What is Holistic Eating Disorder Therapy

What is Holistic Eating Disorder Therapy?

Holistic eating disorder treatment focuses on healing the whole person, not just the symptoms of the disorder. Unlike traditional treatment methods that primarily aim to manage behaviors or control symptoms, a holistic approach goes deeper. It addresses every aspect of an individual’s well-being—physical, emotional, spiritual, and environmental—to promote lasting recovery. By addressing the root causes and restoring balance to the mind, body, and spirit, holistic care promotes long-term healing and overall well-being.

“Eating disorders don’t just live in the body—they take root in the mind and spirit. True healing comes from looking beneath the surface, addressing the pain and patterns that drive the disorder, and nurturing the whole person toward lasting recovery.”

5 Key Principles of Holistic Therapy

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Healing the Whole Person

Holistic therapy treats the mind, body, and spirit, addressing emotional, physical, and spiritual health—not just eating disorder symptoms.

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Focus on Root Causes

Instead of only managing behaviors, holistic care identifies and heals underlying issues like trauma, anxiety, and depression for lasting recovery.

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Blending Therapies

Combines evidence-based treatments like CBT and DBT with alternative practices such as yoga, mindfulness, and nutritional counseling.

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Building Self-Awareness

Empowers clients through education and coping skills, helping them take charge of their recovery and prevent relapse.

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Lasting Lifestyle Change

Promotes sustainable healing by creating balance, resilience, and healthy habits that support lifelong recovery.

Do I Have an Eating Disorder?

If you’re concerned about your symptoms, click below to take our eating disorders quiz.

How Does Holistic Therapy Work at Virtue Recovery?

  • Phase 1: Discover and Understand
    We begin by assessing the whole person, not just the eating disorder. Through medical evaluations, therapy sessions, and lifestyle assessments, we uncover the root causes, such as trauma, anxiety, or environmental stressors, that fuel disordered eating behaviors.

  • Phase 2: Gradual Return of Control
    Next, we create a personalized treatment plan combining evidence-based therapies (CBT, DBT) with holistic practices like yoga, mindfulness, art therapy, and nutritional counseling. This phase focuses on healing the mind, body, and spirit while stabilizing physical health.

  • Phase 3: Establishing Healthy Independence
    Finally, clients develop tools for lifelong recovery, including relapse prevention strategies, stress management skills, and healthy coping mechanisms. The goal is to restore balance and help clients build a sustainable lifestyle that supports lasting freedom from eating disorders.

Client Testimonials

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Our Las Vegas Luxury Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Our inpatient program in Las Vegas incorporates FBT into treatment for adolescents and young adults. Families are involved in therapy sessions, meal support, and education so they can continue providing effective care at home.

Name: Virtue Recovery Las Vegas

Address: 9230 Corbett St, Las Vegas, NV 89149

Phone Number: (702) 996-5973

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Our Las Vegas Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Our outpatient program provides ongoing FBT sessions for families who do not require inpatient treatment or who are transitioning from residential care.

Name: Virtue Recovery Las Vegas Outpatient

Address: 2585 Montessouri St # 100, Las Vegas, NV 89117

Phone Number: (702) 996-5973

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Frequently Asked Questions

Holistic therapy is a whole-person approach to eating disorder treatment that addresses the mind, body, and spirit, not just the visible symptoms. At Virtue Recovery, our program combines evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT with holistic practices such as yoga, mindfulness, and nutritional counseling. This integrated approach promotes lasting healing by uncovering and treating the root causes of the disorder.

Our holistic program follows three phases:

  • Discover and Understand – We assess the whole person to identify trauma, emotional pain, and environmental triggers.
  • Heal and Restore – Clients receive a customized plan that blends traditional therapies with holistic practices to address every aspect of health.
  • Empower and Sustain – We focus on relapse prevention, stress management, and building lifelong skills to maintain recovery.

This process ensures deep, sustainable healing rather than short-term symptom relief.

Virtue Recovery offers a wide range of holistic therapies, including:

  • Mindfulness and meditation to reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation.
  • Yoga and movement therapy for stress relief and body connection.
  • Art and music therapy to promote self-expression and healing.
  • Nutritional counseling and intuitive eating to rebuild a healthy relationship with food.

These are combined with traditional treatments for a comprehensive recovery plan.

Yes. Holistic therapy complements traditional treatment methods. While medical care and symptom management are essential for stabilization, holistic therapy addresses underlying causes, such as trauma or mental health disorders, that drive disordered eating. This integrated approach provides the best chance for long-term recovery.

Holistic therapy is ideal for anyone seeking deep, lasting recovery from an eating disorder. It’s especially effective for individuals who:

  • Have experienced relapse after traditional treatment.
  • Struggle with co-occurring disorders like anxiety, PTSD, or depression.
  • Want a personalized treatment plan that goes beyond symptom management.
  • Are looking to improve overall mind, body, and spirit wellness.

Virtue Recovery’s team works with each client to create a plan that matches their unique needs.

Glossary of Terms for Holistic Therapy for Eating Disorders

A type of therapy that teaches clients to accept difficult emotions and thoughts instead of fighting them. ACT helps individuals focus on mindfulness, values, and positive action, making it especially useful for eating disorder recovery.


Non-traditional healing practices, such as yoga, meditation, art therapy, and music therapy, that are used alongside evidence-based treatments to promote whole-person healing.

A therapeutic technique that uses creative expression, such as drawing or painting, to help individuals explore their emotions and develop healthy coping skills during eating disorder recovery.

How a person sees and feels about their body. Negative body image can be a major contributing factor to eating disorders and is a key focus in holistic treatment.

An evidence-based therapy that helps clients identify and change harmful thought patterns and behaviors, often used to treat eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

Healing practices that complement traditional treatments, such as mindfulness or yoga. These therapies support mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or substance use disorders, that often occur alongside eating disorders. Holistic treatment addresses these simultaneously for complete recovery.

A therapeutic approach that combines mindfulness and emotional regulation skills to help individuals manage intense feelings and reduce harmful behaviors, including those linked to eating disorders.

A nutrition philosophy that encourages individuals to listen to their body’s hunger and fullness cues, rebuilding a healthy, balanced relationship with food.

The concept that mental and emotional health directly impact physical well-being. Holistic eating disorder therapy strengthens this connection through mindfulness, yoga, and other integrated practices.

The practice of being fully present and aware, often used in holistic treatment to reduce stress, increase self-compassion, and prevent relapse.

A form of therapy where clients work with specialists to rebuild healthy eating habits, improve body image, and heal their relationship with food.

A set of strategies designed to help individuals avoid returning to disordered eating behaviors by identifying triggers and developing healthy coping mechanisms.

The underlying emotional, psychological, or environmental factors that contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Holistic therapy aims to heal these root causes for lasting recovery.

A body-centered therapeutic approach that uses movement, breathwork, and physical awareness to release trauma and stress stored in the body.

A form of holistic therapy that uses movement, breathing, and mindfulness to reduce stress, improve body awareness, and restore balance during recovery.

Eating Disorder Therapies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps clients identify and reframe negative thought patterns that lead to disordered eating behaviors.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT equips individuals with skills in emotional regulation, mindfulness, and distress tolerance to reduce self-destructive eating behaviors.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

MI fosters intrinsic motivation for recovery by helping clients resolve ambivalence and set meaningful goals.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT guides clients to accept difficult emotions while taking committed actions aligned with their values and recovery.

Family-Based Therapy (FBT)

FBT empowers families, particularly for adolescents, to take an active role in restoring healthy eating and supporting long-term recovery.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

IPT addresses how relationship challenges, grief, or life transitions contribute to eating disorders and promotes healthier social functioning.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

ERP reduces food-related anxiety by helping clients gradually confront feared foods and break avoidance patterns.

Meal Support Therapy

Structured mealtime support provides a safe environment to help clients relearn normal eating patterns and reduce food-related fear.

Nutritional Counseling

Licensed dietitians work closely with clients to develop balanced, individualized meal plans and restore healthy nutritional habits.

Group Therapy

Group therapy fosters peer support, shared healing, and community connection throughout the recovery journey.

Art Therapy

Art therapy offers a nonverbal outlet for exploring emotions, trauma, and body image issues through creative expression.

Music Therapy

Music therapy engages clients in healing through sound, rhythm, and songwriting to promote emotional release and relaxation.

Meditation Therapy

Meditation therapy promotes mindfulness, self-awareness, and inner calm, helping clients manage anxiety and stay grounded.

Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy enhances body awareness, self-acceptance, and emotional balance through movement, breathwork, and mindfulness.

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