NUTRITION & MEAL SUPPORT GROUPS
Chrysalis Center offers meal support groups and nutrition education groups for both adolescents and adults as part of our comprehensive eating disorder treatment and nutrition counseling services. These groups provide safe, supportive spaces for individuals to heal their relationship with food, body image, and nourishment.
Meal support groups are designed to create structured eating experiences. Each session includes a supported meal followed by a guided reflection to process thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to eating.
Nutrition groups provide evidence-based education on topics such as balanced eating, body trust, and nutrition for mental health. These groups promote food flexibility, reduce anxiety around eating, and empower participants with tools to support sustainable recovery.
EXPOSURE MEAL GROUP
Exposure Meal Group is a specialized meal support therapy group designed to help clients in eating disorder recovery confront and reduce food-related anxiety in a safe, structured setting. This group offers the opportunity to practice exposure-based interventions by introducing challenging or fear-based foods, allowing clients to face distress in real time while receiving therapeutic support.
Led by a licensed therapist, this group emphasizes mindful eating, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility. Participants are guided in identifying and tracking the thoughts, feelings, and urges that arise during the meal experience. The goal is to help clients build tolerance for discomfort, disrupt avoidance behaviors, and reinforce the belief that they can navigate difficult moments without returning to disordered eating patterns.
Exposure Meal Group supports individuals in expanding food variety, building trust in their bodies, and practicing intuitive eating principles in a collaborative, recovery-focused environment. It is an essential step for those working to reintroduce fear foods and develop a more peaceful relationship with eating.
LUNCH MEAL GROUP
Lunch Meal Group is a supportive, dietitian-led eating disorder recovery group designed to help clients develop more positive, confident experiences with food. Held during the midday meal, this group provides structure, guidance, and peer connection—offering a safe space to strengthen skills and self-trust around nourishment.
Participants receive support in plating balanced meals, exploring appropriate portion sizes, and tuning into internal cues like hunger, fullness, and satisfaction. Emphasis is placed on honoring body cues, building accountability, and practicing mindful, intuitive eating in a setting free from judgment, diet talk, or appearance-based focus.
Lunch Meal Group also helps clients step outside of their comfort zones by trying new foods, eating socially, and receiving real-time support and feedback from a registered dietitian and peers. This group encourages open reflection, skill-building, and nutritional self-care, making it a valuable addition to any outpatient eating disorder treatment plan.
BODY IMAGE GROUP
Our Body Image Group provides a supportive space to explore and strengthen your relationship with your body. Participants learn to challenge the harmful impact of diet culture, move toward body neutrality, and practice self-compassion while developing a healthier self-attitude.
Group topics include disordered eating behaviors, set point theory and metabolism, Health at Every Size® (HAES), and the role of perceptions, projections, and unearned advantages in shaping body image. Through discussion and reflection, members gain tools to overcome negative beliefs and embrace their unique bodies with compassion and acceptance.
This group is especially helpful for individuals who struggle with intrusive body image thoughts, patterns of disordered eating, or who are in a stable place in eating disorder recovery and want to continue building a positive, sustainable relationship with their body.
ADOLESCENT EXPOSURE MEAL GROUP
Adolescent Exposure Meal Group is a therapeutic meal support group for teens ages 13–17 who are receiving outpatient eating disorder treatment and would benefit from additional support with food-related challenges. This group creates a safe, structured environment where adolescents can practice eating in the presence of peers and a licensed therapist, with encouragement and guidance every step of the way.
Each session includes a themed meal challenge—such as incorporating a fear food, trying something new, or breaking rigid eating patterns—designed to help teens face food-related anxiety in real time. Participants are supported as they sit with uncomfortable thoughts and emotions, learning to tolerate distress without engaging in disordered behaviors.
This exposure-based meal therapy group also promotes peer connection, body trust, and the development of mindful eating skills. By participating in this group, adolescents build confidence, flexibility, and resilience as they work toward a more peaceful and empowered relationship with food.
POST-OP BARIATRIC SUPPORT GROUP
Post-Op Bariatric Support Group is a community-focused group led by one of our experienced dietitians, specifically designed for individuals within the first two years following bariatric surgery. This group provides a supportive space to navigate the nutritional, emotional, and lifestyle changes that come with recovery.
Participants benefit from peer connection, nutrition education, and the opportunity to share meal planning tips, recipe ideas, and strategies for building sustainable, post-op habits. Common topics include meeting protein and hydration needs, navigating food tolerance changes, managing emotional eating, and maintaining long-term motivation and self-care.
The goal of this group is to offer ongoing bariatric nutrition support while fostering a sense of community and empowerment. Whether you're adapting to post-surgical guidelines or looking for encouragement from others on a similar journey, this group helps you feel less alone and more equipped to thrive after surgery.
See a group that looks right for you?
Contact Chrysalis Center today by phone at (910)790-9500 or email us to learn more and get started!
