Tag Archives: treatment for anorexia

As Holidays Bring Heightened Risk for Eating Disorders Relapse, Eating Recovery Center Promotes Strategies for Protecting Recovery

November 28, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Leading eating disorders treatment center offers suggestions for managing holiday stress for those in recovery from an eating disorder

Denver, CO, November 27, 2012 – Americans who regularly have high levels of overall stress are most likely to feel stress specific to the holidays, according to a recent survey conducted by Mental Health America. For individuals in recovery from eating disorders, who are typically predisposed to higher levels of anxiety, this is particularly true. The frenetic pace of the holiday hustle and bustle and increased emphasis on food-centric gatherings can lead to heightened stress, and in severe cases, eating disorders relapse. To help individuals in recovery from an eating disorder maximize the chances for a healthy, happy holiday season, Eating Recovery Center recommends patients and their loved ones take proactive steps to plan for recovery-focused holiday celebrations.

“Treatment professionals frequently see increases in eating disordered thoughts and behaviors in patients during the holiday season. Often, these lapses in recovery are a response to the anxiety that can accompany gatherings of friends and family, as well as more emphasis on and exposure to food,” explains Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, FAED, CEDS, chief medical officer and medical director of child and adolescent services at Eating Recovery Center. “To minimize the effects of these stressors and protect recovery during the holiday season, it is important to plan activities that emphasize recovery, commit to a manageable schedule and prepare for the ‘what-ifs’ that may arise.”

Eating Recovery Center offers the following strategies to help individuals in recovery, as well as their support systems, healthfully navigate the holiday season and minimize chances for eating disorders relapse.

If you are in recovery from an eating disorder:

1. Turn the focus from food. Make togetherness, rather than food, the central theme of your holiday season and seek opportunities to plan and attend events that do not center around a meal.

2. Avoid “overbooking” your schedule. Prioritize your health and wellbeing over attending every holiday party, and be realistic about what you can manage.

3. Surround yourself with people who have healthy relationships with their bodies and food. If possible, bring a trusted family member or friend with you to holiday gatherings for support.

If you are supporting someone in recovery from an eating disorder:

1. Include your loved one in holiday activity planning. With the help of his or her treatment team, your loved one can guide you as you plan new recovery-focused holiday traditions.

2. Give your loved one “the 411.” Provide information about holiday activities in advance, including what types of food will be available and if alcohol will be served. Preparation can help those in recovery avoid situations that might trigger a relapse.

3. Make your loved one’s recovery a priority. Consider altering holiday traditions in the short-term to protect your friend or family member’s wellbeing in the long-term.

“Additionally, staying connected to an outpatient treatment team, including dietitians, therapists and physicians or psychiatrists, can be extremely helpful during the holiday season,” explains Dr. Bermudez. “Whether from eating disorders treatment professionals, friends or family, it is important that individuals in recovery from an eating disorder seek out the support they need to successfully navigate this complex time of year.”

To learn more about Eating Recovery Center as a treatment resource for addressing escalating eating disordered thoughts and behaviors this holiday season, visit www.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 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

Eating Recovery Center: Eliminate Critical Body-Focused Comments During “Fat Talk” Free Week 2012

October 19, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Leading eating disorders treatment center urges adults and children alike to acknowledge the impact of negative body shape- and weight-centric comments and promote healthy self-esteem

Denver, CO, October 18, 2012 – A study released in early October in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that genetics could cause some women, more than others, to feel pressures to be thin and fall victim to body dissatisfaction. During “Fat Talk” Free Week (October 22-28, 2012) and beyond, Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, urges women and men alike to take a conscious break from weight-focused criticism of themselves and others, to minimize the potentially negative impact these comments could have on body image, self-esteem and the development of eating disorders.

While the fact that genes can influence body type is widely understood, Eating Recovery Center cites this recent study as further evidence demonstrating that genetics can additionally influence the degree to which individuals identify with a thin ideal. Even innocently intended phrases such as “I‘m having a ‘fat’ day,” or “You look great, have you lost weight?” can be internalized by people who are more genetically sensitive to comments and perceived judgments about body shape and size. “Fat talk” can be particularly impactful for children and teenagers, a population whose fragile self-images contend with powerful social pressures to be thin, including media messages and bullying.

“Every day, we are on the receiving end of a barrage of messages that encourage us to be thin – television commercials glamorizing disordered eating thoughts, social media posts describing new weight loss tools, comments from gossip magazines about celebrity weight gain, and even simple, self-deprecating comments from our friends and families,” explains Julie Holland, MHS, CEDS, chief marketing officer of Eating Recovery Center. “Under this steady pressure, it is not uncommon to internalize a thin ideology, engrain it in our thought processes and behaviors around food and body image and even impress these same ideals on our loved ones.”

To help men, women and children fight “fat talk” and promote positive body image and self-esteem in themselves and others, Eating Recovery Center offers these five recommendations:

1. Focus on what your body can do for you, rather than what it looks like. Take stock of the day-to-day activities your body helps you enjoy, regardless of what it looks like.

2. Do away with self-destructive behaviors. Overly critical comments about weight or size can wreak havoc on your body image and the body image of others.

3. Be aware of the comments you make about others. The next time you remark on a celebrity’s weight gain, remember that others can perceive this as a judgment about weight gain in general and they may even relate your comment to themselves.

4. Compliment yourself. Instilling a positive body image starts with the messages you develop about yourself. Make a practice out of complimenting yourself several times a day.

5. Be a critical consumer of media. Remind yourself and others that the images portrayed in the media are often unrealistic, and that body shapes and sizes are often digitally altered and impossible to achieve.

“While ‘fat talk’ rarely causes eating disorders, curbing this negative dialogue can be a powerful anecdote against the uncontrollable and external risk factors associated with eating disorders,” explains Holland. “If a loved one’s ‘fat talk’ accompanies significant weight loss, over-exercising or other concerning disordered eating behaviors, it is important to intervene early and seek an assessment from a qualified eating disorders professional.”

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

Informed Parents and Coaches Can Help Prevent Eating Disorders in Young Athletes as Fall Sports Begin

October 3, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Eating Recovery Center Offers Guidance to Help Parents, Coaches and Athletes Minimize Eating Disorders Risks

Denver, Colo, October 02, 2012 – Driven athletes possess similar personality traits to individuals who suffer from anorexia nervosa, which may predispose them to the potential development of an eating disorder. For this reason, and as fall sports kick into full gear, Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder, encourages parents, coaches and athletes themselves to understand and minimize athletic activities and pressures that could potentially lead to eating disorders.

Experts agree that certain categories of sports tend to place athletes at a greater than average risk for developing an eating disorder. High risk sports often include dance, gymnastics, wresting, endurance running and swimming. In fact, research published by Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS, chief clinical officer of Eating Recovery Center, found that at least one-third of female college athletes have some symptoms of an eating disorder.

“The same perfectionistic, high-achieving temperament that fuels athletic achievement closely mirrors the traits of individuals who tend to develop eating disorders,” said Dr. Johnson. “For this reason, it is important for athletes and their parents and coaches to be aware of and responsive to eating disorders risk factors in the athletic environment.”

To help parents of athletes reduce eating disorders risks, Eating Recovery Center offers the following guidance:

1. Keep a watchful eye for signs of over-exercising or obsession with achieving a specific weight or body size for competition.

2. Focus on the excitement of playing a sport or the importance of being part of a team, rather than on performance and wins and losses.

3. If eating disorders run in your family, be cautious about placing your child in body shape- or weight-focused sports, including those mentioned above.

Coaches can also assist in eating disorders prevention by recognizing their leadership role and exercising that influence to support the health of their athletes. Eating Recovery Center offers coaches the following advice:

1. Be mindful of the comments you make about athletes’ body types, shapes and sizes; seemingly harmless remarks can be very triggering for genetically predisposed individuals.

2. If weighing athletes or measuring body fat is a component of preparation for your sport, make efforts to privately assess athletes and keep numbers confidential when possible.

3. Open lines of communication with your athletes and engage in a dialogue if you are concerned about an individual’s weight loss or behaviors.

Additionally, individual athletes should adhere to the following recommendations to ensure safe and healthy athletic participation:

1. Focus on creating balance in your life and make time for non-athletic endeavors such as schoolwork, hobbies and time with friends and family.

2. Recognize the value of resting when you are injured or ill; pushing yourself harder during these times can result in further injury or illness.

3. Being asked to drop weight for an athletic event can be incredibly triggering; plan plenty of time for safe weight loss preparation and encourage teammates to do the same.

Eating disorders in athletes of all ages can lead to lower levels of athletic performance, organ malfunction, bone deterioration and osteoporosis, as well as cardiovascular problems. Early intervention and expert treatment from eating disorders professionals can minimize the chances for negative long-term health effects. For more information about eating disorders in athletes, visit www.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 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