Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Florida

ViaMar Health places people at the heart of their treatment philosophy, recognizing that each individual’s emotions, eating behaviors, body image, and personal history are essential in both diagnosis and ongoing care. Our comprehensive approach begins with detailed health information gathering on symptoms like obsessive thoughts about weight, disruptive behaviors, and patterns of exercise or dietary control. This personalized intake ensures treatment is tailored to each person’s unique challenges and readiness to engage.

Before beginning care, individuals are guided through the appointment process, where our clinical team, composed of experienced doctors, therapists, and dietitians, conducts thorough evaluations. This ensures the treatment plan aligns with the person’s current health problems, emotional state, and the potential causes of their disordered eating.

Our program structure, from inpatient/residential to Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP), allows patients to receive the appropriate level of care as their needs evolve. Inpatient care supports people with severe medical or psychological problems, while PHP and IOP offer continued guidance and structure for those maintaining recovery in less restrictive settings. This progression ensures continuity of care and adaptability as eating behaviors and emotional responses change over time.

Although ViaMar Health is based in West Palm Beach, Florida, our virtual program,  Virtual Treatment (Telehealth) Care, expands access to care for individuals who live far from our treatment center, in remote locations, without reliable transportation, or even out-of-state. No matter where you are, support is within reach.

A truly multidisciplinary team, including therapists, dietitians, and medical professionals trained in evidence-based modalities, delivers our services. ViaMar’s treatment options address underlying issues such as distorted body image, binging behavior, food restriction, exercise compulsion, and the emotional toll of shame, guilt, and low self-esteem. Through integrated counseling and therapy, individuals gain practical skills to manage distress, regulate emotions, and reframe negative self-perceptions tied to their eating habits, body image, and sense of identity.

Nutrition care is foundational: Registered dietitians provide guidance on balanced meal planning, mindful eating, safe refeeding, and repairing a person’s relationship with foods. They also support patients coping with weight concerns, medical complications tied to disordered eating, or compulsive exercise. Nutrition therapy addresses not just physical needs but also the fears and emotional obstacles that often accompany healing. By combining nutritional expertise with psychological insight, ViaMar helps patients create sustainable changes that support a healthier lifestyle.

ViaMar’s emphasis on ongoing training and guidance for both clients and their families empowers lasting change. Therapists help individuals identify dysfunctional patterns, recognize emotional triggers such as anxiety or low self-worth, and develop healthier activities and coping strategies that promote well-being. Therapeutic teams work collaboratively to track progress and adjust care plans as needed. This thorough, person-centered model ensures all dimensions of recovery from disordered eating habits and fears of weight gain to self-perception and emotional resilience are addressed, fostering holistic healing and improved quality of life.

Our professionals, including psychologists, dietitians, and licensed counselors, collaborate to create individualized plans that address not only the physical aspects of an eating disorder but also the psychological, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. Treatment explores the underlying drivers of disordered behaviors, including the pursuit of weight loss, obsessive tracking of calories, and unhealthy dieting patterns, while also helping individuals work through related feelings of fear, control, and self-worth.

Our inpatient or residential-level care provides structured, 24-hour oversight for patients requiring intensive intervention. This level of care is essential for individuals exhibiting severe signs of disordered eating, such as misuse of laxatives, rapid weight loss, or extreme preoccupation with body weight. In this setting, behavioral support and wellness routines are embedded into daily life. The clinical team, which includes dedicated dietitians and behavioral therapists, works around the clock to stabilize medical and nutritional needs while guiding patients toward healthier patterns and minimizing the risk of relapse.

Once stability is achieved, patients transition to our Partial Hospitalization or Intensive Outpatient Programs. These settings provide continued support through robust counseling and therapy—ranging from individual sessions to group work and family member involvement. Evidence-based techniques such as CBT, DBT, ACT, and trauma-focused therapies help clients build resilience and generalize skills into their everyday environments, fostering sustained recovery. Programs are also mindful of the unique needs of women, parents, and adolescents, offering specialized tracks and inclusive language that reflect those identities.

Nutrition plays a pivotal role at every care level. ViaMar’s registered dietitians work closely with clients to create meal plans that address weight gain where appropriate, support refeeding, and challenge distorted thoughts about foods, calories, and body image. Nutritional counseling is framed as essential to recovery—a concept echoed throughout our website, blogs, and patient education.

The therapy component, led by licensed psychologists, therapists, and counselors, is deeply integrated into all phases of care. Individual therapy blends practices such as CBT, motivational interviewing, and expressive modalities to help clients uncover and challenge destructive thoughts. Group sessions encourage peer support, reinforce healthy habits, and foster lasting behavioral change. Through this integrated approach, ViaMar ensures that mental health, nutrition, and behavioral needs are addressed simultaneously, aligning with our intersectional, person-centered model designed for lasting healing and whole-person wellness.

Eating disorders present in many different ways, from extreme food restriction or binging to anxiety about food purity. We offer care for both commonly recognized eating disorders and those that are less well known.

At ViaMar Health, our expert clinical team conducts thorough assessments to identify conditions such as AN, BN, BED, ARFID, Orthorexia, Diabulimia, or OSFED. We then tailor treatment based on the specific symptoms and needs of each individual.

To support a clearer understanding of the conditions we treat, we’ve provided a glossary of eating disorder terms. Each definition outlines the key characteristics, behaviors, and potential health risks associated with these diagnoses, helping individuals, families, and healthcare providers better recognize the signs and seek appropriate care.

AN – Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychiatric disorder marked by extreme food restriction, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a deeply distorted view of one’s body. Individuals often pursue thinness at the expense of health, engaging in behaviors like calorie counting, rigid dieting, and compulsive exercise. Despite being underweight, they may see themselves as overweight. The condition can affect every organ system, leading to complications such as heart irregularities, brittle bones, and severe fatigue. Psychological symptoms often include anxiety, perfectionism, and low self-worth. Early, integrated treatment is essential for recovery.

BN – Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa involves repeated episodes of binge eating followed by attempts to undo the effects through vomiting (purging), fasting, or excessive exercise. Individuals often feel unable to stop eating during a binge and may later feel intense shame or guilt. Though body weight may appear typical, the disorder can cause serious health issues, such as gastrointestinal damage, electrolyte imbalances, and heart complications. Emotionally, bulimia is tied to struggles with self-image, emotional regulation, and compulsive behavior patterns. Treatment usually includes psychotherapy, nutritional guidance, and medical monitoring.

BED – Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is defined by recurring episodes of consuming large amounts of food, often rapidly and in secret, accompanied by feelings of being out of control. Unlike bulimia, these episodes are not followed by purging or compensatory actions. People with BED may eat when not hungry and continue until uncomfortably full, often feeling shame or distress afterward. The disorder can lead to weight fluctuations, metabolic issues, and emotional distress. Effective treatment often includes cognitive-behavioral therapy, nutritional education, and sometimes medications to manage mood or appetite.

Orthorexia
Orthorexia is characterized by an unhealthy obsession with eating only foods deemed “pure” or “clean,” to the point that it disrupts physical health and daily life. Individuals may follow rigid rules, eliminate numerous food groups, and feel anxious or morally “wrong” if they deviate. This extreme fixation on health ironically leads to imbalanced nutrition, social withdrawal, and emotional distress. Unlike disorders driven by body image, orthorexia stems from the pursuit of dietary perfection. Recovery focuses on reestablishing a flexible, balanced relationship with food through therapy and nutritional support.

Diabulimia
Diabulimia refers to the deliberate restriction or omission of insulin by individuals with type 1 diabetes as a method of weight control. This dangerous practice combines aspects of disordered eating with life-threatening diabetes mismanagement. Warning signs include erratic blood sugar levels, recurring diabetic complications, and a preoccupation with body image. Over time, this behavior can lead to severe outcomes such as nerve damage, organ failure, and increased risk of death. Treating diabulimia requires coordinated care from endocrinologists, therapists, and dietitians to address both metabolic health and underlying emotional factors.

ARFID – Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
ARFID involves a pattern of eating that is highly selective or restrictive, often due to sensory sensitivities, fear of choking, or general disinterest in food. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is not driven by body image concerns. The limited intake can result in weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and significant disruptions to everyday life. This disorder goes beyond picky eating and often begins in childhood, though it can persist or emerge later. It frequently coexists with conditions such as autism, anxiety, or OCD. Treatment involves exposure-based therapies, nutrition planning, and medical oversight.

OSFED – Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder
OSFED describes disordered eating patterns that don’t meet the full diagnostic criteria for anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder but are still serious and impairing. Examples include purging without bingeing, atypical anorexia (significant weight loss without being underweight), or infrequent binge episodes. Individuals may still experience emotional distress, body image issues, and physical health risks. OSFED highlights the fact that harmful eating behaviors exist along a spectrum. Comprehensive care—often involving psychotherapy, nutritional rehab, and medical monitoring—is essential for effective treatment.