The Harm of FBT for Autistic People with Anorexia

Family-Based Therapy (FBT) is often hailed as the “evidence based” and “gold standard” treatment approach for anorexia patients. However, FBT can be severely traumatic for autistic individuals. In today’s episode of the Liv Label Free Podcast, Livia explores the harm of FBT, including theft of autonomy (especially harmful for individuals with PDA!) and the danger of prioritizing weight gain above all other aspects of eating disorder recovery.

Livia also discusses how the core principles of FBT can unintentionally increase distress for neurodivergent individuals, whose eating disorders are often tied to needs for predictability, safety, and autonomy. Through both lived experience and insights from working with families, she highlights why one-size-fits-all treatment models may fall short and why more neurodiversity-affirming approaches are needed.

🌈 The Autistically ED-Free Academy is open! Save your seat here: www.livlabelfree.com/group
📚 Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia: www.livlabelfree.com/rainbowgirl