Objective: Family Based Treatment (FBT) is an effective, evidence-based treatment for adolescent anorexia and bulimia nervosa. However, it relies heavily on parents taking a very active intervention role. Few studies have explored the psychosocial impact FBT has on parents, the challenges they face, and their support needs. Aims: 1. To gain a rich understanding into the lived experience of parents engaging in FBT for adolescent anorexia or bulimia nervosa. 2. To explore the psychosocial impact on parents and to identify their support needs. 3. To tentatively inform clinical practice on how support for parents could be improved. Methods: This was a qualitative, interview study. Participants were approached by clinicians known to them and took part in a predominantly one-to-one, semi-structured interviews. Interviews transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Four superordinate themes were identified: Parenting Challenges, Impact on Family Life, Coping and Support. Findings suggest that views on empowerment varied significantly and that FBTs agnostic stance exacerbates parental guilt and anxiety. The financial cost of re-feeding was strongly felt by parents and psychoeducation resources could be tailored to individual families' needs. Conclusion: Participants' accounts were dominated by experiences of needing reassurance and practical advice from clinicians to empower them in taking control of their child's eating. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.