Anorexia / rESTRICTIVE eATING Treatment

Our Treatment for Anorexia and ARFID

Anorexia (restrictive eating, ARFID) treatment at Woodleaf Center is a gentle approach because we know the healing process takes time. Our small program allows us to individualize our care including ARFID which we know requires different interventions. We focus on what has brought you to this moment in time, what purpose the anorexia/restriction is serving and how to stabilize your emotions and eating patterns. We know and believe you can fully recover.

Our program provides a combination of therapeutic interventions (individual therapy, group support, nutritional counseling) to help you discover freedom from the obsession of food and/or weight. Our holistic nutrition approach will give you  tools to create balanced meals, stabilize eating patterns and regain nutritional balance. We will meet you where you are at with food in this process. Our goal is to help clients embrace who they really are and what they really need so they can let go of their eating disorder.

Symptoms to look for in Restrictive Eating/ Anorexia and ARFID

Anorexia Nervosa

• Extremely low body weight, or body weight much lower than one’s body was genetically meant to be
• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
• Distorted body image: sees self as fat
• Undue influence of body weight or shape on how one evaluates one’s self
• Absent or irregular menstruation
• May or may not engage in purging behaviors

ARFID

• Loss of Interest in eating
• Feeling anxious about the consequences of eating, like choking on food or vomiting
• Avoiding foods that have unwanted color, taste, texture or smell
• Only being able to eat certain “safe” foods that can become increasingly more limited as time goes on
• Feeling full before meals and having no appetite often including physical symptoms such as constipation, stomach pain and acid reflux
• ARFID is not associated with body image issues or a desire to lose weight                                                                                                            

Many factors go into the development of anorexia/restrictive eating or ARFID. Including genetics, environmental factors, cultural issues, trauma and other underlying physical/emotional issues. We address these underlying issues and look at the emotional, physical, environmental and nutritional issues that may be present as well. 

If you or a loved one is suffering from symptoms of anorexia/restrictive eating or ARFID we are here to help. Our goal is to work with you every step of the way to shift your life, behaviors and to reclaim your life. For any questions about how we can help please contact us for a free 20 minute phone consultation.