YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE
Real guidance.
Real care.
For you and your family.
Univa is a compassionate, evidence-based support platform for parents and carers of someone with an eating disorder. Whether you’re just beginning the journey or seeking ongoing support, Univa helps you feel informed, confident, and connected - every step of the way.
Proud Partners of the
You’re doing your best in an impossible situation
Caring for someone with an eating disorder can feel relentless. Many parents and carers tell us they feel isolated, misunderstood, helpless, highly stressed, left out of the conversation, unsure what to do at mealtimes, and worried about saying the “wrong” thing. Guilt, fear, exhaustion, relationship strain, and social isolation are common. You are not alone.
Univa was built with carers, clinicians, and people with lived experience to give families clear guidance, practical tools, and compassionate support so you can feel more confident and connected day-to-day.
What you need, and how Univa helps
Parents and carers repeatedly ask for:
Univa is designed around these needs.
Our dual-app platform and expert services give you accessible, actionable help you can use today, with or without your loved one present.
Start todaySupport for Parents and Carers - On your own or together with your loved one
Univa offers flexible support designed around your needs - whether you want to focus on your own wellbeing and improving your caring skills as a parent or carer, or work together with your loved one as part of their recovery journey.
For parents & carers only
Access your own carer app with a structured self-care programme that builds the skills and knowledge to support your loved one’s recovery. Based on leading carer approaches, it offers practical tools for meal support, planning, and everyday confidence. You can also book 1-on-1 sessions with expert carer coaches for personalised guidance and support in a safe, understanding space.
For you and your loved one
Choose our dual-app experience, where both of you have your own connected apps. Each follows a tailored care programme that keeps you both supported and aligned. You can also include family-based therapy sessions to strengthen communication and recovery as a team.
Univa gives you the flexibility to start where you are - on your own, or together - and get the right level of support at every step.
Support Options
parents & carers
Choose the level of care that fits your needs
Univa Essentials
(App-only) Your personal app companion for everyday carer support. A self-guided 20-week programme with bite-size modules, practical tools and strategies to help you feel better equipped to support your loved one’s recovery - starting today.
Univa Comfort
(App + Messaging) Get everything in Essentials, plus secure in-app messaging with a Univa care team member for regular guidance and reassurance as you support your loved one. With your self-guided 20-week programme, you’ll feel calmer, more confident, and never alone in your caring journey.
Univa Coaching
1-to-1 video coaching for parents/carers, delivered by professionals trained in the New Maudsley Carers Model (all with lived experience as carers or recovered).
For extra support between sessions, add Univa Essentials or Univa Comfort plans for an enhanced 24/7 care experience and support between sessions to intensify the coaching work.
Univa Essentials
(App-only) A connected care experience for you and your loved one. You’ll each have your own app, with tailored 20-week self-guided programmes filled with bite-size modules, practical tools, and evidence-based strategies - helping you both build understanding, skills, and confidence towards recovery.
Univa Comfort
(App + Messaging) Everything in Essentials, plus expert support for both you and your loved one.
Each of you gets your own app with a self-guided 20-week programme, and access to secure in-app messaging with a Univa care team member for ongoing advice, motivation, and feedback.
£99/month
For both appsOngoing comfort and messaging anytime - for less than £3.30 a day
Join Now Learn moreUniva Therapy
Pay-as-you-go family therapy sessions for carers and their loved one, delivered by qualified clinicians.
For extra support between sessions, add Univa Essentials or Univa Comfort plans for an enhanced 24/7 care experience and support between sessions to intensify the coaching work.
(Add your loved one’s own app care programme for just £10 more per month.)
You can start with any option and move between them as your needs change.
Still not sure which plan is right for you?
Book a free 15 minute call with a member of the Univa care team.
Book hereBuilt on therapies proven to help families heal and recover
Everything we do at Univa is built on proven, evidence-based
therapies, brought to life in our dual-apps through warmth,
understanding, and practical tools that families can use every
day.
Family Therapy for Anorexia (FT-AN / FBT)
This approach places families at the heart of recovery. It empowers parents and carers with structured, supportive steps to help their loved one restore weight, rebuild healthy eating, and overcome the illness. Family therapy is one of the most effective treatments for anorexia and is recommended in the UK’s national clinical guidelines as the first-line therapy for children and teenagers.
Univa brings these two powerful, evidence-based models together for the first time in a self-care dual-app, creating a uniquely integrated experience that supports both the person with the eating disorder and their family throughout recovery.
The New Maudsley Carers Model
Designed specifically for carers, this approach teaches communication and compassion-focused skills that help reduce conflict, build calm, and restore confidence at home. Studies show it significantly lowers carer stress, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness—while helping loved ones stay engaged in treatment and maintain recovery. It’s powerful proof that when carers are supported, recovery becomes more achievable for everyone.
Univa brings these two powerful, evidence-based models together for the first time in a self-care dual-app, creating a uniquely integrated experience that supports both the person with the eating disorder and their family throughout recovery.
App-only support: Univa Essentials & Univa Comfort
A powerful combination of Family Therapy and the New Maudsley Carers Model - right at your fingertips.
Our app-only plans guide you through a structured self-care programme built around the most effective, evidence-based therapies for eating disorders. Step by step, you’ll learn how to respond calmly, support recovery, and look after yourself - all tailored to your particular needs as a carer or family.
You can start anytime, without needing to speak to a care team. The app gives you 24/7 support, available whenever you need it, helping you make progress at your own pace. Whether you’re in the middle of care, on a waiting list, or simply searching for guidance, Univa provides a private, compassionate space to learn, reflect, and grow stronger together.
Who it’s for
Parents and carers
who want immediate, flexible support they can start today, even if their loved one isn’t ready to engage in treatment.
Families
who want joined-up support for both them and their loved one. Univa’s unique dual-app design gives each person their own tailored app experience, keeping both sides connected and supported throughout recovery.
Eating disorders
covered
designed to help families supporting someone with anorexia nervosa, restrictive eating, or weight loss concerns, whether or not there’s a formal diagnosis.
What you get
Univa Essentials
(App-only)
For you as a parent or carer
Everything you need to feel more confident, supported, and equipped - all in one easy-to-use app.
- Your own 20-week programme of bite-size modules based on leading family approaches such as the New Maudsley and Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (FT-AN).
- You’ll gain practical tools for meal support, communication, and relapse prevention, alongside self-care strategies to help manage your own stress and emotions.
- This shared journey helps both of you feel more supported, connected, and equipped to work toward recovery together.
- In-app videos featuring clinicians and people with lived experience, bringing empathy and real-world understanding to every step.
- Tools for emotion coaching and de-escalation, so you can lower conflict and rebuild trust.
If your loved one joins too
When your loved one downloads the Univa Patient App, both of you can benefit from a coordinated, compassionate experience - each with your own private space and tailored guidance.
- Their own 20 weeks care programme, a guided pathway designed to help them understand and address their eating disorder.
- They’ll learn how to manage unhelpful thoughts, strengthen self-esteem, improve body image, and rebuild a positive relationship with food.
- The modules also support them in exploring who they are beyond the eating disorder - helping them rediscover confidence, motivation, and hope for recovery.
Whether you start alone or together, Univa gives you the structure, guidance, and emotional support to take positive steps toward recovery - at your own pace, 24/7.
Start your journey todayUniva Comfort
(App + Messaging)
Univa Comfort includes everything in Essentials, plus secure in-app messaging with a member of the Univa care team. You can message as often as you like throughout the month - whether you need a quick nudge, help with a tricky mealtime, or reassurance during a difficult moment. The Univa team will reply to your messages within one to two working days (Monday to Friday), giving you timely support when it matters most.
For you as a parent or carer
Personalised guidance and reassurance - right when you need it most.
- Expert guidance that’s just a message away - no waiting for appointments.
- Personalised feedback to help you apply new skills and strategies in daily life.
- Calm, compassionate advice to manage emotions and communication with confidence.
- Encouragement that helps you stay steady, supported, and motivated.
If your loved one joins too
they’ll also receive:
- Gentle, encouraging messages that help them reflect on progress and practise new recovery skills.
- Thoughtful prompts to build motivation, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.
- Continuous, non-judgemental support that complements your own learning as a carer.
With Univa Comfort, you and your family gain ongoing, real-time support that bridges the gaps between sessions - helping you feel more confident, connected, and never alone on the path to recovery.
Start your journey todayUniva Carer Coaching
When you join Univa Carer Coaching, you’ll be matched with an expert carer coach — a highly trained professional who combines lived experience (as a carer or someone in recovery from an eating disorder) with specialist training in the New Maudsley Carers Model and other evidence-based coaching methods. This service is designed for any parent or carer supporting someone with an eating disorder - whether anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or restrictive eating patterns without a formal diagnosis.
Your coach will provide a compassionate, structured space to help you regain confidence, calm, and direction - offering guidance that’s both emotionally supportive and deeply practical.
- 50-minute video sessions offered every day of the week, with weekend availability to fit around family life
- One or multiple family members from the same family can attend
- No loved one required - this is your time and space
- Delivered by professional coaches trained in the New Maudsley Carers Model and advanced coaching approaches, with real-life understanding of the challenges you face
- Mealtime planning and communication strategies for food refusal and distress
- Handling strong emotions and “expressed emotion” safely
- Setting healthy boundaries and reducing over-accommodation
- Managing over-exercise, social withdrawal, and setbacks
- Caring for yourself while you care for them — reducing guilt and burnout
- Building calmer communication within the wider family, school, or clinical team
Add the Univa Carer App for £39/month (≈£1.60/day) to reinforce what you learn, practise new skills between sessions, and reflect on what’s working, keeping momentum strong and progress visible.
There’s no fixed programme - you choose what works for your family. Book a single consultation, arrange a focused block of sessions, or top-up support during difficult periods such as transitions, exams, or holidays.
Your first coaching session is all about you - your story, your challenges, and what support would make the biggest difference right now. Together with your coach, you’ll explore your current situation, your loved one’s needs, and what feels hardest day to day. From there, your coach will help you create a personalised care plan, outlining the key focus areas, practical strategies, and next steps to start building confidence and calm at home.
If you’ve also subscribed to the Univa Carer App, you’ll receive a tailored digital care plan immediately after your first session. This plan links directly to specific app modules and tools, so you can start applying what you’ve learned right away - practising new skills, tracking progress, and getting support between sessions.
Your journey begins with understanding and structure - and continues with guidance, reflection, and steady progress at your own pace.
If you’ve also subscribed to the Univa Carer App, you’ll receive a tailored digital care plan immediately after your first session. This plan links directly to specific app modules and tools, so you can start applying what you’ve learned right away - practising new skills, tracking progress, and getting support between sessions.
Your journey begins with understanding and structure - and continues with guidance, reflection, and steady progress at your own pace.
Start your journey todayUniva Therapy
Expert family therapy for you and your loved one
Personalised therapy designed for your family’s recovery. Book pay-as-you-go sessions for you and your loved-one with an experienced eating disorder specialist, supported by a monthly plan that combines evidence-based care modules, unlimited clinical messaging, and regular goal check-ins - giving you ongoing guidance and peace of mind through every stage of recovery.
Therapy can run alongside your loved-one’s NHS care (with your consent we can share summaries to support joined-up care).
Receive compassionate, evidence-based care in 50-minute online sessions with a specialist clinician who are psychologists, mental health nurses and therapists. Sessions are adapted to you and your loved-one’s needs. If appropriate, your loved-one may have therapy sessions on their own.
Your first session focuses on understanding your goals, challenges, and support needs. This structured assessment and formulation helps shape a personalised plan for your loved-one’s recovery and your caregiving journey.
Following the assessment, your clinician will recommend a tailored care plan, including the ideal session frequency and focus areas based on you and your loved-one’s unique circumstances.
Univa offers something truly unique - therapy that continues beyond the session through our integrated self-care apps for both carers and their loved ones.
Your therapist can assign tailored digital modules in the app between sessions - reinforcing skills such as communication, emotional regulation, and relapse prevention
As a parent or carer, you play an active role too. Through your Univa Carer App, you can share observations on your loved one’s behaviours. These insights help your therapist see the full picture and adapt support where it’s needed most - deepening understanding, improving communication, and accelerating progress.
Add the Univa Carer App for £49/month (≈£1.60/day) to reinforce what you and your loved one learn, practise new skills between sessions, and reflect on what’s working, keeping momentum strong and progress visible.
For the best experience, we recommend subscribing to the dual-app Univa Essentials or Univa Comfort plans, giving both you and your loved one access to aligned tools, shared learning, and continuous support between sessions.
It’s therapy that doesn’t stop when the call ends - a truly joined-up experience unique to Univa.
Start your journey today
Survive & Thrive: Support exactly when you need it
When caring for someone with an eating disorder, there are moments that can feel overwhelming - a mealtime refusal, a sudden emotional outburst, or a wave of fear or loss of hope. That’s when Univa’s unique Survive & Thrive feature becomes your lifeline.
With just one tap, you can select what you’re facing in the moment - and instantly access short, powerful videos created by Jenny Langley, one of the co-authors of the New Maudsley Skills-Based Training Manual and a mother who supported her own son through anorexia. Jenny offers practical, compassionate techniques you can use right now or next time, helping you calm the situation, communicate effectively, and look after your own wellbeing.
This is not just another library of resources - it’s an immediate-response tool designed for those critical moments when you need reassurance and guidance most. Whether you’re in the kitchen, in the car, or lying awake at night, Survive & Thrive gives you skills, confidence, and calm, exactly when you need them.
Exclusive to the Univa Carer App, Survive & Thrive turns real-world challenges into opportunities for learning, growth, and hope - helping carers not just survive the hard moments, but truly thrive through them.
How to choose your starting point
“We need something now”
Univa Essential
(upgrade any time)“I want quick guidance between appointments”
Univa Comfort
“I’d like someone to help me better support my loved-one”
Univa Carer Coaching
“We’re looking for a specialist who can help our loved one begin treatment”
Univa Therapy
Still not sure which plan is right for you?
Book a free 15 minute call with a member of the Univa care team.
Book hereMeet members of our expert care team
Gemma
Carer coach
Gemma is a carer coach supporting parents and carers of young people with eating disorders. Gemma’s professional background includes being a New Maudsley skills-based...
Caroline
Carer coach
Caroline is a carer coach with a professional background that includes 15 years of experience as a mental health nurse, supporting individuals and families through...
Michelle
Carer coach
Michelle is a carer coach with lived experience of recovering from an eating disorder for which she was treated in the 1980s as an outpatient at the London Maudsley hospital...
Getting started (fast)
Getting help with Univa is simple - and you can begin today. Whether you want support just for you or together with your loved one, there’s an easy way to start.
Immediate self-help 24/7
The quickest way to begin is with the Univa Essentials or Univa Comfort plan — designed for instant access to support.
Univa Essential
Start self-guidedmodules right away.
Univa Comfort
Message our clinical team as often as you like for added guidance and reassurance.Simply create your account, download the Univa app(s), and begin your journey at your own pace.
Coaching or Therapy
(if you need more personalised support)
If you’re looking for 1-to-1 help, choose
Univa Carer
Coaching
or
Univa Therapy.
Univa Carer Coaching
Univa Comfort
Book a free 15-minute guidance call with our care team to ensure the service is right for you (and your loved one for therapy).
Schedule your first coaching or therapy session at a time that suits you - with availability 7 days a week including evenings.
Start small, start today.
Every step forward brings more clarity, calm, and connection for you and your family
Frequently Asked Questions
