Often, families of people affected by anorexia or bulimia nervosa arrive at the start of treatment feeling very disoriented and exhausted. One of the professionals' roles is to help and guide them so they can cope effectively with the eating disorder. There is no single coping mechanism for the different situations and conflicts that may arise, but it is important to develop skills in care, collaboration, calmness, consistency, and compassion for the person affected by an eating disorder.