Eating Recovery Center Opens the Only Seven-Day Partial Hospitalization Treatment Center in Irvine for Adults, Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders

IRVINE, CA (May 4, 2022) — In response to the need for specialized eating disorders treatment in California, Eating Recovery Center (ERC), the nation’s leading mental health care system dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders, is opening its second treatment center in the state and first in Southern California. The treatment center will offer Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient levels of care in separate programs for adults (ages 18 and up) and children and adolescents (ages 12-17) with eating disorders.

“What we’ve heard from healthcare providers across the state, and have certainly seen for ourselves, is that there’s a critical need for higher levels of care closer to home,” says Elizabeth Wassenaar, MD, Regional Medical Director at ERC. “As the only seven-day partial hospitalization program in Irvine, we’ll be able to help Californians find lasting recovery from eating disorders.”

It is estimated that 9% of Californians will have an eating disorder in their lifetime, and hospital admissions for eating disorders among children and adolescents across the country are up 25% since April 2020. The State of California Department of Health Care Services forecasts continued growth in the number of clients for specialized mental health services.

“Our treatment model is built to support long-term recovery,” says Laura Cabanillas, MA, LPCC, CEDS, Clinical Director of ERC Irvine. “Our multidisciplinary approach effectively treats all elements of the eating disorder to address the whole person.. We work with our patients and their families to create a strong foundation for recovery by addressing underlying issues, giving them actionable tools and skills and including ample time with their treatment teams to practice those skills across levels of care.”

ERC treats patients of all gender identities suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), binge eating disorder and co-occurring conditions. Each program has been thoughtfully designed to deliver evidence-based medical, psychiatric, therapeutic and dietary care in a healing and nurturing environment.

Patients receiving care at Eating Recovery Center Irvine will benefit from:

• Industry-leading clinical expertise: With the foremost experts in psychiatry, psychology and medicine, ERC can treat the most medically severe and psychiatrically complex cases.
• Caring, multidisciplinary teams: An expert, compassionate care team includes a therapist,  psychiatrist, primary care physician, nurse and dietitian who collaborate to provide individualized treatment plans.
• Evidence-based treatment: A comprehensive treatment model designed by renowned experts in the eating disorder treatment field. Treatment modalities include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
• Robust family programming: Programming for families and caregivers includes therapy sessions, support groups, education, webinars and resources to empower each patient’s support system. Modalities include Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) and Family-Based Therapy (FBT).
• Strong post-discharge support: A clinician-led team provides ongoing support for patients who have transitioned to outpatient care through alumni events, free support groups, social recovery communities and resources for patients and caregivers.

“Often, patients who come to us for treatment have lost hope that they can fully recover from an eating disorder," says Cabanillas. "At ERC, we believe that full recovery is possible. We serve as 'hope holders' for our patients."

Eating Recovery Center Irvine is located at 114 Pacifica, Suite 450.

About Eating Recovery Center 

Eating Recovery Center (ERC) is the nation’s leading mental health care system dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders. ERC specializes in treating patients struggling with eating disorders and related conditions including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, diabulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), unspecified eating disorders and co-occurring conditions (OSFED). Led by the world’s leading experts, ERC provides innovative, evidence-based treatment programs tailored for patients of all ages, genders, races and ethnicities. Working with patients as well as their families, ERC's multi-disciplinary treatment programs are designed to help illuminate their unique paths forward and provide a foundation for resilience and long-lasting mental wellness. ERC offers Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) levels of care in centers across the country as well as Virtual IOP telebehavioral health services. For more information, please visit eatingrecoverycenter.com.