Residential Treatment
Structured, in-person care. 24 hours of programming and support per day, 7 days a week.
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Trauma Treatment
Healing for the whole person. We will help you take the first step towards full recovery from trauma.
What is Trauma?
Trauma occurs when one’s boundaries are breached- physically, emotionally, or otherwise. It can be experienced as a one-time event, a prolonged event, or a series of events.
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- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Substance abuse
- Self-harm
- Feelings of shame
- Isolation
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- Gastrointestinal conditions: associated with compensatory behaviors
- Heart-related issues
- Esophageal inflammation/acid reflux
- Digestive irregularity
- Ongoing dental problems
- Suicidal behavior
- Electrolyte imbalance: can cause severe dehydration and damage nerves, muscles, and organs
- Co-occurring conditions: such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use disorder
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- Restricting: Primarily involves limiting food intake.
- Purging: This involves restrictive eating with recurrent episodes of binge eating and compensatory measures such as vomiting, laxative misuse, or excessive exercise.
Co-occurring Trauma and Eating Disorder Treatment Programs.
Alsana’s treatment programs offer a nurturing environment for adults struggling with co-occurring conditions such as trauma. Our approach is grounded in understanding and compassion, recognizing the unique journey each individual faces in their path to recovery.
Our trauma treatment is delivered by a dedicated, multidisciplinary team of treatment professionals. This collaborative team is committed to walking alongside you, offering support and guidance at every stage of your recovery journey. We understand that recovery is not a linear process, and our team is equipped to adapt to your evolving needs. We offer Residential and PHP/IOP options in Alabama, California, and Missouri, providing flexible solutions tailored to your personal recovery. For those seeking recovery within a less-structured treatment environment, our Virtual PHP/IOP programs are available and designed to empower clients to thrive and refine their recovery skills in their own environment.
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Day Treatment
Daytime, in-person care. 6-8 hours of programming per day, 5-7 days per week.
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Intensive Outpatient
Flexible, in-person care. 4 hours of programming per day, 3-5 days per week.
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Virtual PHP/IOP
Flexible, online care for adults and adolescents. 4-8 hours of programming per day. 3-5 days per week.
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Whole-Person Approach to Trauma and Eating Disorders.
At Alsana, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive care for those struggling with an eating disorder resulting from trauma, focusing on whole-person healing and recovery. Our treatment programs integrate a HAES philosophy and adopt weight-neutral goals, ensuring that every aspect of your well-being is addressed.
Our approach to treating co-occurring conditions, such as trauma, is rooted in reducing shame and fostering self-compassion. Through trauma resolution, the individual will come to see how the eating disorder provides only fleeting relief, and also work to develop healthier coping skills.
All of our programming is built on the foundation of our Adaptive Care Model®, which prescribes an individualized, whole-person care approach for clients recovering from co-occurring conditions. This evidence-based method facilitates multidimensional healing through medical, therapeutic, and nutritional care and relational and movement support. This approach to eating disorder treatment helps clients hone the recovery skills needed to sustain recovery post-treatment.
Types of Trauma Associated with Eating Disorders.
The types of trauma that can lead to eating disorders are as varied as the individuals who experience them. At Alsana, we approach each client’s story with compassion, recognizing the unique ways in which trauma can manifest and affect one’s relationship with food and body image.
Common types of trauma associated with eating disorders include:
- Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in childhood can profoundly affect an individual’s self-esteem and body image, leading to eating disorders as a form of control or escape.
- Emotional abuse and neglect can leave individuals feeling unworthy or invisible, with disordered eating behaviors emerging as a cry for help or an attempt to assert some control over their lives.
- Survivors of sexual assault may turn to eating disorders as a way to cope with feelings of shame, guilt, and loss of control over their bodies.
- The loss of a loved one, especially if sudden or violent, can trigger eating disorders as individuals struggle to process their grief and find a sense of stability.
- Experiences of bullying, especially related to body image or weight, can lead to long-term self-esteem issues and disordered eating as a way to fit in or change one’s appearance.
Our goal is to help our clients heal from their trauma, reclaim their bodies, and develop healthy, sustainable relationships with food and themselves.
Trauma Treatment Team.
Treating trauma clients requires a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach. Essential team members include:
- Registered dietitian with experience with eating disorders
- Psychotherapist with experience with eating disorders
- Nurse
- Medical doctor
- Psychiatrist
Additional self-care behaviors to promote health management include but are not limited to: sleep and dental hygiene, hydration, and stress management.
Trauma and ED Nutritional Care
During the assessment process, Alsana dietitians gain a thorough understanding of clients’ eating and nourishment challenges and work with our eating disorder-informed culinary team to create custom meal plans that meet bulimia clients where they are in recovery.
Dietitians also collaborate closely with Alsana’s therapeutic team to help clients heal their relationship with food and their body. In the individual and group settings, the Alsana team collaborates with each client to work toward making food choices that feel good and fuel their body without internal judgment. Specifically for clients with eating disorders and a trauma history, dietitians provide personalized support tailored to their unique needs. This may involve creating meal plans that prioritize safety and comfort, implementing gradual exposure to challenging foods or situations. Additionally, dietitians incorporate trauma-informed approaches into their individual sessions, fostering a supportive and empathetic environment where clients feel understood and empowered in their journey towards recovery.
Our goal is to create food neutrality by taking out the moral judgment of food and focusing on nourishment, flexibility, and pleasure in the nutritional healing process. Learn More About Alsana’s Approach to Nutritional Care ⟶
Alsana’s Nutrition Program
- Weekly nutrition psychoeducation group
- Nutrition education
- Hands-on experientials
- Kitchen skills
- Individualized meal plans
Trauma and Eating Disorders – Statistics.
Prevalence: 23.1% of individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) and 25.5% of those with bulimia nervosa (BN) meet the criteria for a current diagnosis of PTSD.
Types: The most common type of trauma reported by individuals with EDs was noninterpersonal trauma, with approximately 71% of AN, 67% of BN, and 75% of BED patients having experienced such events.
War-Related Trauma: War-related trauma was the least common type of trauma, with approximately 2% of AN, 2.2% of BN, and 1.4% of BED patients reporting such experiences.
Trauma and Binge Eating Disorder (BED): In the multivariable model, binge eating disorder was equally associated with sexual interpersonal, other interpersonal, and noninterpersonal trauma. This suggests that BED may have a different relationship with trauma compared to other eating disorders.
Alsana is a Preferred In-Network Provider for All Major Insurance Companies
Trauma and Eating Disorder Treatment FAQs
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Can trauma cause eating disorders?
While no single factor is responsible for the development of an eating disorder, there are a number of issues, including trauma, that can increase a person’s susceptibility. An eating disorder can be a symptom of trauma – a means to express boundaries and control. For some, eating disorders serve as a language to express things they lack the skills or security to communicate in any other way.
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How are trauma and eating disorders related?
Trauma, especially interpersonal trauma such as sexual assault, has been significantly associated with the development of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Traumatic experiences can lead to various coping mechanisms, including disordered eating behaviors, as individuals may seek to manage trauma-related distress or regain a sense of control over their bodies and lives.
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Can noninterpersonal trauma also lead to eating disorders?
Yes, noninterpersonal traumas, which include events that do not necessarily involve harm or assault by another person (such as car accidents, natural disasters, or life-threatening illnesses), have been found to be associated with eating disorders, particularly binge eating disorder (BED).
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Are certain types of eating disorders more related to trauma than others?
Binge eating disorder may have a broader association with different types of trauma, including sexual interpersonal, other interpersonal, and noninterpersonal trauma. In contrast, anorexia nervosa has shown a significant association, particularly with sexual interpersonal trauma. This suggests that the relationship between trauma and eating disorders can vary depending on the type of eating disorder.
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What percentage of individuals with eating disorders have experienced trauma?
Studies have found that a significant portion of individuals with eating disorders report experiencing trauma. 43.8% of individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder reported experiencing more than one traumatic event. This compares to 24.9% of individuals without an eating disorder diagnosis, indicating a higher prevalence of trauma among those with eating disorders.