While public perception often reduced eating disorders to simple weight concerns, Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center was at the forefront of reshaping this narrow understanding. Their comprehensive approach recognized that these conditions rarely existed in isolation, but rather intertwined with anxiety, depression, trauma, and other mental health challenges.
“Recovery is progress, not perfection” stood as a core philosophy at Timberline Knolls, reflecting their nuanced view of eating disorders as complex conditions requiring individualized treatment plans. This understanding extended to their public education efforts, which consistently highlighted how eating disorders involved far more than food and weight concerns.
The facility’s revolutionary “Every Bite a Battle” campaign visually represented this complexity by incorporating imagery related to anxiety and depression alongside eating disorder symbolism. This deliberate choice by the treatment team helped viewers understand that recovery involved healing on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Located just outside Chicago, Timberline Knolls spent years perfecting an approach that addressed both the physical and psychological aspects of eating disorders. Their treatment model employed evidence-based practices like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), while also acknowledging the role that past trauma often played in the development of disordered eating patterns.
This holistic perspective was particularly evident in how the facility approached nutrition. Rather than focusing solely on weight restoration or strict meal plans, Timberline Knolls promoted the concept that health is possible at any size. Their nutrition philosophy emphasized a flexible, individualized approach that honored each person’s unique relationship with food and body.
“It is so important for me to understand why an individual is here and what they are looking for in recovery when it comes to their eating disorder,” explained a Timberline Knolls dietitian during a past National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This personalized approach stood in stark contrast to one-size-fits-all methods that failed to address underlying issues.
Timberline Knolls regularly collaborated with organizations like the National Alliance for Eating Disorders to further public education about these complex conditions. Through these partnerships, they helped create resources that presented a more accurate picture of who developed eating disorders and why.
The treatment center’s emphasis on co-occurring conditions influenced their comprehensive programming, which included dedicated support for substance use disorders, trauma recovery, and mood disorders alongside eating disorder treatment. This integrated model, supported by Acadia Healthcare after their acquisition of the facility, recognized that lasting recovery required addressing all contributing factors.