you offer telehealth for eating disorder treatment across New Jersey?
Yes. Clear Light Therapy offers both in-person sessions at our Englewood, NJ office and telehealth sessions via secure video for clients anywhere in New Jersey. This includes Bergen County, Monmouth County, Hudson County, Somerset County, Morris County, and beyond. Telehealth makes it possible to work with a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) no matter where you are in NJ, without having to commute or put off getting the specialized help you deserve.
Where is Clear Light Therapy located and what areas do you serve?
Clear Light Therapy is located at 60 Chestnut Street, Englewood, NJ 07631, in Bergen County. We see clients in person from throughout Bergen County including Ridgewood, Tenafly, Teaneck, Hackensack, Paramus, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Fair Lawn, Wyckoff, Mahwah, Saddle River, Bergenfield, Oradell, and River Edge. Via telehealth, we serve clients across all of New Jersey including Monmouth County, Hudson County, Somerset County, and Morris County.
How do I get started with eating disorder treatment at Clear Light Therapy?
Getting started is simple. Fill out the online contact form at danacolthart.com and Dana, the owner of Clear Light Therapy, will personally reach out via text or email within 24 hours. From there, you'll have an initial call to discuss your needs and how the practice works. Once matched with a therapist, you'll receive electronic intake paperwork and then your sessions begin. We also offer a complimentary free 15-minute consultation if you want to talk first before committing. No pressure, no obligation, just an honest conversation about whether we're the right fit for you.