I'm very upset and would really like some advice and reassurance.

I have a long history of disordered eating and spent some time in hospital as a teenager. I've never fully recovered however I eventually managed to get my eating problems under control enough so I could live a relatively normal life for about 10 years. Around a year, however, I experienced some stressful life events and felt myself slipping back into eating disorder behaviours, as well as feeling out of control with my life and slightly depressed.

My weight dropped to borderline underweight but I knew it wasn't low enough for the NHS to take me seriously and provide me with treatment so I decided to seek private psychotherapy.

I found a local psychotherapist via the internet who looked kind and patient and although he didn't list eating problems as one of his specialisms, he felt he could help with my low self esteem, relationship issues and depressive feelings.

I've been seeing him now for around a year and my eating problems have not improved. I've started to experience physical symptoms, such as irregular periods and hair loss. I've also started to experience suicidal feelings after bingeing and had to take some days off work sick as I've been feeling so bad.

I went to see my GP today for a smear test and mentioned my irregular periods. I admitted to having eating issues and told her that I've been seeing a therapist. She seemed very angry and said that my therapist was unethical and should have referred me onto a therapist who specialises in eating disorders. She told me I should stop seeing him immediately as he could be making me worse and that she would refer me for NHS help but couldn't guarantee the eating disorder clinic would accept the referral as my weight is not at a dangerously low level. She said 'are you sure your therapist is qualified? he's been taking money off you all this time for a problem he isn't equipped to help with'.

I feel so upset and I don't know what to do. My therapist is registered with a professional body which has a website (I've checked and he is listed) but it's not one of the well known professional bodies in the UK. I'm worried I have been conned and he hasn't had my best interests at heart but was just after the money. I don't know what to do. I don't want to just stop seeing him as even though he isn't helping much with the ed, he does provide me with some comfort and makes me feel listened to and understood sometimes. I feel guilty and like this is my fault because I went to see him knowing he didn't specialise in eating disorders.

I really don't know what to do - should I just email him and cancel my appointments or should I go next week and explain what has happened and tell him I won't be seeing him anymore? If he is a conman, maybe he will get angry with me and hurt me? I see him at his home. so it's not like we will be in a public place with people around. I don't want to leave him and have no support at all. I won't be able to cope.

I would be very grateful if anyone has any advice. Do you think he has been unethical or is my GP overreacting?