Residential Eating disorder Treatment in Beautiful Malaysia
Eating Disorders
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, around seventy million people live with an eating disorder globally. Eating disorders are not just about food or body shape: they’re complex mental health conditions caused and maintained by emotional traits, interpersonal difficulties, traumas and ways of thinking.
Recovery from eating disorders means addressing these underlying factors, through programs that emphasise whole-person healing and lasting emotional and social well-being. While recovery is never easy, it is possible and, with the right support, young people can rediscover their confident and passionate selves.
At The Wave, we offer a range of treatments designed to help young people overcome eating disorders. Alongside clinical treatment, we provide opportunities to learn new skills, try new hobbies, and make long-lasting friendships – giving every young person a chance to grow and realise their dreams.
We are here to help
The Wave Eating Disorder Admissions Team can be contacted on:
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Wave Clinic: Specialists in Teen Eating Disorders
+60 327 271 799 (General Enquiries)
+60 125 227 734 (Admissions)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Wave International Group LLC
+971 438 354 01
What Is It and How Does It Work?
Treatment for Eating Disorders
Through trauma-focused, individualised care, young people can recover from eating disorders. Recovery involves developing emotional coping skills, building trusting relationships, growing in self-confidence and developing positive associations with food and eating.
We know that two disorders are the same, and make that every treatment plan is personalised. We understand and emphasise the role of the family as a powerful tool in eating disorder recovery.
Integrated Trauma and Eating Disorder Treatment
A majority of adolescents who enter residential treatment for eating disorders may have experienced at least one type of childhood trauma. Young people who live with co-occurring eating disorders and PTSD face additional challenges, such as more severe symptoms and higher rates of depression and anxiety.
When young people experience eating disorder and trauma symptoms, it’s important to offer integrated, simultaneous treatment. That means providing trauma therapy to young people even during the early stages of eating disorder treatment, including intensive treatment settings and higher levels of care.
For the past six years, we’ve provided concurrent ED treatment and trauma treatment to young people living with eating disorders and experiences of trauma, helping them to heal and achieve lasting recovery.
Laying the groundwork for a bright life after recovery
The Seven Core Elements of Treatment
Our focus on creating a solid foundation for long-term recovery led us to develop the seven core elements of treatment – a programme built around seven core concepts designed to promote healing and lay the groundwork for a bright life after recovery.
Each of the seven elements focuses on enriching a specific aspect of a young person’s life, whether that’s achieving recovery, building new skills for the future, working on their mental health, or developing a strong support network.
The seven elements include:
Our clinical approach combines a range of therapies to help young people overcome pre-existing mental health conditions and identify the root cause of their eating disorder. As a mental health condition, it’s important that young people tackle the mental aspect of their disorder before medical intervention and treatments. This is because starting physical treatments and eating plans won’t be effective if they haven’t overcome this mental block. We believe that our young people need to be in the right mindset before starting treatment, and this is exactly what the clinical element of our programme is all about.
During this time, our young people will work closely with a team of psychotherapists, trauma professionals, family therapists, and recovery coaches who focus on their mental health, working with them to develop healthy coping mechanisms and associations with food and their body image.
Our clinical therapies and interventions include:
- Family therapy
- Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Internal family systems (IFS)
- Enhanced cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT-E)
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
- Radically open dialectical behaviour therapy (RO-DBT)
- Expressive arts therapy
- Somatic therapy
At The Wave, our dedicated psychiatrist teams are on-site every day to help our young people on their healing journey, meaning they’ll be surrounded by twenty-four-hour medical care and support. Medical treatment for eating disorders depends on the severity of the condition, and, as touched on above, all programmes are personalised accordingly.
Depending on the severity of an eating disorder, a medical programme can include:
- Tube feeding and total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
- Lab and electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Medical and psychiatric management of eating disorders
- Medication and prescriptions
- Psychiatric intensive care
- One-to-one nursing
At The Wave, we believe everyone is entitled to a great education. No mental health condition or eating disorder should hold young people back from growing and developing – that’s why we’ve created a programme that blends treatment with education to set a solid foundation for the future.
As well as personal learning plans (PLP), our young people are given a chance to continue their studies or embark on new ones. Whether they want to continue their GCSES or A Levels, or take up a new study – there’s something for everyone to get stuck into.
Some of our vocational options include:
- The Royal Horticultural Society
- The London School of Art
- Leith’s School of Cookery
- The British Horse Society
True recovery doesn’t happen through talking and support alone; it happens through action. At The Wave, we call this ‘living and learning recovery.’ It’s one of the reasons we’ve developed a global citizenship programme that gives our young people the chance to help out in the local community and become more aware of the world around them. We tie this in around the treatment of eating disorders, creating a volunteering programme that sees our young people work with local orphanages to plan, cook, and serve meals to children.
As well as cooking and eating with the children, our young people are gently eased into therapeutic inquiry and come to challenge negative beliefs and associations around food. It’s a fun and empowering experience to serve the community and give back, but it also gives our young people the chance to take part in living and learning recovery.
At The Wave, we believe it’s just as important to develop inner resources and tools that can be used to lay a solid foundation for lasting wellness and success. With our outside-inside approach, young people have the opportunity to grow and develop a bank of skills that can be used in their future. All these strategies can be used in times of stress, helping them develop healthy coping mechanisms instead of turning back to old habits.
We combine a range of creative and holistic treatments into each young adults programme, including:
- Education on the food and body groups
- Mindful movement
- Tension, stress, and trauma release (TRE)
- Reiki
- Eating disorder informed yoga
- Education on nourishment and healthy eating
- Journalling and reflective writing
- Team sports and group challenges
Cultivating a strong team spirit, sense of accomplishment, and fun into our treatment programmes is what sets our treatment approach apart from others. We don’t just focus on medical and clinical treatment – we’re also keen to get our young people involved in fun challenges and experiences that will empower them and help them learn new life skills.
That’s why one of our seven core elements is experiences. All young people have the chance to take part in a range of experiences and exciting adventures, including:
- Dance and drama productions
- Fashion design
- Batik painting
- Pottery
- Horse riding
- Jungle adventures
- Orienteering
- Rock climbing
As soon as young people enter our doors, we’re already planning and prepping for their future. They’ve got so much ahead of them, and we’re keen to help them realise their dreams and ambitions, giving them the tools and resources to set the cogs into motion.
Our dedicated care team works with each young person to develop an ongoing plan that will help ease them back into everyday life and transition healthily. We know that leaving behind the security and familiarity of treatment can be a little daunting, but we’re here to help each young person develop a set of goals and plans to work towards their future with confidence.
“I came to The Wave about 2 ½ years ago, and I can’t speak highly enough about their service, support, and love I received (and still do) from the team. They have helped me build stable foundations for a life that now feels worth living. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without their amazing help, and I am lucky enough to call them my family.”
Eating disorder therapies and treatment options
Recovering from Eating Disorders
During a young person’s stay with us, they’ll experience a range of therapies and treatment options. Some of these include:
One-to-One Therapy
During one-to-one therapy, each young person meets regularly with a dedicated therapist. These sessions offer a safe space to speak about emotions, thoughts and experiences, identifying and addressing underlying factors that sustain their eating disorder. Young people also learn skills such as emotional regulation and develop healthy coping mechanisms and associations with food.
Group Therapy
At The Wave, we focus on building meaningful connections and trusted friendships. Having a strong support network helps young people to navigate challenging times and continue their recovery journey with resilience and self-belief.
Group therapy is a great way to learn from others on a similar journey and form long-lasting friendships. Hearing from others who’ve battled an eating disorder shows our young people that they’re not alone and gives them the chance to hear how others cope with the condition. There’s also a greater sense of accountability, collective commitment and determination.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Eating Disorders
Interpersonal Therapy or IPT is an evidence-based treatment used in the treatment of binge eating disorder (BED), bulimia nervosa, depression and other mental health disorders.
One of the goals of interpersonal therapy is to look carefully at the emotions and experiences that underpin or trigger binge eating episodes. It focuses on feelings that emerge in social settings and interpersonal relationships, finding ways to build more stable relationships, develop secure attachments and cope with relationship challenges in healthy ways.
Alternative Therapies
Alternative therapies offer additional modes of introspection, expression and processing through creative outlets, experiences and mind-body therapies. From dance and art therapy to Reiki and mindfulness, these therapies can help young people relieve stress, process trauma, cope with emotions and find ways to express their feelings.
Alternative therapies are also a chance to develop new skills, hobbies and interests that enrich young people’s lives once they have left The Wave, laying the foundations for fulfilling, creative and resilient futures.
Trauma-Informed Yoga
Trauma-informed yoga helps young people build introceptive awareness and understand how trauma is stored in their bodies. Young people learn how to cope with the somatic distress caused by trauma and manage these experiences, rather than avoiding them. With continued practice, these distressing feelings become less intense.
Yoga also supports teenagers and young adults to build mindfulness skills, learning to exist in the present moment. As young people develop cognitive-emotional skills and a more positive self-concept, they can achieve a greater sense of well-being, calmness and wholeness in their minds and bodies.
Nutritional Programmes
Young people’s brains and bodies rely on minerals and vitamins to function. Each micronutrient plays a specific role in the body, so eating a broad and balanced range of foods is necessary to feel mentally and physically well. When young people have experienced nutritional deficiencies as a result of an eating disorder, carefully planned nutrition is especially important.
At The Wave, we provide personalised nutritional programmes, alongside supported dining and meal planning. We also work with young people to develop positive emotional connections with food through cooking, gardening and creativity.
Gardening Groups
Our gardening group programmes help young people build positive emotional connections with food, planting and growing the vegetables that they cook and eat. They’re also a chance to develop new skills and practice responsibility and care, processes that can be translated into how they look after themselves.
Surrounded by plants, soil and natural life, young people can appreciate the healing power of nature, internalising a sense of calmness and perspective.
Family Therapy
Families can play a powerful role in recovery from eating disorders. Family therapists support families to develop new skills, knowledge and ways of relating, providing a young person with invaluable emotional support and encouragement in their recovery journey.
They also help families reinforce positive behaviours and ways of thinking while discouraging unhelpful patterns.
Radically Open Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Many young people with eating disorders also struggle with perfectionist thinking and overcontrol. Young people with perfectionist traits tend to aim for specific, often unattainable standards, and place their self-worth in whether or not they meet them. This may involve wanting to have a certain body shape or be at a certain weight, and feeling like a failure if their perceived body shape is different. Perfectionist thinking is often accompanied by overcontrol, where young people inhibit urges, desires, impulses, and behaviours in order to reach certain goals.
Radically open dialectical behavioural therapy (RO-DBT) is an innovative, evidence-based treatment based on openness, flexibility, and open connectedness. RO-DBT supports young people to challenge even their most strongly held beliefs, be open to the possibility of radical change, and be ready to learn from others. It helps young people express their thoughts and emotions more freely to encourage meaningful connection with others and develop a sense of belonging.
At The Wave, we offer DBT in weekly specialist skills groups for young people who may benefit from targeted interventions. Through our RO-DBT sessions, young people learn to overcome issues of overcontrol and perfectionism that may underlie disordered eating behaviours while improving their social connectedness, relationships, and emotional expression. All our sessions are led by highly skilled, specialist therapists sensitive to the unique needs of every young person.
Cookery School
At The Wave, we believe in recovery through action. That’s why we get all our young people involved in activities and programmes that promote healthy eating, helping them develop a better relationship with food. One of these ‘living’ recovery activities is our cooking school. Here, we encourage young people to prep, cook, and learn new recipes that they can take with them into their future.
Being around food and learning how to nourish the body through cooking gently helps young people form healthy associations with eating, making it a fun experience rather than a scary one. It also equips them with the basic culinary skills they need in the future if they decide to move away from home or travel abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Eating Disorders FAQ's
An eating disorder is a mental health condition characterised by a need to control the amount of food a person eats. This can include not eating enough, eating too much, and having overall unhealthy behaviours towards food. Whilst we all have our off-days, persistent negative thoughts about food and eating should be addressed as soon as possible.
The three most common types of eating disorders include:
- Anorexia Nervosa – Limiting the amount of food eaten to control weight, anorexia nervosa can include excessive exercise habits and fasting.
- Bulimia – Losing control over the amount of food eaten and then resorting to unhealthy behaviours to avoid picking up weight, such as vomiting, fasting, and excessive exercise.
- Binge eating disorder (BED) – Eating large amounts of food until a person feels full.
- Purging disorder – an eating disorder characterized by the compulsion to purge after consuming food.
Although all three differ slightly, eating disorders present similar symptoms, including:
- Spending a lot of time thinking about weight
- Avoiding social situations where food is involved
- Exercising excessively
- Having strict habits and routines around food and meal plans
- Eating too little or too much
- Feeling depressed, worried, or anxious around food
- Having a very low body mass index (BMI) or being underweight
- Having irregular or missed periods
- Digestion problems
- Feeling cold, tired, and nauseous
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions, and there’s no set reason why they occur. It all depends on an individual’s experience and the things they’ve gone through. Overall mental health, genetics, and environment can all play a part in the development of an eating disorder.
Some of the most common risk factors for an eating disorder include:
- Being bullied
- Having few or no friends
- Poor self-esteem and body image
- Pressure from the media to be ‘skinny.’
- Abuse, trauma, or neglect
- Taking part in sports or activities that are body-focused, such as ballet, gymnastics, and modelling
Surrounded by medical and professional support, anyone can recover from an eating disorder. It doesn’t happen overnight, but young people can develop healthy coping mechanisms and associations to food with time. That’s what The Wave is all about; equipping those young people with the support and care to recover in an environment that truly cares about them, giving them a chance to build friendships, develop new skills, and plan for their bright future.
Young people who have had or who currently have an Eating Disorder, may be at increased risk of Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes a weakening of the bones. Osteoporosis can cause bones to thin and become more prone to breaks.
Breaks in the spine, wrist and hips are the most common breaks for young people with a history of Anorexia Nervosa.
Eating Disorders typically begin around the teen years. This is a time when the body is changing and growing rapidly. Eating disorders that have an onset around this time can affect the way that the bones (and other body functions)develop. Eating disorders affect hormone levels and in turn this can affect the development of healthy bones. Good nutrition is essential to the development and maintenance of strong bones and healthy muscles that support the bone structure.
The earlier that an eating disorder starts and the longer it continues directly affects the risk of developing bone loss and osteoporosis. Girls who have stopped having periods due to an eating disorder and low body weight are at an additional risk of developing poor bone health.
Teens and young adults who are in recovery from anorexia Nervosa should maintain a stable weight as prescribed by their treatment team. Periods in girls will return when the correct amount of body fat is present and hormones begin to normalise. Ask your dietician about calcium, protein and other nutrients that support great bone health. Exercise in moderation can help to support bone health. Speak with your treatment team to ensure that exercise is appropriate.
Eating Disorders most often begin at around the same time as the body begins to change at Puberty. Not all eating disorders begin at this time, however, many young people describe that their eating disorder started during the teenage and young adult years. This is a crucial time for gynaecological health.
Eating Disorders can stop monthly periods in young people who have started to menstruate. Eating disorders that begin early, can also delay puberty. Over 80% of young people with anorexia nervosa and 40% of young people with Bulimia Nervosa will have disrupted periods, also called Amenorrhea.
Anorexia Nervosa is usually accompanied by a low body weight. The body also has depleted fat stores. It is these fat stores that play a role in our reproductive health and cause an effect on the menstrual cycle.
Anorexia may have an effect on later fertility, miscarriage and increase the risk of postnatal depression.
Our Videos
Our Videos on Eating Disorders
The Wave has provided me with the ability to feel calm with the secure feeling that they are a team of professionals who know exact what my daughter needs. It has not been easy and continues to be a challenging journey.
The consistent communication through WhatsApp, phone calls, in-person and virtual family therapy sessions and weekly report have made being halfway across the world feel as if I am as part of my daughter’s treatment as I possibly can.
I had a great experience when I was on The Wave. It was one of the best experiences in my life. I enjoy all the sessions conducted by the team. I never had a chance to speak in group, specially with friends from other countries before.
It opens my eyes and gives me a new knowledge and experience to be a better person.
It opens my eyes and gives me a new knowledge and experience to be a better person.
Thank you all for helping our gorgeous girl find her wonderful self again, for taking such good care of her and all the support and guidance, we are eternally grateful.
