Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program

Treatment options

The EDCRP provides comprehensive evaluation and a variety of outpatient treatment options for individuals ages ten and up struggling with eating disorders from compassionate and knowledgeable leaders in the field.

Our clinic offers many treatments shown to be effective in large-scale research studies as well as novel treatments that are currently being evaluated through our program’s research studies. Our clinicians will recommend the treatment best matched to your individual needs. If you are eligible for one of our treatment studies, this may be the treatment you are offered.

Twenty-Session Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (CBT-20-AN)

For adults (18+) with anorexia nervosa

We are testing outcomes of a new CBT treatment designed for people with anorexia nervosa (AN), that is briefer than the original 40-session version of CBT but still allows sufficient time for weight restoration. The new treatment, CBT-20-AN, lasts just 20 sessions and has been designed to allow individuals with AN to benefit from CBT in less time, increasing access to care and shortening time to symptom reduction. Within one month prior to starting treatment, you must have met with your primary care physician, Adolescent Medicine physician, or consulting physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and see them regularly throughout the study treatment. If you are an adult interested in receiving CBT for anorexia nervosa, please contact Stefania Yee at 617-724-0799.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on the premise that many of the psychological features of eating disorders are actually caused by under-eating—regardless of whether you are underweight, overweight or anywhere in between. CBT is designed to help you understand how all of your eating disorder symptoms fit together and then identify strategies for targeting each one. By recording your food intake, you can identify your own unique triggers for engaging in eating disorder behaviors such as restricting, binge eating or purging. If the scale or mirror dictates how you feel about yourself, CBT can help you improve your body image and identify alternate sources of self-esteem. Later sessions focus on relapse prevention so you feel properly equipped to handle setbacks.

There are multiple variations of CBT for eating disorders that our team practices. The number of sessions, frequency of sessions, and length of treatment will be determined by clinicians for individual patient needs. In all cases, CBT is a time-limited treatment.

To learn more about CBT, read Overcoming Binge Eating by Christopher Fairburn or Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Adolescents for Eating Disorders by Riccardo Dalle Grave and Simona Calugi.

To learn more about FBT, read Treatment Manual for Anorexia Nervosa: A Family-Based Approach by James Lock, Daniel Le Grange, W. Stewart Agras, and Christopher Dare.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

We also offer a new CBT program for individuals with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (CBT-AR) ages ten and up. CBT-AR developed here at Mass General focuses on normalizing eating, increasing macronutrient intake via food intake rather than dietary supplements and (if needed) restoring weight and growth. CBT-AR also targets the maintaining mechanisms of avoidant/restrictive eating, including sensory sensitivities, lack of interest in eating and/or fear of aversive consequences of eating (e.g., vomiting or choking) using exposure-based techniques.

CBT-AR can be delivered in an individual or family-supported format depending on patient age and treatment goals. CBT-AR is designed to last 20-30 sessions over 6-12 months.

CBT for Rumination Disorder

We offer brief CBT for rumination disorder (CBT-RD) for both children and adults. CBT-RD is designed to last five to eight sessions and involves general CBT techniques tailored specifically for RD. Primary interventions include psychoeducation and self-monitoring to enhance patient awareness of regurgitation timing and triggers, diaphragmatic breathing as a habit reversal strategy, patient-specific strategies for reducing residual regurgitation episodes and relapse prevention.

Family-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders

For underweight children, adolescents and young adults, family-based treatment (FBT) empowers parents to take charge of normalizing their child’s eating. Rather than focusing solely on the patient, the therapist meets with the entire family (including both parents and siblings) to mobilize them to fight back against the eating disorder. FBT features specialized coaching deigned to absolve parents of blame, separate the child from the illness and help parents re-nourish their child at home.

Later sessions gradually transition eating opportunities back to the adolescent and help the adolescent return to the developmentally appropriate task of growing up—from which he or she has typically been derailed by the eating disorder.

FBT is a time-limited treatment designed to last 20 sessions over the course of 6-12 months.

To learn more about FBT, read Help Your Teen Beat an Eating Disorder by James Lock and Daniel Le Grange.

Psychopharmacology for Eating Disorders

As medication management may be a useful tool for treating eating disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders, patients are seen by the team psychiatrist for a psychiatric evaluation. As part of a psychopharmacological evaluation, one is provided with detailed medication information to allow one to make an informed decision if a psychotropic medication appears to be indicated for treatment. If patients choose to start medication, medication management may be offered under a consultative basis, with patients receiving prescriptions from their long-term providers or primary care physicians. Alternatively, patients may receive medication management from the EDCRP team psychiatrist while in concurrent psychotherapy at the clinic but are referred to their outpatient team as their therapy at the clinic concludes.

Group Treatment for Eating Disorders

Some individuals find group therapy helpful, either instead of or in addition to individual or family-based treatment.

Our upcoming 6-session virtual parent-oriented cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) group for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is designed for parents of 5- to 9-year-old children who are picky or selective eaters. This parent group will help caregivers better understand ARFID, build regular eating routines, and support their children in trying and incorporating new foods. Enrollment for this program will not begin until Spring 2026. More information will be shared closer to the start date. Please contact Stefania Yee at syee5@mgh.harvard.edu or 617-7240799 to learn whether this group may be a good fit for you and schedule an evaluation.

Please note that in order to be eligible, your child must have a Mass General Brigham pediatrician.

Pharmacotherapy

If needed, we also offer medication treatment in combination with therapy. Although medications are not a standalone cure against eating disorders, they can improve treatment response and help prevent future relapses. Eating disorders are often diagnosed along with other psychiatric conditions, which can be effectively managed with medication. We approach each case with a personalized plan based on the individual’s needs, backed by cutting-edge expertise in psychopharmacology.

Higher Levels of Care

Some individuals find that they are not able to beat their eating disorder through outpatient support alone. To learn more about treatment options, see the medical guidelines from the Academy for Eating Disorders.

While the EDCRP is an outpatient program, we often collaborate with our Harvard Medical School affiliates that offer high levels of care for eating disorders, including:

• Klarman Eating Disorders Center at McLean Hospital
• Boston Children’s Hospital