9 Best Online Therapy Services for Eating Disorders of 2024

Guide to Choosing the Best Online Therapy for Eating Disorders

There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing which online therapy is best for you. These include:

• Price: Know your budget beforehand, and whether you’re planning to use insurance. With many companies, you’ll only get the cost of treatment and estimates with insurance after you sign up or at least complete an initial consultation. If paying out of pocket, ask if the company provides sliding scale options or financial aid.
• Specialties: If you already know which type of eating disorder you have, that could make the search for a specialist provider easier. If you don’t yet have a diagnosis, a more generalized program or therapy platform might be a better bet.
• Type of therapy offered: Choose a company that uses the type of therapy you’re interested in exploring, if you have a preference, or one that is aimed at your age group. Family-based treatment (FBT), in which every family member is involved in treatment, is currently considered the gold standard for eating disorder treatment in children, teens, and young adults. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to teach people how to identify negative or destructive thought patterns and replace them with healthier ones, is often recommended when treating adults. Interpersonal therapy (IPT), a form of talk therapy that focuses on interpersonal stressors that may exacerbate ED symptoms, has also demonstrated efficacy in treating adults with bulimia and binge eating disorder.
• Breadth of care team: Perhaps you’re looking for a care team that includes a psychotherapist, nurse, dietitian, and other healthcare support people, or perhaps you just want to try talk therapy.
• Platform and interface options: Decide how you’d like to access care, whether it be via a computer, tablet, or phone. You may prefer the ability to do everything from your phone in an app.

Is Online Therapy for Eating Disorders Right For You?

Online therapy for eating disorders can be just as effective as in-person therapy. Research has shown that virtual intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment has comparable outcomes to in-person IOPs and that online administration of family-based treatment was effective in treating eating disorders in youth.

Plus, accessibility is a key factor. “Online eating disorder therapy removes a lot of the barriers to care that many people struggling with eating disorders experience,” explains Owens. Online care eliminates travel and wait times, offers wider access to providers, and allows people to recover from the comfort of their homes. These services are typically less expensive than in-person options, too, as many telehealth companies were founded specifically with affordability in mind. Plus, the convenience of online therapy is a strong motivator. “Someone who is otherwise ambivalent about seeking care for an eating disorder might be more likely to give it a try,” says Owens.

However, online therapy isn’t appropriate for everyone dealing with an eating disorder, Dr. Amy Marschall, PsyD, cautions. “Some treatment protocols require medical assessments that have to be done in person,” she says, “like those who are underweight or have a possible cardiac issue related to their disorder.” For that reason, many platforms that offer IOPs or other eating-disorder-specific treatments perform a medical assessment to confirm you are a good candidate for a virtual program.

Methodology

When assessing the best online therapy for eating disorders, we analyzed 18 companies. The factors considered included price, types of therapy, program effectiveness, professionals including the care team, insurance acceptance, user experience, accessibility, and any specializations.