Eating Disorder Treatment for Teens

Adolescence is a complex time of change, confusion, and confliction. In addition to physiological growth, seven key intellectual, psychological, and social developmental tasks are squeezed into these years. While this tumultuous time of change can be exciting-first dates, first cars, college applications, and increasing independence- it can also be a time of intense anxiety as one begins to form her own identity and prepare for adulthood. This scary time of change and “the unknown” creates a perfect breeding ground for the development of an eating disorder in an individual who has underlying anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies that may predispose one to developing an eating disorder.

Walker Wellness Clinic has been helping adolescents navigate this time of transition and change for over twenty years, assisting patients in the development of positive self-esteem and body image while helping them overcome their eating disorder so that they may go on to live happy, healthy lives. It is remarkable to see a portrait of a former Walker Wellness patient nurturing and loving her own adolescent without an eating disorder in the landscape!

We have re-designed The Standard Outpatient Treatment Program (SOP) to meet the needs of teens who do not require the intensity of an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or Day Program, but still demand the highest quality care. The Adolescent program is provided for youngsters with the following diagnoses: Eating disorders, depression, anxiety disorder, or obsessive disorder.

We provide an environment that allows the teens to maintain their current extracurricular, academic activities. We offer early mornings, evening hours and a weekender program to accommodate a young productive lifestyle.

Treatment for Teens

The Adolescent program provides much of the structure of our IOP programs

  • Full treatment team management, individual, family and group therapy, nutrition consultations, psychological, and physiological assessments.
  • Includes other adjunct services such as music therapy, art therapy, cooking classes, body image classes, and meal therapy.
  • This program requires only 3-5 meetings per week.
  • The Adolescent program is more comprehensive than most outpatient programs, and is an affordable alternative to the more intensive clinical services that we offer.
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