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The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education
What to know about

Eating Disorder Peer Support Groups

These are free, ongoing meetings for people living with or recovering from an eating disorder, facilitated by trained volunteers with their own recovery experience. They aren't therapy and don't replace clinical care. They offer what clinical settings rarely can: a community of people who understand eating disorders from the inside, who have navigated the same thoughts and the same shame, and who are further along or working through it alongside you. They exist because eating disorders are deeply isolating, and connection is often a crucial part of recovery. ANAD runs one of the largest free networks.

Who it's for, and who it's not

A strong fit for anyone wanting peer connection with others who understand firsthand.
It works alongside treatment, not instead of medical, nutritional, or therapy care.
Not for medical instability or as crisis support. In crisis? Call or text 988.

What it's for

Any stage: newly struggling, in treatment, or in long-term recovery.
Also disordered eating that affects daily life without meeting full criteria.
Most welcome all genders and don't require a formal diagnosis.
What to expect
1Mostly online, weekly or biweekly, 60 to 90 minutes. No travel needed.
2You needn't disclose your diagnosis, weight history, or behaviors to take part.
3Norms avoid specific numbers, and you can listen without sharing as long as you need.

No trial evaluates these groups directly, but the lived-experience evidence is supportive.

A review of lived-experience involvement across eating disorder care found peer approaches improve access, reduce shame, and enhance outcomes.1
A 2021 peer-support review confirmed gains in social support, hope, empowerment, and self-management.2
Making the most of it
Listening counts. You can stay quiet as long as you need.
Pair it with care. The group supports treatment, not replaces it.
Keep coming back. Connection builds with consistency.
Questions to ask before you join
1Is it open to all eating disorders, or focused on one?
2How often does it meet, and is it online?
3What are the group's norms around safe language?

Ready to find a group?

Browse 2,000+ therapy and support groups in all 50 states.

Free to browse  ·  No account needed  ·  thegroupguide.com

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact. Sources on page 2.

The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education

Sources

Eating Disorder Peer Support Groups · references keyed to the numbers on page 1.

1Lewis, H. K., & Foye, U. From prevention to peer support: a systematic review exploring the involvement of lived-experience in eating disorder interventions. Mental Health Review Journal (2022), 27(1), 1–17.

2Lyons, N., Cooper, C., & Lloyd-Evans, B. A systematic review and meta-analysis of group peer support interventions for people experiencing mental health conditions. BMC Psychiatry (2021), 21(1), Article 315.

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact.