Welcome to the Eating Disorders Program at PPG

Hope and healing for eating disorders starts here.

At PPG, we understand how deeply challenging and isolating eating disorders can be. Whether you or a loved one is struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, ARFID, or disordered eating behaviors, know that recovery is possible, and you don’t have to face this alone.

Our specialized therapy services are designed to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to adolescents, adults, and families. We’re committed to breaking the stigma surrounding eating disorders and empowering individuals to seek help. 

Why Choose the Eating Disorders Treatment Program at PPG?

We built our eating disorders program to serve as a safe, nonjudgmental space for individuals grappling with eating disorders. Our approach combines expert guidance, empathy, and individualized care tailored to every client’s unique needs. Here’s how we can support you:

1. Expertise You Can Trust

Our licensed therapists, under the direction of Dr. Heather Rosen, specialize in treating eating disorders and have extensive experience working with individuals of all ages.

Our program integrates research-backed therapies that have shown to be effective to address both the physical and emotional aspects of eating disorders. Some of the approaches we use are:

• Family-Based Treatment (FBT): FBT, originally known as the Maudsley Method, has the largest evidence base and currently is recognized as the gold standard treatment for eating disorders in young people. The central idea of FBT is that families play a critical role in a young person’s recovery and FBT empowers family members to take a primary role in the treatment process. The approach helps caregivers learn how to restore their child’s physical health and weight at home. Then, the treatment focuses on helping the young person learn to manage their own eating, engage in typical daily activities, and build a life outside of the illness.

• Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT): EFFT is a therapeutic approach designed to help caregivers support loved ones struggling with mental health challenges. It provides caregivers with tools to respond to their loved one’s emotions with empathy, strengthen their connection, and reduce emotional distress.

• Adolescent-Focused Therapy (AFT): AFT focuses on improving self-esteem, self-efficacy, and motivation to engage in adolescent development in the context of Anorexia Nervosa. The goal is to support the adolescent in decreasing behaviors and thoughts that maintain the eating disorder while promoting the adoption of new skills that foster autonomy and sense of agency.

• Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E): CBT-E is considered one of the most effective treatments for eating disorders in adults, and has been modified to involve parental support for adolescents. This approach works to identify and disrupt the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to eating, body weight/shape, and the self that maintain the individual’s eating disorder.

• Exposure-Based Strategies: Exposure-based treatment for eating disorders is a cognitive behavioral approach that helps individuals confront and reduce fears, worries, and avoidance behaviors related to food, eating, body image, and weight.

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT helps individuals regulate emotions, tolerate distress and discomfort associated with eating, and improve interpersonal relationships.

• Acceptance-Based Approaches: These strategies focus on helping individuals develop a more flexible and compassionate relationship with their thoughts, emotions, and bodily experiences. They emphasize acceptance rather than avoidance or control of distressing emotions, promoting psychological flexibility and values-driven behavior.

2. Collaborative Care

Recovery is a team effort. We partner with dietitians, medical professionals, and families to provide comprehensive support. We will coordinate with your current treatment team or help you organize a team of providers in the community to support long-lasting recovery. We also believe that families are a powerful part of the healing process, and we work closely with family members to restore an individual’s health.

3. A Holistic Approach

Eating disorders can impact every aspect of life—mind, body, and spirit. Because eating disorders often occur along with other mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, and substance use disorders, we also treat co-occurring conditions at the appropriate time. Often times, eating disorder symptoms and behaviors need to be addressed first before treatment can focus on other psychological, emotional, and relational concerns.

What Conditions Do We Treat?

Our clinicians specialize in evidence-based treatment for a variety of eating disorders and related issues, including:

• Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by intense fear of weight gain, extreme food restriction, and distorted body image.

• Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by frequent cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting, extreme exercise, or laxative use, to prevent weight gain.

• Binge Eating Disorder

An eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of eating an unusually large amount of food in a short period of time while experiencing a loss of control.

• Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)

An individual with OSFED does not meet the specific criteria to be diagnosed with another eating disorder but is presenting with many of the symptoms of other eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. This does not mean that the eating disorder is any less serious or dangerous as it is associated with the same medical and psychiatric complications observed in other eating disorders.

• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

Individuals with ARFID severely limit their food intake due to sensory reasons, fear of choking or vomiting, or low appetite/lack of interest in eating. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is not driven by concerns about weight or body image, but it can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies, growth delays, and social challenges.

• Body Image Concerns

Holding negative thoughts, feelings, and perception about one’s body, shape, and weight. Body dissatisfaction increases a person’s risk of developing an eating disorder.  

If you’re unsure what you or a loved one may be struggling with, our team is here to help you identify concerns and create a tailored treatment plan.

Common Warning Signs of Eating Disorders:

While eating disorders can present differently in each person, the following signs may indicate the need for professional help:

Physical Changes:

• Noticeable and persistent weight changes (either up or down)
• Fatigue, dizziness, or fainting
• Complaints of stomach pain or digestive issues
• Feeling cold
• Development of fine hair on the body (lanugo) or thinning hair
• Dental problems related to purging.

Emotional and Behavioral Signs:

• Preoccupation with food, dieting, or body image
• Expressing distress about weight or engaging in frequent body checking
• Avoiding or skipping meals, limiting portion sizes, avoiding certain foods or food groups, disappearing after meals, hiding food, or eating in secret
• Evidence of binge eating like large amounts of food disappearing
• Signs of purging such as frequent trips to the bathroom after eating
• Excessive exercise, even when injured or unwell.

Social Withdrawal:

• Avoiding social situations, especially those involving food
• Declining interest in activities once enjoyed.

Who is at Risk?

Eating disorders can affect anyone but are often linked to a combination of genetic, biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Adolescents and young adults, in particular, may be at heightened risk, but people of all ages and demographics can develop an eating disorder.

The Importance of Early Intervention

Early treatment is critical in addressing eating disorders. Left untreated, these conditions can lead to severe medical complications, including heart issues, organ failure, and even death. The sooner an individual receives treatment, the greater their chances of full recovery. Early identification and intervention has been shown to greatly improve outcomes and save lives.

How to Seek Help

Recovery begins with reaching out. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, we’re here to help.

At PPG, we help clients:

• Restore physical health and establish regular and flexible eating patterns.
• Foster a healthier relationship with food, body image, and self-esteem.
• Learn tools to more effectively manage stress, difficult emotions, and perfectionism.
• Address co-occurring mental health conditions that may be contributing to disordered eating.
• Strengthen family and social support, and rebuild relationships.
• Develop a plan for relapse prevention and long-term recovery.

“Whether you’re beginning to notice warning signs or have been living with an eating disorder for years, it’s never too early—or too late—to seek help. Recovery is possible.”