Best Online Eating Disorder Therapy

Eating Recovery Center provides comprehensive services for adults, adolescents, and children ages 12 and over with eating disorders at every point of the treatment process, and its approaches have been proven effective. The company 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 three times per week tailored specifically to your needs; you also see an individual or family therapist and a registered dietitian once a week. Additionally, you take part in virtual group meals with a registered dietitian, who provides nutritional support. If it were ever necessary, you could also complete residential or inpatient eating disorder treatment with the same company: on-site programs are located in Texas, California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. 

The Eating Recovery at Home program includes at-home medical monitoring, which provides you with a numberless scale for blind weigh-ins (because knowing your weight can be extremely triggering for someone living with an eating disorder) as well as a blood pressure cuff. You are also given access to the Recovery Record app, which allows you to record and track what you eat and drink, as well as your behaviors, emotions, and thoughts surrounding food. You can contact your care team through the app, and receive daily recommendations and coping skills specialized for you and your journey.

The team at the Center includes clinical psychologists, physicians, therapists, and registered dietitians to support all of your recovery needs. In the IOP program, you have at-home access to individual and group therapy, nutrition and meal guidance, and family therapy and education. After completing the program, you gain access to continuing support, groups, and virtual events. You can undergo a free assessment to see if the program is a fit for your needs before signing up. A master’s-level clinician will answer questions, collect your insurance information, and start the process of getting your treatment approved by insurance.

Free assessments are available, but the program cost isn’t listed until signing up. Eating Recovery Center’s virtual program is covered by major insurance providers including UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Cofinity, ComPsych, Magellan Health, Moda Health, MultiPlan, PHCS, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Ascension Seton, and Value Options. If you do not have insurance, ERC will work with you to determine an appropriate self-pay system.

LiveHealth Online lists eating disorders as one of the conditions its licensed therapists and psychologists can help you address. But it’s important to note that company's psychiatrists do not specialize in eating disorder treatment.

LiveHealth Online provides individual talk therapy and sessions are 45 minutes long. Therapy is available for adults as well as children aged 10 to 17 (with parental consent). After signing up for LiveHealth Online, you can schedule video therapy appointments with a therapist or psychologist of your choice. You can also choose appointments by date. Service is available throughout the U.S. 

The website and app are easy to use, and therapy appointments should be available within just a few days of signing up. Scheduling is flexible, with appointments available evenings and weekends. Many therapists assert they are LGBTQ-affirming, and care may be available in Spanish.

The company’s video platform is easy to use and reliable, and you can schedule your next appointment with your therapist at the end of your session.

LiveHealth Online is one of the most affordable telehealth platforms out there, especially if you’re paying out of pocket. There’s no sign-up fee or monthly membership fee, and you only pay for sessions you schedule. 

Talk therapy is $80 to $95 per session, depending on the experience level of your provider. 

Plus, LiveHealth Online is in-network with many major insurance providers, including Amerigroup, Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, Empire BlueCross, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, Simply Healthcare Plans, and UniCare.

Talkspace was among the first online therapy companies to emerge, opening its virtual doors in 2012. It has since expanded its network of therapists to more than 3,000 licensed providers. Eating disorders are among the many mental health conditions Talkspace says it treats.

In an intake questionnaire, you will have a chance to specify which issues you would like to address, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, all categorized under "eating disorders." Talkspace's algorithm will then pair you with a therapist licensed to practice in your state. While the company employs therapists qualified to treat eating disorders, you are not guaranteed to be matched with one on the first try. The good news is that switching therapists through Talkspace's app or website is pretty simple, and comes at no extra charge.

While each therapist will have their own approach to treating eating disorders, Talkspace lists cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT) and, mindfulness-based eating awareness therapy as among the approaches that can be useful in treatment. The company offers three different kinds of plans, but you will get unlimited messaging with your therapist. Some plans offer weekly live sessions as well. If you and your therapist decide that you would benefit from psychiatric treatment, you can separately be matched with a Talkspace psychiatrist at an additional cost.

Talkspace offers three different subscription plans within its therapy, psychiatry, and couples practices. The company aims to make therapy affordable and customized to each patient's needs.

Its most basic, affordable plan is text-only therapy, which starts at $69 per week. For messaging plus weekly live video sessions, prices start at $99 per week. Its unlimited plan, which includes messaging, live sessions, and access to weekly workshops, starts at $109 per week. All plans are billed monthly, quarterly, or biannually.

An initial psychiatric evaluation costs $249 and each subsequent session will cost $125. Talkspace also offers introductory bundles of an initial evaluation plus one session for $365, the evaluation and three sessions for $565, and six sessions plus the initial evaluation for $849.

Talkspace is one of the relatively few online therapy platforms that does accept insurance, including coverage from Cigna and Optum.

Equip Health is a virtual eating disorder treatment company that provides care to patients aged 6 to 24 years old using family-based treatment (FBT). Also known as the Maudsley method, FBT is a leading approach for eating disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. Instead of segregating the child from the parent for individual therapy, and potentially even blaming the disorder on the parents or on family dysfunction, 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.

At Equip, you and your child will work with a five-person care team during treatment, 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 family-based treatment. 

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.

The price of the service isn’t listed on the website, but the company was founded with affordability in mind and claims to be significantly less expensive than inpatient eating disorder programs. In addition, it offers a sliding scale and hosts free weekly support group meetings on Zoom. Multiple insurance companies are accepted at Equip Health, including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Magellan Health, Moda Health, Optum, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Pacific Source, Partnership HealthPlan of California, UnitedHealthcare, and others.

Within Health offers virtual treatment programs focused exclusively on eating disorders. The program supports people with bulimia, anorexia, binge eating disorder, and other eating disorders. The company offers a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) that is personalized to your needs. Individual, group, and family therapy sessions are available, as is a meal delivery service and meal planning and preparation support. Most importantly for those working to recover from bulimia, the program also offers post-meal support. 

The care team includes a nurse, therapist, psychiatrist, registered dietitian, food specialist, and other healthcare professionals such as breathwork specialists, movement specialists, and cooking instructors. Within Health promotes intuitive eating, body image restoration, and radical self-acceptance using techniques of social and emotional therapy, trauma-informed healing, and family and group therapy. 

After an initial phone consultation, you’ll complete a clinical assessment. Next, the company will coordinate with your insurance company or discuss out-of-pocket costs and financing options with you. The company’s welcome kit includes a numberless digital scale, thermometer, and blood pressure cuff.

You'll access care in the Within Health app, where you can attend therapy sessions and group meals, submit check-in data, manage your schedule, and chat with your care team, even after business hours. Support groups for family members are also available. 

Within Health’s programs are accredited by the Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization aimed at improving the quality of healthcare around the world. Within Health’s services are currently available in 32 states and Washington, D.C. It is not available in Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

While program pricing is not listed on the website, a representative can discuss insurance and financing options with you during the sign-up process consultation. Insurance companies accepted include Aetna, Beacon Health Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare.

You can search the Alma online therapy directory using filters for provider specialties, identity, degree, therapeutic approach, languages spoken, and whether they provide virtual appointments. One of the specialties you can choose is “eating disorders and body image.” The directory lists over 200 therapists with this specialty who offer virtual appointments. To find those who are licensed in your state of residence, simply enter your zip code. 

Most of the therapists in the directory accept some form of insurance, and their bios list every company they work with and give you a price range for if you’re paying out-of-pocket for therapy. The bios also include a short transcribed interview with the therapist about their approach and what they want patients to know about them before starting therapy. This is a great way to get to know more about your potential therapist so you can choose one you think will be the best fit for your needs. 

The directory is free to access. Most therapists accept some form of insurance; companies accepted vary by therapist. Per-session out-of-pocket prices also vary by therapist, but price ranges are listed in each therapist’s bio.

The ANAD peer support groups are good options for people who want community support during their treatment journey. These support groups are not a replacement for therapy or treatment. Still, connecting with other people who have similar experiences may help support you in your recovery.

There are several groups that meet at different times every week for 75 minutes. Support group topics include general eating disorders and specific groups including:

• LGBTQ+ people
• Black, indigenous, and people of color
• Teens and young adults
• People in larger bodies
• 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. 

To register for the ANAD support group of your choice, simply fill out a Google form and every week you’ll receive reminder emails for the group sessions. One important thing to consider is that these support groups are capped at 20 participants. Some people might be uncomfortable opening up in such a large group, and larger groups may mean fewer chances to speak. Capping attendance may also mean you can’t access a spot in the group of your preference. Remember that registration to participate is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

All support groups are free.

Walden Behavioral Care’s Rainbow Road eating disorder program accepts anyone aged 18 and older who identifies as LGBTQIA+. Services offered include a virtual partial hospitalization program (PHP) and virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP). The program is delivered by a care team that includes clinicians, dietitians, and medical providers who all identify as LGBTQ+ and who have specialized expertise and/or training in treating LGBTQIA+ people. 

Walden treats anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other eating disorders. Its virtual therapy platform is HIPAA-compliant. Virtual treatment programs provide individual and group therapy, meal coaching, consultations with a registered dietitian, and psychiatric medication management (if needed).

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 your recovery, its group therapy centers the LGBTQIA+ experience. Group therapy also involves counselors and registered dietitians providing education on queer body nutrition.

While Rainbow Road is only for adults, Walden Behavioral Care provides virtual PHP and IOP services to children aged 12 and up; youth enrolled in these programs who identify as LGBTQ+ can participate in the Adolescent Beyond Body LGBTQ+ Group therapy weekly virtual session.

Prices are not listed on Walden’s website, but the company accepts many major insurance providers. If your insurance is not accepted, you can ask Walden to request an individual case agreement from your insurance company.

The goal of the Therapy for Black Girls directory—and its online forum and educational material—is to make mental health treatment more accessible to women of color. The company also hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding seeking help for mental health issues for women of color. Most of the therapists listed in the directory are women of color themselves. Research shows that, especially in the case of historically marginalized groups, finding a therapist who is part of the same community or culture as you can make a big difference.

After entering your state of residence, you can filter the therapists by specialty, whether they offer virtual appointments, are accepting new clients, provide group therapy, or prescribe medication. Among the specialties you can look for are “disordered eating” and “body image.” On each therapist’s profile, you will find their credentials, pronouns, a description of the services they offer and their therapeutic approaches, all of the states they are licensed to practice in, the insurance companies they work with (if any), a link to their website, and information on how to contact them. 

The directory lists over 4,000 therapists licensed to practice the U.S. and Canada (though it should be noted that few, if any, therapists specializing in eating disorders are currently listed in Canada). 

Per-session costs vary by therapist, as does insurance acceptance. Some therapists may offer sliding-scale prices.