The Meadows Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program
Healing through trauma-focused care and The Meadows Model
Lasting Recovery from Eating Disorders
At The Meadows, we believe that lasting recovery from an eating disorder requires addressing not only the symptoms but also understanding the underlying trauma and contributing factors. Our Eating Disorder Program integrates The Meadows Model with trauma-focused care, offering a comprehensive, individualized approach that supports both mental and physical recovery.
Our Eating Disorder Program at The Meadows Outpatient Center-ScottsdaleCente-Scottsdale offers two levels of care to meet the needs of individuals at different stages of their recovery: partial hospitalization program (PHP) and intensive outpatient program (IOP). These flexible programs provide individualized medical and psychiatric support, personalized nutrition services, and a range of therapeutic approaches to help individuals on their path to healing.
This level of care is ideal for those who need more support and clinical engagement than in traditional outpatient settings while maintaining independence and autonomy.
Why Choose The Meadows Eating Disorder Program?
We understand that eating disorders rarely occur in isolation. The Meadows Eating Disorder Program integrates expert treatment of the full spectrum of eating disorders while offering comprehensive care for co-occurring conditions such as trauma, substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, and more. Grounded in the Meadows Model, our approach ensures that each patient receives individualized, trauma-focused care.
Conditions We Treat
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)
Treatment for adults of all genders
Designed to support adults of all genders on their recovery journey, The Meadows Eating Disorder program offers a safe and inclusive environment. Our treatment is tailored to each individual, fostering a community of healing where everyone is welcome.
What Sets Our Program Apart?
The Meadows Model
For Trauma-Focused Care
We recognize that trauma often plays a significant role in the development of eating disorders. Our program is built on the principles of trauma-focused care, ensuring that each patient receives compassionate, effective treatment that addresses each patient’s unique history and challenges.
Developed through decades of clinical experience, The Meadows Model focuses on identifying the root causes of dysfunctional behaviors, including trauma and relational issues. We help patients understand and address these core challenges to facilitate enduring recovery.
Personalized Nutrition
To Meet You Where you Are
Our dieticians create personalized nutrition plans tailored to each person’s needs. Whether it’s accommodating dietary restrictions, food allergies, and sensitivities or guiding individuals through food exposures, we provide one-on-one support to help patients rebuild a balanced, sustainable relationship with food.
Holistic Treatment
Of Co-Occurring Conditions
Many of our patients also struggle with co-occurring issues such as substance use, depression, anxiety, and compulsive exercise. Our program offers concurrent treatment for these conditions, addressing the whole person to promote lasting healing.
Experience Our Brain Center
Our outpatient program includes access to The Meadows’ state-of-the-art Brain Center, a unique space designed to enhance emotional regulation and recovery through advanced neurotherapy. The Brain Center provides valuable tools that help individuals self-regulate and ground themselves, preparing them to engage more effectively in their therapeutic work.
Neurofeedback therapy is a critical component of the Brain Center. By using real-time brain activity monitoring, patients can observe in real-time how their brains respond to stress, anxiety, and trauma. This allows targeted interventions to retrain the brain, improving emotional regulation and cognitive function. Neurofeedback has been shown to reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and compulsive behaviors — factors often linked to eating disorders.
Safe and Supportive
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
We actively support patients in developing safe, sustainable physical activity patterns. For those struggling with compulsive exercise, our team works closely with you to establish balanced habits and viable boundaries that support lasting patterns long after treatment.
Medication Management
Personalized to your needs
Sexual compulsivity, sexual addiction, sexual dependency, and porn addiction are compulsive behaviors that can dominate your life before you even recognize there’s a problem. Sufferers sacrifice other priorities and relationships in pursuit of unhealthy sexual behavior. But it’s not a moral failing or lack of willpower. These are recognized disorders that should be addressed with by experienced clinicians who can help you get to the root of the issue and find healing.
Looking for Residential Care?
For those requiring a higher level of support, our Eating Disorder Program at the Meadows Seasons specializes in providing residential treatment for eating disorders with consistent oversight from our expert Medical Director and team.
Learn more about our residential eating disorder program option:
Take the First Step toward eating disorder recovery
If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder, help is available. Our team of experienced professionals is ready to provide the personalized care and support needed for a sustainable recovery journey.
Meet our Expert Eating Disorder Medical Team
Our programs are led by Kara Fowler, a seasoned clinical leader in the eating disorder space, and Dr. Stuart Kaplan, a renowned physician with extensive experience building and leading eating disorder programs. Meadows Senior Fellow Jenni Schaefer also provides continued support and involvement in our mission to help patients on their road to recovery.
Kara Fowler, MS, RD, LD, MA, LPC
Executive DIRECTOR, Eating Disorder Services
Kara Fowler is a registered dietitian and a licensed professional counselor with extensive experience treating eating disorders and trauma. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nutrition from Texas A&M University and later completed a master’s in health psychology at Texas State University. Kara began her work in the field of eating disorders in 1995, where she quickly identified the profound connection between trauma and disordered eating. This discovery sparked her passion for helping individuals heal, driving her to pursue additional education and specialized training.
Throughout her career, Kara has developed a deep commitment to integrating trauma recovery into her clinical work. She has pursued advanced training in therapies like EMDR and Somatic Experiencing, which allows her to address complex trauma alongside eating disorders.
Since joining Meadows Behavioral Healthcare in early 2023, Kara has been instrumental in expanding and enhancing eating disorder treatment services. Initially serving as Executive Director at The Meadows Ranch, she is now leading efforts to establish comprehensive eating disorder programming across all levels of care at MBH, ensuring patients receive trauma-focused treatment customized to their specific needs.
Stuart Kaplan, MD, MBA, Faap
Medical DIRECTOR, Eating Disorder Services
Stu Kaplan, MD, is a dedicated medical professional with extensive experience in eating disorders and patient advocacy. As the Medical Director at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, he oversees the development and implementation of medical care for eating disorder services across multiple facilities in the organization.
Previously, Stu served as a Medical Consultant at The Meadows Ranch, where he educated medical providers on eating disorder care and fostered a collaborative, values-driven team culture. He has held leadership positions at several esteemed organizations, including Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders, Veritas Collaborative, and Camp Make-A-Dream.
Stu earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Columbia University and holds an MBA from the University of Amsterdam. He is committed to integrating clinical excellence with compassionate care and enhancing the treatment experience for patients and families affected by eating disorders.
Jenni Schaefer
Meadows Senior Fellow, Eating Disorder Advocate
Jenni Schaefer is a dedicated advocate for eating disorder recovery, using her personal journey to inspire and guide others. A summa cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in biochemistry, Schaefer overcame her eating disorder and now champions self-acceptance and healing.
As the bestselling author of Life Without Ed, Schaefer has helped countless individuals reclaim their lives. Her insights on eating disorders and mental health have been featured on prominent media platforms such as Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, The TODAY Show, and Entertainment Tonight. She has also contributed to Chicken Soup for the Soul and written for HuffPost.
A sought-after speaker, Jenni delivers engaging presentations on topics like addiction, relationships, and personal growth, offering hope and guidance to individuals and families navigating the recovery process.
