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Child & Teen Program

Eating Disorder Treatment for Children & Teens in Richmond & Across Virginia

Join a Community that Understands Your Child

Looking for an evidence-based approach to eating disorder treatment for children and teens? Our child and teen eating disorder program is for children ages 6 and older—designed to free young individuals from struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and other related conditions—all while keeping them at home and active in their families, schools, and communities.

Your child or teen doesn’t have to face an eating disorder alone. Together, we can build a strong network of support for lasting recovery. Reach out today to learn more.

Benefits of Our Child & Teen Program

Family-Centered Care

We empower families to support recovery with evidence-based approaches like Family-Based Treatment (FBT).

Stay At Home

Our approach gives your child or teen the ability to recover from eating disorders at home, with family support.

Early Intervention

We help your child or teen address eating disorders early to prevent long-term complications and improve recovery.

Discover the Benefits of Our Child & Teen Eating Disorder Program

Has your child or teen been struggling with an eating disorder and unsuccessful treatment? Our program offers specialized care to help them heal and thrive. Discover the transformative benefits of our evidence-based approach using Family Based Treatment (FBT), designed to keep young people at home and restore their well-being.

Replace Residential Treatment

At CEDAR, we believe that when kids are able to stay home and in familiar surroundings, they can get better faster — and stay better. Our Family Based Treatment program can replace residential treatment, PHP and IOP, keep them at home and active at school. Our services can also act as a step down from residential, PHP, or IOP levels of care.

Receive Comprehensive Treatment

Eating disorders are dynamic and complex, and don’t simply affect a teen’s diet or physical health. We offer a comprehensive approach addressing the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of eating disorders. Our treatment plans include contributions from family therapists, dietitians, family mentors, and an individual therapist.

Reduce Treatment Length

Many traditional eating disorder treatment centers only offer protracted therapy which requires kids to go away for treatment for months at a time, often taking two to three years for a full recovery. Our FBT programs last on average 20 sessions and are designed to be effective with just one to two hours of therapy per week. Your teen could be feeling better in just four weeks with our help.

Enjoy Ongoing Care

Relapses with eating disorders are common. But we don’t want you or your teen to go through treatment only to start back at square one. This is why we offer ongoing therapy, nutrition, and mentorship or coaching if your teen would like —or we can transfer them back to their original therapist or dietitian.

Improved Quality of Life

Overcoming an eating disorder leads to massive improvements in everyday life for your teen. You may see that they begin enjoying social interactions more, getting better sleep, establishing healthier food choices, and just enjoying being free from the chains of disordered eating.

Family Involvement

We believe that family support is crucial to a teen’s recovery. Our program includes family therapy, group therapy options, and education to help families understand the disorder and develop effective coping strategies that can be practiced together.

Questions About Our Child & Teen Eating Disorder Program?

Treating eating disorders in children and teens requires a specialized, gentle approach. At CEDAR, we combine evidence-based methods like Family-Based Treatment (FBT) with expert care tailored to younger individuals. Our programs focus on restoring physical health, normalizing eating patterns, and encouraging families to play an active role in recovery. By keeping treatment at home, we help your child or teen find balance and lasting change within the family unit.

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What types of eating disorders do you treat?

Our program specializes in treating a variety of eating disorders in teens, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). We also address underlying issues such as body dysmorphia and disordered eating behaviors.

How long is the treatment program?

For teens, families have one to two weekly appointments that last between one and two hours per week. The program (on average) lasts 20 sessions.

What can we expect after treatment?

We’re always here to support our patients for however long we’re needed. As such, we offer ongoing therapy and nutritional guidance as well as mentorship or coaching once your teen completes the program.

Testimonials

Client’s We’ve Helped

"Our son has battled with gagging, coughing and throwing up after meals since he was in second grade. His sophomore year he began playing football for the first time. Excitingly this led to him being offered scholarships to play in college. Our family is grateful that we found Richmond Center for Eating Disorders. Most importantly, they correctly diagnosed our son and were the experts he truly needed."

"Our daughter is now fully recovered. We feel a relief and gratitude that can hardly be described. FBT works. We were fortunate to find the Richmond Center for Eating Disorders and their unique FBT program. Not only will you get your loved one back, your family will emerge stronger and more united than before."

"My daughter is the happiest she has been in years. I had heard of other families who stressed the importance of getting to that higher weight, that true "recovery weight" where the ED sufferer's psychological challenges dissipate. Now we were actually seeing living proof of its benefits. I cannot express enough gratitude to the Julies for helping us get here."

"I would recommend Julie Knopp from Richmond Center for Eating Disorders. She is an excellent listener who authentically cares about her clients' recovery, growth, and health."

"I am so excited to have Richmond Center for Eating Disorders doing this much needed work in our community. The team is very dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled in treating eating disorders and providing wholistic support to their clients. In a family system, healing one person takes the efforts of the entire system and this team understands that. Richmond Center for Eating Disorders is a part of my referral base, and I are confident people will get the very best treatment there."

"So excited to see the work of this wonderful team growing in the Richmond community. The staff and providers at the Richmond Center for Eating Disorders are experts in their field. I deeply appreciate their skills, expertise and compassion. The level dedication to supporting patients and their families is incredible."

"As a therapist specializing in eating disorders, I am thrilled to have the Richmond Center for Eating Disorders in our community. I have worked with both Julie Guild and Julie Knopp for a number of years and am always impressed with their care, compassion, and treatment expertise."

Your Recovery Begins Here

Don’t let eating disorders or anxiety stand in the way. Your journey to a healthier, happier you starts now. Take the first step towards recovery and contact us today!