In Recognition of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Alsana Highlights the Importance of Inclusive Eating Disorder Care

Affirmation and compassionate support are associated with better mental health outcomes.

St. Louis, Mo. – June 1, 2023 – This Pride Month, Alsana acknowledges the urgent need to expand access to LGBTQ+ inclusive care and highlights its association with better mental health outcomes. Alsana, an eating recovery community, honors the diverse experiences of all clients in recovery. This includes addressing experiences of discrimination, oppression, and microaggressions as part of the treatment process.

Mental health conditions occur at a significantly higher rate in the LGBTQ+ community than in the general population. Transgender individuals are particularly vulnerable, being nearly four times as likely as cisgender individuals to experience a mental health condition, according to the Clinical Psychology Review.

“LGBTQ+-identifying individuals often experience unique stigmas and stressors that increase their risk for developing body image distortions and eating disorders,” said Heather Russo, chief clinical officer for Alsana. “As treatment providers, it is vital that we provide all clients with the safe, affirming, inclusive treatment environments they deserve and the compassion they need to believe in the recovery process and their own sense of worthiness.”

Alsana provides gender-affirming, LGBTQ+ inclusive, trauma-informed eating disorder treatment programs at all levels of care for adults of all genders. Their compassion-focused approach promotes shame reduction and self-compassion, emphasizing the importance of healing within the context of clients’ relationships with themselves and others. Learn more at alsana.com/lgbtq+

About Alsana

Alsana is an eating recovery community and treatment provider with in-person Residential and PHP/IOP programs in Alabama (Birmingham and Huntsville), California (Monterey, Santa Barbara, Westlake Village, and Thousand Oaks), and Missouri (St. Louis), Virtual PHP/IOP offerings across the United States. Their approach to eating disorder treatment is compassionate, evidence-based, and designed in alignment with the Adaptive Care Model®. This holistic method addresses healing in all areas of clients’ lives by integrating medical, nutritional, and therapeutic care with movement and relational therapies. Alsana serves adult clients of all genders and sexual identities struggling with a broad spectrum of eating, feeding, and co-occurring disorders. Alsana’s programs accommodate the unique needs of vegan clients and clients struggling with ED-DMT1, also known as “diabulimia.” For additional information, visit www.alsana.com.