Teen Treatment Programs in California
Teen Eating Disorder Treatment in Los Angeles
If your teen is struggling with an eating disorder, compassionate, specialized care is essential to lasting recovery.
At Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment in Los Angeles, we offer a safe, supportive environment where teens can heal physically and emotionally through evidence-based treatment.
As a trusted provider of eating disorder treatment for teens in Los Angeles, we offer compassionate, evidence-based care in a structured and nurturing environment. Our team specializes in treating adolescents ages 12–18, recognizing the unique developmental, social, and emotional needs of this age group. We believe that every teen deserves to feel safe in their body and confident in their ability to thrive. Contact us today for more information on our eating disorder recovery program for teens.
Contact us today to learn more about our teen mental health treatment centers.
What To Expect In Teen Eating Disorder Treatment
When your teen enters treatment, it’s natural to have questions—and a few fears. At Hillcrest, we provide a comprehensive intake assessment that helps us create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your child’s specific needs. From the start, we prioritize open communication, safety, and trust.
Eating disorder treatment for teens in Los Angeles is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It involves medical oversight, therapeutic intervention, nutritional rehabilitation, and family involvement. Our clinicians work closely with teens and their families to ensure that the treatment process is collaborative, respectful, and rooted in the latest research.
Our Eating Disorder Treatment Programs For Teens in Los Angeles
At Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center, we understand that every teen’s path to recovery is different. That’s why we offer a range of structured care levels to support adolescents at various stages in their healing journey. Whether your child is just beginning treatment or transitioning back into everyday life, we meet them where they are—with compassion, clinical expertise, and a tailored plan that evolves with their needs. Our eating disorder treatment for teens in Los Angeles is designed to provide not only physical and nutritional stabilization, but also deep emotional and psychological healing.
Residential Treatment
Our residential treatment program is the highest level of care we offer, providing 24/7 supervision in a peaceful, home-like setting designed specifically for adolescents. Teens in residential treatment receive intensive support for both the physical effects of disordered eating and the emotional issues that often underlie those behaviors. Days are structured around a full schedule of individual and group therapy sessions, nutrition education, supervised meals, expressive therapies, and family involvement. With constant access to medical and mental health professionals, this immersive level of care gives teens the stability and safety they need to begin truly healing.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
The Partial Hospitalization Program, or PHP, is an ideal step-down from residential treatment or a starting point for teens who need structured support but do not require 24-hour care. Teens attend treatment five to six days a week for most of the day, engaging in therapy, meal support, academic support, and experiential activities. In the evenings, they return home or to a transitional living environment. PHP allows teens to continue their recovery work while beginning to apply new coping skills in real-world settings. It bridges the gap between intensive care and independent functioning, helping adolescents build the confidence and resilience they need for sustained recovery.
How Do I Know My Teen Is Struggling With An Eating Disorder?
Recognizing eating disorder signs in your child or adolescent can be challenging since adolescence naturally brings changes in eating habits, body image concerns, and mood fluctuations.
However, certain warning signs may indicate a more serious problem that requires professional attention.
Physical warning signs include:
- Rapid weight loss or gain
- Frequent complaints of feeling cold
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Changes in their appearance like thinning hair, brittle nails, or the development of fine hair on their body
- Digestive issues
- Irregular menstrual cycles in girls
- Frequent illness due to compromised immunity are also concerning indicators.
Behavioral changes often emerge around food and eating patterns. You may notice:
- Avoiding family meals
- Making excuses not to eat
- Showing extreme pickiness about foods they previously enjoyed
- Obsessively counting calories
- Weighing themselves frequently
- Exercising compulsively
- Social withdrawal from friends and activities they once loved is another red flag.
Emotional signs include:
- Increased irritability
- nxiety around mealtimes
- Depression
- Perfectionist tendencies
- An intense fear of gaining weight.
Many teens with eating disorders become preoccupied with their body size and shape, frequently checking themselves in mirrors or expressing harsh self-criticism about their appearance.
It’s important to remember that eating disorders can affect teens of any gender, body size, or background. If you notice several of these signs persisting for more than a few weeks, reaching out to a healthcare professional experienced in adolescent eating disorders is crucial for proper evaluation and treatment.
What Treatment May Look Like For Your Child
Eating disorder recovery is not just about food—it’s about rebuilding trust in one’s body, emotions, and relationships. Treatment at Hillcrest incorporates individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy to address the full spectrum of a teen’s emotional and psychological needs.
Teens participate in supervised meals, nutrition counseling, and body image work, often for the first time in a safe, supportive environment. Our clinicians help teens confront underlying issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and perfectionism—factors that often fuel disordered eating. We focus on helping each teen build new coping strategies and re-establish a healthy relationship with food and self.
Families are not left on the sidelines. We offer parent education, family therapy sessions, and skills training to help you support your child’s recovery long after treatment ends. Healing happens faster—and lasts longer—when families heal together.
Most Common Eating Disorders in Teenagers
Eating disorders typically emerge during adolescence, a time when teens are navigating significant physical, emotional, and social changes. Understanding the different types of eating disorders can help parents and caregivers recognize when professional help is needed.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa involves severe food restriction leading to significantly low body weight, along with an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image. Teens with anorexia often see themselves as overweight even when underweight. They may engage in ritualistic eating behaviors, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, eating very slowly, or avoiding entire food groups. The physical consequences can be severe, including bone loss, heart problems, and stunted growth during these critical developmental years.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting, laxative use, or excessive exercise. Unlike anorexia, teens with bulimia typically maintain a normal weight, making it harder to detect. They often eat large amounts of food in secret and feel intense shame about their eating behaviors. Physical signs may include dental problems from frequent vomiting, swollen cheeks or jaw area, and frequent fluctuations in weight.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder involves frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food in short periods while feeling out of control, but without the compensatory behaviors seen in bulimia. Teens with this disorder often experience significant distress about their eating patterns and may struggle with weight gain. They typically eat much more rapidly than normal, eat until uncomfortably full, and often eat large amounts when not physically hungry.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID goes beyond typical picky eating and involves significant food avoidance or restriction that leads to nutritional deficiencies or failure to meet energy needs. Unlike anorexia, body image distortion isn’t present. Teens with ARFID might have extreme sensitivity to food textures, smells, or tastes, or they may have little interest in food altogether. This can significantly impact their social functioning and physical development.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
Formerly called “eating disorder not otherwise specified,” OSFED includes eating disorders that don’t fully meet criteria for other diagnoses but are still serious and require treatment. Examples include atypical anorexia (where weight remains in normal range despite significant weight loss), night eating syndrome, or bulimia with less frequent binge episodes. These disorders are just as serious as their “typical” counterparts and can significantly impact a teen’s physical and mental health.
Early intervention is key for all eating disorders. If you suspect your teen may be struggling with disordered eating patterns, consulting with a healthcare provider who specializes in adolescent eating disorders can provide proper assessment and guide you toward appropriate treatment options.
Evidence-Based Treatments Proven To Help Teen Eating Disorders
At Hillcrest, we understand that no two teens experience an eating disorder in exactly the same way. That’s why our multidisciplinary treatment model draws from a wide range of evidence-based therapies—each designed to target different aspects of your teen’s emotional, behavioral, and psychological well-being.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a cornerstone of our approach, helping teens identify and reframe distorted thoughts around food, weight, and self-worth. It empowers them with healthier coping strategies and promotes long-term recovery.
- Behavioral Therapy: We use behavioral strategies to help teens unlearn disordered habits and replace them with positive, sustainable routines. These methods are especially effective in reinforcing consistency and structure during recovery.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: This deeper form of therapy explores the unconscious emotional conflicts that may be driving disordered eating. Through talk therapy and relationship-building, teens gain insight into patterns that impact their self-image and behaviors.
- Interpersonal Therapy: Because eating disorders often affect (and are affected by) relationships, interpersonal therapy helps teens strengthen communication, resolve conflict, and build more supportive social connections.
- Family Therapy: We strongly believe that healing happens faster—and lasts longer—when families are involved. Our family therapy sessions give parents and caregivers tools to support their child’s recovery journey and foster a healthier home environment.
- Personal Development: Recovery is about more than food—it’s about identity. Our personal development work encourages teens to reconnect with their values, rediscover their strengths, and develop emotional resilience for the future.
- Equine Therapy: Working with horses provides a powerful, nonverbal avenue for teens to develop trust, responsibility, and emotional regulation. This unique experiential therapy complements our clinical work beautifully.
- Recovery Management Therapy: Ongoing support is crucial for lasting success. Recovery management helps teens prepare for life after treatment with relapse prevention tools, accountability strategies, and real-world skill-building.
- Expressive Therapy: Creative outlets such as art, music, and writing offer teens a safe space to process feelings and express themselves in ways that go beyond words.
- Outdoor Therapy: Nature has a grounding and restorative effect on teens in recovery. Our outdoor therapy experiences promote mindfulness, self-efficacy, and a healthy connection with the body and environment.
Our Highly Compassionate and Skilled Team
At Hillcrest, we’ve assembled a team of specialists who understand the complexity of teen eating disorders. Our staff includes psychiatrists, licensed therapists, registered dietitians, nurses, and academic support professionals—all experienced in adolescent mental health and eating disorder recovery. We are proud to be CARF-accredited, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to quality care and positive outcomes.
Our Nutrition Approach
We believe that food is not the enemy, and that nutrition can be both healing and empowering. Our registered dietitians work closely with each teen to create meal plans that support medical and psychological recovery. Mealtimes are supervised, and teens receive coaching around intuitive eating, hunger cues, and balanced nourishment.
We don’t just focus on food intake—we explore the beliefs and fears that shape your teen’s relationship with eating. Over time, we help them build trust in their body, recognize distorted thoughts, and regain confidence in making food choices. Our approach is respectful, inclusive, and affirming.
Why Hillcrest?
Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center isn’t just another facility—it’s a place of transformation. We provide individualized treatment, dietary accommodations, and education for both teens and their families. Whether your child is vegan, gluten-free, or recovering from medical complications related to an eating disorder, we’ll adapt our meal planning and therapeutic support to meet their needs.
We also teach families how to rebuild their own relationship with food and support their teen’s recovery at home. This isn’t just about getting your teen to eat—it’s about creating a sustainable foundation for lifelong wellness.
More: What Parents Can Expect
Meet Our Expert Clinical, Medical, and Academic Treatment Team
Our treatment team is here to provide the best care for your child. They provide for your child’s medical, psychiatric, educational, behavioral, and emotional needs throughout their treatment program. Learn more about our adolescent treatment team today.
Executive Director
Psychiatrist
Physician
Clinical Psychologist
Director of Education
Enroll Your Teen In Our Los Angeles Teen Eating Disorder Program Today
You don’t have to face this journey alone. Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center is here to help your teen—and your family—find hope, healing, and a brighter future. As one of the top adolescent dual diagnosis treatment centers, we’re committed to providing exceptional care tailored to your child’s needs.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation or learn more about our programs. Let Hillcrest be your partner in recovery and your guide to a healthier tomorrow.
