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Dietary Program
Handling Eating Disorder Recovery with CARE
Healing, growth and a positive relationship with food is possible with the Center for Discovery Dietary Program. We take a real-life approach to eating disorder recovery and handle it with CARE – a model that stands for “consistent attuned relational eating.” This means you have the steadiness of a dietary plan that is adaptable to what’s happening in your life. Here’s what the CARE Model embraces:
- Trauma-focused nutrition therapy
- Collaboration between you and the care team
- Responsive to the whole body, including being in tune with the nervous system
- Weight inclusivity
What Drives the CARE Model: Our Dietary Philosophy
To understand the CARE Model is to know our dietary philosophy. It’s made up of four core values that help empower you to nurture an authentic relationship with food and your body.
Core Value #1: Nourishment-Centered Approach
Nourishment extends beyond food and is defined by you; what nourishes you may not nourish someone else and that’s OK. We help you link coping strategies as you reach your individual nourishment goals.
Core Value #2: Food Flexibility
You’ll learn that foods should not be branded as “good” or “bad”; we strongly oppose these labels that have been upheld by diet culture and in turn challenge it with our encouragement to nourish your body to how you see fit.
Core Value #3: Collaboration-Based Nutrition Goals
You are highly involved in deciding what your goals are alongside your dietitian and other CFD staff members. We are here to have a dialogue about your nutrition goals rather than tell you what it should look like.
Core Value #4: Incorporating Paradigms for Better Patient Support
We support culturally affirming nourishment practices and your individual fullness and hunger cues, as well as celebrate food preferences. Philosophies such as Health at Every Size® (HAES) and Intuitive Eating principles are also utilized.
Core Value #1: Nourishment-Centered Approach
Nourishment extends beyond food and is defined by you; what nourishes you may not nourish someone else and that’s OK. We help you link coping strategies as you reach your individual nourishment goals.
Core Value #2: Food Flexibility
You’ll learn that foods should not be branded as “good” or “bad”; we strongly oppose these labels that have been upheld by diet culture and in turn challenge it with our encouragement to nourish your body to how you see fit.
Core Value #3: Collaboration-Based Nutrition Goals
You are highly involved in deciding what your goals are alongside your dietitian and other CFD staff members. We are here to have a dialogue about your nutrition goals rather than tell you what it should look like.
Core Value #4: Incorporating Paradigms for Better Patient Support
We support culturally affirming nourishment practices and your individual fullness and hunger cues, as well as celebrate food preferences. Philosophies such as Health at Every Size® (HAES) and Intuitive Eating principles are also utilized.
Traditional Approach vs. CARE-CFD Model
As our world changes so should our delivery of healthcare. Here’s how the CARE Model at CFD is a revolutionary shift in eating disorder recovery compared to standard programs:
Traditional Eating Disorder Programs
- Eating disorder recovery plan that is too firm and focused on solving a particular problem, leaving little room to consider changes that each day presents
that may not consider changes that each day presents - Emphasis on compliance
- Linear steps to healing (same path for each type of
eating disorder) - No hands-on experience with food
- Staff-driven environment
CARE-CFD Model
- Up to 3 CARE plans that help you explore how you
feel in the moment, working with inevitable changes
in your day-to-day - Emphasis on nourishment
- Personalized steps to healing (considers type of
eating disorder, history, etc.) - Guidelines that promote nutritional adequacy
- Patient & staff coordination
3 CARE Plans to Support Your Steps to Recovery
In life, no two days are alike, especially as you work to help repair your body and mind. With the CARE Model, you have up to three plans to support you for any specific meal or snack; use what works best for you depending on your emotional state and your nourishment needs.
CARE-Center
Supported dietary structure to help stabilize you. Designed to provide a foundation when your disorder is intensified.
CARE-Flex
Moderate dietary flexibility. Invites you to practice making more dietary choices to support nutrition goals.
CARE-Discovery
Increased flexibility that emphasizes choice and curiosity. Best for when you feel regulated.
You and your registered dietitian (RD) will collaborate on dietary treatment goals and regularly check in to adapt your dietary plan. Active partnership and communication between you and your RD are the foundations for developing a nourishing and sustainable dietary plan.
Support systems, such as parents and partners, also play an important role in the dietary treatment plan. With your loved ones, you can find effective tools, such as supportive cooking and dining environments.
Additional & Vital Aspects of the Dietary Program
Guidelines for Eating Disorder Recovery
Guidelines are the system used for portioning food. Guidelines provide common language around food and serving sizes seen in most dining settings to communicate portions. Measuring tools are not used while plating meals and snacks. You will utilize your hands to help yourself portion a serving of the food that you are plating.
Dietary Groups
You’ll participate in a variety of dietary groups, led by members of our dietary team (RDs and diet technicians). The dietary groups help arm you with the tools to recognize and challenge nutrition misinformation within diet culture. You will become more aware of the ways diet culture informs health information. This is more than just education – it can help you make practical decisions when navigating the world, well beyond treatment.
Therapeutic Meal Support
Meals and snacks at all levels of care are opportunities for you to engage with food in a supportive environment. You will use your individualized CARE plans to support nourishing yourself in a way that aligns with your feelings and needs in the moment. Staff are right alongside you in practicing learned coping strategies in the kitchen and at the table. Meals and snacks within our program will provide exposure to foods that you are likely to encounter in day-to-day life. This will support your understanding of how a variety of foods will fit into your recovery process. We recognize that the food in your recovery will be different from anyone else and offer space to modify based on taste and cultural preferences. You also have regular one-on-one meetings with your RD so you’re never alone.
We’re Here for You
Remember, this is your journey, and we are grateful to work with you to help you obtain a lifetime of recovery. Be kind to yourself and know that progress may come with ups and downs. We are here to celebrate your victories and support you during challenging moments.
For more information about CFD’s Dietary Program and CARE Model, or to consult with one of our specialists, call 866-482-3876.
*Health At Every Size® and HAES® are registered trademarks of the Association for Size Diversity and Health and used with permission