Eating Disorder Treatment During the Holidays: Your Questions Answered

The holiday season often brings a complex mix of emotions for those considering eating disorder treatment. While others focus on festivities, you may be wrestling with questions that feel too heavy to answer: “Is this the right time for treatment?” “What about our family traditions?” “How will we handle the holidays apart?”

These concerns are valid and deserve caring, thoughtful answers. Over the years, we’ve worked with thousands of individuals and families navigating treatment during the holiday season. Time and again, we’ve seen how this unique time of year can foster moments of healing and strengthen relationships.

“The holidays come with so much pressure to make them ‘perfect,’ but it’s ok if they look different,” says Taylor Rae Homesley, LPC, CPCS, CEDS-S, Executive Director of our Child, Adolescent, and Adult treatment center in Atlanta. “It’s worth giving up one ideal holiday season now to get a lifetime of meaningful celebrations in recovery.”

Below, our clinical experts address common questions about eating disorder treatment during the holidays. We’ll explore how treatment can help you rebuild family connections, discover new ways to celebrate traditions, and find deeper meaning through recovery.

“The holidays are already stressful…isn’t it better to wait on treatment?”

This is one of the most common concerns we hear. Starting treatment during an already busy season can feel especially daunting when juggling end-of-semester deadlines, work commitments, or family expectations.

As Madeline Koermer, MSW, LCSW, Clinical Manager of Outpatient Services at our Triangle Child, Adolescent, and Adult Center in Durham, explains: “It’s important to validate how difficult the holiday season can be for individuals in treatment, while also reflecting upon motivators that brought the person to treatment and keeping the focus on long-term goals.”

Why Treatment Matters Now

While it might feel logical to postpone treatment until life settles down, waiting allows disordered thoughts and behaviors to become more severe—especially during such an emotionally charged time of year. The holiday season can amplify stress in unique ways:

• Social Dynamics: Increased gatherings often revolve around food, heightening pressure and anxiety around meals and body image.
• Routine Disruption: Regular schedules—essential for many in recovery—can be disrupted by travel, events, or shifting holiday plans, making it harder to stay grounded.
• Cultural Messaging: The combination of holiday food focus and New Year’s resolution culture can create a perfect storm of triggering comments and societal pressures.

Without proper support, these factors can exacerbate eating disorder symptoms and lead to significant emotional and physical health risks.

Rather than adding stress, starting treatment during the holidays offers protective structure and real-time support when challenges are most acute. Therapy helps you process and address these stressors head-on, turning triggering situations into opportunities for healing and growth.

As Taylor Rae shares: “We’ve had many clients ask to remain in treatment during the holidays because there is so much focus around food during those times.”

Treatment during the holidays doesn’t just offer immediate relief—it gives you the tools to navigate this season and future celebrations confidently. Prioritizing recovery now means investing in lifelong skills, healthier traditions, and more meaningful connections for years to come.

“Won’t I miss out on important family time if I’m in treatment during the holidays?”

Whether lighting the menorah with siblings, helping your nephew unwrap presents, or watching the ball drop with loved ones on New Year’s Eve, these cherished family moments can feel impossible to miss. At The Emily Program, we understand that the thought of being away from your support system during the holidays brings up real emotions and valid concerns.

What many don’t realize is that eating disorders themselves often create invisible barriers to genuine connection. The constant preoccupation with food, anxiety around meals, and the energy it takes to maintain appearances can make it challenging to be truly present even when physically there for celebrations.

As Amanda Barnhart, LCSW, CCS, Clinical Director of The Emily Program’s RTP Child, Adolescent, and Adult site in Durham, explains: “We acknowledge the difficulty of being in treatment during the holiday season and the distress of missing out on friend/family gatherings. That’s why we’ve created ways for clients to stay connected during these times.”

Direct Connection Opportunities

Our treatment centers prioritize family presence through extended visiting hours and shared meals during holidays, allowing for meaningful time together in a supportive environment. For clinically ready clients, therapeutic passes can offer off-site time with family or their chosen community of support.

Therapeutic Family Engagement

Through treatment, families and communities of support grow stronger together. Therapy with clients and their supports helps address specific holiday stressors, while group sessions connect families and communities of support facing similar challenges. Our parent education program offers practical guidance for supporting recovery during celebrations—turning potential triggers into chances for connection.

Staying Connected from Afar

We make sure clients can connect with their loved ones and natural supports, even when in-person visits aren’t possible. “Our clients can have a private space and access to video calling in order to celebrate with supports from afar,” says Mem Wood, MS, LCMHCS, Clinical Director of Adult Inpatient and Residential services in Durham. These virtual touchpoints help maintain those crucial bonds while clients focus on their healing journey.

The truth is, choosing treatment during the holidays isn’t about missing out—it’s about creating space to rebuild relationships in ways that eating disorders often prevent. Through therapeutically supported meals that restore joy to family dining, guided conversations that strengthen bonds, and shared holiday moments that create new recovery-aligned traditions, many support systems discover deeper understanding and stronger connections than before. These meaningful interactions become foundational to recovery, leading to holiday seasons filled with authentic joy and genuine presence rather than struggle and disconnection.

“What do holidays actually look like in treatment? Will I still get to celebrate?”

Gentle touches of the season fill our welcoming treatment spaces—twinkling lights along hallways, soft holiday music in shared areas, and handmade snowflakes on windows. These familiar comforts serve as reminders that celebrating the season still matters in your healing journey.

Treatment During the Holidays

Treatment during the holidays maintains the clinical excellence that supports your recovery while thoughtfully incorporating seasonal elements that matter to you. This means you’ll continue receiving expert therapeutic care within an environment that acknowledges and celebrates the season’s significance.

Our clinical teams create this balance through a therapeutic foundation:

• Individual therapy focused on holiday-specific challenges
• Evidence-based group sessions addressing seasonal stressors
• Structured meal support incorporating traditional holiday foods
• Skills practice in real-world holiday situations

And recovery-aligned celebrations:

• Cultural and religious observances honoring your traditions
• Community activities fostering connection without pressure
• Creative projects that express holiday meaning
• Supervised outings that practice coping skills

Specialized Groups for Seasonal Challenges

Our specialized groups address the unique emotional landscape of the season. Madeline explains, “Each person’s relationship with the holiday season is unique, and different themes may arise. Group programming topics reflect the overall needs of our specific treatment community.”

Holiday-themed groups might include:

• DBT skills-based holiday navigation strategies
• Boundary-setting practice for gatherings
• Personal advocacy in challenging situations
• Therapeutic culinary experiences, like building gingerbread houses
• Seasonal self-soothe kit-assembling
• “Light” Groups, exploring hope and finding “glimmers” of joy
• Vision-setting for authentic goals

“Instead of getting caught up in New Year’s resolution culture and chasing unrealistic resolutions, our vision-setting group helps clients explore SMART goals for the new year—what’s meaningful to them and their life worth living,” shares Jenny Beck, LPCC-S, Site Director of The Emily Program’s Residential and Outpatient Treatment Centers in Columbus.

Honoring Your Traditions

Holidays mean something different to everyone; we honor this diversity in our programming. Whether it’s lighting the menorah for Hanukkah, reflecting on the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or decorating the Christmas tree, our team helps you engage with these important moments in ways that support your recovery.

During this season in treatment, you might find yourself:

• Joining evening outings to view holiday lights
• Participating in service projects, like making blankets for local animal shelters
• Crafting ornaments, affirmation dreidels, or gratitude jars
• Decorating the treatment center alongside your community
• Attending off-site worship services
• Watching seasonal events, like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Times Square Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve

Most importantly, you’ll join a supportive community that gets what you’re going through this season—both the challenges and the opportunities. Many clients discover comfort in reshaping traditions or starting new ones that align with their recovery. These shared experiences show that the holidays can still hold moments of joy while supporting your healing journey.

“What kind of support is available for families during holiday treatment?”

Supporting a loved one during the holidays can feel daunting, but families don’t have to navigate this journey alone. At The Emily Program, we provide a full spectrum of support to help families and support systems face seasonal challenges with confidence and compassion.

Family Education Pathway

Our comprehensive programming helps families and communities of support move from understanding to action:

Expert-Led Education Sessions: Our clinical specialists guide families and communities of support through crucial recovery topics:

• Understanding eating disorder patterns during holidays
• Recognizing and avoiding unintentional triggers
• Adapting family traditions to support healing
• Unpacking common eating disorder and recovery misconceptions

Multi-Family DBT Groups: Beyond traditional parent support groups, these collaborative sessions unite families and communities of support facing similar challenges. You’ll learn concrete skills for:

• Navigating holiday meals with confidence
• Responding effectively to eating disorder behaviors
• Creating recovery-supporting holiday environments
• Building your emotional resilience

Individual Support: Our clinicians work closely with families and supports to create tailored coping plans for the season. Notes Madeline, “A sense of structure and predictability can help ease holiday stress, anxiety, and the urge to back away from treatment as the holidays approach.”

Each client and their community of support receives personalized guidance through the following:

• Holiday gathering preparation
• Communication strategies for difficult conversations
• Meal support techniques
• Crisis response plans

Together, we’ll identify meaningful ways to create new holiday traditions that support healing, plan non-food-centered activities, and build moments of connection that strengthen recovery.

Ongoing Clinical Partnership

Support doesn’t end when scheduled programming is over. Throughout the year, we provide:

• Regular updates from your loved one’s treatment team
• 24/7 crisis support accessibility
• Guidance for maintaining your well-being
• Resources for unexpected challenges

Supporting a loved one during this season is no small task—but by participating in our family and community of support programming, you’ll gain the skills to navigate this holiday season and the tools to build a foundation of connection, trust, and long-term healing.

“I’m ready to take the first step. What happens now?”

Whether you’re ready to begin treatment or just exploring your options, taking the first step is a powerful act of courage—and we’re here to make it as simple and supportive as possible.

Our admissions team is ready to help you begin, offering:

• 24/7 Availability: Compassionate, judgment-free conversations that address your specific concerns
• Programming Information: Straightforward details about our specialized programs, scheduling, and treatment options
• Personalized Assessment: Professional evaluation to determine the right level of care for your needs

At The Emily Program, we know starting treatment during the holidays can feel overwhelming—but it can also be a time of transformation. With our compassionate care and unwavering support, this season can become a turning point: the moment you choose healing, hope, and a brighter future.

Don’t let another holiday season pass in the shadow of an eating disorder. Recovery is within reach, and The Emily Program is here to help you get there. Contact us at 1-888-364-5977 or complete our online form to start your journey today.