Eating Disorder Treatment in Arizona

Additional Help for Eating Disorders in Arizona

Eating disorders are complex conditions that impact not just the person who is struggling but often their friends and families as well. In Arizona, the Department of Health Services offers additional resources for loved ones hoping to help.

The state agency has a number of programs designed to help parents or caregivers learn how to speak with their children about food, eating, body image, and movement. The aim is to help children build healthy long-term habits and outlooks while teaching parents how to model more positive behaviors.

Friends of those struggling can get more information about how to compliment or comment on appearances in more positive and supportive ways, and coaches in Arizona communities can utilize the Department of Health Services for information on how to best speak with their athletes about these topics.

Arizona residents with eating disorders can benefit directly as well through the department's behavioral health program, which can provide additional education, resources, and referrals. Some residents may also be able to receive eating disorder treatment like therapy and other mental health support through the Arizona Medicaid Behavioral Health Services program.

Arizona Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment

It's not just the top eating disorder centers in Arizona that can help. In an increasingly online world, virtual eating disorder treatment programs have become a common way to extend help to those in need.

Available to anyone with an internet signal, virtual eating disorder treatment extends access to care to those in underserved areas or patients with challenges around mobility or transportation. And while the method is still relatively new, studies have already found it can be just as effective as in-person care in many cases.²

If geography, mobility, insurance, or even just personal preference make it difficult to enroll in one of the top eating disorder centers in Arizona, virtual care can be an excellent option to pursue eating disorder recovery.

Choosing the Best Eating Disorder Treatment Centers in Arizona

Just as eating disorders are not one-size-fits-all, neither is eating disorder treatment. Different programs emphasize different aspects of care or may be more appropriate for people at different points in recovery.

When researching the best possible option for you or your loved one, make sure to keep in mind:

• The level of care. Eating disorder treatment may come as a residential treatment program, intensive outpatient programs, or partial hospitalization programs, which are all best for different points in recovery.
• Available treatments. Common therapies for eating disorders include cognitive behavioral therapy and group therapy sessions, but some centers may offer additional types of care, like art therapy or family therapy.
• Reputation. Asking questions about how long the center has been open, how they determine "progress" or "recovery," and any particular philosophical outlooks they may have can help you decide which program is best for you.

It may feel overwhelming to choose the best eating disorder care for you or your loved one, but the most important thing to remember is that no matter which type of treatment you choose, recovery is possible.

Reference List

1. Nabor C. Eating Disorders Awareness Week and ways to help prevent and address disordered eating. (2024, February 26). Arizona Department of Health Services. Accessed March 2025.
2. Steiger H, Booij L, Crescenzi O, Oliverio S, Singer I, Thaler L, St-Hilaire A, Israel M. (2022). In-person versus virtual therapy in outpatient eating-disorder treatment: A COVID-19 inspired study. International Journal of Eating Disorders; 55(1):145-150.