Eating Disorder Treatment in Minnesota

If you or a loved one are struggling with one of these conditions or a related mental health disorder, it’s important to seek out help.

Thankfully, there are a number of Minnesota eating disorder treatment centers that specialize in helping people overcome these difficult conditions and achieve a healthier relationship not just with food but with themselves.

Types of Eating Disorder Treatment in Minnesota

Disordered eating can take many forms, and each eating disorder case is as unique as the person it affects. For these reasons, treatment for these conditions also varies, with a spectrum of care available to help people dealing with eating disorders at different levels of severity.

Minnesota residents have a choice of many different programs that can help with most common eating disorders and co-occurring disorders, no matter what type of symptoms they’re encountering.

Virtual Treatment Programs

As the internet and its tools for communication become more widespread and sophisticated, many people have begun meeting with mental health counselors and partaking in other types of medical care virtually.

This option offers much more flexibility, especially to those who may have difficult schedules, experience challenges around mobility or transportation, or live far from in-person options in Minnesota. And while virtual treatment is still relatively new, studies have already shown that it can be just as effective as in-person treatment in many cases. [2]

Still, it’s important to note that virtual eating disorder treatment isn’t for everyone, particularly those with more severe symptoms. Before starting down this path, you should consult with your primary care physician, therapist, or another member of your care team to see if virtual care is a good fit for you.

Inpatient Treatment Programs

Inpatient treatment is generally reserved for the most severe eating disorder cases. Patients who need this level of care are often experiencing extreme health effects, considered in a state of crisis, or are showcasing concerning vital signs.

The primary point of an inpatient stay in Minnesota is helping someone reach medical stabilization, or the point at which they are out of a mental or physical crisis state. These stays are usually short, lasting up to a few weeks, and take place in a clinical facility, where patients are subject to 24-hour medical care and monitoring.

Once a patient is considered medically stable, they can enter a residential program. This is also the first step for those who may not need an inpatient stay. These programs tend to last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Residential programs are designed to be more long-term, taking place in a home-like environment, where a patient lives and sleeps throughout their stay. Aside from inpatient treatment, they are also the most intensive and immersive care options, with schedules that often include everything from individual therapy sessions to nutritional counseling, meal monitoring, regular medical check-ins, and group therapy sessions.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

The middle-ground of eating disorder treatment in Minnesota is partial hospitalization programs (PHPs). This level of care involves extensive therapy and treatment sessions, but a patient will commute to these sessions, while living and sleeping at home.

The point of a PHP is helping a patient start making some of their own food-based decisions and learn how to utilize their new coping skills outside of a clinical setting, while continuing to receive a lot of care and support.

Still, sessions can be extensive, lasting anywhere from 4-8 hours per day, up to 5 days per week. [1] Many patients at this phase will continue to receive regular individual therapy sessions, nutritional rehabilitation counseling, meal monitoring, and medication management appointments, among other types of care.

Outpatient Treatment Options

Outpatient treatment is generally either the first or last level of care someone struggling with an eating disorder experiences. These programs are best for someone whose symptoms are mostly under control, and who can continue to participate in other social responsibilities, such as work or school, but who may still benefit from regular care and medical check-ins.

For those stepping down from more intensive forms of care in Minnesota, there are intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). These services generally last longer, are more frequent or are more intensive than a standard outpatient program.

Otherwise, outpatient services typically involve regular appointments with a therapist or another member of someone’s treatment team, as well as ongoing medication monitoring.

Additional Eating Disorder Resources in Minnesota

Aside from programs that are designed specifically to help people recover from eating disorders, there are a number of other resources Minnesota residents can access to help them find more information about and help for eating disorders, including:

• The Joy Project for Eating Disorders: This organization has tons of information on eating disorders, as well as resources for treatment, recovery, and prevention for Minnesota residents.
• For Minnesota residents and beyond, there are a number of useful online resources available from sites like the National Eating Disorders Association.

Minnesota Eating Disorder Support Groups

No matter where you are in your eating disorder recovery, you may want a little more support. Support groups are great ways to connect with other people who are going through similar experiences, and share concerns, successes, and advice.

In Minnesota, there are several ways to access these kinds of groups, including:

• The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) has a number of online support groups where you can meet others impacted by these conditions.
• The Joy Project, a Minnesota-based organization, offers a full range of support groups for clients with eating disorders. They offer group therapy and telephone support.

It may be possible to find additional support groups through an internet search or by asking members of your treatment team. These groups are often run locally and may be more easy to find on a local basis.

What to Look for In a Minnesota Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Aside from determining the best level of care for you or your loved one, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing Minnesota eating disorder treatment centers.

Keeping these considerations in mind can help ensure you make the best choice possible for your road to recovery.

Licensing and Accreditation

When you’re looking for eating disorder treatment in Minnesota, you should always check to make sure that the facility is accredited by the Joint Commission. This indicates that the program has been evaluated and found up to industry standards for safety and quality of care.

You should also look for a licensed facility, as those are the only ones legally allowed to provide eating disorder treatment services in Minnesota.

Treatment Methods

There are lots of different therapies available for eating disorders. Some of the most common types of treatment include:

• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Group therapy
• Family-based therapy (FBT)
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

What these techniques have in common is that they’re considered evidence-based or proven effective after many years of testing and analysis. This is not only another assurance that a form of therapy works but will likely be important when discussing your treatment choices with your insurance company.

Cost and Insurance Options

Indeed, the expense of eating disorder programs makes insurance coverage necessary for most people. So you may want to even start your search by seeing which treatment centers are in-network with your policy. This will hopefully help you get the programs covered more seamlessly.

Additional Concerns

There’s a lot to keep in mind when determining the best treatment option for an eating disorder, and the process can feel overwhelming.

If you’re unsure where to start, these questions may help you narrow down your options or better understand what you’re looking for out of treatment: [3]

• What role does the family play during the patient’s treatment?
• Is there a philosophy or religion associated with the treatment center?
• What is the staff-to-patient ratio, and what is the average employment length of staff?
• How long has the center been operating?
• Who will be part of the patient’s treatment plan, and who will coordinate the treatment?

Finding Help for an Eating Disorder

Eating disorders are dangerous conditions that can even be deadly if left untreated. If you or a loved one are struggling, it’s important to seek out help.

Your primary care physician, therapist, or another trusted medical professional can be a great place to start looking for resources or information. These experts are generally educated in eating disorders and may be able to help offer guidance or determine the next best steps.

If you’d rather not discuss this sensitive topic in person, there are also a number of eating disorder and mental health hotlines that can help. These services are generally anonymous and offer callers more information and resources about how and where to find help.

But regardless of where you start your journey, making the decision to pursue help is the most important part. Battling an eating disorder may be difficult, but recovery is always possible.