The Best Online Therapy and Support Services for Eating Disorders of 2024

Eating Recovery Center (ERC) is a platform focused on treatment for eating disorders. We have not tested out this service because we felt it would be unethical to find testers who would need to disclose their diagnosis for a review. Instead, we evaluated the platform by speaking to users and subject matter experts. ERC provides services for adults, adolescents, and children ages 8 and up with eating disorders. The company also offers a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) called Eating Recovery at Home that is as effective as its in-person treatment options, according to a peer-reviewed study. The foundation of the IOP is group therapy, where you attend three-hour group sessions tailored specifically to your needs three times per week. Once a week, you see an individual or family therapist and a registered dietitian. Additionally, you take part in virtual group meals with a dietitian. The wide range of treatment options available at ERC makes it the most comprehensive choice for anyone recovering from an eating disorder.

Care is available at every point in the treatment process and interventions are evidence-based. Therapeutic approaches such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are used along with experiential therapies like art and movement. Since knowing your weight can be triggering, The Eating Recovery at Home program includes a numberless scale for blind weigh-ins along with a blood pressure cuff. There's also access to a Recovery Record app, which allows you to record and track what you eat and drink, as well as your behaviors and thoughts. You can contact your care team through the app and receive daily recommendations and coping skills.

Residential or inpatient treatment is also available through ERC if necessary. However, on-site programs are only located in Texas, California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Before signing up, you can undergo a free assessment to see if the program is the right fit for your needs. A master’s-level clinician will answer questions, collect your insurance information, and start the process of getting your treatment approved by insurance.

• Insurance Accepted: Accepts most insurance plans, such as Aetna, United Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and Kaiser Permanent; ERC will also act as your insurance liaison—its team will work with your provider to verify coverage and answer any questions you might have
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by program and insurance; if you don’t have insurance or your provider isn’t accepted, ERC will work with you to determine an appropriate self-pay system.

For ethical reasons, we didn’t test this platform personally. But as part of our research process, we surveyed 100 users of Pathlight Behavioral Services, which Eating Recovery Center is part of:

• 83% rated Pathlight Behavioral Services as very good or excellent overall
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 92% said that most or all of their needs were met at Pathlight Behavioral Services
• 92% are likely or very likely to recommend Pathlight Behavioral Services to a friend or someone like them
• 8% were seeking treatment for an eating disorder

We also spoke to an Eating Recovery Center user to get more insight about the program. The user (a woman in her 20s) had nothing but good things to say about her experience. “ERC saved my life,” she said. She used the virtual IOP during the pandemic. Prior to that, she used ERC’s more intensive programs, starting with residential treatment before moving to the partial hospitalization program.

She praised the employees, saying that ERC has “the best, most compassionate, gentle, and encouraging staff.”

When asked if there was anything she disliked, she said it was difficult to think of anything bad. “My experience was truly nothing but [positive],” she told us. The only critique was the lack of “real-world challenges” in the program. “It’s quite daunting to experience challenges on your own post-treatment, so I would have loved to be given the opportunity to experience them with caring professionals who could support me through more frequent exposures.”

LiveHealth Online is a telehealth platform that offers medical care as well as virtual therapy and psychology services. The company lists eating disorders as one of the conditions its licensed therapists can provide care for, setting it apart from most online therapy companies—however, it’s important to note that LiveHealth does not specialize in eating disorder treatment. Still, we think it’s a good option if you’re seeking affordable online therapy during your recovery. We asked two people from California and Ohio to test talk therapy at LiveHealth Online and overall, we were pleased with the care we received.

The company’s video platform is fast, reliable, and accessible. Providers are trained in delivering online therapy, so the virtual sessions were intuitive and easy to navigate. Therapy is available for adults as well as children and teens ages 10 and up, but psychiatry services are only available for those over 18. After signing up, we could schedule an appointment with the provider of our choice based on their availability. As for therapist qualifications, it was a bit of a mix for us. While we were impressed by the fact that most of the providers listed had over 10 years of clinical experience, we found the lack of diversity concerning. For example, you can find a therapist specializing in LGBTQ+ care by checking for a rainbow flag on their profile picture, but that number might be limited depending on where you live.

Being able to choose our own therapist was a plus, but we were disappointed that there wasn’t an option to filter based on specialty area, which would make finding a therapist who specializes in eating disorders easier. For the most part, though, we were happy with the platform. Therapy sessions typically last 45 minutes and we could schedule our next appointment at the end of the session. If we had decided we weren’t happy with our therapist, though, we could easily have switched providers without any awkwardness—since therapy is on a pay-per-session basis, all we’d have to do is log on to our account and schedule an appointment with someone new.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, including most Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Empire Blue Cross and Empire Blue Cross Blue and Shield health plans; accepts Medicaid
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; self-pay is $185 for an initial consultation with a psychiatrist and $80 for each subsequent visit; talk therapy sessions are $85 to $100, depending on your therapist’s level of experience

We surveyed 100 users of LiveHealth Online:

• 90% rated LiveHealth Online as very good or excellent overall
• 94% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 98% said that most or all of their needs were met at LiveHealth Online
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend LiveHealth Online to a friend or someone like them
• 3% were seeking treatment for an eating disorder

Talkspace is a popular online therapy platform with a network of thousands of licensed providers. Therapy is available in all 50 states and for a wide range of conditions, including eating disorders. To fully evaluate the platform, we had 11 people from various locations—from New York to South Dakota to California—sign up for a therapy subscription. For ethical reasons, we didn’t use the platform for eating disorder treatment, but we did test multiple forms of therapy, including individual and couples therapy as well as teen therapy. We felt like having a subscription takes some of the worry out of scheduling therapy sessions—you can choose what type of support you’d like upfront and then you’re all set for the month, which might be useful for people living with an eating disorder who have more difficult daily concerns to deal with.

Overall, we were impressed with the subscription options available and the quality of care. We felt as though we were able to quickly develop a rapport with our therapists and we liked that we had the option to chat between sessions if things came up. We found that the sign-up process was incredibly easy and user-friendly. When filling out the intake questionnaire, you will have a chance to specify the issues you’re aiming to address, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, which are all categorized under “eating disorders.” The Talkspace algorithm will then match you with a provider licensed in your state.

The method of matching with a therapist isn’t for everyone, especially if you prefer being able to choose your own provider, but we were impressed with the process. The company states that you will be matched within 48 hours of sign-up, but we found it to be much faster—typically within a few hours. It’s important to note, though, that Talkspace does not specialize in eating disorder therapy. There are providers who are qualified to treat eating disorders, but you may not be matched with one on the first try. The good news is that switching therapists is simple.

• Insurance Accepted: Accepts plans from most major insurers, including Aetna, Cigna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Carelon, Regence, Premera, Gatorcare; accepts some Medicare plans; doesn’t accept Medicaid
• Subscription Required: Yes
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; messaging-only plan starts at $69 per week; live therapy plan starts at $99 per week and includes messaging and four live sessions a month; video, live therapy, and group workshop plan is $109 per week. Psychiatry at Talkspace is a pay-per-session model; an initial evaluation is $299 and follow-up sessions are $175.

We surveyed 100 users of Talkspace:

• 92% rated Talkspace as very good or excellent overall
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at Talkspace
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Talkspace to a friend or someone like them
• 6% were seeking treatment for an eating disorder

Equip Health is a virtual eating disorder treatment company that provides care to patients of any age using family-based treatment (FBT). We did not test the platform ourselves for ethical reasons, but evaluated it based on its ability to treat children and teens.

At Equip, you and your child will work with a five-person care team which includes a therapist, a physician, a peer mentor, a family mentor, and a dietitian. The company believes family is an integral part of lasting treatment for restrictive eating disorders, which is why it specializes in FBT. Also known as the Maudsley method, FBT is a leading approach for eating disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. When it comes to adolescent eating disorder treatment, family-based treatment is considered the gold standard. Parental involvement during treatment can aid in recovery and reduce eating disorder symptoms. Instead of segregating the child from the parent for individual therapy, FBT views parents as a vital part of the solution. The therapy model acknowledges parents as experts on their child and includes them as key collaborators on the treatment team. 

Equip has a free eating disorder screening checklist and offers consults so you can assess if its program is the right fit for you. Appointments are scheduled on the website or by calling the number listed on the site. The company also hosts a free weekly support group on Zoom.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, accepts many major insurance plans, including Aetna, Anthem, Optum, Cigna, Magellan Health, Carelon, Horizon, PacificSource Health Plans, UnitedHealthcare, and Regence
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; the self-pay price of the service isn’t listed on the website, but the company was founded with affordability in mind and, as a home-based program, it is significantly less expensive than inpatient eating disorder treatment.

For ethical reasons, we didn’t test this platform personally, but we conducted an employee interview to gain a better understanding of how Equip works with children and teens. The employee we spoke to has worked with the company for over a year as a family mentor, which means she works directly with the parents and caregivers of a loved one in treatment.

One of the biggest and most beneficial aspects of the program, according to this employee, is the way it works with the family. “We do a stellar job equipping parents and caregivers with the tools to help their child recover,” she told us. With virtual treatment, children and teens can go through the program in the comfort of their own homes. Being able to be at home, she says, allows children to recover more easily without uprooting their lives.

Of course, she told us, Equip—like all mental health treatment centers—tends to have a high turnover rate. Still, she says, “When a provider leaves, Equip is so thoughtful about who joins the team.”

Within offers virtual treatment programs that are exclusively focused on eating disorders. While we did not test the platform ourselves, we wanted to include this company because of the personalized care it provides to people with all types of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), and OSFED (other specified feeding and eating disorders). Since they’re not as well known, ARFID and OSFED tend to get overlooked, which is why it’s important to find treatment that’s highly personalized to your needs.

The virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) at Within is a comprehensive, uniquely tailored form of treatment for adults and teens 13 and older. “Having specialized care that is specific to a misunderstood and less well-known disorder like ARFID—which, like anorexia, involves avoiding or greatly limiting your intake of certain foods, but without a focus on body image—greatly increases your chances of recovery,” says Owens.

Treatment includes individual, group, and family therapy sessions along with individualized exposure therapy, experiential therapy (such as art or music therapy), and nutritional support. Meal kits are delivered daily and the program offers additional support for pre- and post-meal processing. 

Your care team is also chosen based on your personal needs and includes a therapist, a nurse, a psychiatrist, a registered dietitian, a food specialist, and other healthcare professionals such as breathwork and movement specialists. Within promotes intuitive eating, body image restoration, and radical self-acceptance using techniques of social and emotional therapy, trauma-informed healing, interpersonal psychotherapy (ITP), and family and group therapy. Post-treatment, there is an alumni and recovery program for your continued success.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; while program pricing is not listed on the website, a representative can discuss insurance and financing options during the sign-up consultation. Within will work directly with your insurance company throughout your treatment to help you get the right care.

We didn’t test this platform personally as it would be unethical to do so. Instead, we conducted user interviews during our research for a firsthand look at the program. We spoke to two people who’d used Within—one male, one female—and they both only had good things to say about the company.

One user, a male in his 30s, praised the platform for its Health At Every Size (HAES) approach to treatment. “My experience at Within was really powerful,” he told us, “I would even call it life-changing.” He explained that because of his larger body, he felt hopeless about finding adequate care. Given the weight stigma that exists in eating disorder treatment, that’s not an irrational feeling. Recovery is often much harder for individuals with EDs in larger bodies and treatment can cause more harm than good. However, the Within program proved “safe, affirming, and empowering” overall. “I felt incredibly supported,” he said. “At no point did I feel unsafe as a fat person or as an LGBTQ+ person.”

One downside he mentioned was the limited group availability. “There was only one LGBTQ+ group and one group for larger-bodied clients,” he said. Additionally, he felt like some of the staff could use additional training on treatment for neurodivergent folks. Still, he would readily recommend the service to anyone with an eating disorder. “It was a transformative experience, and I felt they prioritized my safety and unique needs at all times.”

We also spoke to a woman in her 30s who’d used the program for over six months. She also had a good experience and praised the program’s accessibility. “Within was highly flexible when it came to my schedule,” she said. Going through a virtual treatment program made it easy for her to juggle her responsibilities at home with recovery. She explained that her eating disorder is heavily rooted in trauma, which is not unusual—research suggests that 50% of individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder have a history of childhood trauma or abuse. Therefore, trauma-informed care is an important part of treatment.

When asked about any negatives, she said, “I feel like Within has by far exceeded all expectations,” adding that she honestly couldn’t think of a single bad thing to say. Despite the fact that all of her treatment was conducted virtually, it was more effective than in-person care she’s received in the past. “I can say without a doubt that I got more out of my time at Within than I did anywhere else.”

We tested Alma across 18 ZIP codes to determine how easy it was to find a therapist suitable for 37 different therapy needs someone might have, such as finding a therapist experienced in internal family systems therapy (IFS) for eating disorder recovery as well as one who offers eating disorder treatment based on a Health At Every Size (HAES) framework. For both scenarios, we were able to find well-qualified therapists in over half of the ZIP codes. Despite not being able to find a match in all 18 ZIP codes, we were impressed with the service. In the search for an eating disorder therapist who uses a HAES approach, Alma received an above-average score compared with the other 26 online therapy directories we tested.  Alma is available in all 50 states and has a network of over 8,000 therapists.

During our most recent testing, we were especially impressed that Alma allowed us to search using filters for provider identity, specialties (such as eating disorders), degree, therapeutic approach (such as IFS), languages spoken, and appointment type. Under the “eating disorders and body image” specialty, Alma lists over 200 therapists who offer virtual visits. To find those who are licensed in your state of residence, simply enter your ZIP code. All of the therapists listed on Alma accept some form of insurance, and their bios list every company they work with as well as a price range for those paying out-of-pocket. Therapist bios also include a short interview about their approach and what they want patients to know about them before starting therapy. This is a great way to learn more about the providers so you can choose one you think will be the best fit for you.

However, some states have a more limited number of providers, so finding a therapist who specializes in eating disorders might be more difficult depending on where you live.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, but varies by provider; most accept some form of insurance, such as Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Oscar
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Free to use directory; therapy varies by insurance and care provider (providers set their own prices and makes their own decisions about insurance coverage); you can use the directory to search for providers who accept your insurance plan

We surveyed 100 users of Alma:

• 93% rated Alma as very good or excellent overall
• 92% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 97% said that most or all of their needs were met at Alma
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Alma to a friend or someone like them
• 11% were seeking treatment for an eating disorder
  

ANAD is a non-profit organization that provides free peer support to anyone struggling with an eating disorder. We didn’t test the company ourselves, but since online support can be incredibly beneficial to those dealing with eating disorders, we felt it was important to include it. There are several groups that meet at different times every week. Along with a general eating disorder support group, there are groups focused on specific populations, such as LGBTQ+, BIPOC, teens and young adults, people in larger bodies, and older adults. Seasonal groups also pop up throughout the year, such as a Thanksgiving support group to help you navigate food and family during the holidays. 

ANAD’s peer support groups are not a replacement for therapy or a more intensive form of treatment. However, they are a good option for people who want additional community support during their recovery. Support groups are 75 minutes long and held over Zoom. They are led by trained volunteers who have experience with eating disorder recovery or volunteer professionals in the eating disorders field.

One important thing to note is that, with the exception of the adolescent/teen support group, you must be 18 or older to participate in a support group. Registration is based on a first-come, first-serve basis and attendance for each group is capped at 20 participants.

• Insurance Accepted: N/A
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: All support groups are free

Since we didn’t test this platform personally, we spoke to an ANAD support group member for an inside look. The woman we spoke to has been on both sides of the experience—she previously attended groups at ANAD and, after her recovery, ran an online group for several years.

“The peer support is crucial,” she said. “The power of shared experience is so helpful. It creates a safe space to develop trust and non-judgment.” However, she explained that as a free resource, the platform isn’t without its flaws. “I think there needs to be a training program for group leaders,” she said, adding that leadership is the most essential part of an online support group. “A lot of groups failed because the leaders didn’t know how to facilitate groups.”

Still, she was quick to praise the platform, saying she highly recommends it. Attending an ANAD support group marked the start of her personal recovery journey, and she credits her continued recovery to the program. “Support groups are crucial to the healing process and treatment plan,” she says. “It really helps give sufferers insight and understanding and help with setting boundaries.”

Walden Behavioral Care offers specialized eating disorder support for adults, children, and adolescents at all levels of care. We did not test the platform ourselves, but we wanted to include it based on its virtual LGBTQIA+ programs, Rainbow Road—which include a virtual partial hospitalization program (PHP) and virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) and are available for anyone aged 18 and older. Treatment is delivered by a care team of eating disorder specialists, including clinicians, medical providers, and therapists, who identify as LGBTQ+. Rainbow Road’s therapy philosophy focuses on positive attachment, modeling, and community. By examining how your sexual orientation and gender identity may impact your eating disorder and recovery, its group treatment centers around the LGBTQ+ experience.

"Just like with any mental health issue, that issue does not exist in a vacuum—the person’s other experiences and identities shape the way that issue should be addressed, and that is especially true for people who often experience things like prejudice and bigotry in their everyday lives,” says Owens.

Walden treats individuals with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, ARFID, OSFED, and diabulimia. Virtual programs provide individual and group therapy, meal coaching, consultations with a registered dietitian, and psychiatric medication management (if needed).

While Rainbow Road is only for adults, Walden Behavioral Care offers virtual PHP and IOP services to adolescents aged 12 and up as well as an Adolescent Beyond Body LGBTQ+ group. Unfortunately, Walden isn’t available everywhere. Intensive outpatient virtual treatment is available for those living in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Rainbow Road intensive outpatient virtual treatment is only available for those in Minnesota.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, in-network with many major insurance providers
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Support groups are free; treatment program costs are not listed on Walden’s website, but if your insurance is not accepted, you can ask Walden to request an individual case agreement from your provider.

For ethical reasons, we did not test this platform ourselves. Instead, we spoke to a parent whose daughter used Walden Behavioral Care for about six weeks in 2021. Her daughter had just graduated from an in-person PHP at another facility and Walden’s virtual IOP was the next step in recovery. Since that previous treatment center had been in another state, they were both happy to find an online program and, overall, she said it was a good experience. “It was nice to recover at home. That’s what she needed,” she told us, adding that the virtual platform worked well for them. She also praised the platform for its family-centered approach. “Walden does a nice job with parent education,” she said, adding that “the support groups were nice.”

Therapy for Black Girls is an online directory that aims to make mental health treatment more accessible to women of color. The company, which also offers a community forum and educational materials, hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health for Black women and girls. Most of the therapists listed in the directory are women of color themselves. We used the directory to find a therapist, and were pleased with our options—we were able to find a provider with whom we clicked and who was able to address most of the issues we brought to the table in our sessions. We also tested Therapy for Black Girls across 16 different ZIP codes to get a sense of how easy or difficult it was to find a provider suitable for 37 different therapy needs someone might have, such as wanting to work with a Black, female-identifying therapist or one that has experience with eating disorders. Overall, we were impressed with the results.  

To get started, we simply entered the state we lived in. From there, we could filter therapists by specialty (including “disordered eating” and “body image") along with whether they offer virtual appointments, are accepting new clients, provide group therapy, or prescribe medication. Even when searching for a therapist with very specific parameters (including an uncommon insurance plan), we were able to find 17 providers who met our needs. Since Therapy for Black Girls serves all 50 states (and parts of Canada), we were able to find therapists in all the ZIP codes we tested. During testing, we searched for an eating disorder therapist experienced in IFS therapy as well as one that would be a good fit for someone with an eating disorder in a larger body. In both scenarios, we were able to find a well-qualified provider in over half of the ZIP codes tested.

It’s worth noting that while there are therapists licensed to practice in all 50 states and Canada, the number of therapists specializing in eating disorders may be limited depending on where you live. For example, there are few, if any, therapists listed in Canada that specialize in disordered eating.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, but varies by location and provider
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Per-session costs vary by therapist in the directory; some therapists may offer sliding-scale rates. 

We surveyed 100 users of Therapy For Black Girls:

• 94% rated Therapy For Black Girls as very good or excellent overall
• 91% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 94% said that most or all of their needs were met at Therapy For Black Girls
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend Therapy For Black Girls to a friend or someone like them
• 3% were seeking treatment for an eating disorder