Eating Recovery Center Denver - 1st Ave

Location Details

Who we treat
Adult
Level of Care
On-site Intensive Outpatient
Partial Hospitalization
Conditions We Treat
Eating Disorders
Orthorexia
Anorexia Nervosa
ARFID
Atypical Anorexia
Binge Eating Disorder
Bulimia Nervosa
Compulsive Overeating
Diabulimia
OSFED

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100% Confidential

Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado serves as a step down unit from our Inpatient and Residential location and was built to support 30-35 patients through a seven-day-per-week Partial Hospitalization Program as well as a three-day-a-week Intensive Outpatient Programs for medically-stable adults.

With a full teaching kitchen as well as a big dining room with a buffet, patients can practice plating and feeding themselves in a therapeutic environment and with a team of compassionate and renowned experts in eating disorders whose goal is to fuse evidence-based findings and innovation to create a comprehensive center of healing.

Highly Effective Eating Disorder Treatment in Denver, Colorado

Providing eating disorder treatment within a seven-day-a-week partial hospitalization program (PHP) and a three-day-a-week intensive outpatient program (IOP), this Eating Recovery Center (ERC) Denver location is known as ERC Denver-Conifer. ERC Denver-Conifer serves as a step down unit from the inpatient and residential programs at a separate center known as ERC Denver-Willow.

ERC Denver was founded by a team of leading experts fusing evidence-based findings and innovation to create a national center of excellence for the treatment of eating disorders. In multiple locations across the Denver metro area and Front Range, you will find a full spectrum of eating disorder treatment for adults, adolescents and children of all genders.

  • Trusted by over 20,000 patients and their families
  • 87% of former patients agreed that their experience at ERC was helpful
  • 91% of parents of former patients would recommend ERC to others in need of services
  • Specialized treatment designed by a team of experienced clinicians
denver colorado

Lighting your way to recover from eating disorders

Discover a toolbox filled with new coping skills

In treatment, you will learn how to interrupt eating disorder thoughts and behaviors to create a life based on your values.

Start to heal the moment you feel heard

A focus on relationship-building in treatment has a positive effect on helping you prioritize your relationship with yourself and your relationship with others — instead of prioritizing a relationship with your eating disorder.

Be your authentic self — without judgement

We accept and respect your unique history, personality, strengths and challenges. Treatment emphasizes supporting the whole-person, skill-building, and empowerment to help you maintain recovery.

Benefit From Expert Eating Disorder Care

When recovering from an eating disorder, your primary medicine is nutrition. At ERC Denver, we provide you with nutritious meals, meal planning, meal support and integrated therapies to help you heal. The medical and clinical leadership team at ERC Denver includes the world’s leading eating disorder treatment experts, many of whom have actively led research supporting effective, evidence-based eating disorders treatment. ERC Denver is accredited by the Joint Commission, the gold standard in healthcare accreditation.

"No one is immune to eating disorders. They do not discriminate, and they affect people of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, shapes and sizes. We work hard to treat patients in need with dignity and respect, meeting them where they are at and providing the support needed to meet their recovery goals."

Elizabeth Wassenaar, MS, MD, CEDS-S, DFAPA, Regional Medical Director, ERC Denver (she/her)

Who We Treat

Conditions We Treat

  • Eating Disorders

    An eating disorder is a treatable mental illness that includes a number of different symptoms, including extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.

  • Anorexia

    Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an obsessive fear of weight gain and a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight.
  • Atypical Anorexia

    You can’t tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them. See how atypical anorexia affects people in a variety of body shapes and sizes.
  • ARFID

    ARFID is a lesser known eating disorder that frequently begins as early as infancy or childhood, but adults can also suffer.
  • Binge Eating Disorder

    Binge eating disorder is characterized by frequent overeating – at least once a week for three months – combined with a lack of control, intense feelings of distress and several other characteristic behaviors.
  • Bulimia

    Bulimia is characterized by patterns of bingeing and purging.
  • Compulsive Overeating

    Compulsive overeating can involve binge eating and weight gain, but it can also involve other behaviors.
  • Diabulimia

    The term diabulimia is used to describe the diagnosis of an eating disorder in an individual with type 1 diabetes. These patients intentionally misuse insulin for weight control.
  • OSFED

    Some eating disorders do not meet all of the diagnostic criteria for specific diagnoses like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Levels of Care Offered

  • Inpatient

    Our Inpatient programming is designed to support adults, children and adolescents of all genders who are acutely ill and are experiencing medical and mood instability as a result of their eating disorder.

  • Residential

    Within ERC Pathlight's step-down model of care, the Residential eating disorder treatment program as well as the Residential mood & anxiety treatment program offer medically stable patients a highly-structured and supportive 24-hour treatment environment.

  • Partial Hospitalization

    Our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) offers some of the same intensity and structure of Residential mood, anxiety, and eating disorder treatment while providing additional opportunities to practice recovery outside of the controlled eating disorder treatment environment during evenings at home or in peer-supported apartment communities.

  • On-Site Intensive Outpatient Treatment

    Our Intensive Outpatient program is a flexible mood, anxiety, and eating disorder treatment program that allows patients to work, go to school, or care for children during the day and sleep at home at night.

  • Virtual Intensive Outpatient - Eating Recovery At Home

    ERC is removing the barriers that can keep patients with anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders from receiving treatment. Through telebehavioral health programming, Eating Recovery At Home (our virtual Intensive Outpatient Program) offers the same proven care as our in-person treatment centers. 

Your path to healing is as unique as you are

Our multidisciplinary treatment teams understand the challenges that eating disorders bring. We are deeply committed to guiding you or your loved one to a lasting recovery. Each patient will work with the following team members in treatment:

  • Psychiatrist
  • Primary therapist
  • Registered dietitian
  • Case manager
  • Alumni support
  • Patient support staff
  • Trauma-informed yoga instructors
  • Art therapists

We can also support co-occurring medical conditions like diabetes and co-occurring mental health concerns like anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

View Our 7-Day and 3-Day Programs

7-Day Partial Hospitalization Program

Research shows that eating disorder patients in 5-day (weekday-only) programming struggle with eating disorder behaviors over the weekend. PHP programming at ERC takes place 7 days a week to give you the best chance at recovery. In PHP, you’ll learn new recovery skills during the day and practice those skills in the evening — at home or at ERC’s apartments near the treatment center.

3-Day Intensive Outpatient Program

Individuals ready to integrate back into life at school, work or home benefit from our 3-day-per week, 3 hours-per-day IOP. IOP is best suited for individuals local to Denver since apartment housing is not provided. This level of care may be an appealing option for busy professionals, parents and college students who do not need a higher level of care at this time. If you have any questions about the best level of care for you, please give us a call.

Nutrition Services

Nutrition Counseling & Education

In eating disorder treatment, food is your medicine. Without it, your brain and body cannot heal from the damage the eating disorder has caused. ERC Denver was designed to offer you numerous food and cooking experiences. With a full teaching kitchen and a large dining room with a buffet, patients can practice plating and feeding themselves in a supportive environment. Food experiences in IOP and PHP may include:

  • Neighborhood outings to local coffee shops and restaurants
  • Individualized grocery store tours with support from staff members
  • Cooking groups in our teaching kitchen
  • Help with planning, cooking and preparing meals in PHP apartments
  • Helping you set up food delivery and other meal planning support

We are able to accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher and halal diets, as well as food allergies. No matter what your symptoms look like, you deserve to have a peaceful relationship with food and your body.

Travel Assistance Provided

Most patients seeking care at ERC Denver come from out of state, in search of the highest-quality, evidence-based eating disorder treatment. As part of our effort to ensure that travel is never a barrier to treatment, we offer a dedicated travel concierge to handle all the moving parts and remove obstacles on the road to recovery. We can provide help with:

  • Flights and local transportation options
  • Accommodations
  • Local services, and more

Housing Assistance Provided

Most ERC Denver locations — including Willow, Conifer and Pine — are located near each other on the Lowry medical campus. The Lowry medical campus is close to dedicated ERC apartments for patients in PHP. The campus is also conveniently located near local shops and restaurants — making the transition to care easier for patients and their families. Whether you are traveling from out of state, or live in the Denver metro area, you’ll find apartment housing near the treatment center to help you practice the skills you are learning in PHP.

Get the right support at the right time

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that can take over your or your loved one’s life. Reaching out for help is an important and brave first step. Give us a call and our compassionate admissions team will walk you through the entire process with care and support. No referral is ever needed for you to access the treatment you need and deserve. Got a question about starting treatment? Please give us a call.

Let us help you with insurance

When facing a life-threatening eating disorder, you shouldn’t have to worry about how to pay for treatment. Our benefits team – Patient Access Coordinators – will diligently work with your insurance company to ensure all financial resources are being used to your benefit. We’re committed to advocating for the best care and support — from your first call to your last day of treatment.

Get matched with the exact support you need.

With one conversation, our mental health professionals will help you better understand what you’re going through and what you need.

We will meet you where you are, listen to your story in a therapeutic setting, and match you with the level of support that meets your struggle.

Covered by Most Commercial Insurance Plans

  • cofinity
  • compsych
  • magellan health
  • moda
  • multiplan
  • phcs
  • rocky mountain health plans
  • ascension seton
  • value options

Our patient access team is here to advocate for you. We can help you address financial challenges and work with you to get you the maximum coverage offered by your plan.

Learn More About Insurance

Frequently Ased Questions About ERC Denver-Conifer

  • What type of eating disorder support do you offer once treatment ends?

    Eating Recovery Center’s Community Outreach Liaisons are dedicated to supporting alumni and their family members throughout the recovery journey, providing you with the resources you need. This includes:

    Learn About Alumni Services

  • What kind of eating disorder support is offered for caregivers, family members and friends?

    We offer numerous ways for caregivers, family members and friends to be involved in their loved one’s treatment. We strongly encourage you to register today and join us in one or all of the following programs:

  • How do I know which level of care I should enter?

    If you are struggling, or if someone you care about is struggling with an eating disorder, we can help. Our compassionate team is here for you and can help you decide which ERC Denver program will be the best fit for you. Step directly into IOP or PHP at ERC Denver or step down from a higher level of care. No matter where you come from, we will be here to light your way to recovery.

  • Where is ERC Denver located?

    ERC Denver is located in Denver, the capital of Colorado, and convenient to Denver International Airport and other Front Range locations. Located about 12 miles east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, our Lowry clinical campus is east of downtown, near several other ERC Denver locations. Navigate metro Denver easily with ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft or take advantage of public transportation. Denver is home to three major sports teams, a variety of art and history museums, white water rafting, hiking, and more.

  • Where do I stay while in PHP or IOP at ERC Denver?

    We provide nearby apartment housing for all patients in PHP, even those who live in the Denver metro area. PHP is quite intensive since you are in treatment 7-days-per-week for 11.5 hours per day. IOP is best suited for individuals who live locally. IOP treatment takes place three hours a day for three days each week and is designed for you to stay involved in your work, school and home responsibilities while you work on recovery.

Expert Care for Eating Disorders in Denver, CO

Meet the leadership team at Eating Recovery Center Denver.

  • Elizabeth Wassenaar, MS, MD, CEDS
    Elizabeth Wassenaar Link

    Elizabeth Wassenaar

    Regional Medical Director
    Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar is the Regional Medical Director for the Mountain and West regions at Eating Recovery Center and ...
    READ MORE
  • Libby Erickson, MD
    Libby Erickson Link

    Libby Erickson

    Medical Director, Psychiatrist
    Dr. Libby Erickson currently works as a psychiatrist and Medical Director on the Intensive Treatment Unit at Eating Recovery ...
    READ MORE
  • Jessica Barth Nesbitt, MA, RD, LD, CEDRD
    Jessica Barth-Nesbitt Link

    Jessica Barth-Nesbitt

    Regional Nutrition Director
    Jessica is a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian. Jessica has experience in working with individuals with eating ...
    READ MORE
  • Sharon Harrison
    Sharon Harrison Link

    Sharon Harrison

    Director Nursing
    Sharon has worked as a registered nurse at ERC since 2016. During this time, she has worked across all the facilities as a floor ...
    READ MORE
  • Adam Marion
    Adam Marion Link

    Adam Marion

    Regional Vice President
    Adam is a Licensed Clinical Social who has worked with child, adolescent, and adult populations across the country in various ...
    READ MORE
  • Heather VanHooser
    Heather VanHooser Link

    Heather VanHooser

    Chief Nursing Officer
    Heather joined ERC Pathlight as Chief Nursing Officer in 2023. She holds three bachelor’s degrees, a MBA, and a Master’s in ...
    READ MORE
denver colorado

Find Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment in Colorado

We also offer virtual eating disorder treatment for individuals in Colorado through our Eating Recovery At Home program. Individuals in all cities and towns across Colorado, including the cities listed below, are eligible to participate in Eating Recovery At Home.

  • Denver
  • Colorado Springs
  • Aurora
  • Fort Collins
  • Lakewood
  • Thornton
  • Arvada
  • Westminster
  • Pueblo
  • Greeley
  • Centennial
  • Boulder
  • Highlands Ranch
  • Grand Junction
  • Castle Rock
  • Aspen
  • Breckenridge
  • Vail

Explore Our Other Locations in the U.S.

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Eating Recovery Center is accredited through the Joint Commission. This organization seeks to enhance the lives of the persons served in healthcare settings through a consultative accreditation process emphasizing quality, value and optimal outcomes of services.

Organizations that earn the Gold Seal of Approval™ have met or exceeded The Joint Commission’s rigorous performance standards to obtain this distinctive and internationally recognized accreditation. Learn more about this accreditation here.

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