Resources on eating disorders—particularly anorexia nervosa—are hardly in short supply among mental health practitioners, but options dwindle when it comes to family-based approaches, as much of the literature focuses on individual treatment. This illuminating video offers a rare take on the challenges of treating anorexia, from the perspective of parents. Here, not only will you watch parents discuss their feelings about their adolescents’ descent into the illness, but you’ll also see them engage in the strategies, activities, and ultimately, successes of a systems approach to anorexia treatment, Family-Based Therapy (FBT).

Developed by Dr. Daniel LeGrange in the 1980s, FBT (aka The Maudsley Approach) is a hands-on family model with three phases that gradually restore the client’s weight, eating and fitness behaviors, and self-regulation. FBT holds that parents of anorexic adolescents, rather than being part of the problem, are an indispensable part of treatment. As the video begins, you’ll see several parents talk about the pain of losing their once-vibrant children to the disorder and you’ll get a narrated glimpse into the punishing self-talk that can overtake a client’s mind.

You’ll then follow several families as they demonstrate the key tasks of FBT including psychoeducation about the neurological basis of anorexia; taking on responsibility for “refeeding”; and managing self-blame, child pushback and other emotional difficulties. Clinicians watching this video will get to see how FBT transforms family dynamics to support the client’s healing, while parents will be reassured to learn that FBT helps families grow closer as they collectively work toward healing.

This accessible video illustrates the inner workings of anorexia not just individually, but in the family system as a whole. Those seeking resources on anorexia in adolescents, family-based therapies, or a parent’s experience of the disorder should take a look today.