Eating Disorders: A Handbook of Treatment

When eating habits evolve into a disorder, loved ones are often left at a loss: how to talk, how to support someone if they don’t recognize the problem, and where to find the resources to endure it together.

This book is a time-tested guide for parents, friends, and everyone who is nearby. It makes loved ones an important part of treatment and provides up-to-date information on therapeutic approaches, helpful practices, and tools that support the road to recovery.

For many years, this book has remained one of the key sources for those who have encountered an eating disorder in a loved one. It was written specifically for parents, friends, and caregivers, helping you understand your role in the treatment process and offering modern, practical information about the help options available and the steps you can take.

The authors share specific recommendations and examples drawn from years of work, emphasizing: it’s important to support not only the person with an eating disorder, but also yourself—and to gently preserve relationships throughout the entire journey.

• How to recognize the moment when eating habits become an eating disorder.
• What emotions and internal struggles may underlie anorexia, bulimia, and orthorexia.
• How family beliefs and relationship dynamics can influence the development of an eating disorder.
• Why it’s so hard to bring up the problem—and how to have the conversation the right way.
• How anxiety, feelings of loneliness, and depression are connected to eating-behavior disorders.
• What to do if a loved one denies that they have a disorder.
• How to apply new knowledge at home—from family dinners to dining out in restaurants.