Eating Disorder Recovery at Opal
Find information on eating disorder recovery, how to support a loved one and resources for seeking support.
What eating disorders does Opal treat?
At Opal, we believe that full recovery from an eating disorder is possible. We work with clients who are seeking treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, ARFID and OSFED.
Is recovery from an eating disorder possible?
Yes! Although it may take time and relapse does happen, we believe you can recover from an eating disorder. Each individual will have a different treatment journey. We recommend utilizing a team including a therapist/ psychologist, dietitian, medical provider, and psychiatrist to support your recovery.
Continuum of Eating Disorder Recovery
How can I help a loved one begin or continue working towards recovery?
- Consider your own relationship to food, body, and exercise. Consider how you talk about and act in regards to food, body, and exercise. How might you be influencing this person with your words and actions? For example, do you or your friends ever say things like, “Does this make me look fat?” or “I wish I was as skinny as you.” We inevitably impact others and may not even realize it.
- Share your concerns. Try to be specific about what is worrisome regarding their eating or exercise habits so that your message is very clear. Avoid commenting on this person’s appearance or weight if possible and use “I” statements (e.g. “I notice that you only eat one meal a day. I’m concerned about the negative way you talk about your body.”)
- Offer to support. The best thing you can do is to listen and to come alongside this person in finding a therapist or other eating disorder resources when they are ready. Being support may also mean accepting that the person might not want help at that time. Letting them know you care and will be there for them in the future is still important.
Opal's Approach to Eating Disorder Treatment
The treatment of eating disorder is individualized. We take a holistic approach to treatment that allows for healing to be done in community and in individual sessions. We believe eating disorders develop to serve a function for an individual. Opal’s staff come alongside our clients to better understand those “whys” and find new ways to cope and live life without an eating disorder. We offer three levels of care at our Seattle clinic. Overall, our treatment model includes:
- Individual therapy, nutrition counseling, psychiatry, exercise experientials and family therapy available at the PHP and IOP levels of care.
- Health at Every Size, weight-neutral treatment approach
- Non-diet approach to food. Meals and snacks provided offer a wide variety of foods (highly processed, fresh, organic, non-organic, home-cooked, frozen, easy to prepare, etc.)
- Eating at meals and snacks are done with other clients and staff, as a community.
- A belief that adequate food intake is a foundational step in recovery.
- Exercise + Sport programming, which addresses exercise bulimia, exercise avoidance, and other exercise concerns
- Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as a foundational treatment
- Group therapy including body wisdom group, movement group, self-inquiry, process groups, facing fears and more.
- Teaching/Didactic groups including Radically Open Dialectical Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Exercise + Sport Didactic, Health at Every Size Didactic, etc.
- Free, non-clinical lodging for PHP clients to use while in treatment, as space available.
- Outpatient groups