Eating Disorder:
Parent SUPPORT

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Watching your loved one of any age struggle with an eating disorder is terrifying. You want to help—but how? I’m here to help.

The services offered on this page are caregiver-focused, supportive, and non-clinical. I also provide clinical therapy for individuals and families in a separate capacity, with its own intake process and professional structure. If you’re seeking family therapy, a treatment lead, or insurance-based care, that work takes place within a formal therapy relationship.

Support Options:

  • Coaching for caregivers (ongoing)

  • Consultation with an expert (informational meeting)

  • Therapy (see Therapy page)

  • ANAD Affiliate Parent/Caregiver Support Group (see Resources page)

Coaching for Caregivers

of Loved Ones with Eating Disorders

Doctors are often undertrained in eating disorders, and these illnesses require specialized care. With the right support, a caregiver is in a powerful position to help guide their loved one towards healing.

Let’s step off the eggshells and get to work.

What this looks like:

  • Private coaching sessions (weekly, 45–50 minutes)

  • Caregiver-focused support designed to complement—not replace—clinical treatment

  • Practical guidance tailored to your family’s specific situation

What parent support often leads to:

  • A clearer roadmap for supporting your child without enabling harmful behaviors

  • Practical, in-the-moment tools for difficult conversations

  • Greater confidence in your role as a caregiver—less second-guessing, more clarity

  • A stronger ability to respond calmly and consistently when emotions run high

  • Clearer boundaries that reduce power struggles and support recovery

  • Tools to protect your loved one’s healing—and your own steadiness

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Consultation with an Expert

When someone you love has—or may have—an eating disorder, it can feel overwhelming and confusing. There’s a lot of conflicting information, and knowing what matters most right now isn’t always clear.

Consultations are designed to answer your questions.

What this looks like:

  • One-time meeting (45–50 minutes)

  • Duration-limited by design, focused on specific questions or concerns

  • Guidance informed by clinical expertise, research, and lived experience in eating disorders recovery

What consultations often help with:

  • Getting clear, grounded answers to urgent questions

  • Making sense of treatment options, roles, and next steps

  • Feeling more oriented and less overwhelmed as a caregiver

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Testimonials

  • “Alli is amazing! She has been an incredible resource for me! Her personal lived experience, education, and knowledge make her an unstoppable force in the eating disorder world! I have learned so much from her! Her insight has definitely helped to promote healing in our family!”

    - Deb, a parent

  • “Working with Alli helped save my sanity and my relationship with my daughter, as we worked her way through her eating disorder and the myriad of challenges that brings. It’s near to impossible to face the chaos and work of having a child with an eating disorder without the intelligent support, up to date information, sense of humor, and intrinsic kindness that Alli offers. I encourage anyone who is seeking support to reach out to Alli and absorb all she has to offer.”

    - Elizabeth Mac Donald, a parent

  • “Alli Spotts-De Lazzer is an incredible asset to the eating disorder field. Her clinical expertise and passion for helping her patients and their families are a powerful combination and make her an effective provider. Beyond direct patient care, Alli is committed to moving the eating disorder field forward in its ability to better care for patients. Her presentations at conferences and involvement as a change agent in foundational eating disorder organizations demonstrate her strong commitment to patients and her fellow clinicians.”

    - JD Ouellette, parent coach and parent

  • “I have had the pleasure of knowing and working collaboratively with Alli Spotts-De Lazzer for the past few years…While symptom containment from an eating disorder is always an important goal, the true magic lies in the healing and restoration of family bonds. I trust Alli's intuition, experience, and deep knowledge she brings to each session. Her insights and compassionate yet direct approach make her an invaluable clinician. I am incredibly grateful to have Alli as a trusted colleague and go-to resource for family therapy and parent coaching. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking an experienced eating disorder provider to support the entire family in recovery and healing.”

    - Theresa Chesnut, LCSW, CEDS-C

Q&As

  • Stop blaming yourself. You didn’t cause this—science backs that—and it’s not your fault that you didn’t see it earlier. We live in diet culture, which often camouflages eating disorders. If you’re here now, you’re paying attention. You’re on it!

  • The Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) designation is the only nationally recognized, multidisciplinary certification indicating competence in treating eating disorders. The “-C” means that I’m approved to oversee the professional development of CEDS applicants.

  • Absolutely! If you’re near Studio City, CA, come on in! And, I’ve been trying to move to TN for a while now, so please know that we could need to shift to virtual meetings.

  • The services on this page are designed for caregivers supporting a loved one with an eating disorder.

    If you’re seeking treatment for your own eating disorder, that support is offered through my therapy practice. Please visit the Therapy page for information about clinical care options.

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