“The staff, particularly Sarah, Rachael and Joanne, were always there for me. They made treatment, especially meal times, more enjoyable.”
View the outcomes of residential treatment for female adolescents with an eating disorder.
McLean Hospital: Intensive, Innovative Care for Eating Disorders
The Klarman Eating Disorders Center at McLean Hospital provides state-of-the-art treatment for eating disorders in girls and young women ages 13 to 23. Housed in its own newly renovated building on McLean’s beautiful grounds, the Center provides a unique therapeutic environment that is conducive to recovery. Our balanced, comprehensive treatment approach includes an intensive residential program with a referral network for outpatient care in Canada.
McLean is consistently ranked as the #1 freestanding psychiatric hospital in the US. Drawing from this broad pool of expertise, at the Klarman Center we are able to serve the most complex patients, including those who carry one or more diagnoses in addition to an eating disorder. For example, if the patient has an active substance abuse problem, we can combine intensive on-site detox treatment with the supportive therapies she needs for bulimia. Similarly, if the patient has a dual psychiatric diagnosis - such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Nonverbal Learning Difficulties - we can tailor a treatment plan to meet her unique needs.
If you are worried about yourself or a loved one, please contact us for a free, confidential consultation. In most cases, we can admit Canadian patients to our residential program within 2 days of receiving their paperwork.
At McLean, goals for patients include enhancing self-image and self-esteem, developing skills to effectively manage problematic behaviors, improving interpersonal relationships, understanding the issues which underlie eating disorders, developing healthy relationships with food, respecting their bodies, and preparing to meet the challenges of life following discharge from the hospital.
A Patient's Typical Day
Patients share a room with one or two others who are receiving treatment. Everyone is encouraged to bring personal belongings from home to make the setting more comfortable. A typical day includes groups in cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, expressive arts therapy, impulse control, relapse prevention, psychoeducation and anger management. These groups are designed to educate patients about their disorders, to support behavioral change, and to enhance motivation to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Individual and family therapy, psychopharmacology sessions as well as lessons related to nutrition, cooking and body image are all integral components of treatment at McLean as well. For more information about daily therapy, please see the sample schedule.
Three supervised meals and two snacks are provided daily. Meals are served in the Center's comfortable dining room. As patients dine around the table, they are encouraged to focus on the social dimensions of eating. Each day also includes opportunities for free time, during which patients may make and receive phone calls. School-age patients are given time to pursue their studies. Recreational and therapeutic activities off grounds, such as food shopping and restaurant outings, are incorporated into certain days as well. The patient’s day ends with a wrap-up group followed by lights out.
