What is Eating Disorder Coaching?

Eating disorder coaches bridge the gap between doctors, therapists, and nutritionists, and are part of a new, fast growing phenomenon in the field of eating disorder treatment. A coach is someone who uses their lived experience to relate to and support clients, also known as the peer support model of recovery. As the peer support model gained traction in treating substance abuse disorders, mental health professionals realized that it could be adapted to support individuals struggling with food and body image issues.

Who is an eating disorder coach?

97% of the time, a coach is a person in long-term eating disorder recovery. That said, there are plenty of coaches who no longer consider themselves to still be in recovery. Some coaches (like myself) have been able to heal to the point where they no longer identify as having an eating disorder. Such people can be particularly powerful coaches, because they model that total recovery is possible.

Having lived experience allows coaches to deeply empathize with and validate what a client is going through, as well as offer practical advice and strategies that other professionals may not know about. The wisdom coaches derive from their own recovery experience allows them to help clients more easily uncover what is driving their eating behaviors and heal. If you are reading this, then you likely understand how isolating an eating disorder can be, disconnecting a person from themself and their loved ones. In addition, coaches can help rebuild a sense of community and connection, and offer a respectful, trauma-informed, nonjudgmental relationship.

The difference between a coach and a therapist

A coach does not replace a doctor, therapist, or dietician, but works  tandem with other healing professionals, focusing on developing new skills, habits, and beliefs rather than exploring past issues.

In person vs. online eating disorder coaching

Coaching services vary greatly, meaning there are a ton of incredible options for people to receive the kind of help that best supports their needs. Therefore, selecting the right recovery services depends on several factors:

1. The severity of the eating disorder or disordered eating
2. The person’s willingness to change their relationship with food
3. Treatment history (i.e. in-patient, nutritional therapy)
4. Current Care (i.e. doctor, dietician, therapist).

Generally, there are two kinds of coaching services to consider: online and in-person.

Online Coaching

Online coaching sessions are extremely powerful and provide access to consistent, convenient, and completely confidential care. Coaching sessions aim to help individuals access their own inspiration and self-knowledge to reframe their relationship with food. Typically a client agrees to work with a coach in 8-12 week increments, seeing them on a weekly or bi-weekly basis depending on the client’s goals, needs, and commitment level. Online coaching sessions can be especially effective for individuals who have been in recovery for a number of years or who are not struggling with a critical, clinical disorder.*

Individuals who recognize their relationship with food as unhealthy or dissatisfying, who may be stuck in a cycle of weight loss and weight gain, who feel powerless to food, who lack self-trust and compassion, and who are ready to let go of the beliefs that are keeping them stuck. *If someone needs critical care or has an undiagnosed or active clinical disorder, online coaching is not an effective or safe option. However, it is imperative that such a person be advised by a medical doctor and/or licensed therapist.

In-person Coaching

Unlike people struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, individuals suffering from an eating disorder can’t simply abstain from food. They still have to eat moderately three times a day, which is far harder than one might think. For that reason, in-person eating disorder coaches make themselves widely available, often spending 15-20 hours per week with a client. In this way, coaches “fill in the gap”  ensure they have the emotional support and resources they need. “Coaches are in the trenches,” says Carolyn Costin, a licensed therapist and the founder of the first eating disorder coaching certification program.

“Therapists and doctors don’t have time to go to the gym or a restaurant with their clients. But these are things that are necessary for recovery.”  Seeing a dietician and therapist are absolutely crucial aspects of recovery, but a client only spends a few hours with each of them a week, and does not tend to engage in the critical behaviors involved in recovery. The real work (and growth) happens outside of their offices, when it comes time for the individual to follow through on their meal plan, go grocery shopping, cook, eat out at a restaurant, or go to the gym. Coaches may workout with the client, or help the client hold themselves accountable for not working out, if that is what their treatment team has prescribed.

Research-based benefits of a recovery coach

The benefits of an eating disorder coach will be unique to an individual’s recovery and depend on the unique insight and knowledge a coach brings to the table. However, emerging research demonstrates there are significant benefits to adding a coach to your treatment team. Benefits include increased:

• Self-esteem and confidence
• Sense of control
• Ability to bring about changes in their lives
• Empathy and acceptance
• Inspiration and hope
• Quality of life and life satisfaction
• Sense of social support
• Engagement in self-care and wellness
• Sense that treatment is responsive to needs

As well as decreased:

• Self-stigma Depression
• Emergency service utilization
• Relapse rates
• Re-hospitalization rates
• Substance use
• Use of inpatient services Sources:

Sources:

1. Aya Allison. (2018, December 14). Do You Need A Life Coach? The Well-Grounded Spirit.
2. Eating Disorders Catalogue. (2020, March 1). The emerging role of eating disorder coaching. 
3. ELLE. (2021, July 28). Could eating disorder coaching revolutionize recovery? 
4. Mead S., & MacNeil C,. (2006). Peer Support: What Makes It Unique? International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation. 10 (2), 29-37.
5. Recovery Frameworks. (n.d.). Eating disorder recovery services.