Dr. Melissa Freizinger
Clinical Psychologist, Author & Eating Disorder Specialist
Melissa Freizinger, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of experience providing evidence-based psychological care. She is behaviorally trained and has extensive expertise in empirically supported treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Family-Based Treatment (FBT).
Disobey: Finding Freedom From Your Eating Disorder
Dr. Freizinger will release her first book in September, 2026: Disobey by Christina Tortolani & Melissa Freizinger & Renee D. Rienecke | Hachette Book Group
Melissa and her co-authors are currently represented by Amanda Bernardi with Europa Content
For inquires about in-person events, bulk buys, or press opportunities, please contact Meredith Wilson with The Literary Launch.
“There is a tribe of warriors who have done the real work, climbed the mountain, and found their place of recovery and healing. This is your community; it has a collective wisdom and strength.”
About Dr. Freizinger
Dr. Freizinger is the Associate Director of the Eating Disorder Program in the Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She also maintains a small private practice, providing therapy, supervision, and consultation services. Dr. Freizinger is licensed to practice in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Vermont, and Virginia.
Her research interests focus on treatment development, evaluation, and clinical outcomes, particularly related to evidence-based interventions for eating disorders. Dr. Freizinger has published peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on topics including eating disorders and infertility, binge eating disorder in Caribbean populations, atypical anorexia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and eating disorder severity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
-
"Dr. Freizinger is a respected leader in the field of eating disorder treatment and a deeply trusted colleague within my professional network. Her expertise in evidence-based therapies for eating disorders is widely recognized, and she is highly sought after for her clinical skill, insight, and compassionate approach to care."
— Keneisha Sinclair McBride, PhD
Associate Chief, Integrated Behavioral Health; Associate Training Director, Psychology Internship; Attending Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
-
"Dr. Melissa Freizinger is my go-to for collaboration on my complex patients struggling with eating disorders, anxiety, and/or depression which have often ben amplified in our immersive digital ecosystem. Without her wisdom, and sensitivity to the unique psychology of adolescents, I could not offer the care I give at the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders."
— Michael Rich, MD, MPH
Director, Founder, Pediatrician, & Author of The Mediatrician’s Guide: A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, Kind Kids in a Screen-Saturated World.
Digital Wellness Lab
Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders (CIMAID)
Boston Children's Hospital
Media
Dr. Freizinger is frequently featured in national media as an expert on eating disorders and mental health. She also speaks regularly to medical professionals and academic institutions.
