About us.
Eating disorders have become more prevalent over the last twenty years. They can become chronic disorders, are progressive and can, in extreme cases, be fatal. Eating disorders express in different ways; In Anorexia nervosa, severe restrictions in food intake and intense fear of fat are common; Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by discrete episodes of binging on food, often accompanied by purging; In Binge Eating Disorder, excessive amounts of food are consumed throughout a day, leading to obesity and other medical problems. Eating disorders present a complex interaction of psychological and physical problems. This mind-body dysregulation is serious and difficult to overcome alone. Recovery within a community is important. Eating Disorders exact a high cost in suffering and loss on the affected individual and the family. Personal relationships, professional ambitions and future potential are all stunted by eating disorders. If left untreated an eating disorder can develop into a lifelong and debilitating psychological and medical problem. Treatment is challenging and can be difficult. Successful treatment is both intensive and delivered for a sufficient length of time.
Many individuals who struggle with an eating disorder fear a long period of hospitalization. Hospitalization is sometimes a necessary intervention when treating an advanced eating disorder. An extended stay in the hospital or multiple short term hospital interventions significantly disrupt family life, personal relationships, school plans and careers. Hospitals and residential treatments are the most costly and restrictive forms of treatment. A recommendation for a hospital stay is considered the intervention of last resort at the EDRCA. Our goal is to provide an intensive program of integrated individual and group treatment that effectively reduces symptoms, avoiding a hospital assignment. Then, treatment continues, where skill and insight are combined to foster recovery and build a confidence that protects against relapse.
The philosophy of our program can be stated as “Recovery takes place in your life.” The intent of our intensive outpatient treatment program is to provide intervention and treatment of sufficient strength to provide an alternative to in-patient care. We work with our patients to establish treatment as a priority while supporting continued participation in daily life activities. A goal is to provide our patients with the tools and strategies they need to understand, reduce and ultimately eliminate eating disorder symptoms. Our approach is comprehensive-skills, insight, behavior modification, emotional growth and nutritional care are core components of our treatment. Our team is composed of doctoral level clinicians and selected supervised doctoral trainees. We approach each case as an individual concern. Our effectiveness is supported by a team approach that involves regular consultation and ongoing feedback about each patient.
The core of the treatment involves individual therapy, family therapy and appropriate referrals to community psychiatrists, physicians, and dieticians. We believe that any individual who commits to their treatment and takes full advantage of our team approach will experience a reduction of symptoms and learn the skills necessary to prevent relapse. Our goal is to foster a full complete recovery and a confidence in resiliency to relapse.
What We Do
The Eating Disorders Recovery Center of Athens (EDRCA) was founded almost twenty years ago, it’s mission and purpose to provide the intensive treatments necessary to recover from eating disorders. Throughout our time in Athens, we have successfully treated hundreds of patients, helping them to resume a healthy life, to grow personally from the experience of having recovered from an eating disorder and to reconnect more deeply with family, friends and careers.