Southern California’s Leading Eating Disorder Treatment Programs

At Montecatini, the premier residential eating disorder treatment center in Southern California, each client benefits from a highly tailored, comprehensive treatment experience to help promote lasting, long term recovery.

Program Overview

Located in beautiful Carlsbad, California, just three miles from the Pacific coast, Montecatini is a renowned and respected treatment program for women ages 16 to 55 who are living with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, as well as other eating disorders, and co-occurring diagnoses.

At Montecatini, we recognize the tremendous courage that it takes to enter treatment for an eating disorder, and we respect and honor the strength of each person who makes the decision to begin her recovery with us. Our goal is to provide you with a safe and nurturing environment where you may receive personalized care that meets your specific needs and reflects your unique talents and abilities. From the moment that you first walk through our front door, until long after you have completed care and returned home, you will forever be a cherished member of the Montecatini family.

When you choose to heal at Montecatini, you will work in close collaboration with a variety of experienced and dedicated professionals, including therapists, nurses, psychiatrists, physician’s assistants, registered dietitians, and other highly qualified personnel.

Residential Program

During your residential experience at Montecatini, you will live in a beautiful home-like environment, nestled within a charming and quiet neighborhood. Residential care includes individual, group, family, and experiential therapies. Our primary rehab  modalities include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and motivational interviewing. Medical care and medication management services are also available. And while every woman’s journey to healing and self-love is unique, the typical length of stay in the residential program is 30 to 60 days.

The groups that you will participate in may include expressive arts therapy, relapse prevention group, body image group, integrated care group that is focused on substance use, nutrition counseling and education group, spirituality/12-Step group, yoga, mindfulness/meditation, therapeutic gardening group, action planning, exposure therapy, outside 12-Step group, meal planning and meal preparation, and food and feelings group.

Your residential rehab will also include a variety of experiential therapies, including clothes shopping, restaurant outings, beach trips, grocery shopping, challenge food outings, and group dinners.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

If you have completed residential care and need a step-down level of support, or if you have discovered that you are struggling to sustain your recovery effort in lower levels of care, PHP may be the ideal opportunity for you. In PHP, you will have the ability to participate in a range of therapeutic activities, and you will have a greater degree of independence than that which is available during residential care.

During your time in PHP, you may participate in the following groups: nutrition education, meal planning, body image, interpersonal process group, relapse prevention, DBT skills training, art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, self-esteem, yoga and nia, spirituality, and a family intensive program. The typical length of stay in PHP is 30 to 90 days.

PHP services, which are are offered Mondays through Fridays, include supervised meals and snacks, as well as weekly sessions with our primary therapists, dietitians, and psychiatrist. An individual schedule is tailored for each client following the completion of a clinical assessment. If you would like to live in a supportive community while enrolled in PHP, we have a six-bed residence for PHP participants.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

When you are ready for our least intensive form of treatment, IOP services are provided in an office about 10 miles away from our residential location. IOP meets four hours per day, three to five days per week, with flexible hours to accommodate work, school, and family obligations. If your schedule does not allow you to attend daytime sessions, you may also choose to participate in evening IOP, which meets from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

IOP groups include DBT skills training, nutrition education group, yoga and nia, body image, relapse prevention skills development, interpersonal process group, spirituality, self-esteem, cognitive behavioral therapy, expressive art therapy, and a family intensive program. During your time in IOP, you may also participate in two professionally facilitated ANAD (Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) groups at no extra charge. The typical length of stay in IOP is 30 to 90 days.

What's Next

To learn more about the types of care that are available at Montecatini, or for answers to any other questions that you may have about any aspect of our program, please feel free to contact us at your convenience. Our friendly and informative staff members look forward to helping you determine if Montecatini is the perfect place for you or a loved one to begin lasting healing.

The treatment I received at Montecatini was unlike that of any other treatment center I've ever been to. I'm so thankful to everyone there for helping me get my life back on track!

– Former Client
A Dynamic and Vibrant Healing Community
Located in scenic Carlsbad, California, three miles from the Pacific Coast.