What Is the Best Therapy for Eating Disorders? A Guide for Parents
The best therapy for eating disorders
Finding the right treatment for your child’s eating disorder can feel overwhelming. With so many options out there, it’s hard to know which therapies are actually effective—and which ones are just buzzwords. The good news? We now have several well-researched, evidence-based therapies that are proven to support recovery from eating disorders. In this post, we’ll walk you through the most common approaches used in treatment, what they’re best suited for, and how to decide what might be the best fit for your family.
What Makes a Therapy "Evidence-Based"?
An evidence-based therapy is one that has been tested in clinical research and shown to be effective in treating a specific condition. In the context of eating disorders, this means the therapy has helped people reduce eating disorder behaviors, improve physical and emotional health, and maintain recovery over time. These therapies are supported by peer-reviewed studies, clinical trials, and professional consensus in the field of mental health.
Evidence-based therapy also means that treatment decisions are guided by the best available evidence, clinical expertise, and the individual needs and preferences of the client. It's not about rigidly following a protocol—it's about using a model that is proven to work while adapting it to fit your child’s unique presentation, personality, and family circumstances.
For example, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) has been widely studied and is often considered the gold standard for adolescents with anorexia. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E) has shown effectiveness across diagnoses and age groups. When a therapy is evidence-based, you can feel more confident that it offers a strong foundation for recovery—not just for one child, but across many cases like your own.
Evidence-based does not mean “cookie-cutter.” A good provider will still individualize care to your child’s needs while using a treatment model that has been shown to work.
The Most Common Therapies for Eating Disorders
Family-Based Treatment (FBT or "The Maudsley Method")
Best for: Children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa or other restrictive eating disorders
Family-Based Treatment is a leading therapeutic approach specifically designed for children and adolescents with restrictive eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa. Rather than placing the responsibility for recovery solely on the child, FBT empowers parents to play an active, central role in the healing process. The method operates on the belief that families are not to blame for the eating disorder—and that they can be the most powerful resource for recovery.
Key features:
Parents lead refeeding efforts at home
Focuses on weight restoration, then psychological healing
Parent sessions with a therapist or dietitian are central to treatment
Pros:
Strong outcomes for teens
Empowers families
No need for long-term hospitalization in many cases
Challenges:
Requires significant time and energy from parents
Can be emotionally intense in the early stages
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E)
Best for: Older adolescents and adults with a range of eating disorders
CBT-E is a transdiagnostic approach to treating eating disorders, meaning it can be applied to a wide range of diagnoses including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. It targets the core cognitive and behavioral patterns that maintain disordered eating, such as body image concerns, perfectionism, and dietary restraint. CBT-E is highly structured and goal-oriented, offering clear tools and frameworks to interrupt the eating disorder cycle.
Key features:
Structured, time-limited (often 20–40 sessions)
Targets the thoughts and behaviors that sustain the eating disorder
Individualized for each client
Pros:
Highly researched and flexible
Encourages autonomy and insight
Can be adapted for different eating disorder diagnoses
Challenges:
Requires willingness to engage with difficult thoughts and behaviors
May be less effective for individuals with low motivation or high medical risk
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Best for: Individuals with binge eating, bulimia, self-harm, or emotion dysregulation
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a skills-based therapy that was originally developed to treat individuals with intense emotional swings and chronic self-harm. In the context of eating disorders, DBT is especially helpful for clients who use food-related behaviors to cope with overwhelming feelings or interpersonal distress. It teaches emotional awareness and distress tolerance while fostering healthier relationships and boundaries.
Key features:
Focus on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness
Often delivered in group + individual formats
Emphasizes validation and skill-building
Pros:
Supports clients with co-occurring mood disorders, trauma, or impulsivity
Helps build healthier coping skills
Encourages emotional resilience
Challenges:
Not a great fit for people who are "over controlled"
Often used in combination with other treatment modalities
Radically Open DBT (RO-DBT)
Best for: Individuals with restrictive eating disorders and traits of overcontrol
RO-DBT is an adaptation of traditional DBT created to help individuals who struggle with overcontrol—excessive rigidity, perfectionism, and emotional inhibition. These traits are often seen in individuals with anorexia or ARFID. Unlike standard DBT, which targets undercontrol, RO-DBT aims to increase openness, flexibility, and social connection. It's especially helpful for clients who appear high-functioning on the outside but are emotionally isolated or rigid on the inside.
Key features:
Focus on openness, social connection, and flexibility
Group therapy is a core component
Builds psychological flexibility through targeted skills
Pros:
Addresses underlying personality factors driving restrictive behaviors
Helps clients become more emotionally expressive and socially connected
Challenges:
Less widely available than traditional DBT or CBT
May take time for results to emerge
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Best for: Individuals with a variety of eating disorders, especially when control and avoidance are core features
ACT is a mindfulness- and values-based approach to therapy that helps clients accept uncomfortable thoughts, sensations, and feelings without trying to avoid or control them. In eating disorder treatment, ACT encourages clients to take recovery-oriented actions that align with their deeper values—like connection, honesty, or authenticity—even when fear, shame, or anxiety are present. It is especially helpful for individuals who feel "stuck" in recovery, rigid in their thinking, or consumed by the need for control.
Key features:
Helps build tolerance for distressing thoughts and emotions
Encourages values-driven behavior (e.g., showing up for meals because family matters, even when they feel anxious)
Promotes psychological flexibility and long-term motivation
Pros:
Can be very empowering for clients who have internalized shame or guilt
Works well for chronic or long-standing eating disorders
Encourages long-term change over symptom suppression
Challenges:
May feel abstract or slow-moving at first
Requires skilled delivery to apply effectively in eating disorder care
Which style of therapy is best for eating disorders?
How to Know What Eating Disorder Therapy Is Right for Your Child
Choosing the best therapy depends on several factors, and no single approach works for every child. Understanding your child's specific challenges, personality, and environment can help you work with the treatment team to select an approach that aligns with their needs.
Diagnosis: Different types of eating disorders may respond better to specific therapies. For example, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) has strong evidence for adolescents with anorexia, while CBT-E has been shown to work across a range of diagnoses including bulimia and binge eating disorder. ACT and DBT may be particularly helpful for those struggling with co-occurring emotional difficulties, impulsivity, or trauma.
Age and developmental stage: Younger children and adolescents often benefit from more structured, family-involved treatment models such as FBT. Older teens and young adults may respond better to more individualized therapies like CBT-E or ACT, especially if they are seeking greater independence.
Family involvement: Consider how much support your child needs and how involved your family can be. If you have the capacity to be hands-on in meal support and daily structure, FBT can be very effective. If your child is older or your family dynamic makes this challenging, an individual therapy model might be a better fit.
Personality traits and temperament: Therapies like RO-DBT are designed for kids and teens who are highly rule-bound, perfectionistic, and socially withdrawn. DBT may be better suited to those who experience emotional outbursts, engage in impulsive behavior, or have difficulty managing relationships. ACT can be beneficial for individuals who feel stuck in rigid thinking or who struggle to take action despite having insight.
Comorbid conditions: Many kids and teens with eating disorders also experience anxiety, depression, OCD, autism spectrum traits, or trauma. Make sure your treatment provider understands how to tailor the therapy approach to account for these overlapping concerns. In some cases, additional therapies or support services may be recommended alongside eating disorder treatment.
Level of motivation and insight: Some therapies require a greater level of buy-in or willingness to engage (e.g., CBT-E), while others—like FBT—are designed to move forward even when the child is resistant. If your child lacks insight or is ambivalent about recovery, a family-driven approach may be essential early on.
Medical and nutritional status: If your child is medically unstable or in need of refeeding support, treatment must prioritize physical restoration before other therapies can be fully effective. In these cases, FBT or a structured treatment program may be necessary before transitioning to an approach like ACT or RO-DBT.
It’s also okay if your provider blends different approaches. Many skilled clinicians integrate elements from multiple evidence-based models depending on your child’s needs. The most important thing is that the approach is thoughtful, consistent, and grounded in current research. You don’t have to figure it all out alone—your child’s care team can help guide the way as you find the best path forward.
Red flags in eating disorder treatment
Red Flags to Watch Out For
No matter which therapy you pursue, there are signs that may indicate the approach—or the provider—is not a good fit for your child. Being aware of red flags can help you act quickly and advocate for adjustments to ensure your child stays on the right track in their eating disorder recovery.
Red flags in the provider’s background or approach:
The provider doesn’t have specific experience or training in eating disorders. For example, a general therapist who doesn’t mention eating disorders on their website or can’t describe how they’ve helped clients recover may not have the skills needed to fully support your child.
They rely on outdated or unsupported methods. Be cautious if a provider recommends weight loss as a treatment goal or promotes “moderation” for all foods without accounting for the medical and psychological needs of someone in recovery.
They make assumptions or comments based on weight, shape, or BMI as the sole indicator of health. A provider who says things like "you don't look like you have an eating disorder" may lack insight into how EDs present across body sizes.
They discourage collaboration with other professionals. For example, refusing to speak with your child’s dietitian or physician, or acting as the sole authority on all aspects of care, may lead to disjointed treatment.
They appear to lack understanding of co-occurring conditions. If they dismiss related struggles—like OCD, anxiety, or neurodivergence—as unrelated or unimportant, it may be a sign they don’t offer truly comprehensive care.
Red flags in the therapeutic process:
Treatment ignores or minimizes physical health and nutritional rehabilitation. For instance, jumping straight into trauma work or body image sessions while your child is still medically unstable is unsafe and premature.
Family involvement is discouraged in younger clients. A provider who insists on seeing a 13-year-old without parent participation—especially early in treatment—may not be following best practices. In eating disorder treatment: the younger the client, the more parental involvement is needed.
The therapist avoids addressing food behaviors directly. Some may treat the eating disorder as secondary to other concerns and never directly challenge disordered behaviors or eating patterns. Therapists who focus on processing emotions, but never directly challenge eating behaviors or ask for specific information on your child's eating habits, may not be appropriately trained.
Sessions lack structure, clear goals, or a treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs. If every session feels like aimless talk therapy, that’s a concern. Recovery requires a clear roadmap. A therapist should be able to tell you what therapeutic goals they have for your child, and should be able to provide examples of how they're working towards those goals.
Red flags in your or your child’s emotional experience:
Your child consistently leaves sessions feeling shamed, judged, or misunderstood. For example, if your child says things like "they don't get it" or "I feel worse every time I go," be curious about that feedback. Don't be afraid to tell the provider that your child feels this way, and ask them if they have any idea what could be causing it.
Your child is getting worse without any adjustment in strategy. If there’s no improvement—or worsening of symptoms—and the therapist isn't reevaluating the approach, it's worth seeking another opinion.
The provider minimizes your concerns or gaslights your observations. For example, saying “all teens act like that” in response to alarming behaviors can erode trust and delay proper care.
Effective therapy for eating disorders should feel safe, structured, collaborative, and respectful. While recovery is rarely easy, therapy should help build hope, insight, and momentum—not confusion or fear. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to pause, ask questions, or seek a second opinion. Your concerns are valid, and your child deserves competent, compassionate care.
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to eating disorder treatment—but there are well-researched, evidence-based therapies that help kids and teens recover. Whether you’re exploring CBT-E, FBT, DBT, ACT, or RO-DBT, the most important thing is finding a provider who understands eating disorders, involves your family when appropriate, and builds trust with your child.
If you’re unsure where to begin, check out our post on How to Find Eating Disorder Treatment Near You or join our free Facebook group, The Parent Support Network for Eating Disorder Recovery, for community, support, and expert guidance.
You don’t have to do this alone. We’re here to help.