What Is Eating Disorder Coaching—and Why It Was a Game Changer in My Recovery

Eating disorder recovery is a deeply personal journey, and finding the right support can make all the difference. No one can recover alone—it takes a network of people and a lot of support to make progress. While therapy and nutritional counseling are foundational components of treatment, many individuals find that they need additional, practical support to navigate daily challenges—especially the things that come up between sessions.

This is where eating disorder coaching comes into play.

What Is Eating Disorder Coaching?

Eating disorder coaching is a collaborative, action- and goal-oriented partnership that focuses on improving clients’ lives. Coaches provide practical tools, accountability, and compassionate support to help clients implement recovery strategies in their daily lives. Unlike therapists, coaches do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions; instead, they work alongside clients to bridge the gap between clinical treatment and real-world application.

At We Do RecoverED Coaching, my mission is to empower individuals to reclaim their lives from eating disorders. As a coach, I offer my personal, lived experience of recovery from a long-standing eating disorder, alcoholism, and severe depression to guide others through meal planning, navigating triggering situations, and building a balanced relationship with food, body image, and/or substances.

Coaching is all about meeting you where you are-allowing clients the autonomy to choose their own goals and empowering them to take meaningful, supported action. It is meant to complement your existing treatment plan-not replace it.

My Experience with Coaching as a Client

Before becoming a coach myself, I was a client. I worked with a CCI-Certified Eating Disorder Coach, and the in-the-moment support was invaluable. Lunch had always been my hardest meal, and I often had meal support with my coach, who modeled normal eating patterns and empowered me to complete adequate meal sizes. She offered text support and even a few phone check-ins during crisis moments.

Just having someone to help challenge the eating disorder voice-or empower me to strengthen my own healthy voice-made me more confident in my ability to keep going. She reminded me why I was trying for recovery in the first place. Coaching gave me the tools I needed to follow through on the goals I set in therapy and with my dietitian.

Her lived experience showed me that recovery was not only possible-it was worth it. That message stayed with me and inspired the work I now do with others.

How Is Coaching Different From Therapy?

While both coaching and therapy aim to support individuals in their recovery, they differ in focus and approach:

·      Therapy is conducted by licensed mental health professionals. It often focuses on the psychological aspects of eating disorders, exploring past traumas, core beliefs, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Therapy provides a space for deeper emotional processing, diagnosis, and long-term treatment planning.

·      Coaching, on the other hand, is action- and solution-focused. It's about putting insight into motion-how to eat lunch when your meal plan feels scary, how to navigate a stressful day without restricting, or how to get back on track after a slip.

In essence, therapy helps you understand the "why," and coaching helps you live the "how.”

At We Do RecoverED Coaching, I offer:

·      Individual 1:1 sessions

·      Meal support

·      Grocery and clothing shopping assistance

·      Ongoing text and check-in support between sessions

This kind of access allows clients to receive guidance and accountability during the hardest moments-when urges hit or motivation drops.

Who Can Benefit from Eating Disorder Coaching?

Eating disorder coaching can be a valuable layer of support for many individuals across different stages of recovery. Because coaching is flexible, practical, and deeply individualized, it can meet people where they are and help bridge the gap between clinical treatment and real life. Here are some of the people who may benefit most:

·      Those currently in higher levels of care (such as a partial hospitalization program or intensive outpatient program) who need additional support outside of program hours. Coaching can reinforce the skills learned in treatment by helping clients apply them to everyday situations—like meals at home, grocery shopping, or managing social outings that feel triggering.

·      Individuals transitioning out of higher levels of care who are returning home and navigating their environment without the daily structure of treatment. This can be a high-risk period for relapse. Coaching offers ongoing accountability, structure, and encouragement to maintain progress and avoid slipping back into old patterns.

·      Those who have tried higher levels of care but found them unhelpful, unaffordable, or overwhelming, and are now seeking a different kind of support. I know this path personally. After several unsuccessful higher level of care experiences, I found coaching to be the most effective tool for sustaining my recovery. Coaching’s practical, in-the-moment support allowed me to make real progress while living my life—not putting it on pause.

·      Individuals doing well in outpatient therapy and dietitian work, but needing an extra boost to keep momentum going. Maybe motivation has dipped or new life stressors are surfacing—coaching can help you refocus, set goals, and stay accountable to your values and recovery.

·      People struggling with disordered eating who may not meet full clinical criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis, but who still feel consumed by food, exercise, or body image. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “not sick enough” to deserve help—coaching can be a powerful entry point for support and healing.

·      Loved ones—parents, partners, siblings, and friends—who want to understand how to better support someone in recovery. Coaching can offer education, communication strategies, and validation for caregivers navigating the challenges of loving someone with an eating disorder.

·      Those living with co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety, depression, OCD, or substance use. As a CCI-Certified Eating Disorder Coach and Certified Peer Specialist, I am trained to support individuals navigating dual diagnoses. While coaching is not a replacement for clinical treatment, I work alongside your providers to address the overlap between co-occurring conditions and help you build skills for real-life recovery.

At We Do RecoverED Coaching, I tailor every service to meet each client's unique needs-because recovery is not one-size-fits-all.

A Note for Providers

If you're a therapist, dietitian, or other member of a client’s treatment team, eating disorder coaching can be an incredibly helpful adjunct to the work you are doing. As a coach, I focus on helping your clients implement the goals you're setting in session— whether it’s practicing regular meals, using coping skills in the moment, or challenging eating disorder behaviors as they arise – providing accountability, structure, and real-life support between appointments.

This gives your clients access to in-the-moment tools, meal support, and behavioral reinforcement, so you're free to focus on the deeper therapeutic or nutritional work without the pressure of having to cover every practical or behavioral detail. While you focus on healing the underlying drivers of the disorder, I help clients build consistency and confidence in their day-to-day recovery efforts.

Coaching doesn’t replace your work—it amplifies it, giving clients the support they need to carry it through into daily life and empowering them to challenge the eating disorder in real time. Collaboration is key, and I’m always happy to coordinate care to ensure we’re working together toward the same recovery goals.

Final Thoughts

Recovery from an eating disorder is a multifaceted journey that often requires a comprehensive support system. While therapy addresses the psychological underpinnings of disordered eating, coaching provides the practical tools and real-time support necessary to navigate daily challenges. Together, therapy and coaching can offer a holistic approach to recovery, empowering individuals to build a life free from the constraints of an eating disorder.

If you're interested in learning more about how We Do RecoverED Coaching can support you or a loved one, please visit wedorecoveredcoaching.com for more information and to schedule a free consultation.