Family-Based Treatment (Maudsley)
in Sydney and the Sutherland Shire

When a child or adolescent is living with an eating disorder, meals can become stressful and parents may feel unsure when to step in or how to help. Family-Based Treatment (FBT), also known as Maudsley family therapy or the Maudsley approach, supports parents and carers to take an active role in their child’s recovery.

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At Evolving Minds Counselling and Psychology, our FBT-trained psychologists and counsellors provide this evidence-based therapy for children, adolescents and their families across Sydney and the Sutherland Shire.

 

How does Family-Based Treatment work?

 

FBT is most commonly used for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and may be adapted for other eating disorder presentations. Rather than expecting a young person to manage the eating disorder independently, parents and carers are supported to restore nutrition, interrupt eating disorder behaviours and gradually help their child regain independence around eating.

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Therapy typically progresses through three phases:

• Restoring nutrition and physical health: Parents take responsibility for supporting regular eating and interrupting eating disorder behaviours.

• Returning responsibility for eating: As the young person’s eating and health improve, responsibility gradually returns to them in a way that reflects their age and progress.

• Supporting development and independence: Therapy focuses on relationships, age-appropriate independence and life beyond the eating disorder.

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​What is the role of parents and carers in FBT?

 

Parents and carers play a central role in FBT and are supported to become actively involved in their child's recovery. This may include planning and supervising meals, responding to eating disorder behaviours and helping their child manage distress around food and eating.

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​​FBT is generally provided alongside appropriate medical monitoring, particularly where an eating disorder has affected a young person's physical health.

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How long does Family-Based Treatment take?

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FBT is commonly delivered over around 20 sessions across six to twelve months, although this varies from family to family. Sessions are usually more frequent in the first phase, when parents are taking on the most active role, and become less frequent as eating becomes more settled and responsibility returns to the young person.

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Your clinician will review progress with you regularly and adjust the pace of treatment to your child's needs.

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How is FBT different from individual therapy?

 

In individual therapy, the young person works one-on-one with a clinician, and parents may have a more limited role. In FBT, parents and carers are at the centre of treatment and are supported to take practical steps at home, particularly around meals and eating.

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CBT-E is an individual psychological treatment often used with older adolescents and adults. The choice of approach depends on the young person’s eating disorder, health, needs and family circumstances. Our eating disorder therapy approaches page explains the options available.

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Family-Based Treatment in Sydney and the Sutherland Shire

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Appointments are available in person at our Menai practice in the Sutherland Shire and online across Australia.

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If you’re unsure where to begin, our Client Care Team can assist. Call 02 8519 4197 or use the button below to request an appointment.

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