5 Ways to Create a Recovery-Positive Home for Your Child

Supporting Your Teen Through Eating Disorder Recovery

Creating a recovery-positive home environment is crucial for supporting a child or teen through eating disorder recovery. As a therapist who has worked extensively with adolescents and families, I’ve seen firsthand how supportive home environments can empower recovery, boost self-esteem, and reinforce the therapeutic work done outside the home.

1. Foster Open, Non-Judgmental Communication

Recovery often brings up a whirlwind of emotions for your child. Once the eating disorder behaviors began to decrease we often see an increase in emotional volatility – this is normal! During this time, being a safe, judgment-free source of support and understanding is invaluable. Your child needs to know they can communicate openly without fear of being shut down or punished by you.

How to Practice This:

Validate Feelings: Emphasize empathy and acknowledge your child’s struggles. Even if you don’t understand everything they’re going through, phrases like “I can see this is really hard for you” or “Thank you for sharing this with me.” Let them know they’re heard.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of yes-or-no questions, try asking, “How was that experience for you?” or “What was most challenging today?” Avoid fixating on food or weight, as this can feel invasive and counterproductive. Instead, encourage them to express their emotions or reflect on experiences unrelated to their eating disorder.
Practice Active Listening: This involves giving your full attention, not interrupting, and responding thoughtfully. When your child feels genuinely heard, it deepens their trust in you, which is foundational to supporting recovery.

2. Create a Safe, Neutral Environment Around Food

In a home where an eating disorder is present, it’s essential to create a food-neutral environment. Avoid demonizing or glamorizing specific foods, as this can reinforce disordered thinking.

Aim to approach meals with a sense of normalcy and ease, making food a non-issue rather than a battleground.

How to Practice This:

Avoid Labeling Foods as “Good” or “Bad”: Instead of describing foods as “healthy” or “junk,” frame all foods as valuable, with some providing more immediate energy, enjoyment, or comfort than others.
Make Mealtimes a Positive Space: Eating together without pressure can create a more relaxed atmosphere around food. Mealtimes should not be an interrogation or a time to monitor every bite; rather, they’re an opportunity for positive family interaction.
Model a Balanced Relationship with Food: Kids often internalize the way their parents approach food. Show that it’s okay to enjoy a variety of foods and that all foods can fit within a balanced lifestyle. Demonstrating flexibility and self-compassion with food can provide a powerful example.

3. Encourage Body Positivity and Acceptance

One of the most challenging aspects of recovery is addressing the body image concerns that often accompany eating disorders. The culture around us can promote unrealistic beauty standards.

Reinforcing self-acceptance and a positive view of all body types is crucial within the family setting.

How to Practice This:

Avoid Body Talk: Try to eliminate conversations around weight, size, or appearance, both for yourself and for others. Compliments and conversations should focus on non-appearance-related qualities, like kindness, determination, and humor.
Model Self-Compassion: Children learn a lot by watching how you treat yourself. If you openly criticize your own body or express guilt around food, it sends mixed messages. Practicing self-compassion and avoiding self-critical remarks can help foster a healthier environment.
Celebrate Strengths Beyond Appearance: Encourage your child to value traits unrelated to their looks, such as creativity, resilience, or generosity. Create a family environment where self-worth isn’t tied to appearance but to inherent qualities and character.

4. Establish Routine and Predictability

Recovery from an eating disorder can feel chaotic and uncertain, so creating a sense of predictability at home can help your child feel secure.

A stable routine can also help reinforce healthy patterns around food, self-care, and emotional regulation.

How to Practice This:

Plan Regular Mealtimes: Having a consistent mealtime structure can help alleviate anxiety around food and eating. Try to stick to regular eating intervals to build stability and encourage intuitive hunger recognition over time.
Set Aside Family Time: Even outside of mealtimes, having predictable family activities or downtime—like a family movie night or weekend hike—can give your child something to look forward to and reinforce the sense of togetherness. Check out our blog on finding fun for more tips on this!
Prioritize Balanced Routines: Beyond food and mealtimes, help your child maintain a balanced routine that includes sleep, relaxation, schoolwork, and enjoyable activities. A balanced day helps decrease stress, which can positively impact their relationship with food and body. Check out our blog on back to school tips for more on this!

5. Collaborate with Your Child’s Treatment Team

Your child’s therapist, dietitian, or medical providers have valuable insights and strategies for supporting recovery. Staying actively involved in your child’s treatment plan—and maintaining open communication with their providers—can make a significant difference in their recovery progress.

How to Practice This:

Attend Family Sessions: Many treatment teams encourage family involvement. Family therapy or parent support can provide guidance and give you a space to process your own emotions while learning how to support your child effectively.
Follow the Treatment Plan: Collaborate with the treatment team to understand your role at home and follow any specific recommendations they provide. This may involve working on exposure to certain foods, practicing communication techniques, or helping to prevent behaviors that can exacerbate the eating disorder.
Keep Track of Progress and Setbacks: Recovery is rarely a straight line. Track any progress and setbacks to share with the treatment team, as this can help them adjust your child’s plan as needed. Consistent collaboration ensures everyone is working toward a common goal and allows you to understand the role you play in promoting lasting change.

Final Thoughts…

Supporting your child through eating disorder recovery is a journey that will require patience, compassion, and persistence. As a parent, your role in creating a recovery-positive home is one of the most influential factors in helping your child move through this challenging time. Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. Even small changes can make a big difference, and there is support available for you, too.

Recovery is not just about changing eating habits—it’s about healing relationships with food, trauma, and emotions. By creating a home where your child feels safe, valued, and supported, you are fostering an environment that strengthens their path toward living a life filled with more joy, openness, and freedom.

Every positive step, no matter how small, is a building block in your child’s journey to lasting recovery.

Want to learn more about all things eating disorder recovery? Check out these blogs:

Our Services:

Stark Therapy Group offers therapy for all types of eating disorders, including Anorexia, Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia. We offer a 3-tiered family based support for teens in eating disorder recovery. We treat anxiety, depression and general mental health conditions. We offer 3-tiered family based support for teens with general mental health issues. We also offer couples therapy. We would love to help you on your mental health journey. Reach out today for a free consultation!