Studies suggest that a specific form of
family therapy may be particularly effective in
treating children and young teens with
anorexia nervosa who still live at home.1 All family members who interact with the young person are
expected to attend the counseling sessions.
In the first phase of this type of family therapy, parents are
helped to temporarily take control over their child's eating to help the child
gain weight. Once a reasonable amount of weight has been gained, control over
eating is gradually given back to the child, and more general family issues are
dealt with during counseling sessions.