Tag Archives: eating disorders treatment

Official Recognition of Binge Eating Disorder Will Change Lives, According to Eating Recovery Center

May 8, 2013 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Eating disorders treatment center explains four reasons that acknowledgment of the most common and often misdiagnosed eating disorder will positively impact millions of men, women and children

Denver, CO, May 07, 2013 – Binge eating disorder (BED) will become an official mental health diagnosis this May when it is included – for the first time – in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), the manual that mental health professionals use to diagnose and treat mental disorders. According to Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, this shift has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of individuals struggling with this devastating disease.

“BED has long been underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed as a mental health issue, due in large part to its classification as only a provisional eating disorders diagnosis in the DSM,” said Emmett Bishop, MD, FAED, CEDS, founding partner and medical director of outpatient services and program development for Eating Recovery Center. “The acceptance of BED as a recognized and treatable mental illness has the potential to lead to more access to care, open new avenues to insurance coverage and diminish the stigma that many of its sufferers have faced.”

BED is characterized by compulsive, out-of-control episodes of eating followed by shame, guilt and depression and is often accompanied by serious medical and psychiatric comorbidities. The most common eating disorder, BED affects as many as 3.5 percent of American women and 2 percent of American men.

To help healthcare providers and the general community better understand why this shift is so significant, Eating Recovery Center shares the top four reasons why BED’s inclusion in the DSM-V is a life-changing development for the millions of individuals struggling with this disease.

1. Better understanding and less stigma. With a clearly defined set of diagnostic criteria, healthcare professionals will be better able to help patients and families identify the issue and seek effective eating disorders treatment. In addition, the acknowledgement of BED as an officially recognized mental illness is likely to help families and friends understand that their loved one cannot simply “go on a diet,” “stop eating so much” or “sign up for Weight Watchers.” The underlying issues are much more complex.

2. Validation of BED symptoms. Not merely a casual description of occasional overeating, BED is a serious condition with clearly articulated diagnostic criteria. People with BED have learned to cover up negative feelings such as anger, sadness, boredom, stress or guilt through food. Binge eating behaviors can also be accompanied by an unhealthy preoccupation with body image, size and compulsive behaviors, including over-exercise or over-spending.

3. Increased access to eating disorders treatment coverage. Mental health parity laws require that coverage for treatment of biologically based mental illnesses, such as eating disorders, be no less extensive than the coverage provided for any other physical illness. Although the inclusion of BED as an official diagnosis in the DSM-V does not guarantee improved coverage, clinicians are hopeful that the change will further validate this illness and spur changes to insurance coverage standards that could improve access to BED treatment.

4. Less misdiagnosis among BED sufferers. Because BED is frequently misunderstood, it is not uncommon for clinicians to recommend patients to seek help for their weight issues at weight-loss or gastric bypass clinics. In reality, these individuals require binge eating disorder treatment to address their underlying relationship with food, eating and body image. In addition, BED is also often overlooked in individuals that are normal weighted due to widespread misperception that sufferers of BED must be overweight.

“For too long, people who have struggled with binge eating disorder have been stigmatized and misunderstood,” said Dr. Bishop. “The classification of binge eating disorder as an official mental illness will help us promote education, dismantle common misperceptions and help patients and families secure appropriate treatment that supports lasting recovery.”

In response to increasing demand for specialized binge eating disorder treatment, Eating Recovery Center offers comprehensive binge eating disorder programming. For more information about binge eating disorder treatment, visit EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

About Eating Recovery Center:
Eating Recovery Center is an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the leadership of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In an effort to increase patient access to care throughout the United States, Eating Recovery Center partners with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program in Sacramento, Cali., and The Moore Center for Eating Disorders in Bellevue, Wash. Summit offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. The Moore Center offers Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, Colo., 80206
(303) 433-7020
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Healthcare

Eating Recovery Center Addresses Connection Between Compulsive Exercise and Eating Disorders

March 20, 2013 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Eating disorders treatment center identifies common warning signs and reveals challenges to identifying compulsive exercise behaviors

Denver, Colo, March 20, 2013 – Professionals specializing in the treatment of men, women and children with eating disorders are observing a growing trend among their patients, who are increasingly engaging in compulsive exercise. According to Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, the connection between excessive exercise and eating disorders generally stems from food-, body- or weight-related issues that drive the excessive physical activity. In fact, a study by Brewerton found that nearly 40 percent of patients with anorexia nervosa engaged in compulsive exercise behaviors.

“Compulsive exercise is obligatory in nature, and it doesn’t have to be a certain type of exercise or be performed for a minimum duration,” explains Jennifer Lombardi, MFT, executive director of Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, a partner program of Eating Recovery Center. “When evaluating if exercise is compulsive in nature, it’s important to look at the intention behind the movement, if there is a sense of urgency or agitation when individuals can’t engage in the exercise behavior, there is likely an issue. It’s also important to consider exercise in the larger context of an individual’s eating and body image history; exercise is one of those behaviors that means something different to people struggling with eating disorders due to their temperament and brain chemistry.”

Lombardi and the eating disorders experts at Eating Recovery Center explain that individuals engaging in compulsive exercise generally fall into one of two categories: those exhibiting significant exercise compulsion as part of their eating disorder; or individuals that did not initially exhibit excessive exercise behaviors, but began to do so as their eating disorders improved.

In other words, some eating disordered individuals abuse exercise as a compensatory behavior following a bingeing session or to give themselves “permission” to eat. Others may begin to engage in excessive exercise as what they believe to be a “healthy” part of eating disorders recovery. What these individuals do not realize, is that the frequency and volume of their exercise has taken the place of other eating disordered behaviors as an anxiety management tool and poses significant health complications, including joint injuries, stress fractures, muscle tears, tendonitis, fatigue and dehydration.

Eating Recovery Center encourages families, friends and healthcare professionals to be mindful of five common warning signs of compulsive exercise behaviors, including:

1. Exercising excessively “just because” as opposed to intentional exercise in preparation for a competition.

2. Refusing to miss a workout, regardless of weather or injury.

3. Exercising takes precedence over all other activities, including work, school and spending time with friends and family.

4. Experiencing a heightened level of anxiety if unable to engage in exercise.

5. Displaying an elevated rigidity and perfectionism with regard to exercise behaviors.

However, it is important to note that popular cultural narratives around exercise in the United States can pose significant challenges to identifying compulsive exercise—alone or occurring alongside an eating disorder.

* Exercise is healthy. There has been a major cultural shift around the notion that exercise helps us, not only in supporting general health and maintenance of a healthy weight during an obesity “epidemic,” but also as a tool to manage anxiety and stave off depression. This idea, and myriad variations of encouraged and acceptable frequencies of exercise (30 minutes each day; five days a week; etc.) can challenge the identification of dangerous patterns and/or normalize compulsivity, even during assessment by medical professionals.

* I am a competitive athlete. Overreaching is a common method of competitive athletes, and it is based on a principle of training that encourages the athlete to push beyond the body’s current ability to improve stamina and performance. Overreaching should not be confused with overtraining, which involves excessive intensity and duration, inadequate recovery time, unhealthy psychological state and malnutrition. Athletes that are overreaching are usually taking in sufficient nutrients and “fuel” to support their purposeful training activities, whereas athletes that are overtraining are nutritionally depleted and are exercising at extreme levels “just because.”

* I feel most confident when I am exercising and/or competing in my sport. Endorphins released during exercise make us “feel good.” Interestingly, compulsive exercisers often present with higher self-esteem despite having lower body-esteem. This paradox makes complete sense considering the temperament of those suffering from an eating disorder. These individuals are high achievers, see the world in a rigid, “black and white” way and tend to have low reward dependence. Due to the cultural reinforcement around exercise, patients feel good about themselves because they are excelling at something considered to be a “healthy” behavior. Additionally, exercise is concrete, measurable and accepted, and individuals with low reward dependence can do it well and push themselves privately.

* There is no official diagnosis; exercise compulsion must not be a real disorder. The treatment community and the American Psychological Association agree that more research is necessary to validate a formal diagnostic category for exercise compulsion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. However, exercise compulsion is a very real compensatory behavior for many individuals struggling with disordered eating.

Treatment is available to address compulsive exercise—occurring either alone or alongside a diagnosed eating disorder.

“A thorough medical evaluation is also a critical component of assessment, as exercise relates very directly to physical health and medical status,” continues Lombardi. “However, it’s critical that an eating disorders specialist is part of the multidisciplinary treatment team – including a therapist, dietitian, primary care and/or sports medicine physician – to help facilitate patient assessments and assist in the identification of dangerous patterns of behavior despite the common challenges imposed by our cultural beliefs about exercise.”

“Running on Empty: Exercise Compulsion and Eating Disorders” is available for complimentary viewing through Eating Recovery Center’s On Demand Professional Development Series. In this video, Lombardi explores current research examining the addictive nature of exercise, exercise in eating disorders recovery and interventions for compulsive exercising.

For more information about compulsive exercise, eating disorders and effective treatment, visit EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Healthcare

Eating Disorder Triggers High During Back to School Transition

August 30, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Eating Recovery Center Urges Parents to be Vigilant for Eating Disorder Signs

Denver, CO, August 29, 2012 – Research has shown that life changes, such as the transitions to middle school, high school or college, can serve as triggers that may contribute to the development of an eating disorder. For this reason, Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder, encourages parents of children and adolescents making these life transitions to be vigilant for early signs of eating disorders.

“Children and adolescents who are high-achieving, perfectionists and who have highly sensitive temperaments are generally at a higher risk than other children for developing an eating disorder,” said Julie Holland, MHS, certified eating disorders specialist and chief marketing officer of Eating Recovery Center. “For these individuals, unhealthy coping mechanisms may be utilized to manage the stressors associated with significant life changes.”

A 2012 study from the Journal of Clinical Nursing found that significant transitional events, as well as a lack of support following traumatic life events, could serve as eating disorder triggers. Researchers identified school transitions as one of the six main factors that triggered eating disorders among the individuals who participated in the study.

School transition experiences such as adapting to a new environment, meeting increased academic demands, struggling with social pressures and grappling with the physiological changes that occur during adolescence can create a perfect storm in which an individual with a highly sensitive temperament or a genetic predisposition for an eating disorder may turn to disordered eating behaviors as an anxiety management tool or coping mechanism.

To help parents manage their children’s transitions to new school environments, Eating Recovery Center highlights five back to school tips to help parents promote healthy attitudes about food and body shape and size.

1. Look for discreet warning signs. Although weight loss can be an indicator of disordered eating, it may not be immediately apparent. A child may be displaying signs of an eating disorder if his or her schoolwork and grades begin to suffer, if he or she becomes socially withdrawn and increasingly anxious, tired and lethargic. Parents should also be aware if their child begins wearing roomier or layered clothing, even on warm days.

2. Avoid comments about your child’s body shape or size. When shopping for new school clothes avoid commenting on your child’s weight or body size and instead focus on his or her preferences regarding color, style, etc.

3. Have an honest conversation about peer pressure and the dangers of replacing food calories with alcohol calories if your son or daughter is getting ready to make the move to college. Discuss the physical consequences of disordered eating and drinking behaviors, such as liver damage from excessive alcohol consumption or the significant internal damage poor nutrition can cause.

4. Remind your teenage athlete not to overdo his or her training in an effort to make a high school sports team. Watch for signs of over-exercise, such as sports preparation when he or she is injured or sick, or exercise that significantly interferes with daily activities and schoolwork.

5. Be a positive body role model. When helping an adolescent recover from the body-focused bullying that can sometimes accompany going back to school, a parent who has positive body image will have far more credibility than one who consistently criticizes his or her own looks.

“It is important to remember that what triggers an eating disorder may not be what perpetuates it,” said Holland. “Though school transition pressures may have precipitated an eating disorder, the factors that enable its continuation are often complex. Early intervention and treatment from qualified eating disorders professionals are essential to maximize opportunities for lasting recovery.”

To help parents learn more about helping their children more effectively deal with pressures that could lead to the development of an eating disorder, Eating Recovery Center has launched a free Community Education Series for parents. In the first seminar in this series, “Helping Your Kids Deal Effectively with Back to School Stressors: Opportunities for Parents,” parents will learn about being a healthy role model, communicating effectively and identifying steps to intervene when they are concerned about their child’s eating behaviors. The inaugural seminar is Thursday, September 6, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Eating Recovery Center’s Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents, 100 Spruce Street, Suite 200, Denver, Colo. 80230. To RSVP for the event, please contact Emili Coringrato by Tuesday, September 4, at ecoringrato@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or 720.258.4014.

About Eating Recovery Center:
Eating Recovery Center is an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In an effort to increase patient access to care throughout the United States, Eating Recovery Center partners with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program in Sacramento, Cali., and The Moore Center for Eating Disorders in Bellevue, Wash. Summit offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. The Moore Center offers Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Shannon Fern
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Healthcare

The Moore Center for Eating Disorders Expands Treatment by Partnering with Eating Recovery Center

July 20, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Selective affiliation is part of Eating Recovery Center’s ongoing commitment to provide geographically diverse centers of excellence for the treatment of eating disorders

Denver, CO, July 19, 2012 – Eating Recovery Center, an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder, announced today that it has partnered with The Moore Center for Eating Disorders. Located in Bellevue, Wash., The Moore Center is the largest eating disorders clinic in Washington state.

This affiliation brings synergies to both organizations, enabling The Moore Center to enhance its current treatment options by strengthening its connection with an international inpatient and residential center of excellence for the treatment of eating disorders, and providing Eating Recovery Center patients an additional high quality treatment option to explore as they step down from higher levels of care. Patients at both facilities will experience the benefits of two of the best programs sharing medical and clinical practices and philosophies.

Eating Recovery Center will additionally lend organizational depth and breadth to The Moore Center, allowing the Washington facility to utilize Eating Recovery Center’s management and administrative services.

“At Eating Recovery Center, we continue to seek out established professionals who share our values and our culture, and who are committed to providing the highest quality eating disorders care,” said Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, FAED, CEDS, founding partner and chief executive officer of Eating Recovery Center. “The Moore Center has long been a trusted source of expert eating disorders care in the Pacific Northwest, and I have worked closely with the program’s dedicated team for more than 10 years. I strongly believe that this group is the right team with which to share our successful clinical programs.”

Since it was founded in 1991, The Moore Center has provided specialized and comprehensive treatment for eating disorders in a medical setting. The treatment center will continue to be led by program founder and medical director Mehri D. Moore, MD.

“Partnering with Eating Recovery Center enables The Moore Center to not only expand our treatment options and provide higher levels of care to our patients, but also leverage the expertise and experience of some of the nation’s most respected eating disorders treatment experts,” said Dr. Moore. “By incorporating clinical models developed by Eating Recovery Center’s leadership team into our treatment program, we strive to provide the best possible care for our patients and support their lasting recovery.”

The Moore Center’s eating disorders treatment programs include:

* Comprehensive partial hospitalization programs for adolescents ages 13 through 18 and adults ages 19 and older.

* An intensive outpatient program that expertly treats eating disorders while minimizing interruption in a patient’s daily life.

* Additional “step down programs” that ease a patient’s transition into everyday life while continually promoting lasting eating disorders recovery.

Eating Recovery Center’s affiliation with The Moore Center is part of Eating Recovery Center’s ongoing effort to provide centers of excellence for the treatment of eating disorders in geographically diverse locations.

For more information about Eating Recovery Center, visit www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com. To learn more about The Moore Center for Eating Disorders, visit www.moorecenterclinic.com.

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, partnering with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in Sacramento, California, as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

About The Moore Center
The Moore Center is the longest-established eating disorder treatment facility in Washington state and has been dedicated to treating patients with eating disorders for more than two decades. Founded in 1991 and located in Bellevue, The Moore Center is a regional referral center; providing specialized and comprehensive treatment for eating disorders. The medically modeled treatment facility offers a continuum of care that includes partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient services. Since its inception, The Moore Center has treated over 5,000 patients. For more information, visit www.moorecenterclinic.com.

Contact:
Shannon Fern
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, Colo., 80206
(303) 433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Healthcare

2012 Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference Features Nation’s Leading Experts

July 4, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Registration Now Open for Educational Conference for Professionals Showcasing Innovative Eating Disorders Treatment Strategies, Highlighting Trends and Addressing Upcoming Changes in the Field

Denver, CO, July 03, 2012 – Denver, Colo., has emerged as a national hub for the treatment of eating disorders. This August, the experts who elevated Denver to this status, along with a group of other highly regarded professionals, will gather in the Mile High City to share trends, new research and emerging best practices in the field of eating disorders treatment at the 4th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference. Formerly known as the Rocky Mountain Eating Disorders Conference, the event will be held August 10-11, 2012, and is hosted by the Eating Recovery Center Foundation, a non-profit organization established to promote education, research and patient access to treatment.

“In the eating disorders field, it is imperative that we share resources, best practices and promising research in order to help our patients achieve the best outcomes possible,” said Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, FAED, CEDS, chief executive officer and founding partner of Eating Recovery Center, an international center for eating disorders recovery. “The Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference is a forum in which professionals and advocates alike can learn from each other, collaborate and share the innovative practices that are moving our field forward.”

This interactive educational program features plenary speakers, panel discussions and Q&A sessions, and supports connection and collaboration among attending physicians, therapists, nurses, dietitians, advocacy organizations and other members of the eating disorders treatment community. Highlights of the 2012 eating disorders conference include:

* Eating Disorders in the DSM-V: What Might We Expect?; Joel Yager, MD, FAED

* Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Action; Enola Gorham, LCSW, CEDS

* The State of Evidence-Based Treatment in the Field of Eating Disorders; Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS

* Updates in Refeeding Practices for Adolescents with Anorexia in the Inpatient Setting; Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAED, FSAHM, FAAP, CEDS

* Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Eating Disorders: A New Adjunct to Treatment; Emmett Bishop, MD, FAED, CEDS

The 2012 Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference will again be held at the Denver Marriott City Center. Prior to July 12, 2012, registration for professionals is $150 and includes all sessions, 12 continuing education credits, conference handouts and resources, lunch and dinner on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and periodic refreshment breaks. Single-day registration is $100. Student-discounted registration is $125 and $75 for single-day attendance. Space is limited and registration prior to the event is recommended. Register instantly online at EatingRecoveryCenter.com or by mail after completing the registration form.

This year, Eating Recovery Center will also offer conference attendees the opportunity to attend a pre-conference four-hour ethics workshop. Titled “Should Gandhi Have Been Force Fed: Ethical Issues in the Treatment of Eating Disorders,” the workshop will be held Friday, August 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., prior to the start of the general conference. Presenters include eating disorders treatment expert Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS, chief clinical officer of Eating Recovery Center; Rev. David W. Kenney, MA, MA, Cand. D.Be., of The Clinical Ethics Consultancy; and Andrew Braun, MBA, chief operating officer of Eating Recovery Center. Workshop registration costs $25 with conference registration and $50 without conference registration.

The new Eating Recovery Center Foundation (ERCF) was established in 2012 as a 501(c)(3) foundation with a three-fold purpose: to provide professionals in the eating disorders field with education and development programs that increase their knowledge and strengthen clinical treatment skills; to support research initiatives that deepen our understanding of these illnesses and how they can best be treated; and to create a fund that provides financial grants to Eating Recovery Center patients who require financial assistance.

For more information or to register for the 4th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference, visit http://bit.ly/EatingDisordersConference2012 or call 877-218-1344.

Contact:
Shannon Fern
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Healthcare

Demand for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Care Prompts Eating Recovery Center Expansion

May 31, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

International Center for Eating Disorders Recovery Expands Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents to Address Rising Incidence of Eating Disorders in Young Patient Populations

Denver, CO, May 30, 2012 – In response to an increasing demand for child and adolescent eating disorders care, Eating Recovery Center, an international center for eating disorders recovery, has expanded its Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. With the opening of a new facility in Denver’s Lowry neighborhood, this 11-hour-per-day, family-based treatment program will nearly triple current capacity. Eating Recovery Center’s child and adolescent programs, which provide inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization and outpatient treatment to boys and girls ages 10 through 17, have been in high demand since the Center opened its Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents in January of 2011.

The prevalence of eating disorders in adolescence and childhood has steadily increased in recent years. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, from 1999 to 2006, hospitalizations for eating disorders increased by 119 percent for children younger than 12 years.

“The growing need for eating disorders treatment programs with specialized expertise in managing the therapeutic and medical needs of children, adolescents and families is apparent,” said Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, FAED, CEDS, medical director of child and adolescent services and chief medical officer of Eating Recovery Center. “The expansion of the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents enables Eating Recovery Center to address this trend by providing comprehensive treatment to a significantly larger number of patients and families.”

Offering a critical stepping-stone in the eating disorders recovery process for young patients, the Partial Hospitalization Program enables patients and their families to participate in daily programming that emphasizes communication skills, relapse prevention strategies and healthy parent/child interactions. Through individual, group and family therapy and staff-supported meals, families begin to work toward returning to “life as usual” outside of their child’s structured eating disorders treatment environment. The overall focus is on recovery and well-being.

Patients participate in a combination of individual, group and family therapy emphasizing recovery skills and the role of families in lasting recovery. They engage with a licensed teacher at Eating Recovery Center’s Learning Center in the afternoons to facilitate a seamless transition back to school following treatment. While their child is in treatment, parents and family members receive twice-a-day education lectures and participate in support groups. Multi-family groups and family meals are also embedded in the weekly schedule to foster a supportive community for patients and family members.

“Our treatment philosophy recognizes the importance of family involvement, education and empowerment in the recovery process,” continued Dr. Bermudez. “Treatment programming acknowledges that many child and adolescent patients are too developmentally young to take full ownership of weight restoration, sustainable recovery skills and aftercare, and provides parents with tools to continue to facilitate recovery at home.”

When patients are medically and psychiatrically stable, the structure and support of 24-hour care environment is not necessary and there is willingness and availability among both patient and parents to engage in intensive outpatient treatment, the Partial Hospitalization Program can be a meaningful starting point for families to begin the recovery process. Alternatively, patients can step down to this level of care from Eating Recovery Center’s inpatient and residential programs for children and adolescents. In the latter instance, continuity of care is a priority and patients will retain the same treatment team throughout their full course of treatment.

The only privately owned licensed psychiatric hospital in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to treating eating disorders and providing all levels of care for adults, adolescents and children, Eating Recovery Center’s Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, in partnership with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in northern California.

For more information about eating disorders programs or to learn about Eating Recovery Center’s admissions process, visit www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

About Eating Recovery Center:
Eating Recovery Center is an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, in partnership with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in Sacramento, California, as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Shannon Fern
Communications Strategy Group
East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Healthcare

Eating Disorders in Children are on the Rise; Eating Recovery Center Urges Prevention at Home

March 30, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Leading Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Treatment Program Offers 10 Tips to Help Parents Prevent Eating Disorders

Denver, CO, March 29, 2012 – Between 1999 and 2006, hospitalizations for eating disorders in children 12 and younger rose 119 percent, according to a 2010 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. In an effort to curb the growth of anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder in this young patient population, Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com), an international center for eating disorders recovery, urges parents to take preventive measures at home to stop eating disorders before they start.

“While clinicians have yet to identify the absolute keys to preventing eating disorders, we do know that positive parental involvement and heightened awareness can help foster the development of healthy relationships among children, their bodies and food,” explains Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, FAED, CEDS, medical director of child and adolescent services at Eating Recovery Center.

Eating Recovery Center offers 10 recommendations to help parents practice eating disorders prevention at home:

1. Understand your own feelings and attitudes toward body image, body size, weight and health.

2. Model healthy attitudes and behaviors toward eating, exercise, body weight and shape and self-acceptance. Children will often mirror their parents’ thoughts and actions surrounding these issues.

3. Educate yourself about the complex nature of eating disorders. An informed parent is more aware and more likely to notice early warning signs or concerning behaviors.

4. Help your child manage stress. Reduce complexity in your child’s life to prevent or relieve anxiety and fear, which may lead to disordered eating in children who are particularly vulnerable to stress.

5. Focus on eating at ease during mealtimes. Promoting the social value of mealtimes strengthens family ties and relationships. Stressful, tense eating situations are counterproductive in efforts to develop healthy patterns around food consumption.

6. Maintain open lines of communication. Interaction is the antidote for the isolation and secretiveness that can sometimes allow a child to transition negative beliefs and attitudes into disordered eating behaviors.

7. Examine your child’s dieting and exercise habits. From a neurochemical perspective, these are not always benign activities. With the help of a medical professional, explore whether weight loss or increased exercise are healthy choices that support normal growth and development.

8. Monitor the beliefs and attitudes of your child’s friends. Children are eager to fit in and will often mimic their friends’ attitudes and behaviors—even those that are negative and potentially destructive.

9. Watch your child’s technology use. Websites and social media create a sense of “community” in which your child can learn about and compete at disordered eating behaviors. Studies have shown that both pro-eating disorder and pro-recovery online messages have risks to impressionable young minds.

10. Be aware of anxiety and depression, and seek care if your child shows signs of these conditions. The negative self image that is often associated with these conditions can lead to efforts to manage emotional insecurities via dieting and exercise.

“Even if parents are not able to prevent eating disorder-related behaviors in their children, prevention activities – such as being well informed about eating disorders and recognizing changes in attitude or behaviors that may suggest your child is at risk – are invaluable for enhancing early recognition and timely intervention,” continues Dr. Bermudez.

If your child begins showing symptoms of disordered eating, immediately seek eating disorders support from a qualified professional. Early intervention significantly improves the likelihood of recovery. For more information about Eating Recovery Center’s eating disorders treatment programs for children and adolescents ages 10 through 17, please visit www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

About Eating Recovery Center:
Eating Recovery Center is an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, and the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, in partnership with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in Sacramento, California. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, our collaborative programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults. Our integrated programs offer patients a continuum of care that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. For more information please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Shannon Fern
Communications Strategy Group
East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com