Outpatient Services at The Bella Vita

Our unique approach to healing is designed to help individuals understand and work through their eating disorder, and other related disorders, while integrating their growth in their ongoing living environment.

Our many programs, in all their varieties, are designed to meet the individual's unique needs per their situation. We encourage the individuals to take an active role in expressing their feelings, thoughts and needs. The strength of our program lies in our ability to support individuals to increasingly take active responsibility for their lives.

The Bella Vita's Outpatient Programs are recommended on a case by case basis, and often times accompany some type of therapeutic term in a subsequent program, like recommended intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization or residential treatment programs. In other words, we take the immediate condition of our patients as a result of their condition very seriously, and leave sole discretion of necessary program regimen for each patient in the hands of the attending clinicians. Our Intensive Outpatient program requires a participatory schedule of six (6) sessions per week, each lasting four (4) hours, while our Partial Hospitalization program calls for participatory activity of eight (8) hours per day, 6 days per week. Both of these programs are offered on an outpatient basis, meaning the patient is support with adequate practical and emotional support and structure by others while not in our care, often family or friends. These programs offer structured, therapeutic programs both mental and physical in nature, therefore "attendance" is a non-negotiable.

In our treatment environment, we afford the eating disordered individual the opportunity to focus specifically on dynamics that are brought up in their lives and during the course of treatment, and incorporate solutions actively into their every day lives through this unique concept in eating disorder treatment. We educate the eating disordered individual in understanding how their thoughts impact their feelings.  Through a step-by-step process the patients challenge their own feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.  They learn their cognitive distortions and how to cognitively restructure for a healthier, more productive and realistic life. They learn how to be mindful in the present moment, manage emotion regulation issues, be skillful in the use of coping skills and be effective in interpersonal relationships.

Peer and Family Influence In Adolescents

The most significant influences are one's family and peers. Outpatient programs are offered with the understanding that there is adequate emotional and structural support outside of the treatment environment, in order to practically sustain the course of treatment and benefit the patient. These influences in a therapeutic environment, as well as outside of it, are a dynamic element that can have positive and constructive, lasting results. In our programs, we involve the family to develop effective interpersonal skills through education, goal setting and family activity.  We also have a strong psychoeducational component to teach the family and patient alike of the elements unique to the eating disorder family system.

An eating disorder can be used as an unhealthy way to help the individual cope with their life and not deal with arising difficult issues. To successfully let go of the eating disorder, the individual needs to deal with and manage these and other issues. Our program is especially effective in these areas, as we work to integrate a personalized approach to treatment from our very first assessment with the patient.

Outpatient Program Offered

Depending on a program's specific attendance schedule, is four (4) hours per day, up to six (6) days per week, during initial phases of this level of treatment. These sessions typically take place during convenient afternoon and evening hours, so that those with active daily schedules can engage in their treatment and effectively integrate what they learn into their daily lives.

Certain individuals may enter directly into this level of care, depending upon specific criteria met for this level of care. Details like these are left to the discretion of the attending clinician, and are assessed on a case by case basis.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

To learn more about our facility in Los Angeles, you can read more here.
To learn more about our facility in San Fernando Valley, you can read more here.

Eating Disorder Treatment at The Bella Vita Our preferred method of intensively treating those patients with severe eating disorder,our partial hospitalization program is an effective, result oriented therapy that imbues our patients with a sense of ability and confidence towards these debilitating, yet entirely treatable, types of eating disorders. Read More

Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatments at The Bella Vita Our Intensive Outpatient Therapy program may be the perfect treatment option for someone who has an actively obligated life, one which may dictate minimal time off in order to maintain the responsibilities required to carry on with their normal life, yet requires treatment in order to cope with an eating disorder. During the Initial Consultation, we will assess whether or not this is the most appropriate level of care for you. Read More