Ianthe House Recovery Circle Pilot — Eating Disorder Recovery · Six Month Results
*Results are based on a small pilot cohort and reflect actual participant outcomes, not a generalised claim.
⤷ Using the median across clinically validated recovery markers, participants no longer met diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder across restriction, binging, or compensatory behaviours, with significant improvements across wellbeing, quality of life, financial health and personal growth.
Our Recovery Circle program was designed with one mission in mind: to create an accessible, empowering pathway for adult women facing eating disorders—one rooted in connection, expert therapeutic support, and lived experience mentorship.
Since then, our founding participants have shown us what’s possible when support is long-term, recovery is integrated into daily life, and healing is held in community.
This report charts the arc of their journey so far—spanning initial breakthroughs, challenges after a break in the program, and long-term gains. Across every category, the data tells a powerful story: recovery is not linear, but with the right structure, tools, and consistency, it is absolutely possible.
We invite you to explore the results, hear recovery stories and quotes from our women, and celebrate the progress of these wonderful women in eating disorder recovery.
“This is such a gentle, loving program where there’s no blame or pressure or judgment. It allows you to just naturally move into a freer space, which is why it’s been so successful I think.”
Eating Disorder Symptoms—Steady and Sustained Improvements
We use the validated Eating Disorder Questionnaire (EDQ)—a clinically recognised assessment tool—to evaluate the frequency and severity of disordered eating behaviours. This includes preoccupation with food and weight, body checking, secrecy around eating, compensatory behaviours, and restriction.
Together, these measures give a reliable and nuanced picture of not just how often participants engage in ED behaviours—but how dominant these behaviours are in their daily lives.
Six months into the program, participants are showing a substantial reduction across all symptom domains, indicating increased emotional regulation, reduced reliance on harmful coping mechanisms, and a growing sense of internal safety around food and body.
↓ 80% reduction in distraction and Distress Caused by ED Symptoms
Participants are now able to concentrate more fully, manage discomfort with healthier strategies, and stay emotionally grounded throughout the day—no longer constantly disrupted by their eating disorder.
↓ 35% reduction in Body checking
A meaningful sign of progress in body image distress. Participants are beginning to let go of compulsive behaviours tied to appearance anxiety, making room for more acceptance and peace in their daily experience.
↓ 58% reduction in preoccupation with Food, Weight, or Shape
Participants are experiencing significantly less mental intrusion from food- and body-related thoughts. This shift reflects growing psychological freedom and a renewed ability to be present in their lives, relationships, and goals.
↓ 80% reduction in restrictive eating
One of the most transformative shifts in the data—demonstrating increased trust in internal cues, less reliance on rigid rules, and a move toward intuitive, nourishing patterns of eating.
↓ 50% reduction in eating in Secret
A powerful indication of reduced binging behaviours, shame and secrecy. Participants are building a more open and accepting relationship with food, eating with greater self-compassion and less fear of judgment. Significantly, participants no longer meet DSM-5 criteria for binge eating disorder (BED).
↓ 37% reduction in compensatory Behaviours (e.g. purging, over-exercising)
This is a major milestone, showing participants are turning away from physically harmful behaviours and beginning to trust their bodies rather than punishing them. Significantly, participants no longer meet DSM-5 criteria for bulimia.
“I’ve gained a completely different perspective on my eating disorder. It doesn’t feel like everything revolves around it anymore. It’s strongly linked to so many other issues, and by working on those, I feel like I’m directly addressing the ED itself.
There are definitely some difficult days, but it doesn’t take over my life anymore, and that’s such a massive win for me right now.”
well-being & quality of life—Building Inner Stability
To assess emotional wellbeing and overall life satisfaction, we use two clinically validated scales: the DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) and the Q-LES-Q-SF (Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire).
These tools allow us to capture both the emotional and existential dimensions of recovery. We’re not only measuring reduction in distress—but increases in joy, stability, and purpose.
The results show an early surge, a dip during the program pause, and a strong rebound—reinforcing the importance of consistent support. Most importantly, improvements in wellbeing have not depended on suppressing symptoms, but rather growing the inner capacity to feel and cope.
detailed insights
Collective Progress +19%
Top Individual Improvement +42%
The overall upward trajectory suggests deepening resilience. Participants are now able to hold difficult emotions without collapsing into old patterns.
“Instead of avoiding my emotions, I’ve started dealing with them in healthier ways. I’m so much more mindful of what I need…
I’ve been tapping and meditating my way through and not restricting, despite my brain telling me to. So thank you, I would just be doing old patterns if it wasn’t for my time with Ianthe house.”
financial health—Recovery Pays Off
The financial toll of eating disorders is often overlooked. We measure this category by tracking participants' monthly spending on ED-related behaviours and the impact on work/study (absenteeism and presenteeism).
Together, these metrics offer insight into how our program is reducing the economic burden of the illness and restoring a greater sense of financial freedom and productivity.
detailed insights
Collective Progress +15%
Top Individual Improvement +47%
Many participants now report spending less than £100 per month on ED-related behaviours—down from £500 for some. We’ve also seen significant improvements in productivity and focus—translating into increased engagement and success at work and study.
“Procrastination and motivation have gotten so much better for me. I’ve been keeping myself busy, setting small goals and making sure I don’t just go home and sit on the sofa.”
personal growth—a Predictor of Lasting Change
This metric represents our core Recovery Pillars, a composite of social support seeking, active tackling, and autonomy—crucial predictors of sustained recovery. Together, these reflect our participant’s ability to show up for themselves, take empowered action, and build a life aligned with their values—not their eating disorder.
“I am able to be a lot kinder to myself, and give myself the space to heal without feeling like a burden.”
detailed insights
Collective Progress +21%
Top Individual Improvement +33%
Despite the slight setback during the program break, the group’s progress in this area shows that our women are not just reducing ED symptoms—they are building a new identity and becoming more confident, intentional, and self-directed in how they live.
“I really hated myself before. My self-loathing was so strong—and I’ve come through so many barriers with that where I now just have a lot of love for myself. I gave myself a hug for like the first time ever the other day!”
Social support seeking—Breakthroughs in Vulnerability
This category measures how often participants reach out to others when they’re struggling—a key behavioural predictor of long-term recovery. Eating disorders thrive in secrecy, and the ability to seek support reflects reduced shame, increased self-worth, and growing emotional safety.
We’ve seen a strong overall increase here, and though there was a dip during the program break, scores rebounded quickly. This confirms that consistent relational support is not just helpful—it’s essential for emotional safety and recovery momentum.
detailed insights
Collective Progress +25%
Top Individual Improvement +71%
These are not just statistics—they represent someone reaching out, opening up, and refusing to suffer alone. This speaks to the success of our Recovery Circles: a structured, compassionate environment where support-seeking becomes not just safe, but second nature.
“Just a beautiful, strong and inspiring group, I feel so safe to say stuff i’ve never said out loud.”
Autonomy & Mastery—reclaiming personal power
This category assesses a participant’s ability to express their thoughts, needs, and boundaries—even when it feels uncomfortable or risky. For many women in eating disorder recovery, these skills have been suppressed for years in favour of people-pleasing, self-abandonment, or self-silencing.
As participants develop greater awareness of, and connection to, their personal experience and needs, they begin to confront a more complex reality: many of their core needs—emotional, relational, physical—have long gone unmet. Changes here represent shifts in identity and self-worth.
detailed insights
Collective Progress +17%
Top Individual Improvement +28%
Voicing needs, asserting boundaries, and disrupting deeply ingrained patterns (such as people-pleasing, self-silencing, or perfectionism) doesn’t happen in a single upward trajectory. Progress here tends to fluctuate across different contexts—family, work, intimate relationships—each requiring different skills and levels of perceived safety.
Mastery of this domain is essential for sustainable, long-term recovery. Research shows that increased autonomy and assertiveness are closely linked to overall life satisfaction, stronger interpersonal relationships, and reduced relapse risk.
That’s why the final stages of our program place greater emphasis on this area—equipping participants with the tools, practice, validation and support needed to identify their authentic wants and needs, and use their voice confidently to ensure their are prioritised in all areas of life.
Active tackling—Choosing Recovery, Even When It’s Hard
This metric reflects how consistently participants engage in behaviours that support their recovery—such as attending therapy, using emotional regulation tools, completing journaling or reflection exercises, and following through on supportive routines.
Active tackling is intentional action in the face of discomfort. It’s one thing to want change; it’s another to show up and do the work. Our program builds this muscle through structure, encouragement, and accountability and the group’s improvements here tell us they’re actively making those choices, day after day.
detailed insights
Collective Progress +18%
Top Individual Improvement +29%
The growth here—despite a dip during the program pause—suggests participants are developing real-world resilience. They are no longer waiting to “feel ready” to recover, seek or depend on external support; they are actively building recovery into daily life.
“I can’t tell you how much this has impacted my life. And this is after years of therapy and years of trying different things—I’ve never seen so much progress in such a condensed amount of time.”
5. looking forward: the next chapter
What’s even more powerful than what we’ve seen so far—is what’s still possible.
“When you start feeling that self-worth, you become even more determined to hold onto it. And I think that’s what’s happening—I want to keep building on this.”
Our next phase meets participants at their emotional core—addressing unresolved trauma, deepening emotional resilience, and further supporting the development of boundaries, identity, and authentic joy.
⤷ Discover our Recovery Circles
Find location specific Circles, mixed impulsive and restrictive circles, or dedicated Circles for binge-eating disorder, women in midlife and beyond.
💡 Still have questions? We’re here for you. Whenever you’re ready.
