Support for anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that affects both physical health and psychological wellbeing. It is not simply about food or weight, but often involves complex patterns of restriction, anxiety, control, and distress around eating.
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Anorexia can affect people of all ages and genders, and its impact often extends beyond the individual, affecting families, relationships, education, and work. Many people find it difficult to know when to seek help, or what kind of support feels safe and appropriate.
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We provide specialist, online support for anorexia nervosa across the UK. Our approach is compassionate, thoughtful, and clinically informed, focusing on medical safety, psychological support, and helping people move towards recovery at a pace that feels manageable.
What is anorexia nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by persistent restriction of food intake alongside an intense fear of weight gain and a strong need for control around eating and body shape. It is a serious condition that affects both physical health and psychological wellbeing.
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Anorexia is not about vanity or choice. It is often closely linked to anxiety, perfectionism, difficulties with emotion regulation, and a sense of control or safety around food and eating. Over time, the disorder can begin to dominate daily life, thoughts, relationships, and routines.
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Anorexia can affect people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. Some individuals recognise that something is wrong and want support, while others feel ambivalent or frightened about change. For families and carers, it can be especially hard to know when to step in or what kind of help is appropriate.
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​A careful, specialist approach is important. Early, thoughtful support can make a significant difference, helping to protect physical health while addressing the underlying psychological factors that maintain the illness.
If you are unsure whether this describes your own experience or your child’s, a short free call can help clarify the next step. Talk through your options
How anorexia can affect daily life
Physical and cognitive impact
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Ongoing fatigue, weakness, or feeling physically depleted
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Difficulties with concentration, memory, or decision-making
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Feeling cold, light-headed, or unwell more easily
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Reduced energy for everyday tasks, work, or study
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Changes in sleep, mood, or overall functioning
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Increased vulnerability to physical health complications over time
Emotional and relational impact
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Persistent anxiety around food, eating, or body changes
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Strong need for control or rigid routines around eating
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Preoccupation with thoughts about food or weight
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Withdrawal from friends, family, or social situations
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Strain on relationships, particularly for families and carers
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Feeling stuck, conflicted, or unsure about seeking help
How we support people with anorexia
We support people with anorexia nervosa by taking a compassionate, clinically informed approach that recognises both the physical risks of the illness and the complex psychological factors that sustain it. Our work focuses on safety, understanding, and building a therapeutic relationship that supports change over time.
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Support is always tailored to the individual. This may involve nutritional, psychological, and medical considerations, and often includes working collaboratively with families or carers where appropriate. We recognise that ambivalence about change is common in anorexia, and we work with this carefully and respectfully, without pressure or confrontation.
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All support is delivered online by clinicians experienced in working with anorexia nervosa. Online care can make support more accessible, reduce disruption to daily life, and allow people to engage from an environment that feels familiar and manageable.
Our clinical approach to anorexia
Our clinical approach to anorexia nervosa is integrative and evidence-based. This means we draw on established therapeutic models while tailoring support to the individual, rather than applying a single method in isolation.
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We recognise that anorexia affects both physical health and psychological wellbeing. Treatment therefore focuses on nutritional rehabilitation, and psychological support, delivered within a strong therapeutic relationship. Care is paced carefully, with attention to readiness for change, ambivalence, and the need for trust and collaboration.
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Support is always individualised. Some people benefit from a more structured therapeutic approach, while others need space to stabilise, build understanding, and reduce distress before change feels possible. Our clinicians work flexibly within evidence-based frameworks to meet people where they are.
These approaches are helpful because they recognise that anorexia is maintained by both psychological and physical factors. By addressing control, anxiety, and ambivalence alongside nutritional and medical safety, support can move forward in a way that feels more manageable and sustainable over time.
Our approach may inlcude:
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Brief Strategic Therapy (BST) to address rigidity, control, and interaction patterns that unintentionally maintain restrictive eating
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E) to work directly with the core psychological processes that underpin anorexia nervosa
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Motivational interviewing to support ambivalence, build engagement, and strengthen readiness for change without pressure
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Strategic behavioural tasks, introduced carefully, to support change through lived experience rather than insight alone
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Emotion regulation skills to reduce reliance on restriction as a way of managing distress or uncertainty
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Multidisciplinary working, integrating psychological, dietetic, and medical perspectives to support safety and nutritional rehabilitation
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Food and nutrition psychoeducation, supporting understanding of nourishment, health, and the effects of restriction in a non-judgemental way
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Dietetic support, focused on nutritional rehabilitation, safety, and reducing distress around eating
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Collaborative work with families or carers, where appropriate, particularly when supporting young people
Ensuring care is safe and appropriate
We provide specialist, outpatient support for people with anorexia nervosa who are medically stable and able to engage safely in online care.
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Because our work is delivered online and on an outpatient basis, there are some important limits to what we can safely offer. We do not carry out physical examinations, blood tests, or medical monitoring. These aspects of care need to be overseen by a GP, NHS team, or another appropriate medical professional outside of our service.
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As a general guide, we usually work with individuals whose body mass index (BMI) is 17 or above, where physical health is being monitored by their GP or another healthcare provider. This helps ensure that outpatient, online support can be offered in a way that is safe and appropriate.
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If someone is medically unstable, or if there are immediate concerns about physical safety, our service is unlikely to be the right level of care. In these situations, we will help individuals and families think through more suitable options, such as GP-led care, NHS specialist services, or inpatient or day-patient support where needed.
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Decisions about suitability are always considered carefully and individually by our multidisciplinary team, with safety and wellbeing as the priority.
Starting support with us
Step 1: A free call
The first step is a short free call with a non-clinical member of our team. This gives you the opportunity to talk things through, ask questions, and get a clearer sense of whether our service feels like the right fit.
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During this call, we can explain how support works, what options may be appropriate, and answer practical questions about availability and fees. We can also talk through whether our outpatient, online service is likely to be suitable at this stage. No clinical decisions are made during the free call.
Step 2: Initial Consultation
If it feels appropriate to go ahead, the next step is an initial online consultation with one of our Clinical Directors. This session focuses on understanding current concerns, any existing diagnoses, physical health context, and how anorexia is affecting day-to-day life.
The clinician will also consider whether outpatient, online support is appropriate and safe, and whether any additional medical input from a GP or other healthcare professional is needed alongside treatment.
Step 3: Planning ongoing support
Following the initial consultation, recommendations are discussed collaboratively. This may include ongoing outpatient treatment, further assessment, or guidance on accessing alternative services if a different level of care would be more appropriate.
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Support is never rushed. Decisions are made together, with a focus on safety, readiness for change, and what feels manageable at this stage.
You don’t need to manage this alone
Living with anorexia nervosa can be exhausting and isolating, both for the person affected and for those around them. Many people try to cope for a long time before reaching out, often unsure whether their situation is “serious enough” or what kind of help feels safe.
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Seeking support does not mean giving up control or being forced into change. It creates space to understand what is happening, to consider options carefully, and to take steps at a pace that feels manageable.
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Whether you are struggling yourself or supporting someone else, you deserve care that is thoughtful, respectful, and guided by clinical understanding. You do not have to navigate this on your own.
Get support for Anorexia
Whether you are seeking support for yourself or for someone you care about, we are here to help you think through the next steps at a pace that feels right. You do not need to have everything worked out before reaching out.
The free call is with a non-clinical team member and is a chance to ask questions about services, fees, and next steps.