Eating disorder recovery is deeply personal but also clinically measurable. At Alsana, we continually evaluate how clients progress during treatment using validated tools that track changes in eating disorder symptoms, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Our 2025 patient outcomes data reflects the experiences of 93 clients treated across Alsana’s programs, measuring self-reported changes from admission to discharge. 

As we continue to grow, so does our responsibility to learn from the individuals we serve. We are committed to ongoing measurement, transparency, and refinement. We recognize that the more clients we support, the more insight we gain into how recovery evolves and how care can continue to improve.

Behind every data point is a person reclaiming their life. We believe recovery is not simply the reduction of symptoms but also the process of rediscovering identity, rebuilding connection, and writing a new chapter. Our Recovery Story framework reflects this belief, honoring that every individual’s journey is unique and unfolding. The outcomes shared here represent more than numbers: They reflect the courage of clients who chose to step into recovery and begin shaping a life beyond their eating disorder.

Recovery Story: Where Clinical Care Meets Personal Meaning

At Alsana, the Recovery Story framework shapes how we understand and support the recovery process. It recognizes that, while recovery can be measured through clinical outcomes, it is also deeply personal and shaped by identity, relationships, and lived experience. The clinical framework provides a structure for understanding that journey, helping clients make sense of where they’ve been, where they are, and where they’re going. Rather than replacing clinical care, it works alongside it, bringing meaning and context to the measurable progress seen across evidence-based modalities.

This framework is integrated throughout Alsana’s multidisciplinary approach, including therapy, nutrition, medical support, movement, and relational work. As clients engage in these modalities, the Recovery Story helps translate clinical progress into lived change. It supports not only symptom reduction but also the rebuilding of trust, connection, and self-understanding. In this way, treatment becomes more than a series of interventions; it becomes a process of actively shaping a life beyond the eating disorder, grounded in both measurable outcomes and personal transformation.

This commitment to both measurable progress and personal meaning is reflected in the outcomes data below.

Who Participated in the 2025 Patient Outcomes Study

Understanding the client population provides important context for interpreting the outcomes. Below, you’ll see a demographic snapshot that reflects the diverse individuals who sought care for eating disorders and related mental health challenges. 

The average client was 30.7 years old, with the following age distribution: 

  • 18-24 years old: 40.7%
  • 25-34 years old: 30.8%
  • 35-44 years old: 9.9%
  • 45-54 years old: 9.9%

81.7% of clients identified as cisgender females, and 30.1% of clients identified as LGBTQ+. Other characteristics noted include:

  • 74.2% attended college
  • 31.2% employed full-time
  • 93.5% insured
  • 45.2% reported a family history of eating disorders

Significant Reduction in Eating Disorder Symptoms

One of the most significant measures used in eating disorder treatment research is the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), which evaluates the behaviors and thoughts associated with eating disorders. Examples include: fear of losing control over eating, preoccupation with body shape and weight, and secretive eating behaviors.  

Our 2025 patient outcomes data shows an average admission score of 3.53 and a discharge score of 2.52, representing a 29% reduction in eating disorder symptom severity during treatment. Notably, a discharge score below 2.8 is considered “in remission,” marking an important step forward in each patient’s recovery story.

Improvements in Quality of Life

At Alsana, we know that healing is about more than measurable progress; it’s about helping people reconnect with themselves and move toward a life that feels whole again. The Eating Disorder Quality of Life Scale (EDQLS) measures the impact of eating disorders on areas such as relationships, daily functioning, emotional well-being, self-image, and more. 

For residential clients, our results indicate an admission score of 97.2 and a discharge score of 119.0, which shows an average increase of nearly 22 points in quality of life during treatment. This improvement suggests that, as clients progress through treatment, they often begin to rediscover aspects of life that may have been overshadowed by their eating disorder.

Reductions in Co-Occurring Conditions

It is common for clients to experience anxiety and depression symptoms alongside their eating disorder. In fact, these co-occurring conditions can play a significant role in maintaining the disordered behaviors. 

Anxiety Symptoms

Alsana uses the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to measure anxiety symptoms. For state, or situational, anxiety, our data shows an admission score of 58.78 and a discharge score of 52.97, with an average reduction of 5.82 points. 

Meanwhile, for trait, or long-standing, anxiety, patients saw an average reduction from 59.12 at admission to 54.13 at discharge, representing a 4.99-point improvement. While this reflects important progress, it also reinforces our commitment to evolve and deepen our approach to supporting those navigating persistent anxiety.

Depression Symptoms

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) measures depressive symptoms, including loss of interest or pleasure, low energy, sleep disturbances, and feelings of hopelessness. The 2025 patient outcomes data shows an admission score of 13.95 and a discharge score of 10.43. This means that clients experienced an average reduction of 3.52 points in depression severity, indicating clear improvement in mood and emotional well-being.

Strengthening Emotion Regulation Skills

Emotion regulation is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotional experiences in healthy and constructive ways. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF) measures how effectively individuals can manage emotional responses. 

With an average admission score of 2.96 and an average discharge score of 2.64, clients experience significant improvements in emotion regulation skills during treatment. Ultimately, a therapeutic focus on building these coping skills directly supports long-term recovery and healing.

Understanding Effect Sizes in 2025 Patient Outcomes

Effect size allows us to better understand the impact of changes during treatment, beyond simply identifying whether or not a change occurred. In the 2025 patient outcomes data, the effect sizes are as follows:

  • Eating disorder symptoms: 0.77
  • Quality of life: 0.71
  • State anxiety: 0.57
  • Trait anxiety: 0.42
  • Depression: 0.62
  • Emotion regulation: 0.52
  • Compulsive exercise: 0.27

These findings demonstrate consistent improvements across multiple domains of recovery. As we continue to collect and learn from this data, we remain committed to strengthening our measurement-based care, using these insights to refine our approach and improve outcomes over time.

Patient Experience and Satisfaction

In addition to measurable clinical progress, patient experience remains a critical part of understanding recovery at Alsana. At discharge, 92% of patients shared that they would recommend this facility to other individuals seeking treatment for an eating disorder. Moreover, 94% of patients reported that they were very satisfied with the overall care they received at Alsana. 

These responses reflect more than satisfaction alone. They speak to the trust, connection, and sense of support that are essential to meaningful, sustained healing.

Affirming Care Experience

Recovery happens most authentically in environments where individuals feel safe enough to show up as their full selves. In our 2025 perception of care data, clients overwhelmingly described Alsana as an affirming place of care:

  • 97% described Alsana as an accepting and affirming environment
  • 96% felt able to show up authentically and be respected
  • 96% said their gender identity was respected and affirmed by staff
  • 98% said their sexual identity was respected and affirmed by staff

These findings reflect the importance of creating treatment environments where individuals feel respected not only for where they are in recovery, but for who they are as whole people. For many individuals, trust, psychological safety, and deep connection can meaningfully shape engagement in treatment and the broader healing process.

Alsana is and has been one of the most respected, caring, and safe places for me to go as a trans man. All of the staff and clients respected me in ways that I’ve never been respected before, and I felt welcome and safe to be myself. – Anonymous

Stories like this help bring the data to life, reminding us that behind every percentage is a lived experience of feeling seen, respected, and supported.

At Alsana, Recovery Is Possible

Eating disorders affect many areas of a person’s life, from physical health and emotional well-being to relationships, identity, and more. Alsana’s whole-person approach to treatment is designed to support recovery across multiple dimensions, including therapeutic care, medical support, nutritional healing, relationship connection, and movement and body awareness.

The improvements reflected in these 2025 patient outcomes represent the dedication to clients, the support of loved ones, and the collaborative work of Alsana’s multidisciplinary care teams. While every recovery story is unique, these results demonstrate that healing is possible—and that measurement-based care can help people move toward healthier and more fulfilling lives.

As we continue to expand our outcomes tracking, we recognize that this is just the beginning of a deeper, ongoing commitment to measurement and transparency. With each client we serve, we deepen our understanding of how healing unfolds, allowing us to continually refine and strengthen the care we provide. We are committed to strengthening our data collection, adjusting our approach, and holding ourselves accountable to the individuals and families who place their trust in us.

Visit our website to learn more about our programs or to schedule an assessment for yourself or a loved one.