Treating anorexia nervosa effectively and holistically.
Learn more about our program from our Director of Eating Disorder Programming, Dr. Anita Johnston, PhD, CEDS.
Perhaps you have struggled to find a treatment center that can provide ample medical, psychiatric, and therapeutic support while also exhibiting empathy and compassion. Are you looking for an anorexia nervosa treatment center that addresses all aspects of the person? If so, we can help.
Anorexia nervosa does not discriminate based on age, gender, or background. Due to its various psychological and physical impacts, anorexia nervosa is considered to be the second most deadly mental illness next to opiod addiction [1]. This is why the best anorexia treatment centers provide individuals not only with nutritional replenishment, but also with education, competence, and confidence in one’s own inner wisdom so that patients can achieve complete and sustainable recovery from their eating disorder.
There are different subtypes of anorexia nervosa including restricting subtype and binge/purge subtype. Each subtype of anorexia nervosa is accompanied by unique symptoms and behaviors and within our structured residential treatment program, we are able to provide support for all of these. Whether it’s you or someone close to you who needs help in tackling anorexia nervosa, we’re excited to join you in this journey to healing.
Located on the beautiful Island of Maui, ‘Ai Pono Hawaii provides expert residential anorexia treatment as intensive outpatient and virtual intensive outpatient levels of care. Our center is staffed by highly experienced and competent clinicians who specialize in treating anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders, along with related disorders.
‘Ai Pono’s anorexia treatment center is driven by a mission to help patients of all ages, genders, and ethnic backgrounds along their journey to recovery from anorexia. We acknowledge that eating disorders are not as straightforward as they may appear to those who are less familiar with treating them. Eating disorders encompass a wide range of biochemical, nutritional, psychological, and emotional factors and influences.
We believe that people who suffer from eating disorders like anorexia are very sensitive and intelligent individuals who have become overly reliant on utilizing diets, food, and fat as a way to cope with life stressors. We conduct individual, family, and group sessions based on each patient’s unique therapy and treatment plan.
From our decades of experience as an effective anorexia nervosa treatment center, we know that in order for patients to truly begin on their process of recovery, they first need to recognize and accept the adaptive advantage of their eating disorder. Gaining insight into the intended purpose of the eating behaviors allows patients to ultimately replace these behaviors with more effective and sustainable coping skills. During the process of treatment, we walk beside our patients every step of the way, helping them to develop essential life skills that they need to resolve their eating disorder once and for all.
‘Ai Pono Hawaii has over 35 years of experience as a recovery center for anorexia and other eating disorders. We have helped hundreds of patients recover from Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), and other eating and feeding disorders.
We have also provided holistic treatment to patients who experienced Night Eating Syndrome, Body Dysmorphia, Laxative Abuse, Body Image Distortion, and other related conditions. We take pride in the fact that we offer the longest-running and most comprehensive eating disorder treatment program in the entire State of Hawaii.
‘Ai Pono Hawaii’s clinical leadership has been providing comprehensive and holistic treatment for a wide variety of eating disorders for more than 35 years. Our Founder and Clinical Director — Dr. Anita Johnston, PhD, CEDS — is a well-known expert in the field of eating disorder (ED) treatment. She is also the author of the book Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling (available on Amazon).
Over the past three decades, we have been continuously deepening our knowledge and developing our skills in this field in order to remain one of the best anorexia treatment centers in the world. By challenging ourselves as treatment providers to learn and grow each day, we are able to provide our patients with the most recent, effective, and evidence-based therapies and treatment plans that best match their individual circumstances.
Driven by our dedication to provide holistic care for every single one of our patients, we are well trained in treating not just eating disorders themselves, but also comorbid conditions (i.e., those that usually go along with eating disorders), such as depression, anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), among others.
Because our program focuses on the installation and application of key coping skills such as emotional literacy and assertive communication, our patients demonstrate high success rates in terms of long-term recovery.
We want to make residential anorexia treatment as accessible as possible to everyone who needs it. In line with this, ‘Ai Pono Hawaii is one of the few anorexia treatment centers that accept most major insurances including Hawaii State Medicaid plans.
We also offer special support for veterans as well as military families. We are one of the best anorexia treatment centers outside of the Veterans Affairs (VA) system that accepts Veterans insurance, and we are in-network with Tricare to provide superior care for military spouses and their children.
Most (if not all) anorexia residential treatment centers proclaim that they provide holistic treatment, but we at ‘Ai Pono Hawaii assure you of a truly comprehensive therapy that serves as a lifelong solution, rather than a “quick fix.”
In order to cater to the whole person, we provide a variety of therapeutic and recreational groups such as:
Hawaiian Cultural Groups
Ukulele Lessons
Narrative Therapy/Storytelling
Full Moon Letting Go/Intention Setting Gatherings
Mindfulness/Mindful Walking
Beach and other Outdoor Excursions
Visits to Local Cultural Sites
Horticultural Therapy
These unique offerings provide patients with a truly holistic experience and a range of opportunities to examine and process the deeper meaning behind their eating disorder.
Moreover, we offer trauma-informed care: specialized therapy for patients who have experienced trauma, using proven therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), somatic therapy, and brainspotting.
Last but not the least, ‘Ai Pono Hawaii anorexia treatment center is located outside the quaint town of Wailuku, Maui - a short walk to the beach and a short drive to the sacred Iao Valley National Park. Our tranquil and cozy center serves as the perfect setting for patients as they begin their path to recovery from anorexia or other eating disorders.
We feel incredibly connected to our surroundings and community here at ‘Ai Pono, and honor the specialness of our location in Maui. As such, we integrate aspects of Hawaiian culture into the program as appropriate including Hawaiian cooking lessons, education on local plants and flowers, lei making and other arts activities, and ukulele lessons.
As one of the most trusted and successful anorexia nervosa treatment centers in the world, ‘Ai Pono Hawaii provides a safe space for patients to nourish, balance, and heal themselves — away from the noise and stress of city life. We feel that those who have found our way to us (whether it's from across the world or across the island) have done so for a reason, and we embrace and welcome all of our patients as extensions of our treatment ohana (family).
‘Ai Pono Hawaii, we recognize the myriad of challenges faced by people who suffer from an eating disorder. In addition to social stigma, there are health risks, relationship troubles, and psychological effects that can negatively affect a person’s quality of life. Fortunately, our anorexia nervosa treatment center offers several treatment options for patients who are ready to embark on the journey to recovery.
Below are our available programs, each of which has its own unique set of advantages (Note: The best type of program for you or your loved one is dependent on your specific needs and situation and as part of our comprehensive pre-admissions process, we offer free phone assessments in order to determine what level of care is most appropriate for each patient’s presenting needs):
As one of the world’s best anorexia treatment centers, ‘Ai Pono Hawaii offers a truly holistic residential anorexia treatment for women that focuses on addressing patients’ nutritional, medical, and therapeutic needs. Our competent staff are available 24/7 to provide individual support for patients. We offer one-on-one psychotherapy sessions two to three times every week, as well as trauma treatment. For better therapy outcomes, we recommend enlisting the participation of each patient’s family and/or other loved ones in their recovery process.
*This program has resumed normal operations. For more information, please read our latest COVID-19 guidelines.
Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a unique treatment type offered to people of all genders who are struggling with anorexia nervosa or other eating disorders. This program is done for a maximum of 3.5 hours every day and involves various individual services: individual and group psychotherapy, nutrition education, and optional meal support three (3) to seven (7) days per week (based on the patient’s unique requirements). We provide our IOP both in-person in our Maui anorexia nervosa treatment center as well as virtually for all Hawaii residents.
*As of this time, this program is only available virtually for residents of Hawaii.
While we offer three different levels of care, many of our fully-recovered patients have seen the greatest benefits from staying in our anorexia residential treatment center. Patients who choose to receive residential anorexia treatment typically stay with us for a minimum period of thirty days and a typical length of stay of 45-60 days.
Intensive and comprehensive treatment – The main benefit of staying in our anorexia treatment center is that the treatment program is more intensive and immersive compared to an outpatient program. This can lead to better outcomes for patients and lowering the risk of relapse.
24/7 support – Residential anorexia treatment in ‘Ai Pono Hawaii means round-the-clock support from experts in treating anorexia and other eating disorders. With their care and guidance, patients are more likely to follow and complete their treatment plan and steer clear of disordered eating behaviors. Being a resident in one of the best anorexia treatment centers also enables patients to source inspiration and moral support from other patients.
Less distractions – ‘Ai Pono Hawaii is a peaceful and homelike anorexia treatment center that enables residential anorexia treatment patients to avoid the distractions of everyday life. Our setting empowers them to focus their valued time and attention to their complete recovery
Greater recovery success – Lastly, due to the advantages listed above, residential anorexia treatment often results in better success compared to outpatient programs. This is especially true for patients who need more intensive medical or therapeutic support on their journey to recovery.
To be fair, there are also disadvantages in attending a residential anorexia nervosa treatment center, such as:
More time required – Since patients have to live for several weeks in our anorexia recovery center, this treatment type will obviously require more of their time.
More expensive – Naturally, residential anorexia treatment is also more costly compared to our IOP program. However, please note that many of the costs can be shouldered by insurance.
More effort required – Finally, patients are expected to make significant mental and emotional commitments to this type of treatment since it is more immersive compared to the other levels of care. Having said that, the efforts exerted by patients are often commensurate to their success in recovering from their eating disorder.
[1] National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
