Parent & Caregiver Support in Eating Disorder Recovery
A Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Approach for Teens & College Students
Eating disorders often begin quietly.
In secrecy.
In isolation.
The illness thrives in disconnection — from food, from the body, and from other people.
While the eating disorder thrives in isolation, recovery thrives in connection.
When a teen or college student is struggling with restricting, bingeing, purging, or obsessive food and body thoughts, the entire system eventually feels it — even if the behaviors began in private.
One of the most important truths I share with families is this:
The eating disorder is the problem — not your child.
Family involvement needs to be carefully assessed and tailored to each client’s situation.
Why Support Systems Matter in Eating Disorder Recovery
Eating disorders are complex biopsychosocial conditions. They involve:
Brain-based changes from malnourishment
Nervous system dysregulation
Personality traits like perfectionism or high sensitivity
Cultural messaging
Attachment history
Developmental transitions
Sometimes trauma
Because eating disorders affect regulation, identity, and connection, recovery is strengthened by safe, steady support.
Research consistently shows that caregiver involvement improves outcomes for adolescents in eating disorder treatment — particularly when caregivers are educated, regulated, and aligned in approach.
But here’s the important distinction:
Support does not automatically indicate the clients parents.
Support means safe, regulating relationships.
A Trauma-Informed Family-Based Approach
Family-Based Therapy (FBT) principles are powerful — especially for teens. But not every family system is simple, healthy, or stable.
Some clients come from:
High-conflict households
Histories of criticism around weight or food
Attachment wounds
Emotional neglect
Trauma
Enmeshment or overcontrol
In some cases, family dynamics may have contributed to the development or maintenance of the eating disorder.
Acknowledging this matters.
Family-based work in my practice is never automatic or forced. It is thoughtful and clinically discerned.
We assess:
Emotional safety
Willingness to learn
Ability to regulate
Readiness for repair
Developmental appropriateness
If a caregiver relationship has been harmful or destabilizing, we may:
Focus first on individual stabilization
Work on boundaries before collaboration
Include only certain caregivers
Shift toward chosen support systems
Move at a slower pace toward relational repair
Healing happens in safe relationships — not just biological ones.
What Parent & Caregiver Involvement Looks Like in My Practice
When appropriate and clinically indicated, caregiver involvement may include:
Parent Education
Understanding:
The neurobiology of starvation and restriction
How malnourishment impacts the emotional brain
Why behaviors escalate under stress
How co-regulation supports recovery
The difference between control and containment
Education reduces blame.
It replaces fear with clarity.
Parent-Only Sessions
These sessions provide space for caregivers to:
Ask hard questions
Process fear or guilt
Learn how to respond to behaviors
Develop aligned recovery plans
Strengthen their own regulation skills
A regulated caregiver increases stability for a dysregulated teen. These sessions are based on clinical need for supporting the client in recovery.
Joint Sessions (Teen + Parent)
These sessions focus on:
Communication repair
Boundary setting with warmth
Values-based expectations
Mealtime support planning
Collaborative problem-solving
Recovery does not require perfect parents. It requires parents who are willing to stay engaged and set healthy boundaries to weaken the eating disorder’s grip.
How This Looks for Teens vs. College Students
For Teens
Parents often take a more active role in structure and meal support. Teens benefit from clear containment, consistent expectations, and external regulation while their brain heals.
This may involve:
Supported meals
Increased supervision
Structured expectations
Collaborative but firm guidance
For College Students
The dynamic shifts.
Independence and support can both be true.
For college-aged clients, involvement may look like:
Relapse prevention planning
Alignment around expectations during breaks
Supportive check-ins
Including caregivers (with consent) for collaborative problem-solving
Strengthening alternative support systems
Sometimes the primary support is a parent.
Sometimes it’s a partner, sibling, mentor, or chosen adult.
Sometimes part of our work is determining who is safe enough to include.
BOOST & THRIVE: Integrating Support Into Group Recovery
My group programs also reflect this systems-informed approach.
BOOST (College & Young Adult Recovery Group)
BOOST supports college students and young adults navigating eating disorder recovery while balancing independence.
In BOOST, we focus on:
Nervous system regulation
Urge surfing and behavioral interruption
Values-based living
Identity outside the eating disorder
Communication skills
Strengthening safe support systems
When appropriate, caregiver collaboration may be integrated outside of group to reinforce recovery stability.
THRIVE (Teen Eating Disorder Recovery Group)
THRIVE supports teens building recovery skills in a developmentally appropriate, relational space.
THRIVE includes:
Emotion regulation skills
Self-compassion tools
Body image resilience
Social pressure navigation
Exposure and flexibility work
Caregiver involvement is strongly encouraged alongside THRIVE, because teen recovery is most successful when support systems are aligned and educated.
A Message to Parents & Caregivers
If you are parenting a teen or college student struggling with food, body image, restricting, bingeing, or purging, you may feel scared, overwhelmed, or unsure how to help. Give yourself some grace and know that you don’t have to do this alone.
With education, support, and alignment, families can become powerful protective factors in recovery.
And if repair is needed — we move gently and thoughtfully.
Eating Disorder Therapy in Michigan
Teens | College Students | BOOST | THRIVE
I specialize in eating disorder recovery for teens and college students across Michigan, integrating:
Trauma-informed family systems work
Family-Based Therapy principles
Nervous system education
ACT and self-compassion frameworks
Parent coaching and support sessions
Group therapy through BOOST & THRIVE
Recovery is not just about stopping behaviors.
It’s about restoring connection — to food, to body, to self and to safe relationships.
And that support system?
We build it intentionally.
The eating disorder wants isolation. Recovery wants connection.
Sometimes that connection begins with a parent learning how to respond differently.
Sometimes it begins with a young adult identifying a safe support person.
Sometimes it begins with a single conversation.
Wherever you are in the process — it’s not too late.
If you’re ready to strengthen the support system around your teen or college student, I’m here to help.
Let’s build recovery intentionally.
A Few Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Disorder Therapy
Do parents need to be involved in eating disorder treatment for teens?
Research shows caregiver involvement improves outcomes for adolescents, when clinically appropriate.
Can I get parent support even if my child has another therapist?
Yes, parent coaching sessions are available to strengthen support at home.
About the author
Lisa Vincent, MS, LPC is a licensed therapist in Michigan and Georgia specializing in eating disorder recovery, trauma healing, and grief support. Her work integrates self-compassion, nervous system regulation, and relational healing to help clients feel rooted in recovery.
