Confronting “The Enemy”

One of the major tasks of eating disorder treatment is helping patients realize that food is not the enemy. We look at the thoughts, events, and emotions tied to their association with food, and we slowly start to unwind those. At the same time, we are incorporating positive experiences with food. We don’t treat eating disorders as an addiction because you can’t stop eating. The reality is that they do have to eat every day for the rest of their lives to survive, so we need to teach them to be around food on a regular basis.

Hands-on Experience In the Kitchen

At The Meadows Ranch, patients spend time in our spacious kitchens daily, planning, prepping, and serving meals. Patients are not only doing the cooking, they have 16 culinary classes over the course of treatment, and they have to pass tests related to what they learn, explains Director of Nutrition Kimberly Collins. We’ve found that this type of exposure best prepares them for long-term success.

This educational approach and regular time in the kitchen helps to promote a healthier relationship with food, whether dealing with bulimia, anorexia, or other eating disorders. Not everyone in our program needs to gain weight, but for those who do, adolescent and preteen girls leave at 100% ideal body weight while adults leave at 93% of their ideal body weight.

 

Meadows Ranch kitchen

The Brain-Body Connection

Many patients arrive at The Meadows Ranch malnourished. As a result, they experience memory issues, they can’t hold anything in their heads, and they have a hard time processing the information they do take in. We combine our culinary approach with our state-of-the-art Brain Center, which uses neurofeedback and biofeedback to help calm and regulate the brain, preparing patients to be able to do the work necessary to begin to heal.

Erica Trocino


“One of the major tasks of eating disorder treatment is helping them realize that food is not the enemy. What are the thoughts, feelings, and associations tied with food for you?”

Erica Trocino, LPC-S, CEDS-S, CADAC
CLINICAL DIRECTOR

We’re Ready to Help

At The Meadows Ranch, we have your loved one’s best interests at heart, just as you do. Those who are suffering from an eating disorder deserve healing, but so do you and the rest of your family. We don’t believe there are shortcuts to recovery, but we have seen individuals in our programs learn how to thrive again. If you or a loved one is dealing with an eating disorder, our knowledgeable and caring staff are ready to help you embark on a journey toward long-term healing.

Call 866-390-5100