Frequently asked questions

Absolutely — this is so often the case. And at the same time, there’s real power in doing your own learning and inner work. That’s often where the real shift begins. In many situations, meaningful change for the person at the centre ("the insider") actually starts when the people around them — especially carers — begin their own learning journey. It creates a sense of safety, which can help the insider feel more able to open up and allow others in. That’s where the magic often starts.

That will really depend on what supports you’ve included in your plan. The best first step is to check in with your support coordinator or plan manager — they’ll be able to clarify things based on the details of your plan. If you're still unsure after that, we’re more than happy to help unravel the mystery further.

We know through our own lived experience that caring for someone with an eating disorder brings significant financial strain. Managing the costs of appointments, hospital admissions, travel, time away from work, and the countless expenses that accompany supporting a loved one through recovery. We recognise that adding the cost of another support service may feel overwhelming, and we are acutely aware that the addition of another cost may feel impossible.

Door2 is an independent, self-funded organisation. We do not receive government funding, philanthropic grants, or ongoing corporate sponsorship. To ensure we can continue to provide year-round education, lived experience support, and a safe, connected community for carers and families, our program is sustained through a membership model.

Our commitment is to make Door2 as accessible as possible. If the cost of membership creates a barrier, we encourage you to speak with us. We are always willing to explore options and work with families wherever we can, because we believe that no one should have to navigate the challenges of an eating disorder alone due to financial circumstances.

Above all, we want you to know that we see the pressures families are under. Our aim is not simply to provide a program, but to walk alongside you, finding practical ways to support you and your loved one throughout the recovery journey.

We are a registered provider of Carer Gateway; an Australian nation-wide service that provides free support to carers. Support is tailored to your caring needs, with a wide range of services that may include tailored support packages, peer support, counselling, coaching, emergency respite and more.

Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm AEST, to find out how they can support you in your caring role.

Some of our services are rebateable through private health funds and also through Medicare (Australia only). We know it can feel like a bit of a minefield to navigate — but we’re more than happy to help you sort through it and figure out what might be available to you.

There’s no age limit — we support people of all ages. Our youngest member is just 4, and our oldest is 74, with every age in between. It really comes down to the individual and what support feels right for them.

Membership runs for one year. During that time, you can expect to learn at the pace of a PhD student — seriously! It’s a time of exponential learning, big "aha" moments, and often, significant change.

After your first year, membership is heavily subsidised. By year three, it’s just $80 annually. Most of our members choose to stay well beyond that first year — they become the wise voices in our community, generously sharing their knowledge and experience. They’re truly an invaluable part of the Door2 family.

Great question! FBT (Family-Based Treatment) often places parents or carers in the driver’s seat, with little or no agency given to the insider. What many insiders tell us is that this approach can leave them feeling voiceless, angry, unheard, and deeply alone. This aligns them with their eating disorder rather than those trying to bring about change.

We’ve found that connection with the authentic self is everything. It builds trust and offers a real, grounded alternative to what the eating disorder is demanding. With that trust, we can begin to reach the authentic self beyond the eating disordered mind. When there's genuine connection, aligned values, and a sense of safety, shared goals begin to emerge — and that’s often when engagement and readiness for change truly begin.

Absolutely! We encourage everyone to seek out and maintain helpful, meaningful connections with any mainstream providers they find supportive. If you’re having trouble building a team around you, we can help — we have a list of professionals our members recommend and are happy to share that with you. You're not alone in this.

With the magic of the internet, Door2 is a program you can access from your home — right to ours. No matter where you are in the world, whatever your time zone, season, or any limitations you might have, we’ll work with you to make the program fit your needs.

We might be right down the bottom of the world here in Australia, but with just a click of a link, we can be right there with you — supporting you, helping you feel connected, and reminding you that you’re not alone.

Where possible, depending on your location and where our Door2 team members are based, we do offer some in-person support. Just reach out to us — when it’s possible, we’ll move mountains to help you access the supports you need. We’re here to make it work for you.

Just reach out to us, and we’ll guide you through what’s involved. We’ll help get you sorted and on your way, providing a comprehensive report tailored to suit whatever needs you have.

While we have the expertise to help identify traits of Autism, ADHD, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), and Complex PTSD, an official diagnosis—especially if you want to access the NDIS—needs to be done by a clinical psychologist. If medication is something you’re considering, a psychiatrist or paediatrician would be involved.

We’re happy to help with recommendations for qualified professionals, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

This question truly makes our heart sing. We’re absolutely here to help our members advocate for their insider. In fact, we’re so passionate about this that we have a bioethicist on our team who can assist with developing a clear statement of needs, expectations, and requests for adjustments to care—especially for insiders entering mainstream hospitals and residential treatment programs.

Neuroaffirming care isn’t just aspirational; it’s essential. We’re committed to supporting you every step of the way.

We collaborate with a small group of professionals who offer treatment and support directly aligned with the Door2 playbook. Dietetics is one area where our collaborators truly shine. Just reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to introduce you.

We have a number of professionals who come highly recommended through our Door2 community. Expertise in treating eating disorders through a neuro-affirming lens is still in its early days—apart from Door2, that is—so we tread carefully when making recommendations. We want to ensure you get the best possible support tailored to your needs.

The Door2 program runs year-round and follows the Australian school term calendar. We usually take a two-week break from group sessions about every 10 to 12 weeks, plus a longer four-week break from mid-December to mid-January. This gives our team time to recharge and stay strong throughout the year.

Individual sessions are available year-round, except for the Christmas and New Year break.

When it comes to recovery from eating disorders, success rates can be tricky to pin down — especially if we're only looking at short-term symptom remission. True understanding comes from longitudinal data that follows people well beyond the immediate recovery phase.

That said, we’re incredibly fortunate to stay in touch with many of our amazing carers and insiders — some going back 25 years. We’ve watched them flourish, grow their own families, and build meaningful lives, and it’s a privilege to be invited into their journeys.

While we don’t talk about success in terms of percentages, we measure it by the sense of meaning, connection, and purpose our Door2 community members find in their lives. We know that the majority of people who engage with Door2 go on to make full recoveries. Once connected, most require fewer hospital admissions, and over time, those admissions often stop altogether. We know through the practise of what we do, that what we do works.

Because Door2 is both a live and on-demand program, once your membership begins, you’ll have full access to our entire learning platform. It’s yours to explore at your own pace for the entire year.

Most people spend the first 3 to 6 months really wrapping their minds around the big shift in understanding — taking in the concepts, the lightbulb moments, the “aha”s. From our experience, 12 months tends to be the sweet spot — that’s when learning starts to move beyond theory and really becomes practice.

We’ve actually never had anyone want to cancel their membership — but if you find that Door2 isn’t the right fit for you, just talk to us. We’re always happy to have a conversation and work out a fair arrangement based on the portion of the program that hasn’t been used. Your experience really matters to us.