What Happens in a Day of Residential Eating Disorder Treatment?
Starting eating disorder treatment can feel overwhelming. Many people wonder what really happens in a treatment program, from meals to therapy to movement. That uncertainty can make taking the first step even harder. One of the most common questions we hear is, “What does a day in residential treatment actually look like?” At ‘Ai Pono,…
How is Anorexia Nervosa Treated? An Evolving Approach to a Complex Illness
The question of how anorexia nervosa is treated remains one of the most frequently asked by patients, families, and even healthcare providers navigating this complex terrain. While the fundamental pillars of care maintain their importance, anorexia treatment has evolved significantly in recent years, incorporating new understandings of trauma, body image, harm reduction, and individualized care….
How to Stop Binge Eating: Breaking the Cycle of Restriction & Shame
Binge eating disorder (BED) is one of the most misunderstood diagnoses in the eating disorder spectrum. It’s often framed as an issue of emotional regulation, willpower, or addiction. The behaviors don’t match the stereotype: there’s no sharp weight loss, no obvious physical decline. In someone who isn’t visibly underweight, chronic dieting and food anxiety are…
Holding the Whole Person: A Deeper Look at Holistic Eating Disorder Treatment
What does it mean to heal? Not just to treat symptoms, but to support someone in reclaiming their body, their story, and their sense of connection to the world? At ‘Ai Pono, we believe this kind of healing requires more than protocols or isolated techniques. It requires a philosophy. Holistic eating disorder treatment is not…
The Warning Signs of Eating Disorders You Might Be Overlooking
Some eating disorders are hard to miss. Others live in plain sight for months or years before someone realizes what they’re seeing. By the time concerns are taken seriously, the illness may have progressed significantly, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. Early signs of eating disorders or disordered eating often go unnoticed, not because no one cares,…
From Restriction to Reconnection: Healing Your Relationship With Food
Restriction isn’t always obvious. Sometimes it looks like skipping meals in the name of productivity. Sometimes it’s clean eating turned rigid, or small portions served with a side of guilt. Sometimes it’s a voice in your head telling you that nourishment must be earned. At its core, restriction is a disconnection from your body, your…
Mindfulness and Cognitive Therapy in the Treatment of Anorexia
Eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, are among the most challenging mental health conditions to treat. These disorders go beyond food, they reflect deep-rooted patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior. While cognitive therapies and mindfulness have been more widely studied in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, recent research has begun to explore their targeted use…
Gender Dysphoria vs. Body Dysmorphia: Why the Difference Matters
During Pride Month, we’re reminded how often language has been used to erase or distort identity. Terms like gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia are often confused—or at times used interchangeably—even by well-meaning people. But the difference between them isn’t just clinical. It’s cultural and personal, and it matters deeply. Body dysmorphia is a psychiatric diagnosis….
Who Gets to Heal? Barriers to Eating Disorder Treatment in Military and Veteran Populations
Eating disorders are among the deadliest psychiatric conditions, and among the most misunderstood. Within military and veteran communities, the risks are heightened by a complex mix of culture, trauma, and access barriers. Yet treatment remains difficult to obtain, and too often, it arrives too late. Military life imposes intense demands on the body and mind….
How to Support a Loved One With an Eating Disorder: Four Conversations That Can Make a Difference
It’s not easy to watch someone you care about struggle with an eating disorder. You might feel unsure of what to say, afraid of saying the wrong thing, or worried that your concern will push them further away. They may be working toward recovery, avoiding the subject entirely, or somewhere in between. What matters most…