After completing 75 consecutive days of treatment at Eating Disorder Solutions, if you experience a significant setback you can receive an additional 75 consecutive days of treatment at no cost.
Morgan's Eating Disorder Recovery Story
Morgan has carried a heavy burden for most of her life, grappling silently with something she couldn’t quite put into words. It took her a long time to muster the courage to seek help. Despite sensing that something was amiss both mentally and physically, she found herself navigating a world where information about her struggles was scarce, and the societal stigma surrounding eating disorders only added to her isolation.
As a teenager, she juggled the demands of school, friendships, and other responsibilities while also contending with her tumultuous relationship with food. She observed her own behaviors, like skipping meals or stashing away snacks for later consumption, with a sense of detachment, not fully comprehending the toll her actions were taking on her well-being. Even though she was surrounded by love from her family and friends, they failed to fully grasp the severity of her situation, brushing off her struggles as mere quirks.
The complexity of eating disorders made it difficult for Morgan to recognize and address her own issues, let alone for those around her to provide adequate support. Despite her parents’ awareness of her distress, Morgan managed to keep up appearances until she reached a breaking point. Finally, she mustered the strength to confront her struggles and acknowledge that she needed more intensive help than just a weekly therapy session.
Her journey to recovery was fraught with obstacles, including the challenge of finding a treatment center that respected her dietary choices as a vegan. Many facilities dismissed her dietary preferences as part of her disorder, further complicating her search for suitable care. Fortunately, she discovered Eating Disorder Solutions, where her concerns about her diet were met with understanding and accommodation.
At Eating Disorder Solutions, Morgan found the unwavering support she needed to navigate the path to recovery. With a dedicated team of therapists, dieticians, nurses, and recovery coaches by her side, she learned to confront her struggles head-on and acquire the coping skills necessary for healing. Morgan’s journey toward recovery hasn’t been easy, but her daily interactions with her support team have been instrumental in her progress.
Now, as she transitions to the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), she’s filled with a newfound sense of hope and optimism. She’s beginning to realize that trusting in the process is essential for her journey toward healing. With a renewed sense of security and a resilient mindset, she’s eager to embrace the challenges that lie ahead and reclaim her life with confidence and determination.
Video Testimonial Summary
Key Takeaways from Morgan’s Story
•Semi-Recovery Is Not Full Recovery: Morgan spent years managing her mental health while the eating disorder continued beneath the surface. Her story illustrates how an eating disorder can persist — and eventually worsen — even when other co-occurring conditions appear to be under control.
•EDS Accommodates Vegan Diets: After being turned away by multiple facilities that flagged her veganism as disordered behavior, Morgan found in EDS a team that said yes immediately and built her entire meal plan around her ethical dietary commitments.
•Individualized Treatment Is the Difference-Maker: Morgan contrasts EDS’s highly personalized approach with programs where every patient’s treatment looks identical. At EDS, she could focus on her own recovery because her program was built specifically for her.
•The Step-Down Continuum Matters: Morgan wanted to discharge early. Her clinical team helped her understand that the transition from residential to PHP to IOP is not optional — it is the structure that makes lasting recovery possible.
•Call Sooner Rather Than Later: Morgan’s single biggest piece of advice is to seek help before the relapse deepens. The sooner you reach out, the better your chances of a sustained recovery.
Video Testimonial Transcript
A Lifetime of Knowing
Hello, I’m Morgan and I’m here at Eating Disorder Solutions, and this is my recovery story.
I’ve known for most of my life that I had an eating disorder. I spent a good deal of time in a semi-recovery space — functioning as an adult. And then in 2023, I realized I was slipping back into a really bad relapse. That’s when I decided I needed to reach out for help again.
In my childhood, before I turned 18, I did struggle severely with an eating disorder — in and out of different behavioral health units. Not necessarily treating the eating disorder. Mostly treating depression and anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. It wasn’t until I relapsed as an adult that I actually got eating disorder treatment. The other things kind of took priority in my youth.
Semi-Recovery: Managing Everything Except the Eating Disorder
That semi-recovery that I was in — between about 18 and 25, 26 — I was managing the depression and the anxiety, but not so much the eating disorder. I was still struggling with different things like orthorexia, obsession with changing my body, eating only healthy food items, things like that.
Then it got a little bit more extreme when I was turning 27. It was really lonely. A lot of the eating disorder is very private, very secretive. It starts out really slow — pretending that I ate a meal. And it evolved into pretending I ate more of the meal I was pretending I ate. And then there’s secretive eating — pretending I didn’t eat something when I actually did.
It holds and harbors a lot of guilt and shame for me. I know that it affects my loved ones directly to hide those things from them. At the time, it was my only means of coping. And because there’s so much shame around it, it’s really hard to admit to them that I was struggling — because you don’t want to be weak for your loved ones. You want to feel capable.
It took a lot of strength to be that vulnerable and to say: I am not doing well. Definitely a lot of pressure involved — to struggle with an eating disorder and then to actually ask for support and ask for help.
How Loved Ones Respond — and What That Looks Like
I think there are several different types of reactions that happen when someone is involved in an addiction — and that is what I view my eating disorder as. I do view it as an addiction.
My loved ones chose the route of not talking about it, not speaking about it. I think we both recognized that there was a problem. My husband Simon didn’t know what to do. And a lot of people don’t know what to do. They don’t know what they’re seeing or how to react. So they do nothing by default.
I was working with an outside therapist before committing to more intensive treatment. She was the one who told me: “I think you need to admit to a residential facility.” She was the one who helped me start looking for places. That was when I brought it up to my husband Simon and said, “This is something I’m going to need if I want to get better. An hour a day with a therapist at that point wasn’t enough.”
The Vegan Diet That Almost Kept Her Out of Treatment
It was really hard to find a place that would take me. I eat a vegan diet. That can be an eating disorder behavior, and a lot of places assumed it was. So treatment started to look kind of bleak for me — which was really unfortunate, because I’ve been vegan for nine years and I do find it very morally engaging. To hear that my diet was a poor behavior or an eating disorder behavior was depressing. And then I was struggling with an eating disorder on top of that.
I knew recovery for me wasn’t impossible. And I called Eating Disorder Solutions kind of out of spite. I wanted to prove that somebody out there would take a vegan diet.
I think I talked with a lady named Alexis on the phone. She was wonderful. The first thing I asked about — because I’ve been told no so many times after doing assessments and intakes — she immediately told me yes. She immediately said, “Yes, we can accommodate that.”
The further I worked with them, the more I learned about how much the facility was encouraging me to come. I felt like I finally had an answer to how I was going to be able to get recovery. And that was the first step. I hit the ground running when I came in.
Individualized Care: No Two Programs Are the Same
The way they accommodated me — the learning that they put in, the effort they took — it did not go unnoticed. Especially with how little effort other places took. It was very individualized and I really appreciated that.
Since being here, I’ve recognized how many other situations they’ve accommodated — allergies, diabetes, co-occurring disorders. It’s a very individual program. It’s hard to go other places and focus on your own treatment when it’s almost identical to your neighbor’s. But here, it’s very easy to focus on your own treatment because everybody’s program is incredibly different, incredibly individualized. And I really appreciated that.
The Staff as a Protection
For me, the staff has been what I would consider a great protection. When I came in, I was participating in what I would consider at this point deadly behaviors — things that if continued would lead me to a really dangerous place medically.
I remember coming in and meeting with one of the nurses for my intake. They were really gentle, really sweet — walked me through it step by step. Meeting my therapist for the first time, I wasn’t sure where we were going. I didn’t feel confident in my recovery at all at the time. And they walked me through it step by step, day by day.
They were fully prepared to handle challenges as they came. I didn’t feel any hesitation in anybody. There was no question in their minds that recovery was possible. And that made it a lot easier to not question it in my own mind.
Handing Recovery Back to Me
As I’ve gone through the program, they’ve slowly handed recovery into my own hands — stepping down from residential to PHP, gaining time back at home, gaining time back with my loved ones. Taking responsibility for my actions outside of here, without the accountability of a therapist or my dietitian, was a change in pace.
I found a lot of accountability in those people. Knowing that they believed in me made a lot of difference.
They’ve worked to accommodate my free time. We started using the Recovery Record app — it kind of tracks my meals at home. I’m able to post about my thoughts and feelings and how my day is going over the weekends when I’m not here. Then I can come back in on Monday and talk to them about it. They’re still fully informed. There is no blind spot, despite the fact that I have more control and more accountability for my own recovery.
Lauren and the Dietitian Relationship
I’ve really enjoyed my meetings with our dietitian, Lauren. She’s very good at her job. She’s been the voice telling me what my eating disorder voice is saying.
Any time I’m having disordered thoughts or a situation I’m questioning, I can bring it to her and she can tell me immediately: “That’s your eating disorder. That’s what your eating disorder is telling you.” Through those meetings, I’ve been able to recognize that voice more and more in my own head — without someone else needing to point it out.
There have been situations where things I don’t even recognize as my eating disorder voice come up, and she’ll explain it to me. And I am just shocked that I’ve been doing that for such a long time and never considering it a part of what’s triggering my behaviors.
Clarissa and the Accountability of Honest Therapy
My therapist Clarissa has been wonderful. She is very intentional with her treatment plan. I don’t think she’s let anything slide. I feel very capable of being honest with her in session.
She really tells me like it is. When I am struggling and she calls it out, she doesn’t let me slip. When I am slipping, she is right there — telling me, “We’ve got to get this back. We’ve got to figure out how to get you back on track. You need to make a choice. It’s either relapse or recovery. It’s either do or don’t. There’s not really a try.”
That was a big thing for me to accept. I would always say, “I’m trying, I really am.” But in actuality, I was letting things slip. I feel a lot better having them to hold me accountable and to call me out.
The Consistency of the Safety Net
It’s one thing to have a safety net. But the consistency of the safety net here at EDS — there is no day that I come in wondering what kind of person I’m going to get from the staff. They all maintain their same integrity every day.
Everybody has good and bad days. You can tell sometimes things are chaotic, sometimes things are rough. But they don’t let that affect their treatment of the clients. I respect them wholeheartedly for working in this environment and being able to maintain composure the way that they do.
I really believe every person who works here wants to be here. Comes in smiling. Leaves with more energy than they showed up with.
The Peer Community: Unexpected Friendships
The environment is incredibly supportive. You don’t know who you’re going to walk in to see — and for me, that was incredibly scary. Not only is it leaving your home environment, but coming to live around strangers was something I expected but wasn’t prepared for.
The people I’ve met here — the stories I’ve heard — really opened up my eyes to the different types of people that are out there. The people I’ve met have been wonderful peers to me. Incredibly supportive, uplifting. They give great advice. I’ve found friendships in them.
This isn’t a place where you can come and not have a social support system. And that doesn’t just stop at the staff — that includes who you’re living with, who is here after 4:30 when the therapists leave, who is here in the evening when you’re taking your meds, when you need to talk. We rely on each other a lot.
We had several bonding experiences. I remember we did quite a few bonfires where we would write out things we were holding on to, things we wanted to let go of, things we wanted to bring further into our lives — and we burned those pieces of paper together. Sat and watched the fire. Drank hot chocolate. It’s something you don’t get to experience in regular life. You can have a social network and all the friends, but to come and live in a house with seven to fifteen different people is a whole new experience. It’s really hard to put into words.
Moving Into IOP: A New Chapter
I am moving into the IOP program as of Monday. I’ll be coming in from about 9:00 to 1:00. I’ll be having breakfast at home, on top of the dinners at home that I’ve been practicing. And I’m really excited about it.
It’s going to be more free time by myself — my husband works and won’t be home until about 5 or 6. So I’m interested to see how that goes. I feel confident in my support team. I feel confident in my decision to fully accept recovery. It won’t be without its challenges, but I’m kind of looking forward to the change in pace.
To make breakfast at home and then come here and talk about it with my friends — explain what I’m struggling with, adjust my schedule if needed, practice a new morning routine. It’ll be a learning experience that I’m prepared to handle.
Why the Full Continuum of Care Matters
It’s definitely necessary to go through each level of treatment as planned. I couldn’t have imagined going from residential straight back home as if nothing happened. I was in residential for 50 days before I moved into PHP. And those 50 days were not enough to come to terms with the behaviors and the thoughts I was struggling with.
The slow introduction back into my home life was absolutely necessary. Some of my peers live much farther away than I do — my commute is maybe 45 to 50 minutes. Some people are driving an hour and fifteen minutes. Some people live five hours away. But I’ve seen it be possible for them too. Stepping down through the treatment levels makes a difference.
I wanted to rush it. I didn’t want to do PHP for very long. I didn’t want to go into IOP. I wanted to be discharged. But the simple fact of the matter is: here I have support. At home, I have an hour of therapy a week — maybe two. And that compared to six hours a day, four or five hours a day, is a lot different.
It took a while to admit that to myself. I didn’t want to say that I couldn’t do it at home. I wanted to jump out there and say, “I’m in recovery, I got this, I don’t need anybody’s help.” But I did need somebody’s help. I don’t think I’d be looking at the same type of recovery had I discharged any earlier.
With an eating disorder, it’s really hard to escape that addiction. We can’t avoid eating. And I think that’s one of the biggest things I’ve had to learn here — I’m going to have to face this one way or another. Whether that’s in relapse — facing it and avoiding it in actuality — or in recovery — facing it and actually fighting it. It makes a difference. Choosing your hard is really important.
A Gift She Intends to Keep
I like my story a lot. It’s important to me that I was able to receive what I consider a gift of recovery. Not everybody gets that gift. So I feel incredibly grateful to have it. And I will feel even more grateful to maintain it for the rest of my life.
In my heart, I knew I wanted to do a testimonial. What I was nervous about was being on camera and feeling like I was going to say the right things. And I just had to admit to myself that there is no right answer in this. This is my story and what I’ve been through and how I perceive things.
The facility here is the complete opposite of what I would consider a clinical facility. I felt incredibly relaxed here. Capable of opening up and sharing what I was going through without feeling like I was doing so in a hospital or a clinical atmosphere. Very relaxed. Very self-paced. I don’t ever feel like I was rushed through my treatment plan. And I think that’s absolutely essential to recovery for most people.
A Message to Anyone on the Fence
I would want to encourage anybody who is questioning whether they need help or additional support to contact EDS and ask for an assessment. The people on those phones know what they’re doing and know what they’re looking for. And I feel like if you have even the slightest inkling that you might need extra help, you’re probably correct.
I know there were several times I asked myself: “Do I need more help? Am I sick enough? Am I worth it? Is this worth it?” And the only thing I could say is: I wish I had called sooner. I wish I had sought recovery sooner. Because it would have made it a lot easier. Had I called sooner, I wouldn’t have been as far along in my relapse as I was.
The sooner you seek recovery, the better chance you have of maintaining recovery. And I feel lucky. I feel really lucky.
Anorexia Nervosa Treatment
Our anorexia nervosa treatment focuses on restoring healthy eating habits and addressing underlying psychological issues. Individual therapy, nutritional counseling, and medical monitoring are integrated to support clients in achieving a balanced relationship with food and body image.
Bulimia Nervosa Treatment
Bulimia treatment aims to break the binge-purge cycle by addressing the emotional triggers and behaviors associated with bulimia. Therapy and nutritional support help clients develop healthier coping mechanisms and improve their relationship with food.
Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
Our binge eating disorder treatment program focuses on managing the emotional factors that lead to overeating. Clients receive therapy and nutritional guidance to develop healthier eating habits and gain control over their eating behaviors.
Body Dysmorphia Treatment
Body dysmorphia treatment helps clients challenge distorted perceptions of their body image. Through specialized therapy, clients learn to develop a more realistic and positive view of their appearance, reducing obsession and anxiety.
ARFID Treatment
Treatment for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) focuses on expanding dietary variety and reducing food avoidance behaviors. Our program uses therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual’s needs to promote nutritional health.
OSFED Treatment
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED) are treated with customized care plans that address their unique symptoms. Our program provides therapy and support to help clients develop a healthy relationship with food.
UFED Treatment
For Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorders (UFED), we offer personalized therapy that meets each client’s specific needs, promoting recovery and overall well-being.
Orthorexia Treatment
Orthorexia treatment focuses on reducing the obsession with “perfect” eating. Our approach helps clients develop a balanced relationship with food, emphasizing health without rigid dietary rules.
Compulsive Overeating Treatment
Our treatment for compulsive overeating targets the emotional triggers that lead to overeating. Clients learn to manage these triggers through therapy and nutritional counseling and adopt healthier eating patterns.
Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment
We provide integrated care for clients with eating disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. This comprehensive approach ensures that all aspects of a client’s well-being are addressed, supporting recovery and overall mental health.
We’re Here to Help
Eating Disorder Solutions offers personalized residential and outpatient eating disorder treatment in the Dallas, TX area. We provide treatment with integrity, promoting holistic approaches that heal the mind, body, and soul. If you’re ready to begin your recovery journey, call us now at 855-245-0961 or complete the form.
What Sets Us Apart
- Personalized Treatment
- Licensed Specialists
- Same-Day Intake
- Flexible Scheduling
- Evidence-Based Therapies
- Long-Term Recovery
Request A Call
Fill out the form below, and we’ll contact you shortly.
Residential Center
Outpatient Center
Adults of All Ages
We treat adults across all life stages, from young professionals to those in midlife or retirement. Some have battled OSFED since adolescence, while others develop symptoms later in life due to stress, health changes, or personal loss.
College Students
College life can increase OSFED risk, with pressures from academics, social comparison, and irregular eating patterns. We help students develop balanced routines, manage campus triggers, and build coping strategies for dining halls, parties, and late-night study sessions.
LGBTQ+ Individuals
We provide affirming, culturally sensitive care for LGBTQ+ clients, recognizing the unique impact of stigma, body image pressures, or gender dysphoria. Our team creates a safe space where clients can explore identity issues and learn healthier ways to cope without relying on disordered eating.
Athletes
Athletes may develop OSFED due to weight pressures, performance demands, or rigid training routines. Our sports-informed team helps clients balance proper nutrition with athletic goals while addressing perfectionism and identity tied to sport.
Working Professionals
High-pressure careers can fuel disordered eating patterns like skipping meals, nighttime overeating, or extreme dieting. We offer flexible in-person and virtual OSFED treatment options to fit around busy work schedules and professional demands.
Most Insurances Accepted
Real People, Real Results
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone have an eating disorder for years without ever receiving eating disorder-specific treatment?
Yes. Morgan’s story illustrates this clearly — she spent years in behavioral health programs focused on depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, while the eating disorder was never directly addressed. It is common for co-occurring conditions to take clinical priority, leaving the eating disorder to persist beneath the surface. EDS provides eating disorder-specific treatment that addresses the disorder itself, not just its symptoms.
What is orthorexia and how is it different from other eating disorders?
Orthorexia is an obsessive preoccupation with eating only “healthy” or “pure” foods, often to the point of significant distress, social isolation, and nutritional deficiency. Unlike anorexia, the motivation is not primarily about weight loss but about perceived food purity or health. Morgan describes struggling with orthorexia and obsessive body-changing behaviors during her years of semi-recovery. EDS treats orthorexia as part of its comprehensive eating disorder treatment program.
Does EDS accommodate vegan diets during treatment?
Yes. EDS accommodated Morgan’s nine-year vegan diet without labeling it as a disordered behavior. Multiple other facilities had rejected her or flagged her veganism as an eating disorder behavior. EDS’s admissions team confirmed immediately that her dietary preference could be accommodated, and the kitchen and dietitian team built her meal plan accordingly. EDS regularly accommodates a wide range of dietary needs, including allergies and medically necessary restrictions.
What is the difference between semi-recovery and full recovery from an eating disorder?
Semi-recovery is a state in which a person is managing some aspects of their mental health — such as depression or anxiety — while the eating disorder continues to operate beneath the surface, often in more covert or less severe ways. Full recovery involves addressing the eating disorder directly, building sustainable coping skills, and achieving a genuine relationship with food and body that does not require ongoing management or suppression. EDS’s treatment model is designed to move patients from semi-recovery to full, lasting recovery.
How does EDS use the Recovery Record app in treatment?
Recovery Record is a meal tracking and mood journaling app that EDS integrates into the step-down phase of treatment. Patients use it to log meals, thoughts, and feelings at home over weekends and evenings, and then review those entries with their clinical team at the start of the following week. This keeps the clinical team fully informed and maintains accountability even as patients gain more independence — eliminating blind spots during the transition back to everyday life.
What is the role of a dietitian in eating disorder recovery at EDS?
EDS dietitians like Lauren play a central role in both the nutritional and psychological dimensions of recovery. Beyond meal planning, dietitians help patients identify and externalize their eating disorder voice — distinguishing between genuine preferences and disordered thoughts. Morgan describes Lauren as “the voice telling me what my eating disorder voice is saying,” which helped her learn to recognize that voice independently over time.
How does EDS handle patients who want to rush through treatment and discharge early?
EDS’s clinical team works with patients to help them understand why each level of care is necessary and why the step-down process cannot be skipped. Morgan wanted to discharge from residential immediately and skip PHP and IOP. Her team helped her see that the difference between six hours of daily support and one hour of weekly therapy is enormous — and that discharging too early significantly increases the risk of relapse. EDS balances patient autonomy with clinical guidance throughout this process.