eating DISORDERS treatment services

Serving clients of all genders and sexual orientations, ages 14 and up. TLC specializes in the treatment of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, AFRID, and disordered eating. ​Offering: Three levels of care: Partial Hospitalization Program, Intensive Outpatient Programming, and ​Outpatient Services

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How we can help

Welcome to The Lotus Collaborative (TLC), offering holistic eating disorder recovery services. ​Our team serves and supports clients of all genders and sexual orientations, ages 14 and up, at our safe, welcoming centers located in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. We also serve California residents ages 14+ online.

The Lotus Collaborative is more than just another eating disorder treatment center. We are a multi-disciplinary team of eating disorder experts, that have a passion for helping clients obtain health and happiness. We strive to be a haven from cruelty, judgment, and oppression, and we are committed to creating centers, cultures and communities that value equality for all.

​Our eating disorders services include intensive outpatient programming, partial hospitalization programming (Day Treatment), as well as a selection of outpatient services. Our programs are designed specifically to integrate healing into daily life with minimal disruptions to living.

our services

Partial HOSPITALIZATION  Program

​The Lotus Collaborative Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for eating disorder recovery offers clients 6 hours of support, 5-7 days a week. Our program offers clients a place to practice recovery skills outside of treatment, while concurrently spending a significant portion of their day within the therapeutic environment of our program. ​Our PHP programming is a great opportunity for clients to gain traction in their recovery and learn the skills necessary to stabilize their behaviors. We currently offer both in-person and virtual programming.  
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Services INCLUDED in our Partial HOSPITALIZATION Program

Treatment days of our PHP include group therapy, nutrition education, a weekly nutrition experiential, two supervised meals and one supervised snack. Clients receive two weekly individual therapy sessions, weekly individual dietary sessions with a registered dietitian as well as a weekly psychiatry session as clinically indicated. Clients admitting to our PHP must be medically stable and are required to see an outside primary care physician on an ongoing basis. Our treatment team will also collaborate care with a client's outpatient team and any referring providers. ​

TReatment Schedule

The PHP level of care requires a minimum attendance of 5 days a week. The number of days each client attends will vary, and is largely determined by multiple factors including, but not limited to, results of their clinical assessment upon admit as well as week-to-week progress evaluations. If you have schedule restrictions, accommodations may be possible if clinically appropriate. Program hours vary slightly between locations, so please confirm exact schedule of programming with our admissions team. 

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
12:00pm-6:10pm	12:00pm-6:10pm	​12:00pm-6:10pm	​12:00pm-6:10pm	10am-3pm	10am-3pm ​	10am-3pm

Submit an admission application

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Intensive Outpatient Program

​The Lotus Collaborative Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for eating disorder recovery offers clients 3 hours of support 4-7 days a week. This is best suited for clients that need the support of a treatment program while continuing to practice recovery at home. Our IOP is a great opportunity for clients to gain traction in recovery around areas they may feel stuck. It offers clients a chance to build and apply recovery skills both within the structured support of program and in their daily life outside of program, all while in the safety of a recovery focused community. Our IOP programming offers a variety of scheduling options including an afternoon and late afternoon track.

Services INCLUDED in our intensive outpatient Program

Treatment days of our IOP include group therapy, nutrition education, and one supervised meal or snack. Clients receive weekly individual therapy with a Lotus primary therapist and dietary sessions with a registered dietitian. Our treatment team will also collaborate care with a client's outpatient team and any referring providers. Clients must be medically stable and see an outside medical doctor or psychiatrist on a monthly basis. 

TReatment Schedule

The Lotus Collaborative IOP for eating disorders recovery requires a minimum attendance of 4 days a week and is offered 7 days a week. We offer a combination of virtual telemedicine and in-person treatment with a variety of scheduling options.  

The number of days each client attends will vary, and is largely determined by multiple factors including, but not limited to, results of their clinical assessment upon admit and week-to-week progress evaluations. If you have schedule restrictions, accommodations may be possible if clinically appropriate. Program hours may vary slightly between locations. Please consult with our admissions team to confirm exact schedule offerings at time of admit.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
​12:00pm - 3:00pm or  ​3:00pm - 6:10pm	​12:00pm - 3:00pm ​or 3:00pm - 6:10pm	​ ​12:00pm - 3:00pm ​or 3:00pm - 6:10pm	​12:00pm - 3:00pm ​or 3:00pm - 6:10pm	10am -1:15pm​	10am - 1:15 pm ​	10am - 1:15pm

Submit an admission application

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Outpatient services

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INDIVIDUAL Therapy

Outpatient therapy is simply therapy, deliver by a licensed clinician, in a one on one or group setting. ​This can be a common starting place for those new to treatment but is most appropriate for those in advanced stages of their recovery. Sessions are typically 50 minutes in length. Your therapist will work to help you find your voice and identity, outside of the eating disorder. They help you gain insight into behaviors, history and triggers, and provide you other more sustainable ways to being. All of our therapist specialize in eating disorder recovery. 

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Nutrition Counseling

Nutrition counseling is an integral part of recovery. The Lotus Collaborative offers individual dietary support with registered dietitians, specializing in eating disorder recovery. There is an art to nutrition therapy that blends the science of nutrition, your recovery needs, and your emotional and physical well being. Sessions include individualized goal setting, meal planning and exercise recommendations to help you learn to trust the food and your body again. The Dietitian makes sure your body and mind get what you need to function your best and heal.  

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Free online Support Group 

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The Lotus Collaborative offers a weekly support group at no charge for those  in recovery from an eating disorder. Our support group is an opportunity  to share personal experiences, feelings and coping strategies, in a safe space with others. 

Register for our Support Group Here

Treatment Philosophy

 The Lotus Collaborative believes that treatment should provide connection with oneself, others and a recovery community. We believe we must align our hearts, bodies, minds and souls, and experience mastery opportunities including the chance to mentor others earlier in recovery. TLC provides treatment that is "just right," balanced between evidence-based skills approaches, with deep, interpersonal, psychospiritual process work. True healing cannot come exclusively from quantitative, impersonal, outcome-focused, "expert" and "sick patient" practices. And conquering an eating disorder cannot come from solely a kind, well-intentioned listener/therapist. The Lotus Collaborative believes recovery is best achieved by providing solid education, teaching loving awareness of oneself and others, skills training, and strategies to substitute eating disorder behaviors with what one truly needs.  

Values of The Lotus Collaborative
with Founder Dr. Liz Esalen

  TREATMENT APPROACH

The Lotus Collaborative offers a unique blend of therapeutic approaches within our programming. Our skilled providers draw from a variety of therapies including  Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), EMDR, mindfulness meditation, healing movement therapy, expressive arts, Internal Family Systems and yoga. ​

• DBT is a validated therapeutic approach that focuses on the development of healthy coping skills and emotional regulation. 

•  Internal Family Systems is an evidenced based practice rated effective for improving general functioning and well-being. In addition, it has been rated promising for improving phobia, panic, generalized anxiety disorders and depression and depressive symptoms. ​

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• Staying true to our philosophy around the importance of mind and body alignment, movement therapy, mindfulness meditation and expressive arts are integrated into our programming.

What our clients are saying

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"I could never thank Lotus enough for all it has helped me achieve. All of you helped save my life and helped me discover what it means to truly live and be alive. Thank you forever more!"
-Former Client
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 "A thousand thanks cannot express the gratitude I feel towards Lotus.  I say in no uncertain terms that this place, these people, have save my life. The work I have done is my own, but at Lotus I've been blessed with more care, compassion and guidance that I never thought existed."
-Former Client
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 "I had a life-changing experience here at Lotus. I never thought I would get my life back again and be in control. I was able to see myself again. I no longer exist, I now live."
-Former Client 
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benefits of treatment at the Lotus collaborative

​The Lotus Collaborative provides what matters to you most. 

Collaborative Care: Our staff is committed to treatment collaboration where each client feels heard, valued, and included in the process. Teaching clients to have a voice and speak their truth begins in the treatment process and is a potent recovery skill.

Validated Therapies: We offer a balanced treatment approach with validated therapies for eating disorders. Using these types of therapy our clients learn mood regulation, healthy coping and communication skills. Our therapy approach also values collaboration and social activism, such as mentoring and educating.

Client Centered: We know that each of our clients has their own community, family, and personal needs; we engage the whole person in creating a therapy plan. We believe in meeting people where they are at and that you don't have to want to recover from an eating disorder in order to get help or seek treatment. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are your services covered by insurance?

Coverage of our services largely depends on your insurance policy as well as the type of treatment you are pursuing. The Lotus Collaborative Intensive Outpatient Program and Partial Hospitalization Program for eating disorders are considered in-network with Anthem, Cigna, and MHN subscribers. Additionally, we can often negotiate in-network coverage with many other private insurance companies. 

Our Outpatient services are considered out-of-network and can not be billed through your insurance. However, depending on your policy, you may be eligible for reimbursement. We are happy to help you navigate your specific policy benefits. Contact us today with your insurance information so we can determine your rate of coverage for our services. For clients that do not have insurance benefits, we offer private-pay, sliding scale, and scholarship opportunities.

Do you offer in-person or online therapy?

We currently provide virtual and in person services.

How do I know what kind of therapy is right for me?

The Lotus Collaborative team is here to help you determine the type of treatment appropriate for your needs. We offer consultations so that we may gently guide you through this process and address any question or concerns you may have about seeking treatment. 

What makes your approach different?

We believe in providing our clients with a recovery environment in which they feel heard, ​respected and empowered. The Lotus Collaborative is designed specifically to integrate treatment and recovery into a client's daily life with minimal disruptions to their work/school/family environment. Each of our therapists is an expert with specialist skills and healing modalities, which means we can tailor our offerings to your unique needs. We offer a flexible, holistic approach to treatment. We know that each of our clients has their own community, family, and personal needs; we engage the whole person in creating a treatment plan.

How long would I be in therapy?

Clients and our team members create treatment plans to address each client's goals and progress, and so therapy can be brief, or it can take as long as needed or clinically indicated. For our IOP and PHP programs we ask for a minimum treatment commitment of 30 days (1 month). On average, most clients stay somewhere between 3-6 months.​

How individualized is the program?

Our program exclusively provides individualized care. With a small number of clients, we work hard to address each client's individual needs. Each client meets with a therapist and a dietitian at least once a week for individual care. Clients and staff create weekly contracts to address each client's treatment goals and progress. 

How are meal and EXERCISE plans determined?

Meal and exercise plans are determined on an individual basis taking into account a variety of factors including both psychological and physical concerns. Staff meet weekly to review the week's treatment plan which includes a meal, weight and exercise plan. We take into account a client's individual preferences and treatment needs. We work with clients to help them formulate their own treatment goals. Together, we formulate goals and plans to meet each client where they are. ​

How do you ADDRESS weight?

For our clients that need to gain weight we work out an individualized program to safely achieve their treatment goals.  
For clients that are at a healthy weight or overweight, we seek to stabilize one's eating patterns and heal a client's metabolism. Irregular eating (not eating, then overeating) can stunt an individual's metabolism which can lead to weight maintenance at a higher than usual weight and/or weight gain. Binge eating or compulsive overeating can also lead to weight gain or individual's maintaining a weight higher than their body's natural set-point. In these circumstances, we work to stabilize eating patterns, reduce rigid food rules, and work to incorporate typical binge food in a healthy, reasonable manner, instead of "over doing it". We find that stabilizing eating patterns increases one's metabolism and helps clients reach a natural set-point weight - one's natural weight.

Are bathroom visits supervised?

In the beginning, and as deemed necessary, clients are on an observation period after meals as this is usually the hardest time for clients.

How do I get started?

Getting started is as easy as giving us a call at 855-852-4968 or using our online booking to arrange an admission consultation. Our admissions team will work with you to assess your unique needs and ensure our programming is a good fit for you right now. 
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If you would like us to verify insurance benefits and coverage, please have the below information on hand when contacting us. We look forward to hearing from you! 
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• ​Policyholder Information: Name on the policy, Current Address, Phone Number, SSN, DOB
• Insured's Information:  Insured’s Name (if different from contact name), Insured Address, Insured Phone Number, Insured’s SSN, Insured’s DOB:
• Address Associated with Insurance.
• Name of Insurance
• Mental Health/Behavioral Health Phone Number
• Employer Name
• Subscriber Number
• Group Number
• Financially Responsible Party and relationship​

How does admissions work?

Our admissions process includes an admission consultation and clinical assessment. We will also ask you to complete a self-assessment and family assessment  (when clinically appropriate). Our clinical team will coordinate with your current treatment providers to ensure we have the best possible picture of your needs. All clients seeking admission into our treatment programs are required to obtain an initial medical clearance from a primary care doctor prior to a scheduled assessment. Upon completion of the assessment, you can expect to receive feedback and a recommendation about the level of care within 1-2 days. If admission to one of our programs is clinically recommended, and you decide to proceed, we will arrange for an admission date. On average, it takes 2-3 weeks between the initial inquiry and admission but can take more or less time depending on individual factors and availability. ​

Concurrently, our admissions team and insurance specialists will be coordinating treatment benefits on your behalf. We will provide you with a detailed overview of your coverage and the cost of treatment. We strive to provide you with this information as early as possible in the admissions process so that you may make an informed decision.
 We aim to provide the absolute best in client care and are committed to getting clients the help they need.