Philosophy & Treatment Approach 

We are one of the only programs in the country that offers specialized treatment for pediatric eating disorders. We treat children as young as 7 years old and up to age 13 with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) or Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED). Treatment is tailored to each individual patient’s developmental and learning needs and is provided in a safe therapeutic environment that utilizes state-of-the art interventions. Children can be simultaneously treated for common psychiatric disorders that co-occur with eating disorders (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Phobia, Major Depression, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Learning Disorder). The primary treatment modalities utilized in the pediatric program are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID (CBT-AR), Family Based Treatment (FBT), Exposure/Response Prevention (ERP), Parent Management Training (PMT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).  

Patients in our pediatric program receive treatment from a multidisciplinary team that includes a family therapist, individual therapist, psychiatrist, dietitian and nurse. Children are provided with the necessary structure and therapeutic tools to enact changes in their eating patterns and behaviors by participating in therapeutic meals, group therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy. Parents and/or guardians are heavily involved in the treatment of their children and participate in one full day of multifamily group therapy where they are provided with the coping skills and support needed to successfully generalize treatment gains to the home and school environments. 

Program Logistics

Specialty Tracks and Program Highlights

The multidisciplinary team tailors treatment to each patient taking into account their individual diagnoses, age, development, and recovery goals. 

ARFID

Patients receive treatment focused on their specific presentation and needs. Some patients with ARFID are scared to eat for fear of something bad happening, others are picky about the characteristics of food (e.g., texture, taste, smell), and others struggle with lack of interest in food or with eating enough food due to uncomfortable body sensations. ERP is a specialty treatment that is offered to every ARFID patient in the pediatric program and is provided in a way that helps them overcome their specific difficulty with eating.

AN, BN & OSFED

Patients with AN, BN, and OSFED struggle with body image concerns that drives them to restrict their food intake and engage in compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, laxative use or excessive movement. The pediatric program offers a body image group and body-image focused individual therapy to these patients as they make progress in their treatment to begin tackling body image concerns.

Gastrointestinal Focused Therapy (GIFT)

We offer a Gastrointestinal Focused Therapy (GIFT) group, where patients learn about their GI system in a fun, age-appropriate manner that allows them to understand what is occurring in their bodies when they eat and digest food. This group also incorporates aspects of exposure therapy by supporting patients in learning to tolerate body sensations commonly associated with anxiety and the process of refeeding. 

Family Day

Every Wednesday, we welcome parents and guardians to join their child for a full day of programming, in addition to dedicated family sessions with their therapist and dietitian. This immersive experience fosters connection and community, offering opportunities to participate in multi-family and parent-focused groups, share meals in a supportive therapeutic setting, and learn alongside other caregivers. Our goal is to empower parents and guardians with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to support their child’s recovery long after leaving our care.

Schooling

We are proud to partner with the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) to offer our patients dedicated academic instruction for one hour each day. Through this collaboration, students receive personalized educational support that allows them to maintain academic progress while in treatment.
For those enrolled in online schooling, this time can also be used to meet with instructors or independently complete coursework ensuring continuity in their education.

This partnership provides a rare and invaluable opportunity: patients can fully engage in the eating disorder treatment they need while confidently staying on track academically.