Blog Post by Contributing Editor Jamie Singleteary, LPC, NCC, CPCS
Senior Director of Clinical Brand & Community at Within Health
When your child is struggling with an eating disorder, it can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. From trying to understand what they’re going through to navigating your own emotional response to the situation, there are many difficult issues to deal with at once.
Finding appropriate treatment for your child may be the most important step of all.
In light of how significant an eating disorder diagnosis is, “virtual treatment” may sound impersonal, or like a lesser version of “real” care. Many parents wonder how a video call with a doctor could possibly be enough.
The truth is that virtual care is much more than that. It’s a real form of structured, evidence-based treatment that happens at home—where recovery unfolds.
If you’re still unsure about virtual care, or if your child is about to start an online program, here are four things you should know.
1) Virtual care is real treatment with real outcomes
Yes, virtual care is real care.
Online treatment for eating disorders has been in development for years, and the 2020 pandemic brought even more attention and urgency toward creating reliable virtual care options.
Virtual eating disorder programs involve a full treatment team, including therapists, dietitians, medical staff, and psychiatric care providers. Beyond individual therapy and medical evaluations, many programs also offer group sessions and supported meals, delivered live and facilitated by licensed clinicians, not a chatbot.
Online treatment has also been successfully adapted for most levels of care, from partial hospitalization programs (PHPs)—which take place many hours a day, most days a week—to intensive outpatient programs (IOP), which take place a few hours a day, a few days a week. This means your child can “step up” or “step down” in treatment, if needed, all while remaining at home.
Most importantly, virtual treatment works. Studies have long shown that online outpatient care, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), yields outcomes similar to in-person care, but more recent research shows virtual treatment is just as effective across different levels of care, including IOPs and PHPs.
2) You are part of the care team
When treatment takes place at home, it means parents are built into the process.
Depending on your child’s specific care plan, you may be able to participate directly in family treatment sessions, family coaching, or support groups. (Virtual family-based treatment has been found to be particularly effective and more cost-effective than in-person care as well.3)
You’ll also be there to offer guidance and support between appointments—and you won’t have to do it alone. Your child’s treatment team will help you learn how to integrate care at home, including supporting mealtime and snacks.
When your child is healing at home, it also gives you a unique perspective on their journey. Parents often notice changes in their child’s behavior first. A good program will want to hear from you, and incorporate these observations into treatment plans.
Many programs also recognize the unique challenges and stressors of supporting a child through this situation and offer help, such as support groups or therapy recommendations. You can ask what type of help the program may offer parents or caregivers.
3) What everyday life with virtual care actually looks like
One of the biggest advantages of virtual treatment is that it is often less disruptive than in-person care.
There are still health monitoring appointments. Your child’s care team will coordinate things like check-ins and evaluations with local providers when needed.
There will also be therapy, nutrition, group care, and meal support sessions. Depending on your child’s care plan, these may happen daily or several days a week. Yet while these sessions can be intensive, they’re set to a realistic rhythm and planned with home life in mind.
Overall, school and work can continue alongside treatment. All you need is a private, comfortable space, a connected device, and reliable internet service for your child to hold their sessions.
4) How to tell if it's the right fit (and the questions to ask)
Virtual care for eating disorders is effective and has helped many people overcome these illnesses, but it’s not the right choice for everyone.
Medical stability and safety are key factors in determining the right level of care. If a child is considered medically unstable, for example, they will likely need in-person care first.
A good program will thoroughly assess your child to determine the best level of treatment and tell you honestly whether virtual treatment is appropriate at this time. A program that skips this step or promises fast results is likely not trustworthy.
You can also get a better idea of whether a program is right for you and your family by asking questions, such as:
Are the clinicians licensed in my state?
What levels of care does the program offer?
How do providers determine which level of care is best for my child?
Are parents involved in treatment? If so, how?
What is the plan if my child is in crisis?
How is my child’s health monitored between sessions?
What does the program cost? Do they accept my insurance?
When your child is struggling, finding the right help can feel like an absolute uphill battle. But here’s the good news: you’ve got options, and virtual treatment is a game-changer. It delivers top-tier support straight to your screen, letting your child heal in the safe, cozy comfort of home.
Whichever direction you choose to go in for treatment, however, know that looking out for your child’s health and safety is always the best step you can take.
Sources
Baker, J. H., Jones, N. M., Freestone, D., Effland, L., & Bohon, C. (2025). Remotely delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with an eating disorder: Retrospective analysis of a real-world patient sample. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, Article e76464. https://doi.org/10.2196/76464
Ortiz, A. M. L., Cusack, C. E., Billman, M. G., & Essayli, J. H. (2023). Baseline symptomatology and treatment outcomes of young adults in a virtual versus in-person partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient program for eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(8), 1644–1649. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23968
Van Huysse, J. L., Prohaska, N., Miller, C., Jary, J., Sturza, J., Etsell, K., & Bravender, T. (2023). Adolescent eating disorder treatment outcomes of an in-person partial hospital program versus a virtual intensive outpatient program. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(1), 192–202. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23866
Jamie Singleteary
Senior Director of Clinical Brand & Community
Within Health
About the Author: Jamie Singleteary, LPC, NCC, CPCS, is a Licensed Professional Counselor who loves to inspire and empower individuals on their journey to healthy, purposeful living. She draws on more than two decades of experience in behavioral health to support her clients at Within Health in achieving a meaningful, purposeful recovery.