Eating disorders are complex mental illness that often make treatment and recovery multifaceted and non-linear.  One significant dynamic within the treatment process is resistance - a common, yet often misunderstood element of care.  While resistance can feel uncomfortable for the client, caregiver and clinician, it can also function as a protective mechanism.  Recognizing that resistance is not simply denial or defiance, but a potential signal of underlying fear, ambivalence, and/or unmet needs is crucial.  While both motivation and resistance naturally ebb and flow throughout treatment, it is in these moments that opportunities for insight, empathy and therapeutic alliance can emerge.  This topic explores how clinicians, caregivers and individuals living with eating disorders perceive and respond to resistance.  By understanding the function of resistance and addressing it with curiosity rather than confrontation, care teams can foster a more compassionate and effective treatment environment.

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