Eating Disorders Treatment Program

Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of age, size, gender, race, sexuality, ability, and more.

At Northern Light Acadia Hospital, we treat all eating disorders diagnoses, providing comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and offeringAcadia Eating Disorders Progam recommendations for treatment.
 
Acadia Hospital’s Outpatient Eating Disorder Program offers treatment geared specifically to help people of all ages struggling with eating disorders or eating issues that affect their daily lives. We are pleased to share that our program is offered 100% virtually reaching patients throughout Maine! Our experienced medical and clinical team work closely with patients, their families, primary care teams, and others to provide care focused on the individual needs of each patient.
 
Participants need to be medically stable as a requirement for participation in our outpatient programs. This may require weekly medical monitoring with an established Primary Care Physician (PCP). Medical monitoring is not a service provided onsite. Our program is not in lieu of higher level of care treatments.
 
Treatment options include individual, family, and group therapies or a combination of these options. Read descriptions of our various therapy groups below.

Treatment for ages 22 and under

  1. Individual, Family, and Group Therapy
  2. Nutrition counseling
  3. Multifamily Therapy Group Therapy
  4. Assessment for higher level of care
  5. Collaboration with other treatment providers, including medical professionals

(Treatment Modalities used: Family Based Therapy/Maudsley Approach (FBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (CBT-AR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Ages 23 and over (Group Services Only)

These two-part, twelve-week closed groups, facilitated by a clinician and dietician, focus on intuitive eating, self-compassion and body image, and cognitive behavioral therapy. In addition, we’re pleased to provide an ongoing maintenance group after completing both groups.
 
Please note: medical stability is required for participation in any aspect of our programming.

Therapy Group Descriptions

Individual Therapy
While our treatment team works with individuals of all ages for individual and family therapy, the group offering is designed specifically for participants aged 18 or older. Topics such as Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT) skills, health and wellness, self-care, strategies for dealing with thoughts and impulses that lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, and education around nutrition and psychiatric conditions that can affect recovery are explored in this group setting. 
 
Family Therapy
For patients under the age of 18, individual, family and nutrition counseling is offered. Family-based therapy (FBT), otherwise known as the "Maudsley Approach", is often utilized as a primary modality of treatment. A comprehensive evaluation is completed at the beginning of treatment with the eating disorder treatment team. Recommendations for treatment and medical monitoring are made at that time.
 
Group Therapy
The group is co-facilitated by both a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietician (CEDRD). Many insurances (including MaineCare and MediCare) are accepted. Prospective group members are encouraged to contact their insurance provider(s) for information regarding coverage and/or co-pays.
 

If you fear that you or someone you love may be struggling with an eating disorder,NEDA complete this Eating Disorders Screening Tool, offered through the National Eating Disorders Association. It is apprpriate for anyone age 13 and up. 

To schedule an appointment for an assessment, please contact our Behavioral Health Resource Center at 207.973.6100.

For questions about the program, contact Sara Porter, LCSW, clinical supervisor at 207.973.6504 or email Sara HERE.