At River Oaks, our eating disorders treatment team understands the causes of an eating disorder, how to treat those causes and how to take positive steps forward after treatment.

Each individual is guided and supported through an individualized treatment plan to develop a healthy relationship with food, themselves and others.

Our treatment team has developed an adolescent eating disorders program based on years of experience in the field. With 13% of adolescents developing an eating disorder by the age of 20 years old, research shows the sooner an individual can get into treatment, the better the prognosis.

The River Oaks program emphasizes that there is no one person or thing to blame and that eating disorders develop because of a multitude of contributing factors. Our treatment team will help adolescents and their families discover what factors led to the eating disorder and how to support one another in recovery. Family education and involvement is of utmost importance and a staple of our program.

The adolescent eating disorders program focuses on uncovering and understanding the unique meaning and function of the symptoms for each individual while developing skills for symptom containment and relapse prevention. Our program helps teens and their families understand healthy eating and behavioral patterns while providing a safe and supportive healing environment.

Patients address underlying conflicts and emotions and are supported in developing the ability to make and sustain healthy life choices and commitments. The program emphasizes self-accountability and responsibility appropriate to the age and developmental level of each client with appropriate levels of support and direction from caregivers.

Specific therapeutic modalities may include the following:

• Family and individual psychotherapy
• Eating disorders group therapy including:
  • Body Image Processing
  • Eating Disorder Education
  • Family Systems Education
• Relapse Prevention
• Activity therapies including movement, art, and music
• Exposure Eating groups
• Nutritional therapy, menu planning, and education
• Weekly relapse prevention groups
• Dialectical Behavior therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Communication Skills Training

• Psychiatry/Medication Management Daily
• 24/7 Nursing Support
• Assessment with medical doctor upon admission and ongoing
• Individual Therapy 1x week
• Family Therapy 2x week
• RD Session 1x week + check-ins throughout week
• Eating Disorder Education and/or Nutrition Group Daily
• Cooking Activity/Food Exposure 1x week
• Activity Therapy – daily
• Process Group – daily
• Post-meal Processing – 3x day
• Meal/Snack Groups occur 6x a day (Breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack, Dinner, Evening Snack)

If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by calling 800-366-1740. We offer confidential, no-cost assessments, and our treatment team stands ready to take care of your needs.