Finding care
Finding eating disorder treatment in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama
Eating disorder care usually involves more than one professional: a therapist, a medical provider and a dietitian who know eating disorders. Start with a primary care provider, or contact ANAD’s free helpline at 1-888-375-7767 for referrals. Look for specialists certified as CEDS, and choose the least restrictive level of care that keeps you safe.
Eating disorder care is different from most therapy because it often involves a team, and because it comes in several levels, from weekly appointments to a hospital stay. This page is about finding the right people and the right level. It doesn’t cover symptoms or diagnosis. To find care, learn who’s on the team and which approaches to ask about, understand the levels of care, find specialists, get free support while you look, then ask a few questions.
If you need help now
If someone’s health is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988. Each state’s crisis lines are on our state help lines page.
1. Know who’s involved in eating disorder care
NIMH says treatment plans for eating disorders include individual, group or family psychotherapy, medical care and monitoring, nutritional counseling and, for some people, medication.
The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) says people with eating disorders typically need a team made up of:
- a primary care physician, for medical care and monitoring
- a dietitian
- a mental health professional who knows eating disorders
AED adds that not everyone gets a full team, but a qualified clinician should be able to bring in each of these when needed.
Where to start: NIMH suggests talking with a primary care provider, who can refer you to a psychologist, psychiatrist or clinical social worker. Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners can prescribe if medication is part of the plan.
2. Learn the eating disorder approaches to ask about
- Family-based treatment (FBT): NIMH says research suggests it can improve eating disorder treatment outcomes, particularly for teens. ANAD calls it often a first-line outpatient treatment for young people, with parents and guardians playing a central role.
- Other outpatient therapies: AED names cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, family therapy and behavioral therapy as therapies with research support for outpatient care.
Ask any therapist which of these they use and how they work with the rest of the care team.
3. Understand the levels of care
Eating disorder care comes in several levels. ANAD’s 2026 patient guide defines them:
| Level | What it is |
|---|---|
| Outpatient | regular appointments with your team while you live at home |
| Intensive outpatient (IOP) | several hours of treatment on several days a week |
| Partial hospitalization (PHP) | a day program with several hours of treatment each day |
| Residential | living at a treatment center for round-the-clock care |
| Inpatient | hospital care, the highest level, for medical stabilization |
AED says day programs usually run three to eight hours a day with several structured meals, and many programs let people step up or step down between levels.
How to choose a level: ANAD says treatment should generally happen in the least restrictive setting that keeps you safe. Your therapist or treatment team will recommend a level based on criteria in the American Psychiatric Association’s guidelines. NIMH notes that some people with a severe eating disorder may need a hospital or residential program.
Insurers usually need approval before residential, partial hospitalization and inpatient care. Our insurance guide explains approvals and appeals.
4. Find eating disorder specialists
ANAD’s free helpline: 1-888-375-7767. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders runs a free helpline for emotional support and referrals, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central. It’s peer-led, so referrals aren’t made by clinicians, and ANAD asks you to allow 7 to 10 business days for a referral. ANAD also has a free online treatment directory of therapists, dietitians, physicians, psychiatrists and treatment centers.
CEDS-certified specialists. The iaedp Foundation’s Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) credential is for licensed mental health professionals, dietitians and allied practitioners. It requires at least 2,500 hours of eating disorder experience over at least 24 months under a CEDS supervisor, and 20 hours of continuing education every two years to renew. iaedp’s Find a Practitioner search lists members who’ve chosen to share their contact information.
AED’s Find an Expert directory lists eating disorder professionals.
LunahUP lists profiles by state, below.
5. Look for specialists on LunahUP
As of November 5, 2026, these LunahUP profiles list eating disorders as a focus:
| State | Profiles listing eating disorders |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | 10 (Tennessee eating disorder providers) |
| Georgia | 9 (Georgia eating disorder providers) |
| Kentucky | 6 (Kentucky eating disorder providers) |
| Alabama | none yet |
That’s a short list, so use ANAD’s helpline and directory and iaedp’s search alongside it.
6. Consider telehealth for eating disorder care
Many eating disorder therapists and dietitians offer telehealth. Medical monitoring, such as checking vital signs and lab work, usually happens in person with your primary care provider. Ask how a telehealth provider coordinates with local medical care. The therapist has to be licensed in the state where you are during sessions.
7. Get free support while you look
ANAD runs free virtual peer support groups. You register at least four hours before a group, and late entry isn’t allowed. Support groups can help while you wait for an appointment, but they don’t replace treatment.
8. Ask an eating disorder provider these questions
ANAD’s 2026 patient guide suggests asking:
- “What is your experience working with patients who have eating disorders?”
- “How do you work with the rest of my care team, such as my therapist, dietitian or pediatrician?”
Also ask:
- “Are you CEDS certified, or what other eating disorder training do you have?”
- “Which approach do you use?”
- “What level of care do you think I need, and why?”
- “How will you decide if I need more or less support?”
ANAD lists warning signs in a provider: talk of weight management or weight loss, encouraging diets, or not being fully licensed.
The short version
- Eating disorder care usually involves a therapist, a medical provider and a dietitian.
- NIMH says family-based treatment can improve outcomes, especially for teens.
- Care ranges from outpatient to inpatient. Choose the least restrictive level that keeps you safe.
- ANAD’s free helpline is 1-888-375-7767, weekdays 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central.
- Look for CEDS-certified specialists through iaedp.
Questions before your next step
Who treats eating disorders?
Usually a team: a primary care physician, a dietitian and a mental health professional who knows eating disorders, according to the Academy for Eating Disorders. Start with a primary care provider for a referral.
Link to this answerWhat is family-based treatment?
It’s an approach where parents and guardians play a central role in a young person’s recovery. NIMH says research suggests it can improve outcomes, particularly for teens.
Link to this answerWhat are the levels of care for eating disorders?
Outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential and inpatient. ANAD says treatment should be in the least restrictive setting that keeps you safe.
Link to this answerIs there a free eating disorder helpline?
Yes. ANAD’s free helpline is 1-888-375-7767, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central, for support and referrals. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Link to this answerWhat does CEDS mean?
Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, a credential from the iaedp Foundation. It requires at least 2,500 hours of eating disorder experience over 24 months under supervision.
Link to this answerSources & approach
LunahUP Directory wrote this guide to explain practical search and appointment choices. Public health and professional references support the general information; the directory’s own workflows describe how LunahUP works. Provider-specific facts are supplied on the linked profiles. This guide has not been clinically reviewed and does not offer individual medical advice.
- NIMH eating disorders publication
- Academy for Eating Disorders, treatment options
- Academy for Eating Disorders, Find an Expert directory
- ANAD: helpline
- ANAD: support groups
- ANAD: treatment directory
- ANAD: treatment page
- ANAD: 2026 Patient Advocacy Guide
- ANAD: referrals handout
- iaedp Foundation CEDS (iaedpfoundation.com)
- iaedp Foundation CEDS (iaedpfoundation.com), part 2
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