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Family Based Treatment for Teens 

Family Based Treatment (FBT) is an alternative to inpatient treatment appropriate for teens suffering from Anorexia Nervosa, binge eating or purging behaviors. 

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There's no better treatment team than family. 

While I love trauma therapy, if you are struggling to nourish your teen, talk therapy and trauma based therapy interventions just aren’t going to cut it.

 

The reality is, one can’t participate in logical thought process without adequate nourishment.

 

Family Based Treatment (FBT) may be appropriate if your child is struggling with Anorexia Nervosa and isn’t making progress toward re-nourishment. FBT is a form of treatment that involves the entire family, and unlike other forms of treatment, it does not blame the family. 

 

FBT is intense and requires time and commitment from family members as they work together to form the treatment team, providing a level of care similar to a partial hospitalization program or a residential facility. Families work together to take charge of meal times and prioritize adequately nourishing their child under any circumstance. They plan, prepare, serve and supervise all meals. Families will work with me to identify and implement customized strategies to encourage nutritional intake and prevent compensatory behaviors like excessive exercise and purging.

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Studies show FBT works faster than other treatments for anorexia in teens and is much more cost effective than inpatient treatment.
 

Does my teen have an eating disorder?

Signs your teen may have an eating disorder:

 

  • Denying hunger and/or avoidance of meal times

  • Wanting to eat alone or in secret

  • Prepping meals for family but rarely or never eating them

  • Cutting food into tiny pieces or moving it around to appear as though they are eating or have eaten

  • Withdrawing from family and friends or skipping social functions

  • Complaining about being overweight or obsessing about flawed body parts

  • Hiding food

  • Focusing on nutritional labels or adhering to strict food rules

  • Developing rituals around food (eating in a particular order, excessive chewing, etc)

  • Has suddenly become a picky eater

  • Being moody, anxious or depressed

  • Wearing baggy clothing

  • Displaying anxiety around food

  • Excessive exercise

  • Excessive focus on food, weight and body image

  • Time spent in the restroom immediately after meals

  • Difficulty concentrating

 

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Physical manifestations of an eating disorder:

 

  • Rapid weight loss or abnormally low weight

  • Rapid weight gain

  • Feeling cold

  • Amenorrhea- delayed/missed menses in adolescent females

  • Dizziness or feeling faint

  • lethargy

  • Anxiety

  • Low blood Pressure

  • Dry pale skin

  • Gastrointestinal problems (complaints of stomach aches, bloating, constipation)

  • Poor nail quality

  • Thinning hair

  • Dry skin

  • Electrolyte imbalance

  • Swollen salivary glands

  • Slow or irregular heartbeat

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