Great Books on Eating Disorders and Families

Contributed by: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC for Eating Disorder Hope

If you or your loved one is on the journey of recovery from an eating disorder, you have likely encountered the many challenges, obstacles, and difficulties that come along the way. The beauty of recovery is that there is hope for healing, and many families and relationships are restored throughout this journey.

As a friend or family member, you may feel somewhat lost or confused as you watch your loved one venture through the recovery process. Eating disorders are complex diseases by nature and can be difficult to grasp or understand. The support of family members is an integral part of recovery from an eating disorder.

Resources on The Recovery Process

Though you may not fully comprehend what your loved one may be experiencing, there are a variety of resources that can assist you through this process.

The following are some great books and resources that can support family members and friends through the eating disorder process:

  • “Eating Disorders: A Parent’s Guide”, by Rachel Bryant-Waugh and Bryan Lask:

  • As an overview of eating disorders in children and adolescents, this book may be a helpful resources to parents who are seeking to better understand the challenges they may be facing as their child recovers from an eating disorder. Authors give brief and practical advice for navigating the recovery process.

  • “My Kid is Back: Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa”, by June Alexander with Daniel Le Grange:

  • Inspired by her own experience with Anorexia, author June Alexander explores the power of family-based treatment in eating disorder recovery. This book shares inspiring stories of other families who have walked this path as well as includes advice from experts and professionals.

  • “Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder”, by James Lock, MD, PhD, and Daniel Le Grange, PhD:

  • Authors give an overview on current therapy and treatment options for an eating disorder as well as suggestions on how families can become involved in the fight against an eating disorder.

  • “8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder”, by Caroly Costin, MFT, Med, FAED, CEDS, and Gwen Schubert Grabb, MFT:

  • Using a combination of personal narrative and the perspective of a therapist-client relationship, several insights are shared on how to successfully overcome the challenge of an eating disorder.

Other Books and Videos

To find more books on eating disorder recovery, be sure to visit the Eating Disorder Hope Recovery Books & Videos page. It is important to know that there are several resources at your disposal that can help support you and your family members through the process of eating disorder recovery.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

What books have you read that you could recommend for those suffering from or supporting someone with an Eating Disorder? What helpful information did you learn from them?

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on December 5th 2014
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com