Eating Disorder Support Groups

Eating Recovery Center offers free, trained facilitator-led, support groups for those struggling with eating disorders. ERC also offers support groups for families and community members. These support groups provide support, resources and education on eating disorder treatment and recovery.

Virtual Eating Disorder Support Groups

Why Join a Support Group

While each recovery journey is unique, finding a network of supportive individuals who can relate to your story can provide valuable information, perspective, and peer guidance, reminding you throughout that you are not alone.

How it Works / How to Join

Eating Recovery Center’s free eating disorder support groups offer peer support guided by trained facilitators.

Browse our comprehensive list of weekly support group offerings as well as our time limited support series to find a group that best meets your unique needs. Once you have found the group that best suits you, simply click ‘register’ and follow the registration prompts. You will receive a confirmation with the support group zoom link to the email provided during registration.

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Build Your Community

Please note, the size of our group may fluctuate from week to week. Any group that consistently has 20 or more attendees is evaluated by our team to ensure all participants are able to have a positive experience. To reduce overflow of our weekly support groups, we ask that you limit registration to one group at a time (Pro Tip: If you are feeling like you need a little extra support, we suggest looking into our support group series which can offer additional opportunities to connect.)

Support Group Guidelines

To best ensure a safe space for all group members along their mental health journey, our facilitators ask that each attendee abide by the following guidelines.

Confidentiality

  • For the privacy of our attendees, we do not allow for observers.
  • No cell phones or electronic devices are permitted.
  • You must be alone and in a private room.
  • Confidentiality - what is said in group stays in group.
  • Be mindful of what is in your camera view.
  • We ask that cameras be turned on.
  • Group members are invited to display first name only.
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Content of Discussion

  • Use “I” statements to speak in the first person.
  • Please use the term “behavior” or “target behavior” to refer to self-harm/suicidal ideation.
  • Group members are encouraged to share and provide support to each other. Please share with the willingness to receive support.
  • Group members are asked to be mindful of the frequency and the duration of their share, allowing space for others to share.
  • Refrain from discussing specific behaviors, and numbers: weight, clothing size, calories, etc.

Parameters of Care

  • Support groups are an adjunct to outpatient care, and do not replace treatment needs​
  • Support groups are not therapy
  • Support groups are peer-led groups
  • A trained facilitator for each group
  • Groups are for individuals 18+

Support Group Series Information

We are eager to respond as we listen to our community’s needs in eating recovery by providing support group series to address targeted topics to deliver information and provide community. Support group series topics range from body grief to LGBTQ+ in Recovery and can be attended in conjunction with weekly support group offerings.

Upcoming Offerings

“That’s Not Normal” Weight Stigma Unlearning Series: Running from January 23 – February 27, That’s Not Normal is a 6-week education and support series that dissects our cultural learning of weight stigma and anti-fat bias. By identifying WHERE and HOW weight stigma and anti-fat bias is learned and reinforced, we can begin to do the work of unlearning concepts that perpetuate harmful narratives that harm the fat community and stigmatize us all. Each session will feature an educational segment from Meredith Nisbet, MS, LMFT, CEDS-S, National Clinical Response Manager and Hannah Sharkey, RDN, LDN, CEDS, Clinical Dietitian Training Specialist as well as personal stories of lived experience from our Say It Brave Collective and Community Partners.

Previous Series Offerings

Parenting in the Here & Now: Series for parents, guardians, and other important individuals in a child’s life provides insight and education on important topics surrounding building a connected parent-child relationship, mental health, and positive body image development.

Body Grief Series: This group will give words and validation to feelings we have in times of chronic illness, eating disorders, infertility, menopause, and so much more, as it delivers education about body grief by Jayne Mattingly, and provides community of lived experiences during the supportive breakout sessions each week.

Men’s Support Series: The Men's Monday Eating Recovery Support Group Series was an opportunity for alumni and community members to receive support in a virtual group setting that was open to anyone seeking eating disorder recovery support who also identifies as male.

Navigating the Holidays with Resilience & Community: The holiday season can be a challenging time for individuals who are struggling with their mental health, including eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety, and family dynamics. This series aimed to offer a sense of community, validation, and strategies for individuals navigating the unique stressors of the holiday season.

Support Groups for Eating Disorders

We're Listening

Do you have an idea for a support group series? Let us know!

Please note, this form is for support group suggestions only. If you have a personal request/need/question, please contact us directly at [email protected] for a quicker response.

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Support Group Suggestion

Support Group Facilitators

Support groups are led by trained facilitators, including members of our Community Outreach Liaisons team.

  • Cara Spagnola
    Cara Spagnola Link

    Cara Spagnola

    Community Outreach Liaison | Midwest Region
    Cara has over 10 years of experience working with children and families in a variety of settings. She learned along the way that ...
    READ MORE
  • Katie Bendel, LMSW
    Katie Bendel Link

    Katie Bendel

    Community Outreach Liaison | South Region
    Katie believes that recovery and mental wellness are created with and supported by community with others, and connection to our ...
    READ MORE
  • Emma Boillotat
    Emma Boillotat Link

    Emma Boillotat

    Community Outreach Liaison | Mountain & West Region
    Emma believes in the power of community above all else. She believes that healing and recovery can occur and flourish with the ...
    READ MORE
  • Mental health advocate Eric Dorsa
    Eric Dorsa Link

    Eric Dorsa

    National Mental Health Advocate
    Eric Dorsa is an LGBTQ advocate, actor, comedian, and drag queen currently living in Chicago, Illinois. As an advocate for the ...
    READ MORE
  • Tatum Carter portrait
    Tatum Carter Link

    Tatum Carter

    Community Outreach Liaison | East Region
    Tatum earned her Master’s of Marriage of Family Therapy degree from Northcentral University and believes that it takes a ...
    READ MORE
  • Devon Stephenson MSW, LSW
    Devon Stephenson Link

    Devon Stephenson

    Devon is a licensed independent social worker in central Ohio and has been licensed since 2019. He has worked with populations ...
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  • benjamin shepherd
    Benjamin Shepherd Link

    Benjamin Shepherd

    Benjamin F. Shepherd is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Nova Southeastern University. As a psychotherapist, he provides ...
    READ MORE

Award Winning Support

Awarded Healthline's "Best of Online Eating Disorder Support Gropus" for "Best Variety of Groups" in 2021 & 2022.

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Sustaining Progress & Recovery Nationwide

All Eating Recovery Center, LLC sponsored educational activities are presented in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you are in need of accommodations please contact [email protected].

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Stay Connected with Your Recovery Community

Are you or a loved one on the path to recovery? Our new opt-in form enables you to stay connected with our team and continue to receive support after discharge and throughout your or a loved one's recovery journey. By signing up, you'll receive the latest free resources, including access to support groups, upcoming events, educational materials, and more.

Additional Resources to Support Your Recovery Journey

Everyone’s recovery journey is unique, requiring a diverse variety of supports. Eating Recovery Center is proud to offer free supports that meet the needs of our community. Browse through our offerings, and click to learn more.

  • selfcare

    Mental Note Podcast

    Each episode features an inspiring individual who shares their story and provides informative resources that can help guide you toward recovery.

  • selfcare

    Say It Brave

    Say It Brave provides free tools for mental wellness, from resources designed by clinical experts to monthly webinars and weekly self-care and courage-boosting missions.

  • selfcare

    Recovery Blog

    Our goal is to educate our readers so they can learn about eating disorders and mental health.

Community & Support In Recovery

We offer many support groups specifically for the alumni of our treatment programs to help provide support and sustained recovery. This allows you to connect with others who have had similar experiences to yours, in a safe, supportive and secure environment. All our support groups are facilitated by our Alumni and Family Liaison team, and trained facilitators and clinicians. 

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Eating Recovery Center is accredited through the Joint Commission. This organization seeks to enhance the lives of the persons served in healthcare settings through a consultative accreditation process emphasizing quality, value and optimal outcomes of services.

Organizations that earn the Gold Seal of Approval™ have met or exceeded The Joint Commission’s rigorous performance standards to obtain this distinctive and internationally recognized accreditation. Learn more about this accreditation here.

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