I specialize in the treatment of adults and adolescents suffering from:
I provide the following services:
I founded and ran two eating disorder programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, and have witnessed firsthand what type of treatment approach leads to successful recovery. I teach my clients to overcome their food and body image fears by using a non-dieting approach to eating. By learning to stop categorizing foods into “good” or “bad”, my clients learn to eat from all food groups in moderation and are able to find a healthy weight for their body type. The focus of psychotherapy is on building coping skills to help replace the eating disorder behaviors. I also help my clients find balance in their personal relationships with family, significant others, and friends, as well as in their academic or professional lives.
My theoretical orientation integrates interpersonal and psychodynamic psychotherapy with skill-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, narrative therapy, and transactional analysis. I am trained in the Maudsley Method, and use it, where appropriate, with my adolescent clients and their families.
Besides Eating Disorders, I also have extensive training and experience treating:
ABOUT ERIN ELFANT-REA, Ph.D.
A major area of professional focus for me has been in the treatment of eating disorders over the past 12 years. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was the founding Clinical Director for two separate eating disorder programs. As Clinical Director of New Dawn Eating Disorder Recovery Center, I launched three levels of care: Intensive Outpatient, Partial Hospitalization, and Residential Treatment. More recently, I headed up La Ventana Eating Disorder Program's Partial Hospitalization, Supportive Living, and Intensive Outpatient Programs in San Francisco. I maintained a primary focus on direct patient care, providing individual, group, and couples/family psychotherapy.
I have held positions treating eating disorders at The University of Chicago Hospital, Eating Disorders Recovery Center of Athens, GA, the Eating Disorders Program at the Medical College of Georgia, and Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, San Francisco.
I have also held psychotherapist positions at three chronic pain management clinics (Center For Pain Control near Chicago, the Augusta, Georgia VA Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Chronic Pain Clinic). In both eating disorder and chronic pain settings, I have extensive training and experience treating co-occurring depression, PTSD, chemical dependency, OCD and other anxiety disorders.
I received my Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado and my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School.
My own psychotherapy with renowned psychiatrist and author Dr. Irvin Yalom has greatly informed my therapeutic style.
PAYMENT
Please note that while I do not accept health insurance, I frequently provide end of the month billing statements for my clients; clients submit these to their insurance companies and they later receive insurance reimbursement. Assuming you have out-of-network benefits, this may be a worthwhile option to explore.
Should your financial situation necessitate sliding scale, please inquire about reduced fee availability.
Payments are accepted in the form of personal checks or cash.
Cancellation Policy
If you do not attend your scheduled appointment, and you have not notified me at least 24 hours in advance, you are required to pay the full cost of the session.
Erin Elfant-Rea, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
11573 Los Osos Valley Road,
Suite H
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 540-0636
elfantrea_me.com
Professional Testimonials
"I have worked with Dr. Erin Elfant-Rea over the past five years while she was the director of the New Dawn Eating Disorders Program. She single-handedly started New Dawn and then built it into a multidisciplinary day and residential treatment program that was unparalleled. I was constantly amazed at how Erin balanced empathic patient care with rigorous up-to-date treatments and managing a full staff. Erin's patients spoke often about her commitment to them and to their recovery. I am saddened to lose Erin as a leader in the Bay Area's Eating Disorder community but am happy that San Luis Obispo will benefit from her expertise."
Adair Look, MD Psychiatrist
"Erin is a talented and caring clinician with extensive experience working with individuals and families in which there is a an eating disorder. She is equally skilled working with individual clients, leading groups, and working with families. Over the past several years I have referred Erin clients of a variety of ages, backgrounds and types of eating disorders. Without exception, every client has told me she felt respected and understood by Erin. Each of them benefited greatly from Erin's insightful approach addressing their illnesses and her help pursuing their unique recoveries."
Johanna Marie McShane, Ph.D., Author of Why She Feels Fat: Understanding Your Loved One's Eating Disorder and How You Can Help
"Dr. Erin Elfant-Rea consistently provides her clients with care and integrity that far surpasses one's expectations. While holding a vision of health and well-being, Erin is able to address each client's treatment issues skillfully through her capacity to work successfully with families, health practitioners, doctors, and office staff. Personally, I have only heard words of gratitude and deep appreciation from Erin's clients for her work with each of them. And as a colleague, her professional role in my life and her commitment to values such as integrity, skillfulness, care, and clear boundaries continue to inform my private practice."
Anita Acevedo, Certified Rolfer
"I have had the privilege of working with Dr Erin Elfant-Rea for many years. She is an exceptional therapist and is extremely knowledgeable in the area of eating disorders. She has a great ability to make patients feel comfortable very quickly and to be firm but direct in helping them understand what is necessary for healthy recovery. She always looks for the most effective treatment and is very compassionate in her approach."
Lynne Martin, RD, Clinical Dietician
