Within Health offers online partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment for a range of eating disorders, earning 4 stars overall during our independent review. They currently serve clients in over 40 states across the United States. Within Health is in-network with several insurance plans, and they are also highly motivated to assist you in using your out-of-network benefits or setting up payment plans to make care affordable.
Within Health at a Glance
Cost: Unclear
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Available Nationwide? No; 40 states + D.C.
Pros & Cons of Within Health
Pros - Offers both virtual partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment
- Serves teens and adults ages 13+
- A multidisciplinary treatment team of psychiatric providers (PHP only), therapists, dietitians, nurses, and care partners
- Provides meals shipped directly to you
- Support during mealtimes from your treatment team
- iOS app features access to your care team, calendar, meal check-ins, therapy sessions, groups, chat, and other resources
Cons - Unclear which insurance plans are in-network & what out-of-pocket copays will be
- The admissions process can take one to two weeks
- Psychiatry is only available to clients in the PHP program
Preview Within Health
Within Health offers online eating disorder treatment for teens and adults ages 13 and up. The company provides treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and OSFED. The cost of treatment with Within Health depends on your insurance coverage, but the admissions team will work directly with your provider to figure out what’s covered, and payment plans and financing are available. Within Health currently serves clients in 40 states across the country, with plans to continue to grow.
Within Health also supports people experiencing co-occurring disorders like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The Within Health patient app features a robust user interface and client experience with tremendous access to the patient’s entire care team, and families are also given resources and support groups to learn how to best help their loved one.
Within Health ships fresh, healthy meals directly to you and provide you with special equipment, including a numberless scale for medical monitoring purposes. While Within Health is able to serve a large range of people experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, it is not right for everyone. Within Health does not treat children under 13 years old and does not offer inpatient hospitalization or residential treatment. Children and anyone requiring a higher level of care for their eating disorder will benefit from an alternative.
Eating Disorder Treatment That Works – Delivered At Home
Eating disorder treatment is hard – which is why you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Equip provides compassionate, evidence-based virtual treatment that supports you every step of the way, and allows you to recover at home without pressing pause on your life. Covered by insurance.
Detailed Review of Within Health
Within Health offers online eating disorder treatment for teens and adults ages 13 to 70 years old. The company provides treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and OSFED. The cost of treatment will depend on your insurance plan, but Within Health takes care of working with your provider for you. Depending on what’s covered, you can also work out a payment plan or financing through CareCredit.
Review our scoring criteria for online therapy platforms here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.
Within Health offers online intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment for a range of eating disorders. Their multidisciplinary treatment team works with people experiencing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED).
Within Health also supports people experiencing co-occurring disorders like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The treatment program serves teens and adults from 13 to 70 years old. Parent or guardian consent is required for teens under 18 years old to sign up. Regardless of the age of the patient, family involvement is strongly encouraged by Within Health.
Getting Started
The admission process with Within Health begins with an initial consultation phone call, followed by a virtual intake assessment. From there, you will meet with the admissions team virtually for an intake and meet with your own healthcare provider to get medical clearance. How long the admission process takes can vary depending on where you are in your treatment process. It can take as little as two to three days to be admitted and up to a few weeks. Within Health strives to ensure you are admitted as quickly as possible to the program that will fit your needs.
- Call Within Health at (866) 523-3014 to speak with an admissions specialist.
- Admissions gathers information about your specific needs, answers any questions, and schedules an online intake assessment.
- Attend an online intake assessment with a Within Health clinician.
- Get medical clearance to participate in online IOP or PHP from your medical provider.
- Attend a family education meeting with your family.
- Plan your admission date to start the program.
- Receive the welcome kit in the mail, which includes a numberless scale, blood pressure cuff, and thermometer.
- Meet with the onboarding team to learn about how to navigate treatment with the Within Health app.
- Start attending the program.
After you are admitted to the program, you will receive a welcome kit in the mail, which includes a numberless scale, blood pressure cuff, and thermometer. This allows your treatment team to medically monitor you remotely. Within Health also has an app that is available through the iOS store for clients who are enrolled in their program. This app features a robust user interface and client experience with tremendous access to your entire care team, your calendar, meal check-ins, therapy sessions, groups, chat, and other resources.
Going Through the Program
Individual therapy sessions are approximately an hour long and are offered once weekly for IOP and twice weekly for PHP. Group and family therapy sessions are also an integral part of the program. Within Health offers several weekly group therapy sessions on a range of topics related to eating disorders. The Within Health app gives you access to your entire care team, calendar, meal check-ins, therapy sessions, groups, chat, and other resources. This app is only available for iOS devices at this time.
Family involvement is a high priority for patients working with Within Health. Families will attend psychoeducation meetings prior to their loved one being admitted into the program. This allows families the opportunity to learn more about what is helpful for those struggling with their disordered eating. Additionally, it is not just family members that can attend this meeting or be involved in family therapy sessions. Any person who loves and cares for the person in treatment is eligible to attend sessions.
While I did not have an opportunity to use the platform myself, I was able to speak to a customer service representative. They provided detailed information about the company and how treatment with Within Health works. One of the aspects of Within Health that stood out the most to me was the intensity of support that they provide. Depending on what program you are in, and your needs, there is an option to attend treatment anywhere from three to seven days per week. After-hours support is also provided, so you can always access a staff member, even in the middle of the night.
What’s Included in the Online IOP
According to the website, here are all the features offered as part of the Enhanced IOP program:
- Comprehensive measurement-based care integrated into your treatment
- More hours per week of care than standard IOPs (up to 20 hours per week vs. the typical 9–12 hours)
- Daily, live meal support from trained clinicians and coaches
- Meal delivery
- Multiple individual therapy sessions per week
- More than 60 specialized groups tailored to clinical needs
- Regular sessions with dietitians, nurses, and care partners
- Expanded group therapy options, including body image, dialectical behavioral therapy, trauma, and somatic work
- A dedicated care team that coordinates and adapts your treatment as you grow
- An easy-to-use app for seamless connection to your care team
- Exposure support from care partners
- Family therapy, coaching, and psychoeducation
- Adolescent, adult, and mature adult milieus
- Group experiences for underserved populations
- Free ongoing alumni groups for support post treatment
What’s Included in the Online PHP
The PHP is a more comprehensive program, offering:
- 25-50 hours of programming each week
- 2-3 daily live meal support sessions with expert clinicians
- Food delivery to support your nutritional needs
- 3 individual therapy sessions each week
- Weekly nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian
- Weekly psychiatric sessions, with medication support as needed
- Medical check-ins with a registered nurse multiple times per week
- Group sessions multiple times a day, for each programming day
- 60+ group therapy offerings, including options for trauma, body image, and more
- Exposure and accountability coaching from care partners
- Family and caregiver involvement and education
- Treatment tracks for adolescents, students, adults, and older adults
- Identity-affirming spaces for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC
- Long-term post-treatment support via free alumni programming
Cost & Insurance Coverage
Within Health doesn’t specifically name which insurance plans are in-network, but it does state that it will work with your insurance company directly to maximize coverage when possible. The admissions coordinator will gather your insurance information during the admissions process and talk you through what you may have to pay out-of-pocket.
Within Health will submit out-of-network claims for you, and it also offers payment plans and flexible financing options through a partnership with CareCredit.
Who Is Within Health Right For?
Within Health serves teens and adults 13-70 in 40 states and D.C. experiencing eating disorder symptoms and those experiencing co-occuring mental health conditions with their eating disorders. According to the company, their programs are personalized for each individual, so factors like age, gender and sexual identity, and racial and cultural background are all considered when developing your personal treatment plan.
Within Health User Reviews
Within Health has a 4.3 star rating out of 30 reviews on the Apple App store. Unfortunately, there are no written reviews of the company online, so we could not see how actual customers felt about the company’s services.
Alternative Options
While Within Health is able to serve a wide range of individuals experiencing an eating disorder, it is not right for everyone. Two of the company’s competitors, the Eating Recovery Center and the Center for Discovery, offer in-person and online treatment options and are in-network with most major health insurance plans, though neither is available nationwide.
Eating Recovery Center
Cost: Varies depending on provider
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Available Nationwide? No; 17 states + D.C. so far
The Eating Recovery Center offers both online and in-patient treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, OSFED, and diabulimia (diabetic bulimia). Their on-site facilities serve children, teens, and adults 10 years and older, and their virtual IOP is open to ages 12 and up.
One significant difference between the Eating Recovery Center and Within Health is that the Eating Recovery Center offers more levels of care. Their on-site facilities provide inpatient medical stabilization, residential, PHP, and IOP. The cost of treatment varies depending on the level of care. They are in-network with most major health insurance plans, including BCBS, Humana, Cigna, Aetna, and Kaiser.
Learn More in our Eating Recovery Center review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Ability to treat co-occurring mood and anxiety disorders
- Support for families and caregivers
- Covered by most commercial insurance plans
Cons - Virtual care only available in 18 states
- Hard to clarify out-of-pocket costs
Center for Discovery
Cost: Depends on insurance and individual situation
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Available Nationwide? No; 11 states
The Center for Discovery offers in-person and virtual eating disorder treatment for anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and OSFED. They have over 50 locations and offer online programs in 11 states so far. The Center for Discovery serves children, teens, and adults over 10 years old in age-specific programs.
The most notable differences between the Center for Discovery and Within Health are that the Center for Discovery offers in-person treatment options and more levels of care. The Center for Discovery offers residential care, as well as PHP and IOP. The cost of treatment with the Center for Discovery depends on the specific program, and they are in-network with most major insurance providers.
Learn more in our comprehensive Center for Discovery review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Wide range of eating disorders and co-occurring disorders treated
- In-network with most major insurance companies
- Alumni Program to help support recovery post-treatment
Cons - Virtual treatment only available in 11 states
- Out-of-pocket costs for uninsured patients may be too costly
Why You Can Trust My Review
Within Health is an online eating disorder treatment program that offers options for PHP and IOP and tailors their approach to each individual person. Based on my research of the platform, it appears that Within Health is able to serve a wide range of individuals experiencing eating disorder symptoms.
The company welcomes teens, adults of all ages, LGTBQ+, and BIPOC individuals. Because Within Health does not have options for in-person treatment, it is only appropriate for those who can be safely treated in a virtual IOP or PHP. Depending on what’s covered by your insurance plan, it could be a great option for those seeking online eating disorder treatment.
History of Within Health
Year Founded: 2021
Founders: Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt & Abhilash Patel
Headquarters Location: Miami, FL
Within Health was founded by Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, a board-certified psychiatrist, and Abhilash Patel in 2021. Both Patel and Dr. Oliver-Pyatt are eating disorder survivors themselves who are passionate about expanding access to eating disorder treatment free of stigma and shame. Prior to co-founding Within Health, Dr. Oliver-Pyatt had started several other eating disorder treatment programs, which led her to see a need for virtual treatment options. Patel had also worked within the mental health sphere as co-founder of Recovery Brands.2,3
Since 2021, Within Health has helped many adolescents and adults experiencing a range of eating disorders recover. According to the company, 77% of their clients experienced a decrease in depression and anxiety and 86% reported improvements in their quality of life.4
Frequently Asked Questions
What Credentials do Within Health Providers Hold?
Within Health’s treatment team includes a diverse range of multidisciplinary providers, including psychiatric providers, therapists, nurses, case managers, and dietitians. Within Health’s therapists include licensed counselors and social workers who all have experiencing providing evidence-based eating disorder treatment.
How Am I Matched With My Care Team on Within Health?
Within Health’s admissions team will gather information about your background and preferences and use this information to match you with your care team. This care team is a multidisciplinary treatment team that will include a therapist, psychiatric provider, dietitian, nurse, and care partner.
Can I Change Therapists on Within Health?
Yes, you can request to change your therapist. According to Within Health, they will do their best to accommodate a switch, but it depends largely on therapist availability. To request a therapist change you must call the company at (866) 792-0896.
How Do I Stop Treatment with Within Health?
You can stop treatment with Within Health at any time. However, because of the severity of eating disorders, stopping treatment abruptly is not recommended. It is optimal to work with your treatment team on preparing for termination, rather than stopping treatment without any support. To cancel treatment, call Within Health directly at (866) 792-0896.
Does Within Health Offer Refunds?
Within Health does not typically offer refunds, but if you are dissatisfied with the service, you can contact the company at (866) 792-0896.
ChoosingTherapy.com strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Crone, C., Fochtmann, L. J., Attia, E., Boland, R., Escobar, J., Fornari, V., … & Medicus, J. (2023). The American Psychiatric Association practice guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 180(2), 167-171.
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Within Health. (n.d.). About the Within care team. Retrieved from: https://withinhealth.com/about-us
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Flexner, V. (2022, August 23). Her virtual platform provides at-home treatment for eating disorders. The Story Exchange. Retrieved from: https://thestoryexchange.org/wendy-oliver-pyatt-within-health/
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Within Health. (n.d.). The Within results. Retrieved from: https://withinhealth.com/results
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD. (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Added insurance information; updated states covered; updated images; added information outlining what’s covered in the IOP and PHP programs. fact-checked and edited for readability and clarity.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD. (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Added summary block and star rating breakdown
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD.
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, M.D.
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