Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder by James Lock & Daniel Le Grange Summary

Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder provides parents with evidence-based strategies to support teens battling anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, or ARFID. Authored by Stanford experts James Lock and Daniel Le Grange, it emphasizes Family-Based Treatment (FBT), teaching parents to monitor meals, resolve power struggles, and collaborate with healthcare providers. The second edition includes updated research on binge-eating disorder and relapse prevention.

This book is essential for parents, caregivers, or educators of teens with eating disorders. It’s also valuable for mental health professionals seeking insights into family-centered treatment. The practical advice suits families at any stage of their child’s recovery journey, offering tools to address anorexia, bulimia, and avoidant/restrictive food intake.

Yes, with over 90,000 copies sold, this bestselling guide is praised for its actionable, science-backed methods. It counters outdated approaches that marginalize parents, instead empowering families to lead recovery. The second edition’s expanded content on binge-eating disorder and relapse tactics makes it a critical resource.

FBT positions parents as central to recovery, training them to supervise meals, normalize eating habits, and reduce confrontations. The method, validated by Lock’s NIH-funded research, rejects blaming families and focuses on behavioral intervention. Studies show higher recovery rates when parents actively manage treatment.

The book offers step-by-step meal management techniques, communication strategies to avoid power struggles, and guidelines for collaborating with clinicians. Updated chapters cover binge-eating disorder, neurobiological insights, and relapse prevention. Real-world examples and diagnostic criteria help parents identify symptoms early.

Unlike traditional approaches that sideline parents, Lock and Le Grange emphasize familial involvement as crucial. The book rejects “parent-blaming” myths, instead providing tools to address behavioral triggers and restore healthy eating. Its focus on FBT’s efficacy sets it apart from therapist-only models.

Some critics note the book’s heavy reliance on FBT, which may not suit all families or cultural contexts. Others highlight the need for supplementary therapy for co-occurring conditions like anxiety. However, its strengths in structure and evidence-based methods are widely acknowledged.

The updated edition includes dedicated chapters on binge-eating disorder, explaining its neurobiological roots and tailored FBT strategies. It provides scripts for discussing emotional eating and techniques to interrupt bingeing cycles, reflecting the latest DSM-5 criteria.

Dr. James Lock, a Stanford professor and director of its Eating Disorder Program, co-developed FBT and has 300+ publications. Dr. Daniel Le Grange pioneered FBT research through NIH-funded trials. Their combined expertise informs the book’s rigorous, clinically tested approach.

The guide teaches relapse prevention through consistent meal monitoring, recognizing early warning signs (e.g., secretive exercise), and maintaining open communication with treatment teams. Case studies illustrate how families sustain progress post-recovery.

Yes, it addresses ARFID’s unique challenges, such as extreme pickiness and fear of choking. Practical strategies include graded food exposure and family meals to expand dietary variety. The authors clarify how ARFID differs from traditional eating disorders.

While focused on eating behaviors, the book advises coordinating care for anxiety or depression with specialists. It stresses the importance of treating underlying mental health issues alongside nutritional rehabilitation.