Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment for Adolescents

Whether you’re a parent, guardian, or trusted loved one, we’re here to help your adolescent on their eating recovery journey while keeping you involved every step of the way. Our virtual adolescent treatment is designed for ages 12–17 and is available in California, providing compassionate care for the whole family.

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Alsana would like to be your virtual eating recovery community.

We are here for you 24/7
(855)915-0213

Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment for Adolescents

Whether you’re a parent, guardian, or trusted loved one, we’re here to help your adolescent on their eating recovery journey while keeping you involved every step of the way.

-

Alsana would like to be your virtual eating recovery community.

We are here for you 24/7
(855)915-0213

adolescent in group during virtual eating disorder treatment

Virtual Day Treatment and Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Adolescent Eating Disorder Recovery

Our adolescent virtual eating disorder treatment program is designed to support those in California, ages 12-17, as they navigate their recovery journey. This program offers specialized care for conditions such as anorexia, ARFID, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, trauma, and other co-occurring conditions, all delivered in an accessible online environment.

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"Choosing to seek treatment is a brave and meaningful step for both you and your adolescent. At Alsana, our team is dedicated to providing expert care with compassion and understanding, ensuring that your family feels confident and supported every step of the way. Through our virtual adolescent program, we bring care into the comfort of your home, offering flexibility and accessibility while maintaining the same comprehensive, evidence-based approach as our in-person programs. We are here to provide your family with the tools, guidance, and encouragement needed for lasting recovery."

Jessica Harris, LMFT, CEDS

Chief Operating Officer | Chief Clinical Officer

A Unique Philosophy of Care

Our virtual adolescent program integrates a Family-Based Treatment (FBT)-informed approach with Alsana’s established Compassion-Focused Therapy care model, creating a comprehensive and inclusive framework for recovery. FBT, widely recognized as one of the most effective approaches for adolescent eating disorder treatment, emphasizes the critical role of families in the recovery process. This approach shifts the focus from blame to empowerment, recognizing caregivers as invaluable allies in their loved one’s healing journey.

Through our unique philosophy of care, parents, guardians, and caregivers are equipped with practical tools and guidance to actively support their adolescent’s recovery, particularly in areas such as meal support, emotional regulation, and relapse prevention. By including caregivers in the treatment process, our approach empowers families to take an active role in their adolescent’s recovery, providing structure and support that strengthens family connections and promotes long-term healing.

While families are a vital part of the process, our program also prioritizes the adolescent’s autonomy and individual therapeutic needs. Adolescents will receive intensive, one-on-one therapy tailored to their unique challenges and goals, allowing them to form a meaningful relationship with their treatment team. Our dual focus ensures that both the individual and their family system are given the tools that sustain recovery.

young teen working with a parent on virtual eating disorder treatment for adolescents

What to Expect in Adolescent Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment

Virtual Day Treatment (vPHP)

  • 5 days/week
  • 7 hours of programming/day
  • 2 individual sessions/week with a primary therapist
  • 1 nutrition counseling session/week with a dietitian
  • 1 psychiatric touchpoint/week
  • 4 group sessions/day
  • Daily meal and snack support
  • 1 family/supportive other session/week
  • 1 family/supportive other support group/week
  • 1 multifamily/supportive other psychoeducation group/month

Virtual Intensive Outpatient (vIOP)

  • Up to 5 days/week
  • 3 hours of programming/day
  • 1 individual session/week with a primary therapist
  • 1 nutrition counseling session/week with a dietitian
  • 2 group sessions/day
  • Daily meal support
  • 2 family/supportive other sessions/month
  • 1 family/supportive other support group/week
  • 1 multifamily/supportive other psychoeducation group/month
young girl sitting in a chair with a laptop in virtual eating disorder treatment for adolescents

Accessible Programming

Our virtual eating disorder treatment programs for adolescents are built to help clients gain access to care with the lowest amount of disruption to everyday life. Clients and their loved ones will have flexible treatment hours built to enable adolescents to continue their academic and extracurricular pursuits when clinically indicated.

Meet the Care Team

Our Alsana Connect team is committed to helping each unique client nurture self-compassion and shame resilience and supporting them as they hone the skills they’ll need to maintain recovery long-term.

Jessica Harris, LMFT, CEDS

Chief Operating Officer | she/her/hers

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Jessica Harris, LMFT, CEDS

As the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Clinical Officer, Jessica Harris joined Alsana because of their guiding principles and reputation for providing quality clinical care. She graduated from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Art in Psychology and a minor in Child Development. She obtained her Masters in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Over the past 11 years, she has experience working with adolescents and adults of all genders and their loved ones at all levels of care including (inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient.) Previous to joining the Alsana team, Jessica opened residential and outpatient eating disorder programs across the nation and oversaw the operations of 11 programs in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Jessica loves to cook and try new restaurants, in her spare time she also loves to be outdoors exploring new hikes in the Los Angeles region and reading!

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Angela Dainas, M. Ed., LMFT

Regional Executive Director | she/her/hers

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Angela Dainas, M. Ed., LMFT

Angela is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Georgia and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Angela received her undergraduate degree in English from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, and her Master of Education in Counseling from The University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama.

Angela has been working in the clinical treatment field since 2009, first working with clients recovering from eating disorders and then clients recovering from substance-use disorders. Angela has had the honor to work with clients and families at multiple levels of care, including detox, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient.

In her role as Regional Executive Director for Alsana Connect™, Angela oversees the operations of the program and aims to lead the all-remote team in building a cohesive culture of compassion. Angela is passionate about creating a thriving and useful virtual environment to deliver Alsana’s Adaptive Care Model ® to clients nationwide.

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Ali Beckman, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-C

Director of Clinical Nutrition and Movement Services | she/her/hers

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Ali Beckman, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-C

As the Director of Clinical Nutrition and Movement Services at Alsana, Ali assumes a pivotal role in upholding the standard of clinical nutrition excellence. Employing Alsana’s Adaptive Care Model, Ali meticulously oversees the implementation and maintenance of nutrition and movement programs, ensuring exceptional quality and consistency.

Ali’s journey towards this leadership position was sparked by an aspiration to make a difference in the lives of individuals battling eating disorders. Joining Alsana as a dietitian in 2017, Ali has since dedicated herself to guiding clients through the intricate process of healing their relationships with food and their bodies.

With a comprehensive background in addressing complex eating disorders, including Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), as well as expertise in diabetes management, Intuitive Eating, and Embodied Recovery, Ali brings a wealth of specialized knowledge to her practice.

The cornerstone of Ali’s professional fulfillment lies in her role as an educator and collaborator, working closely with fellow dietitians to tailor approaches that resonate with clients at various stages of recovery. Leveraging the transformative power of nutrition, Ali is committed to nurturing holistic healing in individuals, addressing not only physical well-being but also the intricate interplay between the brain, gut, and heart.

Ali’s ultimate aspiration for each client is to empower them to cultivate and sustain lives defined by vitality and freedom from the burdens of body distress and societal diet norms. She believes in fostering a deep sense of self-awareness and resilience, enabling clients to thrive in all facets of their lives, particularly in their relationship with themselves.

Ali’s passion for eating recovery was ignited during her collegiate years when she embarked on a dual exploration of nutrition and psychology. This interdisciplinary approach kindled her curiosity about the profound intersection between nutrition and emotional well-being, laying the foundation for her impactful career trajectory.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Ali finds solace and rejuvenation amidst nature, often spending cherished moments outdoors with her beloved canine companions, Petey and Mike, or nurturing her garden.

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Dr. Michael Louie

Psychiatrist | he/him/his

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Dr. Michael Louie

Dr. Louie received his medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences and went on to complete his psychiatry residency training at Loma Linda University.  He is well versed in treating adult, child and adolescent, and geriatric patients and has been working with adolescents in the eating disorder space for 10 years. Louie has an understanding and ability to treat a range of disorders including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, addiction, and psychosis. 

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Amy Wray, RN

Registered Nurse | she/her/hers

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Amy Wray, RN

Amy is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings including eating disorders, substance abuse, and cardiac disorders. Amy uses her extensive clinical experience to care, educate, and empower in a kind and professional manner.

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Quality Considerations

  • All Alsana PHP/IOP programs, including virtual PHP/IOP, are Joint Commission accredited and have met or exceeded the Joint Commission’s rigorous performance standards.
  • vPHP/IOP treatment is provided by a licensed, Master’s-level clinician.
  • Virtual services are offered through a secure, user-friendly, HIPAA-compliant and confidential platform.
  • Our clinicians have experience working with eating disorder clients in a virtual setting and our team is solely dedicated to ensuring virtual clients receive the same quality of care as those enrolled in a traditional (in-person) program.
  • We’ll work with your outpatient team for seamless treatment planning and symptom assessment.
young woman cooking at home

Alsana's All-Inclusive Nutrition Philosophy

With our  “All-Inclusive Nutrition” approach, we believe in flexibility and enjoyment of foods without shame or judgment. Alsana’s All-Inclusive Nutrition approach embraces the usefulness of all foods, including those that are compact, innovative, and nutrient-rich, to aid in restoring and healing the brain, body, and gut microbiome. This approach broadens nutrition healing for our clients from all cultural and diverse backgrounds.  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.

young woman and loved one working on making pizza together for virtual eating disorder treatment for adolescents
young woman cooking at home

Client Perception of Care From Our Established Adult vPHP/vIOP Programs

  • 97% of Alsana virtual clients surveyed said "I would recommend this program to others seeking treatment for an eating disorder."
  • 97% said, "virtual services offered a unique experience by allowing me to be at home and continue to work on my ED in that environment."
  • 91% said "virtual services were able to deliver comprehensive and adaptive care."
Testimonial Section
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"I’m a big fan of virtual – this wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t an option. I have no trouble engaging in this format so it definitely works for me."

Anonymous

Alsana Virtual Alum

Client Perception of Care From Our Established Adult vPHP/vIOP Programs

  • 97% of Alsana virtual clients surveyed said "I would recommend this program to others seeking treatment for an eating disorder."
  • 97% said, "virtual services offered a unique experience by allowing me to be at home and continue to work on my ED in that environment."
  • 91% said "virtual services were able to deliver comprehensive and adaptive care."
Testimonial Section
Testimonial Headshot

"I never thought recovery was possible for me, but Alsana showed me just how worthy and capable I was of a better life. I owe my life to them."

Erin, Alsana Virtual Alum

Insurance Coverage for Virtual Programming

We aim to make treatment as accessible as possible and are dedicated to supporting families throughout the process. Alsana is in-network with many major insurance providers.

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

FAQs About Eating Disorders and Adolescents

Families and supportive others will be integrated into the therapeutic process to enhance the recovery journey, without the expectation of constant involvement. Their participation may include specific sessions, group activities, or even meal support when clinically appropriate and determined by the care team. This ensures their involvement is purposeful and aligns with the client’s unique needs and treatment goals.

We aim to make treatment as accessible as possible and are dedicated to supporting families throughout the process. Alsana is in-network with many major insurance providers. Our admissions team can check your benefits – visit alsana.com/insurance to get started.

Starting treatment is a simple process. You can contact us through our 24/7 live chat or call us directly to schedule an appointment for an initial consultation to discuss your needs and treatment options. Visit alsana.com/admissions for more info.

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