Eating disorders are common and affect the lives of children, teens, young adults, and their families.
Effective treatment can be life-changing and, in some instances, lifesaving. Research shows that early access to high-quality, comprehensive care is the best predictor of recovery.
Rise Above Treatment Center: Expert Pediatric Eating Disorder Care in Atlanta. Your eating disorder doctor.
At Rise Above Treatment Center, we specialize in compassionate, evidence-based care for children, adolescents, and young adults with eating disorders in the Atlanta area. With convenient locations in Sandy Springs and Johns Creek (also covering areas of Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, Dunwoody, Buckhead, Midtown, Chamblee), we offer comprehensive medical services tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and family.
Our experienced team provides medical evaluations, ongoing monitoring, and individualized treatment plans for a range of pediatric eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, ARFID, and binge eating disorder. We prioritize building a strong relationship with each family to develop a care plan that aligns with your child’s specific medical and emotional needs.
Whether you are seeking early intervention, outpatient medical support, or long-term care coordination, Rise Above is here to support your family every step of the way. Together, we’ll navigate the path to recovery with expert care, clear communication, and genuine compassion.
We have based our program on review of rigorous academic medical research of how to successfully treat young people with the following eating disorders:
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Patients with restrictive eating disorders may severely limit their food intake, sometimes avoiding eating altogether or consuming only very small amounts. In some cases, they may also engage in compensatory behaviors such as excessive exercise or laxative use in an attempt to control weight or shape.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Patients who have ARFID may limit the amount of food they eat or the kinds of food they eat. Their behavior isn’t typically about body image or weight. Instead, food-avoidant behavior relates to eating habits, such as a history of “picky” eating or negative feelings about food textures.
BULIMIA NERVOSA
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by cycles of binge eating followed by purging through vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise. Learn the signs, health risks, and evidence-based treatment options for bulimia in teens and young adults.
BINGE-EATING DISORDERS OR COMPULSIVE OVEREATING
Binge eating disorder (BED) is a serious mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often quickly and to the point of discomfort, without compensatory behaviors. Learn about signs, symptoms, causes, and treatment options for BED.
Other Eating disorders
Co-occurring diagnosis
We also work to treat co-occurring disorders such as ADHD, POTS, autism, and long COVID. Frequently, anxiety and depression will also need comprehensive treatment with eating disorders.
Some of the other eating disorders treated include: atypical anorexia nervosa, night eating syndrome, unspecified eating disorder, and purging disorder.
TREATMENT
There is help if your child/teen shows signs of an eating disorder. Depending on their specific needs, your child/teen may benefit from evidence-based outpatient treatments such as:
FAMILY-BASED TREATMENT
Family-based treatment (FBT) is the most common treatment for eating disorders in teens/children and is considered the gold standard. A provider guides parents in supporting their teen while setting guidelines about eating. Providers use a phased approach to:
Help parents or guardians take control of their teen’s eating
Allow teens to make independent choices about eating after they’ve demonstrated compliance with eating guidelines and are eating in a healthy way
Address anxiety, depression or family communication issues a teen may have
Eating disorders develop for different reasons. While you can’t stop your child from developing these conditions, there are some “protective factors” you can influence such as:
Be a body image role model: If you’ve struggled with your own body image, work on self-acceptance. Encourage positive body talk in your home.
Set a healthy example around food and exercise: Try not to talk about feeling bad or guilty when you eat certain foods. And don’t beat yourself up for missing a day’s workout.
Talk to your teen about what they’re feeling: If your teen makes negative comments about their body, talk with them about what they’re saying. Use what you know about your child to respond. For example, remind an athlete who complains about their “big thighs” that their powerful legs help them score goals for their team.
