What Is Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching and How Is It Different From Therapy?
Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching
If you are navigating eating disorder recovery, or supporting someone who is, it is common to feel unsure about what kind of help you need. Therapy, dietitians, treatment programs, and recovery coaching can all play a role, but it can feel overwhelming, especially early in recovery.
Many people ask themselves questions such as:
How do I apply therapy goals in real life situations?
What support exists outside of sessions?
How do I apply what I am working on in treatment to my daily life?
Eating disorder recovery coaching can be a meaningful and supportive part of the recovery process. Recovery coaching is not a replacement for therapy. It helps bridge the gap between treatment and real life so recovery feels more supported, practical, and sustainable.
What is it?
Eating disorder recovery coaching provides consistent and collaborative support for people navigating their recovery. As a Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, I walk alongside clients as they work through eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. My goal is to help clients feel empowered, capable, and supported in their recovery journey. Coaching focuses on helping clients listen to their healthy selves, live in line with their goals and values, and build confidence in their ability to live a life that supports both their recovery and their future.
Recovery coaching focuses on the day-to-day challenges of recovery. These are often the moments between therapy or dietitian sessions when things can feel most difficult. Support can include:
Applying recovery goals set in therapy to real-life situations
Building skills and tools to cope with eating disorder urges
Strengthening confidence in decision-making and self-trust
Meal support and accountability
Calling or texting support between sessions
Recovery coaching is not about directing or controlling recovery. It is about helping clients work toward the goals they have set for themselves at their own pace in a way that feels authentic and supportive to them.
Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching vs Therapy
Eating disorder recovery coaching and therapy are different forms of support, but they often work best together. Both play important roles in recovery, and understanding the difference can help people feel more confident about the support they need.
In therapy, clients focus on deeper emotional work connected to their eating disorder. This may include exploring factors such as trauma, anxiety, depression, perfectionism, or relationship patterns. Therapy is also a space where clients process emotions, build insight, and set goals for recovery.
Recovery coaching helps clients take the goals they work on in therapy and apply them to daily life. Coaching is centered on action, skill building, and support in real-world situations. This can include working through urges, practicing grounding exercises, listening to the healthy voice, and building tools that make recovery more manageable day to day. Coaching also provides meal support, accountability, and calling or texting support between sessions. This helps reduce isolation and increases follow-through with recovery goals outside of appointments.
Recovery coaching is not a replacement for therapy. It complements therapy, dietitian work, and other treatment providers. It bridges the gap between treatment sessions and real life, offering consistent support as clients practice recovery skills and build confidence in their ability to live fully in recovery.
Who Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching Can Support
Eating disorder recovery coaching can support people at many points in their recovery journey. There is no single right time to seek additional support, and coaching can be helpful whether someone is just beginning recovery or continuing to build stability over time.
Coaching is especially helpful for individuals early in recovery who feel overwhelmed, unsure, or stuck. Early recovery often comes with uncertainty and fear, and having consistent support can help clients feel less alone as they practice recovery skills in their daily life.
Coaching can also support individuals transitioning out of higher levels of care, such as residential, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient treatment. These transitions can feel challenging as structure decreases and real-life responsibilities increase. Recovery coaching provides continuity of support while clients apply what they learned in treatment to everyday routines.
Young adults and teenagers can benefit from coaching as they navigate school, work, relationships, and independence while in recovery. Coaching builds confidence, problem-solving skills, and empowerment as clients learn how to support themselves outside of structured care.
Parents and families can also benefit from recovery coaching. Family support offers education, tools, and guidance to help loved ones support recovery in ways that are encouraging rather than overwhelming. This can reduce fear, confusion, and unintentional patterns that increase stress within the family system.
Recovery coaching meets clients where they are. It offers flexible, compassionate support that honors each person’s recovery process and individual goals.
Finding Support That Feels Right for You
Eating disorder recovery is not meant to be done alone. Support can take many forms, and finding what feels right for you is part of the process. Recovery is about growth, learning, and building the tools and confidence to create a life you enjoy. With guidance, encouragement, and connection, it is possible to move forward in recovery while feeling empowered, capable, and supported every step of the way.
Recovery coaching provides steady, consistent support for navigating the day-to-day realities of recovery. It is a space to practice skills, work through challenges, and build confidence in your ability to live a full and meaningful life. Whether you are early in recovery, transitioning out of treatment, or just feeling stuck, having someone walk alongside you can make recovery feel more possible and less overwhelming.
If you are seeking guidance and encouragement in your recovery, I am here to support you every step of the way. Recovery can feel overwhelming at times, but you do not have to navigate it alone. With guidance, encouragement, and consistent support, it is possible to move forward with confidence and create a life that feels meaningful and aligned with your goals.
