Adolescence is the most likely age for eating disorders to develop. For those with anorexia and nervosa and bulimia nervosa, a recent study found that the average age on onset was 18 years old, therefore people begin to need treatment at an earlier age. Other disorders, especially binge eating disorder, may have a slightly higher average age of onset, but related disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder also usually begin during adolescence.

Eating disorders affect adolescents of all backgrounds. With that in mind, Clementine St Louis is prepared to provide treatment for:

• Adolescents of all genders. Clementine St. Louis proudly offers gender-affirming care that welcomes trans individuals and tailors their programs with gender-affirming care. Please contact our admissions specialists to learn about the specifics of both gender-inclusive and gender-exclusive programs and for details about housing and room assignments.
• Adolescents of all ethnicities. Clementine provides care to people in need of eating disorder recovery from all backgrounds.
• Adolescents of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Clementine programs recognize that each policy has its nuances; we look at the plan and person individually before admission to determine the financial scenario for each family.
• Every Clementine program is proud to be an LGBTQ-friendly facility, with informed care that includes personalized treatment programs.

• Anorexia Nervosa – A mental health condition where an individual restricts caloric intake in an effort to lose weight. A diagnosis of anorexia nervosa includes the individual becoming medically underweight; if they restrict food, have distorted body image, and lose weight but do not become underweight, it is diagnosed as atypical anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental health disorder. Anorexia treatment consists of medical stabilization, psychotherapy, and nutritional education.
• Bulimia Nervosa – Also associated with body image distortions and a desire to lose weight, bulimia nervosa consists of a person regularly binge eating and then following these episodes with purging in one form or another. Most often this means self-induced vomiting but can include methods like excessive exercise and abuse of laxatives or diuretics. Bulimia treatment involves behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and mindfulness as well as medical treatment.
• Binge Eating Disorder – This is the kind of eating disorder most recently added to the DSM-V, but it is the most common eating disorder in the United States. Binge eating disorder is when an individual routinely eats a large amount of food in a short period, often past the point of feeling comfortable or full. Unlike bulimia nervosa, the individual does not purge following a binge eating episode. Binge eating treatment addresses the individual’s self-image distortions and provides nutritional education to help re-establish healthy eating patterns.
• Orthorexia Nervosa – Unlike the previously listed disorders, orthorexia nervosa is not necessarily associated with body image distortions. With this disorder, the individual develops an obsession with “clean” or “healthy” eating. They will cut out certain ingredients and food groups that are deemed unhealthy. It can result in malnutrition, weight loss, and social isolation. Orthorexia treatment involves nutritional education and cognitive therapy to correct the disordered obsession with “clean” eating.

• Psychiatric presentations (depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder)–Eating disorders are psychiatric illnesses in and of themselves and are closely associated with these presentations. Comprehensive eating disorder treatment always makes a full assessment of each individual in treatment, to align treatment for each kind of condition. Psychotherapy is standard, and some mental health presentations such as depression and OCD can be controlled using medication.

• Trauma/PTSD –Disordered eating and other forms of disorder behavior are often a kind of trauma response. Because of this, trauma-informed care is central to virtually every eating disorder treatment program. Adolescent eating disorder treatment will often include mindfulness exercises and therapeutic techniques like Cognitive Processing Therapy (designed specifically to help people process trauma) to address the key root causes of disordered eating.

• Twice weekly individual psychotherapy sessions with doctoral or master’s level primary therapist
• Weekly individual sessions with members of the treatment team; including the clinical director, dietitian, psychiatrist, and family therapist
• Family involvement and empowerment: Close communication and direct access to treatment team | Weekly family therapy (on-site or remote). Weekly multi-family group (on-site). Individualized exposure opportunities to practice meals and support the reintegration of the adolescent into family mealtimes after discharge
• Daily group therapies such as Dialectical behavioral therapy, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Body image rehabilitation,art, and expressive therapies, family and relationships, interpersonal process, self-esteem, relapse prevention, contract groups
• Individualized treatment for co-occurring disorders such as substance use, mood disorders, trauma, etc.
• Individualized therapeutic assignments are given weekly and are tailored to the adolescents’ level in treatment. They are intended to promote awareness, understanding, and insight