Family-Based Therapy for Kids & Adolescents with Eating Disorders
At Wildflower Therapy, we offer Family-Based Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders. Family-Based Therapy is an evidenced-based form of therapy with a strong body of research behind it. Family-Based Therapy is sometimes referred to as the "Maudsley Method" or the "Maudsley Approach," and it has emerged as one of the most effective interventions for children and adolescents with anorexia or bulimia who are medically stable and appropriate for outpatient care.
What does Family-Based Therapy look like?
Family-Based Therapy is essentially a method of restoring kids and adolescents back to health with the help and support of their parents. It is therapist and parent-driven and consists of three main phases.
Phase One:
The focus here is the rapid restoration of physical health. This phase is orchestrated by the therapist, and carried out mainly by the parents. The understanding is that children and adolescents need support in making decisions about food and eating that are safe, so parents are given the "steering wheel" when it comes to their children's eating and food choices.
Phase Two:
The focus in phase two involves gradually giving responsibility over eating back to the child or adolescent, to whatever extent is age-appropriate and normal for your family. This phase is gradual and highly individualized for your family and child.
Phase Three:
The focus in this phase is planning for upcoming challenges and relapse prevention. At Wildflower Therapy, we also view Phase Three as a time to shift towards more individually-focused therapy that focuses more on the underlying issues of the eating disorder such as body image, self-esteem, and emotion regulation.
Key Things to Know About Family-Based Therapy
Family-Based Therapy takes a non-authoritarian stance. This means that we join with parents. We work along side you to help your child heal. We know that you have all the tools to help your child - after all, you've been feeding them since they were born! You simply need the support to be able to implement and carry out your inner knowledge and wisdom.
At Wildflower Therapy, we like to call our FBT work, "Respectful FBT." This means that while we follow the original FBT model of therapy, we also recognize that many kids and adolescents appreciate having their own space to process emotions. So we work to be respectful of this by creating individualized care that sometimes involves weekly individual therapy in addition to family therapy, or sessions that are split between individual therapy time with your child and family therapy together. Please inquire if you would like to hear more about our respectful FBT stance.
Family-Based Therapy can be effective both virtually and in-person. We are able to offer both formats - virtually for anyone residing in the state of PA, and in-person for any families that are able to come to our Center City office in Philadelphia.
Therapy for Kids & Adolescents with Eating Disorders Can Help…
If you reside in the Philadelphia area and your child is struggling in their relationship with food, we would be honored to help you address those needs. We offer both in-person therapy and virtual therapy.
If you would like in-person therapy, you can come to our office in Philadelphia. If you prefer virtual therapy, our online therapists in Pennsylvania are available to help you begin the journey to understanding and overcoming unhealthy patterns of behavior. Below are some steps to follow if you feel overwhelmed and would like to ask for help.
Step One:
Visit our About page to get a better understanding of who we are and what we stand for!
Step Two:
We encourage you to get to know a little bit about our therapists, their specializations, and their credentials. Get to know our family therapists here.
Step Three:
If you feel like we would be a good fit for you, please reach out to us to set up a free 30-minute consultation through our therapy appointment page. We look forward to hearing from you!
Step Four:
Begin your journey to self-healing and understanding!
Other Mental Health Services Provided in Philadelphia, PA
Life is a unique journey for each of us and we all have our individual battles to fight. We know there is no one-size-fits-all approach to any of life’s difficulties and we offer many unique perspectives and approaches to help meet you where you are with our Philadelphia, PA Therapy services. In Addition, we offer services for body image counseling, and services for depression and anxiety, and have practitioners who specialize in LGBTQIA+ affirming care. We also offer specialized therapy for college students and athletes. There are even therapists who specialize in perinatal and postnatal support. Reaching out is often the most difficult step you can take to improve your mental health. And it is also the most important step you can take toward recovery. We look forward to helping you on this journey!
We are licensed to provide therapy to clients residing in PA, NJ, DE, FL, MA, VA, and VT, as well as students living in any of these states (even if your parents live elsewhere).