In a world overflowing with dietary fads and conflicting nutritional advice, the journey to recovery from eating disorders can feel overwhelming for teens and young adults. At Newport, nutrition is not just a component of treatment; it’s a pathway to healing and self-discovery.
In this Q&A, Newport’s National Director of Eating Disorder Programs, Kara Becker, LMFT, CEDS-C, and Nutrition Manager, Annaliese DiFabbio, RD, CEDS, share their philosophy on gentle nutrition and the transformative power of mindful eating. They discuss how families can support their loved ones in recovery, emphasizing that food can be a source of joy rather than a battleground of guilt and shame.
There’s so much information and so many differing opinions on what we should or should not be eating. What is Newport Healthcare’s philosophy when it comes to nutrition in the context of treating eating disorders?
Annaliese: We prioritize this concept of gentle nutrition, which emphasizes the importance of honoring both what we need and what we want in our diet. Rather than labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” gentle nutrition encourages mindful eating practices that foster a positive relationship with food.
At Newport, we emphasize the importance of joy in the eating experience. We offer structure but also allow for flexibility and give clients the freedom to practice honoring their internal hunger and fullness cues.
Kara: Because our clients are in a medically stable state and not solely focused on weight restoration, we’re able to lean into that gentle nutrition approach. We think of nutrition as self-care. When you reconnect with your hunger and fullness, you’re reconnecting with what your body needs.
A lot of our clients come in having lost track of how to be good to themselves. Nutrition is an important step in accessing self-care and self-love.
How does food insecurity impact individuals at risk for eating disorders?
Kara: Anytime food becomes a worry, there’s an increased risk for eating disorders. When you don’t know where your next meal is going to come from, that scarcity can trigger a range of psychological issues, along with practical nutritional concerns.
If finances are guiding a person’s food choices, they may be purchasing cheap, easy, accessible food, whereas someone with more resources can choose more nutritious options. Additionally, food scarcity can become a huge trigger for binging.
Annaliese: I think it’s important to give people who’ve experienced food insecurity education about nutrition to debunk common myths. For instance, there’s a misconception that everything has to be organic or that canned or frozen fruits and vegetables aren’t good options. We don’t have to buy into all of the diet culture fads.
We think of nutrition as self-care. When you reconnect with your hunger and fullness, you’re reconnecting with what your body needs.
Kara Baker, National Director of Eating Disorder Programs
At Newport, we treat teens and young adults who are experiencing various eating disorders, including binge eating disorder, anorexia, and bulimia. How does Newport treatment address these very different types of symptoms?
Kara: We don’t want our intervention to mimic the rigidity of an eating disorder. We follow the Health at Every Size® philosophy, which shifts the focus from intentional weight changes to sustainable, joyful lifestyle behaviors. We recognize that everyone has individual health goals.
From a clinical lens, we try to figure out the function of clients’ symptoms and behaviors—whether it’s binging, purging, or restricting. The function may be to provide comfort, to ease anxiety, or to allow a client to hyperfocus on their body rather than trauma. Our goal is to replace those maladaptive coping skills with ones that support them in their values and goals.
Annaliese: From the nutrition perspective, whether someone’s coming in with restrictive eating or binge eating, the end goal tends to be similar. We’re trying to help our clients find balance and establish a more peaceful relationship with food. For one client, gentle nutrition might mean including more “fear foods,” such as sweets or snacks. For another, it might mean ensuring that meals are balanced with proteins and vegetables.
What’s it like to see a client experience joy with food after a long period of struggle?
Kara: It’s the best thing ever. I love sneaking joy into food experiences. I dressed up in a bunny suit one year for Easter and passed out candy. I think that bringing a certain silliness and ease to food experiences is important.
We’re modeling that having a Starburst is not that serious—it’s just some sugar, some calories, a quick burst of flavor. But it will never be your entire meal plan, just like carrots should never be your entire meal plan.
What’s one important message about food that you discuss with clients during treatment?
Annaliese: A big component of our program is helping clients develop self-compassion and distress tolerance around eating. We explain to them that eating is something we all have to do for the rest of our lives, multiple times per day, every day.
They need to be able to accept that the experience of eating isn’t always going to go the way they envisioned or wanted—and that’s okay. There will always be another opportunity!
Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment for Teens and Young Adults
If you or a loved one is struggling with a primary mental health issue, such as depression, anxiety or PTSD, and secondary eating disorder, Newport offers specialized eating disorder programs for teens ages 12–18 and young adults ages 18–35.
Our program includes psychiatric and medical care from an expert team, individual, group, and family therapy, experiential therapy, an accredited academic curriculum for teens, and life skills component for young adults. Additionally, eating disorder treatment at our specialized sites include:
- Dietary screenings, ongoing check-ins, and dietary groups with board-registered dietitians
- Body image groups and eating disorder–specific homework, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills
- Dietary plans and relapse prevention plans to take home, so clients can maintain and build on progress made in treatment
Contact us today to learn more.