009 - Navigating Family Based Treatment (with Dr. Amy Boyers)

Episode 009

Navigating Family Based Treatment (with Dr. Amy Boyers)

In this episode of The Other Side of the Plate, hosts Laura and Jenni welcome Dr. Amy Boyers, co-founder and president of Galen Hope and a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience treating eating disorders. Laura and Amy's friendship stretches back to childhood in Miami, making for a warm and candid conversation about family-based treatment (FBT). Dr. Boyers traces the evolution of eating disorder treatment from the "parentectomy" era of the eighties and nineties through the emergence of FBT, explaining the three phases of the manualized protocol while advocating for what she calls "FBT with a twist": adding meal support coaches, dietitians, respite from grandparents, and regular therapy sessions for burnt-out caregivers. She addresses common reasons families stall (inconsistent monitoring, "clean eating" that can't achieve caloric density, reluctance to enforce meaningful consequences) and offers a memorable reframe: when one part of a family system changes, the other parts engage in "change back behaviors" to restore the status quo. Dr. Boyers emphasizes that FBT is only the "gold standard" if it works for your family, and encourages parents to develop a Plan B before they need it.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:03 Meet Dr. Amy Boyers: From Childhood Friends to Eating Disorder Expert

06:42 What Is FBT? From Maudsley to Lock and Le Grange

13:25 When FBT Isn't the Right Fit: Recognizing Family Dynamics

21:52 Common Reasons Families Stall: "Change Back Behaviors"

27:07 Caloric Density and the "Two Entire Birds" Problem

29:25 Consequences That Signal Commitment

37:00 FBT with a Twist: Adding Coaches, Dietitians, and Therapy

45:02 When to Transition Away from FBT

51:35 The Future of FBT and Treatment

53:57 Advice for Families Starting Their FBT Journey

SUPPORT & RESOURCES

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FEAST website:

https://feast-ed.org/

Link from Dr. Amy Boyers:

https://www.galenhope.com/eating-disorders/10-foods-for-anorexia-refeeding/

FEAST flyer:

https://feast-ed.org/programs-and-services/

(FEAST webinar August 2025)

When FBT Alone May Not Be Enough: Adding DBT into Treatment

(FEAST webinar slides August 2025)

When FBT Alone May Not Be Enough: Adding DBT into Treatment

(FEAST Webinar-July 2024)

How We Developed FBT and Why it Works

(FEAST webinar December 2025)

Family Based Treatment for Young Adults: Parents as Partners in Recovery

(FEAST webinar slides December 2025)

Family Based Treatment for Young Adults: Parents as Partners in Recovery

Treating Eating Disorders - F.E.A.S.T.

Anorexia Weight Gain: 13 Foods For Anorexia Refeeding

Guest Bio

Dr. Amy Boyers is the co-founder and president of Galen Hope, which is a physician-led program providing eating disorder and mental health treatment for adolescents and adults across a wide range of diagnoses. Galen Hope emphasizes community integration, family support, and fostering a sense of connection and belonging as essential to healing.

She has been in private practice in Miami since 2001, where she provides therapy to adolescents and adults, with a focus on women’s health, eating disorders, anxiety and mood disorders, and behavioral medicine.

After graduating with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, she was awarded a prestigious U.S. Department of Defense psychological research fellowship at the University of Miami, where she completed her masters and doctoral degrees.

Dr. Boyers is adjunct faculty at the University of Miami Counseling Center and has spoken locally and nationally on the topics of eating disorders, stress, trauma, and adolescent development. She has also co-authored several articles in professional journals. She was the founding president of the Miami Chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP) and served on the national board.