Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery

By: Olivia Kline, EDC Administrative Assistant
Reviewed by: Megan Samuels, MSW, LCSW-C

Starting your recovery journey from an eating disorder can be scary, overwhelming, and confusing. It can be hard to figure out what steps to take to start this journey and what resources are available to help. Many people on our team have recovered from eating disorders, and we have generated some tips that our professionals thought are essential in starting your recovery journey. You don’t have to do this alone, we are here to help! 


1. Get connected with an eating disorder specialist

Eating disorders can be fatal, and without proper, specialized treatment, the risks can be severe. While eating disorders are treatable, it’s crucial for therapists to have specialized training in order to provide effective care. This type of education is not usually included in graduate programs, meaning therapists must actively pursue this additional training on their own.

Moreover, we all grow up immersed in diet culture and societal systems of oppression. It's essential for therapists to have worked through their own understanding of these influences to provide effective care for those with eating disorders.
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To put it into perspective, you wouldn’t trust a general doctor with brain surgery, even if they were excellent at their job. A primary care physician may be skilled in many areas, but brain surgery requires a specific expertise that only a trained neurosurgeon can offer. Similarly, specialized knowledge in eating disorders is necessary for therapists to effectively help clients recover.


2. Work on your motivation to recover 

When recovery feels overwhelming or hopeless, it can be easy to lose motivation. Many people with eating disorders fall into “black-and-white thinking,” where they feel like if they’ve struggled, they’ve already failed, and recovery is no longer worth pursuing. These thoughts can feel like an automatic response to setbacks, but it's important to remember that recovery isn't a straight path. Progress is often non-linear, and setbacks don't mean failure. If these negative thoughts arise, it’s important to treat yourself with the same compassion you would show a friend. Then, pause and reflect on why you want to recover. This can help you reconnect with your motivation and when those unhelpful thoughts surface. Acknowledge where you are, and also recognize that this moment doesn’t define the whole journey.

One helpful exercise is to imagine what your life could look like five years from now if you stay in your eating disorder, versus five years from now if you embrace recovery. As you think about life with the eating disorder, also consider the amount of times it takes your attention away from the present moment, the thoughts it occupies, and how you tend to feel as the eating disorder voice gets louder. Also consider any events it tells you to avoid or opportunities it makes you miss out on. What will your life look like after 5 years of this? Consider all the possibilities — including the impact on your health, your relationships with friends, family, and/or significant others, and any experiences you’d like to have. How is the eating disorder helping you pursue your personal values, and how is it getting in the way of what you value? What might be different in 5 years if you pursue recovery?

An eating disorder often makes promises that life will be better if you do what it says, yet doing so eventually leads to feeling more and more trapped. You deserve to experience the fullness of life. Recovery can be hard at times, however it’s also a more rewarding path to the life you truly deserve. 


3. Re-evaluate your social media feed. 

Review your social media and unfollow or unfriend anyone who triggers negative feelings about your body or self-worth. Take the time to block or remove accounts that focus on weight loss, dieting, body transformations, and unhealthy obsessions with food and exercise. Instead, curate your feed to include body-positive and eating disorder recovery accounts that promote healing and self-acceptance.

Beyond cleaning up your social media, consider diversifying your feed with content that celebrates diverse body types, health at every size, and mental wellness. Follow accounts that focus on self-love, body neutrality, and content that emphasizes holistic health, not just physical appearance. Surrounding yourself with positivity online can help reframe your mindset and serve as a daily reminder to practice self-compassion.

Although it's impossible to completely eliminate diet culture or anti-fat bias from your surroundings, you can make a conscious effort to create a social media environment that supports recovery and body positivity.


Feeling like you want more help? 

Here at The Eating Disorder Center in Boca Raton, Florida, we have therapists on the team who specialize in eating disorders and can help you in your recovery journey. Our clinicians, Jennifer Rollin LCSW-C, Lauren Levine, MSW, LCSW-C, and Rachel Steinhardt, LMHC provide virtual therapy throughout the state of Florida. Reach out to us via our contact form or call us at 301-246-6856 to get started with a free 15-minute consultation with an eating disorder specialist. We are happy to answer any questions you have and provide more information about our center or clinicians on the team! 


Interested in additional help beyond therapy?

If you’re looking for more help to supplement therapy, we offer eating disorder recovery coaching. Coaching can be a great addition to your treatment and be a game-changer during recovery! Our coaches, Javoni Cobb, MA and ​Sarah Baginski, MSW are here to help you in your journey. ​

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Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in FL, or recovery coaching worldwide.
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Click here.

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Eating Disorder Therapy Boca Raton  is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide virtual eating disorder therapy in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Pinecrest, Parkland, Naples, Miami Shores, Palmetto Bay. Virtual eating disorder therapy throughout Florida. ​