Eating Disorder PHP/IOP Programs in Birmingham, Alabama

Alsana’s Day Treatment and Intensive Outpatient Programs in Birmingham, AL, are designed to support adult clients ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy.

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PHP/IOP for Eating Disorder Recovery in Birmingham, AL

Alsana Birmingham’s PHP/IOP programs offer whole-person eating disorder care for adults who are ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Often utilized by clients transitioning from higher levels of inpatient care, PHP/IOP are also well-suited to support direct-admit clients in need of early intervention. Alsana Birmingham’s multidisciplinary PHP/IOP care team provides compassion-focused support for individuals recovering from:

Alsana Birmingham offers flexible scheduling options that fit seamlessly within clients’ busy lives so they can focus on healing sooner, while continuing to work, attending school, and spending time with loved ones.

Alsana Birmingham PHP/IOP Program Features

Day Treatment (PHP)

  • 6-8 hours of programming/day
  • 1 individual session/week with Primary Therapist
  • 1 nutrition counseling session/week
  • 1 psychiatry session/week
  • 4-5 group sessions/day
  • 1 supportive other session/week

Intensive Outpatient (IOP)

  • 4 hours of programming/day
  • 1 individual session/week with Primary Therapist
  • 1 nutrition counseling session/week
  • 3 group sessions/day
  • 2 supportive other sessions/month

Meet Our Alsana Birmingham Care Team

Our most valuable assets are our people. Compassionate and collaborative professionals, our Birmingham care team collaborates to deliver multi-dimensional, whole-person treatment to support lasting recovery from eating disorders.

Mary Elizabeth Akinaka, LPC, CEDS-S

Regional Executive Director

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Mary Elizabeth Akinaka, LPC, CEDS-S

Mary Elizabeth Akinaka currently serves as Regional Executive Director at Alsana in Birmingham, AL. She is an LPC and CEDS-S and has been working in the eating disorder community and with Alsana for almost a decade. Mary Elizabeth is passionate about leading a team who have a compassionate drive for serving clients with intentional, effective, and individualized care. She enjoys being a part of a space that allows clients to have a brave space to work on their recovery journey.

Mary Elizabeth received her bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Special Education from Auburn University. She received  her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and a Certificate of marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Mary Elizabeth loves interacting with individuals from all walks of life and is a believer that a significant aspect of our growth as human beings is through interaction, specifically those who stories look different from our own. In her spare time she loves spending time with her husband and two boys.

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Lori Macomber, LPN

Nurse Manager (PHP) | she/her/hers

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Lori Macomber, LPN

Lori is an experienced nurse in the field of eating disorders and is very passionate about the team and work being done at Alsana. She is currently the nurse manager for the PHP program and takes joy in supporting and connecting with clients on their journey to recovery.

Prior to becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse, Lori received a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts from Mississippi University for Women. She uses her love of food and nursing to help encourage a healthy outlook on food.

Lori loves to cook, travel, and get a good book in when her busy schedule allows. She is most often spending time with her husband and chasing after their three girls.

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David Bailey, LMSW, CCTP

Lead Therapist | he/him/his

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David Bailey, LMSW, CCTP

As Lead Therapist for Alsana, David is responsible for guiding the team through clinical conceptualizations and meeting clients where they’re at while compassionately motivating them to step into a life consistent with their values.

David earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Social Work at Kennesaw State University. Before coming to Alsana, David worked as a therapist in the prison system and in an inpatient psychiatric hospital.

David is most passionate about being a part of change and finds fulfillment in guiding people to step into their potential. Your experience in this world can leave you unseen and your voice can be unvalued in given spaces. He believes everyone has the right to be seen and is worthy of that space.

David’s greatest hope for clients in recovery is taking the leap, oftentimes felt as a risk, toward success; toward a future where our problems might not just disappear, but how we navigate the world alongside them changes.

In his free time, David enjoys kicking back on his PlayStation or strolling the streets with his Nikon.

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Johnny Williamson, MD

Psychiatrist | he/him/his

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Johnny Williamson, MD

Prior to joining Alsana, Johnny served as the Medical Director at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center in the Chicagoland area, caring for individuals diagnosed with various eating disorders.  He has over 6 years of experience in the treatment of eating disorders.

Dr. Williamson completed his undergraduate degree at the University Of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He earned his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.  Subsequently, he completed both general psychiatry and child and adolescent residencies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Dr. Williamson spent much of his early career in community psychiatry, forensic psychiatry and hospital-based work.  More recently Dr. Williamson provides care in a mix of inpatient work, residential treatment and private practice.

Dr. Williamson is board-certified in General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has over 20 years of experience in mental health.

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PHP/IOP as Early Intervention

Treatment is more effective and tends to be less disruptive to an individual’s life when delivered early after symptoms have been detected. Accessing PHP/IOP as early intervention for eating disorders can mean less time spent in treatment, a reduced likelihood of relapse, and fewer physical and mental health risks.

Waiting until eating disorder symptoms worsen before getting help is common but not advised. Clients who seek early intervention are more likely to be receptive to their care team and often get more out of their time in treatment. In fact, early intervention makes it possible for some clients to avoid needing an in-person treatment program altogether.

Person receiving support in eating disorder group session- Eating Disorder Group Session

PHP/IOP as Relapse Prevention

Alsana offers Two-Week Intensives at PHP/IOP levels of care for individuals in need of relapse prevention support. Recovery maintenance takes vigilance, persistence and support. Alsana Birmingham wants you to know that no matter how long it’s been since leaving treatment, not only is it ok to ask for help when you’re struggling, it’s encouraged. 

PHP/IOP relapse prevention programming is available virtually and in person. If you or someone you know needs help, contact us today.

Person receiving support in eating disorder group session- Eating Disorder Group Session

Adaptive Care
Model®

Our Adaptive Care Model® reflects our integrative approach to eating disorder treatment. We focus on the total health and well-being of each client by empowering these areas: medical, therapeutic, nutrition, movement, and relational practices.

Alsana leadership and treatment teams work collaboratively to develop, train, and create consistency within all of our clinics. Within this framework, we put the client first, offering the client essential tools as well as support to achieve a fully-recovered life.

Alsana's Adaptive Care Model for eating disorder recovery
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Medical Treatment

We heal bodies and minds.

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Nutrition

We believe in and practice all-inclusive nutrition.

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Movement

We support movement for every body.

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Therapeutic

We cultivate compassion.

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Relational

We are accepting of all lived experiences.

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In Their Own Words

Let Alsana help you write your own story of hope and healing. Alsana Birmingham would like to be your eating recovery community.

  • The staff at Alsana proved to be extremely talented in the art and the skill of not colluding with my eating disorder while...

    also not treating me as if  I was an eating disorder. They treated me like the real, whole person that I had lost sight of. They have an ability to hold nuance gently and they aren’t afraid to wade into the hardest waters, which is so much more helpful than receiving treatment that is guided by a rigid manual. There is an unbelievable amount of safety at Alsana because of this and my gratitude is crazy high!
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    Sydney
    Sydney
  • As I began to apply the knowledge I gained from Alsana into my daily life, I found that my anxiety, guilt, shame ...

    and self-criticism steadily faded like a candle flickering on its last legs. I found authentic joy in things I used to reprimand myself for doing. I took, and continue to take pride in the progress I made and continue to make. Most importantly, I am now capable of self-acceptance and self-love whether I succeed, fail or anything in between.
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    Paul
    Paul
  • Before coming to Alsana, I had never had a treatment experience in which the “how” and “why” of the eating ...

    disorder were addressed. This has proven to be essential in my treatment at Alsana and also in my daily life as a member of society. Alsana providers led me through so much illuminating self-reflection about topics that I had never before considered relevant to my treatment, recovery, or self in general. Alsana staff appreciate and treat the individual, and I felt this in and outside of therapy sessions. They always humored my random geography facts and propensity to trail glitter wherever I went. 🙂 Ultimately, my treatment experience at Alsana taught me how to be a shamelessly authentic individual, and it gave me a sense of safety to explore what it means to be myself.
    With so much love,
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    Kate
    Kate

Alsana Birmingham is a preferred in-network provider for all major insurance companies.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Logo
Anthem Blue Cross logo - health insurance
Beacon health options logo
blue shield California logo
Kaiser Permanente logo- eating disorder insurance coverage
Multiplan logo- eating disorder coverage
aetna health insurance logo
Cigna health coverage logo
Humana health insurance logo
MHN Healthnet logo
Optum logo- eating disorder coverage

Alsana PHP/IOP Programs Are Also Available At
These Locations

Monterey, CA

Our Alsana Monterey day treatment facility is conveniently located to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Our team is happy to assist clients in securing recovery-minded housing nearby.

Our Alsana Monterey day treatment facility is conveniently located to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Our team is happy to assist clients in securing recovery-minded housing nearby.

Santa Barbara, CA

Our Alsana Santa Barbara day treatment facility is conveniently located to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Our team is happy to assist clients in securing recovery-minded housing nearby.

Our Alsana Santa Barbara day treatment facility is conveniently located to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Our team is happy to assist clients in securing recovery-minded housing nearby.

St. Louis, MO

Our Alsana St. Louis day treatment facility is conveniently located on the same campus to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy.

Our Alsana St. Louis day treatment facility is conveniently located on the same campus to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy.

Westlake Village, CA

Our Alsana Westlake Village day treatment facility is conveniently located to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Our team is happy to assist clients in securing recovery-minded housing nearby.

Our Alsana Westlake Village day treatment facility is conveniently located to provide seamless care for clients transitioning out of our residential program. PHP/IOP levels of care are well-suited to support individuals ready to hone their recovery skills with more autonomy. Our team is happy to assist clients in securing recovery-minded housing nearby.

Free Online Resources

Alsana Birmingham is Here to Support Your Recovery Journey.

Call Us Today. (855)915-0213

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