Questions to Ask Eating Disorder Treatment Providers

Questions to Ask an Individual Provider

This may include a therapist, dietitian, physician, psychiatrist, or another outpatient provider.

Training, Background + Experience

It can be helpful to ask about a provider’s specific experience with eating disorders, especially if you have specific needs related to diagnosis, age, medical concerns, trauma, neurodivergence, or identity.

Questions you might ask:

• How long have you been working with eating disorders?

• What training have you had in eating disorder treatment?

• What types of eating disorders do you most often treat?

• Do you have experience supporting people with my specific concerns or diagnosis?

• Do you work with children, teens, adults, families, or a specific age group?

• Do you have experience supporting people with co-occurring concerns, such as anxiety, OCD, trauma, substance use, ADHD, autism, diabetes, GI conditions, or medical complications?

• How do you approach care for people in different body sizes?

• How do you make treatment inclusive and affirming for LGBTQ+ clients, people of color, disabled clients, and people with marginalized identities?

Treatment Approach

Eating disorder care should be more than general support. It can be helpful to ask whether the provider uses approaches that are specific to eating disorder recovery.

Questions you might ask:

• What is your general treatment approach?

• Do you use evidence-based approaches for eating disorders?

• How do you create treatment goals?

• Will we create a treatment plan together?

• How do you measure progress in recovery?

• How often do you reassess whether treatment is working?

• What does a typical session look like?

• How long does treatment usually last?

• How do you support clients when recovery feels difficult or motivation is low?

• How do you address body image, fear foods, restriction, bingeing, purging, compulsive exercise, or other eating disorder behaviors?

• How do you decide when someone may need a higher level of care?

Weight, Food + Body Image Philosophy

Because eating disorder recovery can be harmed by shame, stigma, or overly weight-focused care, it may be important to ask how the provider talks about food, weight, and bodies.

Questions you might ask:

• How do you approach conversations about weight?

• Do you use a weight-inclusive or Health at Every Size-informed approach?

• How do you talk about food without labeling foods as “good” or “bad”?

• How do you support clients who are afraid of weight gain?

• How do you help clients reduce food rules, body checking, or fear around eating?

• How do you approach nutrition or movement in a way that does not reinforce eating disorder behaviors?

Collaboration With Other Providers

Eating disorder treatment often works best when providers communicate with each other. Depending on your needs, your team may include a therapist, dietitian, medical provider, psychiatrist, family therapist, school support, or higher level of care program.

Questions you might ask:

• Do you collaborate with other members of a treatment team?

• How often do you communicate with other providers?

• Will you coordinate care with my primary care provider, therapist, dietitian, psychiatrist, or other supports?

• Do you require medical monitoring?

• If I do not already have a full treatment team, can you help me identify what other support may be needed?

• How do you involve parents, partners, or other support people when appropriate?

• For adolescents, how do you communicate with parents or guardians?

• What releases of information would be needed for collaboration?

Logistics, Cost + Access

These questions can help you understand whether the provider is accessible and sustainable for your needs.

Questions you might ask:

• Are you accepting new clients?

• Do you offer in-person, virtual, or hybrid appointments?

• What states are you licensed to practice in?

• How often would we meet?

• What are your fees?

• Do you accept insurance?

• If you do not accept insurance, do you provide superbills?

• Do you offer sliding scale options?

• What is your cancellation policy?

• How do I contact you between sessions if something comes up?

• What should I do if I need support outside of session?

Questions to Ask a Treatment Program or Facility

Treatment programs may include intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, residential treatment, inpatient programs, or hospital-based care.

Many of the questions above can also be asked of a treatment facility. You may also want to ask about treatment structure, medical care, meal support, discharge planning, and how the program defines recovery.

Program Structure + Level of Care

Questions you might ask:

• What levels of care do you offer?

• How do you determine which level of care someone needs?

• What does a typical day or week in the program look like?

• How many days per week is the program?

• How many hours per day?

• Is the program in-person, virtual, or hybrid?

• What is the typical length of stay?

• How often is level of care reassessed?

• What happens if someone needs more support than the current level of care provides?

Treatment Approach + Goals

Questions you might ask:

• What treatment approaches does your program use?

• Are treatment plans individualized?

• How are treatment goals created?

• How do you measure progress?

• How often is progress reviewed with the client and/or family?

• What are the program’s expectations around meals, movement, rest, and symptom interruption?

• Does the program have weight restoration or weight change goals?

• If so, how are those goals determined and discussed?

• How does the program support people who are afraid of weight gain?

• How does the program address body image distress?

• How does the program support clients who are ambivalent about recovery?

Treatment Team

Questions you might ask:

• Who is part of the treatment team?

• How often would I meet with my primary therapist?

• How long are individual therapy sessions?

• Would I meet with a registered dietitian?

• Would I meet with a physician or medical provider?

• Is psychiatric care available?

• Is family therapy offered?

• Are groups part of treatment?

• Who provides meal support?

• What training do meal support staff have in eating disorder care?

• How does the team communicate with each other?

• Will the program communicate with my outpatient providers?

Medical Monitoring + Safety

Questions you might ask:

• What medical monitoring is included?

• How often are vitals, labs, or other medical markers checked?

• How do you determine when someone is medically unstable?

• What happens if someone needs emergency medical care?

• How do you monitor for purging, laxative use, compulsive exercise, or other high-risk behaviors?

• How do you support clients who are experiencing dizziness, fainting, heart symptoms, or other medical concerns?

• How are medications managed?

Meals, Nutrition + Movement

Questions you might ask:

• How are meals and snacks structured?

• Who creates meal plans?

• Is meal support provided?

• How are fear foods approached?

• How does the program respond if someone cannot complete a meal or snack?

• How does the program address bingeing, purging, restriction, or compulsive exercise?

• What is the program’s approach to movement or exercise?

• Are nutrition recommendations individualized for medical, cultural, sensory, religious, or accessibility needs?

Family + Support People

Questions you might ask:

• How are family members or support people involved?

• Is family therapy available?

• Are there parent, partner, or caregiver education groups?

• How often does the program communicate with families or support people?

• For adolescents, what role do parents or guardians play in treatment?

• How does the program help support people understand eating disorders and recovery?

Discharge Planning

Discharge planning is an important part of treatment. It can help reduce the risk of leaving a program without enough support in place.

Questions you might ask:

• When does discharge planning begin?

• Do you help clients build an outpatient treatment team before discharge?

• Will you help coordinate care with outpatient providers?

• What recommendations do you provide after discharge?

• How do you determine whether someone is ready to step down to a lower level of care?

• What happens if someone needs more treatment after the expected discharge date?

• Do you offer alumni support, step-down care, or aftercare groups?