Family-Based Treatment for Adolescent Eating Disorders: How to Leave Room For Neuroaffirming Approaches With Dr. Heather Rosen @hrrosen

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Marianne Miller sits down with Dr. Heather Rosen, a licensed clinical psychologist and certified Family-Based Treatment (FBT) supervisor and trainer, to explore how evidence-based treatments for eating disorders can evolve to meet the needs of neurodivergent clients and their families.

Dr. Rosen shares her background working in major hospital settings including Stanford University, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and Mount Sinai Hospital, and now in private practice in Westchester County, New York. Together, she and Dr. Miller unpack the heart of FBT—how involving families in treatment can strengthen recovery for adolescents and young adults with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and ARFID.

This episode highlights how food becomes a metaphor for emotional pain, safety, and connection, and why treatment must go beyond meal plans to address the underlying need for autonomy, co-regulation, and family healing.

Key Topics Covered

• What Family-Based Treatment (FBT) is and how it supports adolescent recovery

• The role of parents in managing eating disorder behaviors at home

• How FBT differs from other evidence-based treatments like CBT-E

• Adapting FBT for ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) and neurodivergent clients

• Why flexibility and curiosity are essential when traditional exposure-based methods don’t fit

• Understanding food as communication: how eating (or not eating) expresses pain, fear, and the need for control

• Shifting from compliance-based models to collaborative, consent-based, and neuroaffirming care

• The importance of reducing mental health stigma and improving access to effective treatment

Who This Episode Is For

This conversation is for therapists, dietitians, parents, and educators who want to understand FBT in practice and how to make eating disorder treatment more inclusive for autistic and otherwise neurodivergent youth. It’s also for anyone curious about integrating compassion, family systems awareness, and sensory attunement into recovery work.

Guest Info

Dr. Heather Rosen, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist | Certified FBT Therapist & Supervisor
Psychology Partners Group – Westchester County, NY
Website: psychologypartnersgroup.com
Instagram: @hrrosen

Related Episodes

• Family-Based Treatment and Eating Disorders in Schools With JD Ouellette of Equip Health on Apple & Spotify.
• The Nitty Gritty on Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia (Maudsley Method) With Kelly McCullough @mytherapistkelly on Apple & Spotify.
• Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works on Apple & Spotify.

About Dr. Marianne Miller

Dr. Marianne Miller, PhD, LMFT, is a fat, neurodivergent eating disorder therapist specializing in ARFID, binge eating disorder, and complex recovery care. She offers therapy in California, Texas, and Washington, D.C., and provides global support through online courses and resources.

Learn more about Dr. Miller’s work and self-paced course on ARFID and Selective Eating at drmariannemiller.com/arfid.