EP 250.5: Eating Disorder Treatment Options ~ What's Best for You? (6 Levels of Care Explained) **Must Listen Fav!**

Girlfriend, maybe you've been struggling with disordered eating for decades and you don't want to put your life on hold to go into a full-blown treatment facility. Maybe you have kids at home, aging parents to care for, or a career you can't walk away from. Or maybe you don't even know what options are available, so you just stay stuck thinking you'll manage it all by yourself.

Girl, you weren't meant to do this alone.

In this episode, host Lindsey Nichol breaks down the 6 different levels of eating disorder treatment and care - from outpatient support to acute medical stabilization - so you can understand what's available and what might be best for YOUR unique situation and life circumstances.

Lindsey shares her own treatment journey through IOP and day treatment, and why finding the right level of care that fits your life is so important. Whether you're a busy mom, working woman, caregiver, or someone who simply can't leave home for residential treatment, this episode will help you understand all your options - including recovery coaching as a personalized support option.

You deserve a life free from the chains of disordered eating. And it starts with knowing what treatment options are out there.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

The 6 Levels of Eating Disorder Treatment:

Level 1: Outpatient Care

• What it is: Weekly sessions with a care team while living at home
• Who it's for: Those deemed medically stable who need ongoing support
• What's included: Dietitian, therapist, medical doctor, support groups
• Best for: Maintaining school, work, family life while getting treatment

Level 2: Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

• What it is: Multiple sessions per week in specialized settings
• Where it happens: Treatment centers or hospitals
• What's included: Group therapy, individual therapy, structured programming
• Lindsey's experience: This is where she spent the majority of her recovery

Level 3: Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) / Day Treatment

• What it is: 5-6 days per week, 6-8 hours per day
• Structure: More intensive than outpatient, includes meals and therapies
• What happens: You return home in the evenings
• Lindsey's experience: Combined with IOP while in school - included therapies and support groups

Level 4: Residential Treatment

• What it is: 24-hour care and supervision (inpatient experience)
• Who it's for: Those medically stable but requiring intensive support
• Where it happens: Medical hospitals, centers, or homelike facilities
• Structure: Full-time structured environment with comprehensive care

Level 5: Inpatient Hospitalization

• What it is: Most appropriate for high-intensity medical/psychiatric needs
• Structure: 24-hour medical psychiatric facility
• Who it's for: Those not responding to other treatments, experiencing self-harm, severe depression, or needing intensive medical oversight

Level 6: Acute Medical Stabilization

• What it is: The highest level of critical care for eating disorders
• Who it's for: Those medically unstable due to severity or medical complications
• Primary focus: Physical stabilization before moving to other treatment levels

Plus: Recovery Coaching as a Treatment Option

• What it is: One-on-one virtual support for guided accountability and actionable recovery steps
• Who it's for: Those who can't or won't go into residential but need support
• How it works: Weekly sessions focused on action, not diagnosis
• Can be layered: Works alongside therapy, dietitian, and medical care

Key Takeaways:

✨ Treatment is personalized - what works for someone else may not work for you, and that's okay

✨ You don't have to choose residential - there are multiple levels of care that allow you to stay home

✨ Recovery is NOT black and white - you can get support at various levels based on your life circumstances

✨ You weren't meant to do this alone - even if you can't go to residential, you need SOME level of support

✨ Everyone's recovery is their own - your journey is unique and valid regardless of which level of care you choose

✨ Recovery coaching is a valid option - especially when layered with other care team members

✨ You owe you, sister - putting yourself first isn't selfish, it's necessary

✨ More options exist now - compared to years ago, there are so many more treatment options available

Powerful Quotes from This Episode:

• "You deserve a life that's free from the chains of disordered eating"
• "Maybe you don't even know what options are available for you, so you just stay here thinking you're gonna manage it all by yourself"
• "Everyone's recovery is your recovery. Your journey is your journey"
• "What's best for you might not be best for me. What worked for me might not work for someone else"
• "You weren't meant to do life alone. You definitely weren't meant to do the hard things alone"
• "You owe you, sister"
• "It's not black and white. There's so many other options"
• "What matters is that you're standing up for you"
• "You are worth it. You deserve it"
• "Everyone else in your life is gonna benefit when you can start putting you first"

Important Information About Each Treatment Level: When to Consider Outpatient:

• You're medically stable
• You can maintain work/school/family responsibilities
• You need ongoing support and accountability
• You're in maintenance or relapse prevention phase

When to Consider IOP:

• You need more structure than weekly appointments
• You can still live at home
• You benefit from group support
• You need multiple therapy modalities

When to Consider PHP/Day Treatment:

• You need daily structure but can return home at night
• You require meal support
• You need more intensive care than IOP
• You're transitioning from residential or preventing residential

When to Consider Residential:

• You need 24-hour support but are medically stable
• Your home environment isn't supportive of recovery
• You need complete immersion in treatment
• Outpatient options haven't been effective

When to Consider Inpatient:

• You're experiencing severe symptoms
• There's self-harm or suicidal ideation
• You need medical and psychiatric oversight
• You require the highest level of structure

When to Consider Recovery Coaching:

• You can't or won't do residential treatment
• You have kids, aging parents, or career obligations
• You want actionable support, not diagnosis
• You're looking for relapse prevention
• You want to layer support with existing care team

What Makes Recovery Coaching Different:

Not therapy: Coaches don't diagnose or address trauma - they focus on forward action

Accountability structure: Weekly sessions keep you committed to your recovery goals

Actionable support: Focused on practical steps like facing fear foods, getting off the scale, eating out with family

Virtual and flexible: Fits into busy lives with kids, work, caregiving responsibilities

Layered care: Works alongside dietitians, therapists, and medical professionals

Relapse prevention: Helps maintain recovery after intensive treatment

Questions to Ask When Choosing Treatment:

• What level of medical stability am I at currently?
• What are my life circumstances? (Kids, work, caregiving, school)
• Can I leave home for treatment, or do I need to stay local?
• What treatment options are available in my area?
• What does my insurance cover?
• Do I need 24-hour support or can I manage with weekly sessions?
• Am I willing to commit to doing the work required at each level?
• What has or hasn't worked for me in the past?
• Do I have a support system at home?
• What does my healthcare team recommend?

Action Steps After This Episode:

1. Assess where you are: Are you medically stable? What symptoms are you experiencing?
2. Talk to a healthcare professional: Schedule appointments with your doctor to discuss which level of care is appropriate
3. Research local options: Google treatment centers, IOP programs, PHP programs in your area
4. Consider online options: Virtual recovery coaching, online support groups, telehealth therapy
5. Build your care team: Even if you can't do residential, assemble support (dietitian, therapist, coach, doctor)
6. Stop doing this alone: Commit to getting SOME level of support starting today
7. Reach out: If recovery coaching interests you, visit lindseynickel.com to learn more

Who This Episode Is For:

This episode is essential listening if you:

• Don't know what eating disorder treatment options exist
• Think residential is your only option (and you can't do it)
• Have been doing this alone and need to know what help is available
• Are a busy mom, working woman, or caregiver who can't leave home
• Have been in treatment before and need to know what's next
• Are researching options for a loved one struggling with disordered eating
• Want to understand the difference between IOP, PHP, and residential
• Need permission to choose the treatment level that fits YOUR life
• Are looking for alternatives to inpatient treatment
• Want to layer recovery coaching with your existing care team

Resources Mentioned:

National Alliance for Eating Disorders: Information on treatment levels and resources

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): Comprehensive treatment information and support

Recovery Coaching with Lindsey: One-on-one virtual support, weekly sessions, actionable recovery tools

Her Best Self Facebook Community: Support group for women in recovery

Important Reminder:

Lindsey is NOT a medical professional. The information in this episode is based on her personal experience and education but should not replace consultation with a licensed healthcare professional. Always speak with your doctor, therapist, or treatment team to determine which level of care is most appropriate for your specific situation.

Connect with Lindsey

• Website: www.herbestself.co 
• Private Facebook Community: Her Best Self Society www.herbestselfsociety.com 
• Client Applications: HBS Co. Recovery Coaching - Client Application - Google Forms

About the Host

Lindsey Nichol is a former competitive figure skater turned God-led entrepreneur, boy mom, and digital CEO. She understands how core beliefs formed in childhood can create and maintain eating disorder patterns, and she's passionate about helping women identify and transform these beliefs to find lasting freedom.

If this episode helped you identify the core beliefs feeding your eating disorder, please share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Your support helps more women break the chains of limiting beliefs.

*While I am a certified health coach, anorexia survivor & eating disorder recovery coach, I do not intend the use of this message to serve as medical advice. Please refer to the disclaimer here in the show & be sure to contact a licensed clinical provider if you are struggling with an eating disorder.