Why we need to talk about eating disorders | Kat Geiger

Dom Chipp • February 22, 2021

This opinion column was submitted by Kat Geiger, LCSW, a certified eating disorders specialist with  Thrive Wellness of Reno.

As this is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, it’s time to take a closer look at the impact of body image, beauty, diet, and disordered eating and what we can do to mitigate it. Approximately one out of every 10 people in the U.S. struggles with some sort of a diagnosable eating disorder, and a far greater percentage struggle in their relationship with food and their bodies.

Eating disorders can affect people of every size, shape, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and anyone regardless of their gender or sex. Although eating disorders are more commonly identified in females, researchers and clinicians are becoming aware of a growing number of males and nonbinary individuals who are seeking help for eating disorders.

Broadly speaking, eating disorders emerge subconsciously as a way to gain a sense of control over a person’s immediate environment.

In the midst of a global pandemic that is far from the realm of what we can control, a greater percentage of people have begun seeking control through the shapes of their bodies and the food they eat. It has become easier falling into the trap of overevaluating the importance of weight, shape and diet as a means to mitigate the lack of control we feel due to financial instability resulting from the global pandemic, poor family relationships from a tenuous political environment, and other stressors that are out of our control.

In the U.S. alone, about 30 million people will suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their lives. We may not always think of eating disorders as being severe or life-threatening, but eating disorders have the second-highest mortality rate of all mental health struggles. Left untreated, up to 20 percent of those suffering from eating disorders will die. With treatment, mortality rates fall to 2-3 percent.

People of all shapes and sizes can struggle with this disorder, and only 6 percent of those who are diagnosed with an eating disorder are underweight. People struggling with advanced anorexia may be easily identified, but people struggling with bulimia, orthorexia, binge eating disorder and others are often of average body size. The question now is, what can we do to help spread awareness and allow people to seek help without fear of being judged?

  • Education and research are key to spreading awareness about eating disorders. Although social media plays a role in body image issues and diet culture, it can also be used as a platform to educate those who aren’t aware of this disorder and to support those who are all too familiar with it.
  • Speak up and challenge people when they show judgement toward certain body types or foods.
  • Do not talk negatively about your own body or parts of your body. Instead, consider talking about what you are grateful that your body does for you.
  • Consider challenging those who blatantly correlate success or self-discipline with a certain body type.
  • Rather than complimenting a person on their body type or appearance, focus on complimenting their personality traits and talents.
  • Stop moralizing food. Telling our friends “you are being so good!” when they eat a salad or low carb meal, can actually cause harm. Or, saying “I’m being bad today!” after ordering a dessert can also perpetuate shame around eating certain types of foods.
  • If your friend loses 20 pounds, don’t jump to tell them how good they look. Instead, ask how they are feeling or what new hobbies they’ve found.
  • Redirect conversations focused on diets and weight loss, these conversations are often used in our society as “filler” — a surface way to connect with others when we aren’t sure what else to talk about.

A person’s weight and a person’s health are not interchangeable. The stigma of certain foods, weight, and shape must come to an end in order to reduce the cultural effects that perpetuate eating disorders. Ending any stigma starts on an individual level. It’s important to be mindful of how we talk about food and our bodies to friends, family, and most importantly, ourselves.

Offering support to those struggling in their relationship with their bodies and food and spreading awareness can help those who suffer feel less alone. It can even save their lives. There are assessments and treatment available if you or someone you know are struggling with symptoms of an eating disorder. Seeking an assessment from an eating disorders expert is always the best course of action if you are unsure whether your struggles qualify as an eating disorder. If you or someone you love is suffering from signs of an eating disorder, please consider exploring the below resources:

Local resources:

  • Thrive Wellness of Reno — offers free assessments and support groups, and accepts most major insurances for treatment. Visit  thrivewellnessreno.com.

National resources:

  • The National Eating Disorders Association — offers additional information and a national helpline. Visit  nationaleatingdisorders.org.
  • Eating Disorder Hope — offers additional information and national treatment resources. Visit  eatingdisorderhope.com.
  • International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP) — offers resources to treatment professionals and a list of certified eating disorders specialists. Visit  iaedp.com.

Kat Geiger, LCSW, is a certified eating disorders specialist with  Thrive Wellness of Reno.

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By Erin McGinty Fort, MS, MHA, CPC, LPC-S, CEDS-C December 18, 2025
Sometimes, people need more support, structure, and monitoring than the typical outpatient setting can provide. When this happens, the treatment team will usually recommend that someone be "stepped up" to a different level of care, or program, that can better meet their needs. I like to think of it as being similar to medication dosages; people need different strengths of medications, or dosages, to get better when they're sick. Stepping someone up to a higher level of care is like increasing the dosage of a medication to match the severity of their symptoms. How Are Higher Levels of Care Different from Standard Outpatient Care? At the core of differentiating higher levels of care from standard outpatient care is the intensity and structure of the treatment. Higher level of care programs tend to offer more days of treatment each week and more hours of treatment per day than in the outpatient setting. Those in higher level of care programs may also meet with their treatment team members more frequently each week. There are more staff present to support someone at or after meals and snacks, or to help those who are having urges to engage in compulsions or other harmful behaviors. Clients in our HLOC programs get access to an assortment of treatment modalities tailored to their individual needs, including personalized therapy sessions, group support, medication management, medical nutrition therapy with a dietitian, and check-ins with our primary care providers. We support clients with personalized treatment plans and regular assessments to monitor and tweak interventions as needed. Higher levels of care also offer increased peer interaction and support. Intensive programs incorporate additional group therapy sessions, which can help those in treatment feel less alone as well as create a greater sense of community. For some people, it can be difficult to devote the time and energy needed to recover while also balancing other responsibilities like school or work. Stepping up to more intensive levels of care allows people to fully dedicate themselves to recovery. As they get better and make progress, a person may be stepped back down to a less intensive level of care to start practicing their recovery in their usual home, school, or work settings while also receiving professional support from their treatment team. What Levels of Care are Available? At Thrive Wellness, we offer four different levels of care to help clients step up (or down) in their treatment when needed: -  Outpatient Treatment - weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings with a therapist, psychiatrist, primary care provider, and/or dietitian. - Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) - A minimum of three hours per day, three days per week. - Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) - A minimum of six hours per day, five days per week. - Residential Treatment - Coming soon in 2026, The Greenhouse at Thrive will offer residential treatment for eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This level of care offers 24-hour support for those aged 12-24 living in our residential treatment center. How To Decide Which Level of Care is Right for You If you're unsure which option is right for you or your loved one, we offer a free assessment that can be completed with our admissions team. In this initial assessment, we'll gather information from you about what you're struggling with, speak with our team of providers, and then make a recommendation for what level of care we feel is the best fit for you and your needs. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, anxiety disorder, or other behavioral or mental health challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out. To get started with our intake process, give us a call at 775-525-8103 or fill out this form . We can’t wait to help you Thrive.
December 2, 2025
Like the fir tree, a symbol of endurance rooted in hope, our Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR) approach reflects the strength that grows when families face challenges together. At our new residential center “The Greenhouse”, FIR is more than a treatment model, it’s a philosophy of healing that places families at the heart of recovery for adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We believe lasting healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s built with the support of families through perseverance, hope, and compassionate care. What Is Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR)? Family Intensive Recovery (FIR) is a specialized and immersive approach that actively engages caregivers as central agents in their child’s healing process. Rather than seeing families as contributors to a problem, we view them as essential partners in recovery. Drawing from two evidence-based frameworks, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and Family-Based Treatment (FBT), FIR helps families cultivate resilience, confidence, and connection throughout the journey to recovery. Grounded in SPACE and FBT Through the SPACE model, parents learn how to recognize and reduce well-intentioned but unhelpful behaviors known as accommodations that can reinforce anxiety and OCD symptoms. By shifting from rescuing to supporting and challenging, parents develop the confidence to guide their child through discomfort, helping them build distress tolerance and self-trust. Simultaneously, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) empowers families to take an active, compassionate role in their child’s nutritional and emotional recovery. Parents learn how to support weight and nutritional restoration, disrupt the eating disorder’s patterns, and reestablish boundaries that promote health and growing autonomy. Together, these approaches strengthen both the individual and family system, allowing recovery to take root within an environment of empathy and optimism. From Blame to Collaboration A cornerstone of the FIR model is removing blame. At Thrive, parents are not viewed as the cause of their child’s struggles, but rather as key partners in recovery. Treatment focuses on joining forces to create a safe, supportive environment where: Families learn to sit with their child's discomfort alongside them without rushing to fix or control it. Parents practice compassionate firmness, setting boundaries grounded in care and safety. Teens and caregivers rebuild trust through open, honest communication. This collaborative framework helps families reestablish a sense of connection and confidence, fostering long-term resilience and open communication that extends beyond the treatment setting. Why Family Matters in Recovery Recovery from eating disorders, OCD, or anxiety isn’t a one-person job, it requires integrated care including the family. When families learn to navigate challenges together, they can model emotional regulation, reinforce healthy boundaries, and create conditions for sustained recovery. Through FIR, we aim to strengthen attachment bonds, reshape family interactions, and empower every member of the family to grow. The result is not only symptom reduction but also a deeper sense of unity, hope, and shared endurance, just like the steadfast fir tree that stands resilient through every season. Moving Toward Hope Family Inclusive Recovery invites caregivers and loved ones to become active participants in change. It’s a journey of learning, letting go, and leaning into love and acceptance. Together, families and clinicians can cultivate the courage in clients to face uncertainty, and in doing so, help them discover that recovery is not just possible, but enduring. If you’d like to learn more about Family Intensive Recovery at The Greenhouse or how we support families in eating disorder and OCD treatment, reach out to our team today.
November 14, 2025
The Greenhouse at Thrive Wellness A New Chapter of Hope and Healing in Nevada On Friday, November 14 , we gathered with our partners at Molina Healthcare to share an important moment for our community. Together, we celebrated Molina’s generous $50,000 grant , an investment that is helping bring The Greenhouse to life. Their support is not only a financial contribution—it’s a statement of belief in the young people and families of Nevada who deserve access to compassionate, evidence-based mental healthcare close to home. This gathering marked the beginning of something we’ve dreamed about for years: a place designed specifically for adolescents and emerging adults to receive the care, connection, and support they need during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Something New Is Growing In early 2026 , Thrive Wellness will open The Greenhouse , Nevada’s first residential treatment center devoted to adolescents and emerging adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety, and OCD . For too long, families have faced a heartbreaking dilemma—send their child far from home for treatment or go without the specialized care they need. The Greenhouse is our answer to that gap. It will be a place where young people can settle into an environment built for healing, where they are understood, supported, and surrounded by a team that believes in their capacity to recover. The Greenhouse represents a natural extension of our mission. It’s a living expression of our belief that recovery is possible—and that with the right support, families can find their footing again. 
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