Aedra Therapy Services

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Eating Disorder Therapy

Specialized support for individuals navigating recovery from anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders.

Trauma Therapy

Compassionate care for CPTSD, PTSD, and healing from life’s most difficult experiences.

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Empowering you to manage anxiety and rediscover balance in your personal and professional life.

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Family-Based Treatment for Transitional-Age Youth (FBT-TAY)


FBT-TAY is a family-centred, evidence-informed approach adapted from Maudsley/FBT specifically for older adolescents and young adults who are still closely connected to family supports. It balances hands-on parental support for re-nourishment and symptom management with respect for the young person’s growing autonomy — helping families act together as the main engine of recovery while preparing the young person for independence.

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What is FBT-TAY?

FBT-TAY (Family-Based Treatment for Transition-Age Youth) is an adaptation of standard family-based (Maudsley) treatment that keeps the central idea of family-led refeeding and symptom interruption but modifies the stance and techniques to suit older adolescents/young adults. It emphasizes collaboration with the young person, attends to developmental tasks (education, work, independence) and often runs longer or with more flexibility than adolescent FBT. aedweb.org+1

Who is it for?

  • Typically used with transition-age youth — most studies and clinical descriptions focus on people roughly 16–21 years old, though local practice can extend this range depending on family involvement and clinical need. BioMed Central

  • Primarily targeting restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, but clinicians have adapted the model for other ED presentations when family support can be mobilised. med.uth.edu

Core principles (how FBT-TAY differs from adolescent FBT)

  1. Family as primary resource, with negotiated parental responsibility. Parents remain central in supporting regular eating and interrupting ED behaviours — but responsibility is negotiated with the young person more than in adolescent FBT. aedweb.org

  2. Collaborative stance. Therapists take an active, expert stance while intentionally collaborating with the young person about goals, autonomy, and boundaries. train2treat4ed.com

  3. Developmental flexibility. Sessions explicitly address education/work transitions, peer/romantic relationships, and legal/consent issues relevant to emerging adulthood. PMC

  4. Longer/adjusted dose. Some clinical programs use a longer or more intensive course (for example, descriptions of 20–25 sessions over many months) to allow time for medical stabilisation and developmental work. train2treat4ed.com

Typical structure of treatment 

  • Assessment & engagement (1–3 sessions): Medical risk assessment, motivational work, clarifying who will attend sessions, mapping family patterns and resources.

  • Early phase (focused re-establishment of regular eating): Parental coaching and practical re-feeding support, plus a family meal or behavioural experiment in session.

  • Middle phase (transfer of responsibility): Gradual return of day-to-day eating control to the young person, negotiated goals and checkpoints, problem-solving around social and developmental challenges.

  • Final phase (relapse prevention & independence): Consolidate skills, plan for setbacks, coordinate supports (university, workplace, community).
    (Exact session number and pacing should be tailored to clinical risk, family availability and the young person’s preferences.)     aedweb.org+1

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Evidence and outcomes — what the research says

  • FBT for adolescents is the most well-researched family treatment for eating disorders and shows strong evidence for weight restoration and symptom reduction in adolescents. med.uth.edu+1

  • FBT-TAY has preliminary/clinical evidence supporting feasibility, acceptability and improvements in symptoms and parental confidence. Pilot/open trials and qualitative studies indicate that clinicians can apply FBT principles to TAY and that families report gains in parental self-efficacy and reductions in enabling behaviours. The evidence base is smaller than for adolescent FBT and still developing. PMC+2BioMed Central+2

Benefits (what families and young people can gain)

  • Fast, structured mobilisation of family support to address immediate medical/behavioural risk. med.uth.edu

  • Increased parental confidence in supporting recovery (measured improvements in parental self-efficacy in studies). BioMed Central

  • A balance of support and autonomy that fits developmental needs — helps the young person re-engage with life goals while stabilising health. aedweb.org

Limitations & clinical considerations

  • Evidence is preliminary for the TAY group. While promising, FBT-TAY lacks the same volume of RCT evidence that adolescent FBT has; clinicians should be transparent about this when discussing options. PMC+1

  • Complex comorbidity or independent living. If the young person is living fully independently, has severe substance misuse, or significant psychiatric comorbidity, adaptations or different models may be needed.

  • Consent & boundaries. Clinicians must carefully navigate confidentiality, consent, and the young person’s legal rights as an adult while involving family.

  • Family dynamics. Not all families can safely take on an active caregiving role — clinician judgement and safety planning are essential.

How Aedra Therapy Services implements FBT-TAY 

  • Tailored assessment: We begin with a joint medical and psychosocial assessment to establish risk, goals and who will attend sessions.

  • Family activation plan: We co-create a practical plan (meals, supervision, medical monitoring) that parents/carers implement with therapist coaching.

  • Collaborative pacing: Responsibility for meals and routines is transferred back to the young person gradually and negotiated at every step.

  • Developmental work: Parallel to behavioural change, we support the young person’s identity, education/work goals and independence planning.

  • Relapse prevention: We build a realistic plan with triggers, emergency steps and community supports to reduce the chance of return to restrictive behaviours.

Practical tips for clinicians & families

  • ​Use behavioural specificity: list exact meals, snacks, supervision arrangements and measurable checkpoints.

  • Keep sessions regular initially (weekly) and allow flexibility later (biweekly/monthly) as gains consolidate.

  • Reframe parental involvement as time-limited and task-specific — parents are coaches, not lifelong meal police.

  • Integrate medical monitoring (GP/ED team) so physical risk is tracked alongside therapy.

  • Normalise ambivalence — allow the young person meaningful choices within safety limits.

 FAQ 

Q: Is FBT-TAY the same as regular FBT?
A: It’s the same family-first philosophy but adjusted for older teens/young adults — more collaboration, negotiation and developmental focus. aedweb.org

Q: How long does it take?
A: Typical programs describe a longer course than adolescent FBT (sometimes 20–25 sessions across several months), but length is tailored to risk and progress. train2treat4ed.com

Q: Will my child lose independence?
A: The aim is time-limited support to restore health — the plan explicitly moves responsibility back to the young person as soon as it’s safe.

Core principles (how FBT-TAY differs from adolescent FBT)

  1. Family as primary resource, with negotiated parental responsibility. Parents remain central in supporting regular eating and interrupting ED behaviours — but responsibility is negotiated with the young person more than in adolescent FBT. aedweb.org

  2. Collaborative stance. Therapists take an active, expert stance while intentionally collaborating with the young person about goals, autonomy, and boundaries. train2treat4ed.com

  3. Developmental flexibility. Sessions explicitly address education/work transitions, peer/romantic relationships, and legal/consent issues relevant to emerging adulthood. PMC

  4. Longer/adjusted dose. Some clinical programs use a longer or more intensive course (for example, descriptions of 20–25 sessions over many months) to allow time for medical stabilisation and developmental work. train2treat4ed.com

Typical structure of treatment 

  • Assessment & engagement (1–3 sessions): Medical risk assessment, motivational work, clarifying who will attend sessions, mapping family patterns and resources.

  • Early phase (focused re-establishment of regular eating): Parental coaching and practical re-feeding support, plus a family meal or behavioural experiment in session.

  • Middle phase (transfer of responsibility): Gradual return of day-to-day eating control to the young person, negotiated goals and checkpoints, problem-solving around social and developmental challenges.

  • Final phase (relapse prevention & independence): Consolidate skills, plan for setbacks, coordinate supports (university, workplace, community).
    (Exact session number and pacing should be tailored to clinical risk, family availability and the young person’s preferences.)     aedweb.org+1

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