Our eating disorder center experience is completely unique and non-clinical. Our program has been highly successful for the past 13 years and has helped many people with eating disorders and what we call disordered eating to heal, recover and renew their lives. Every individual is different and many people have become experts themselves through years of therapy and interventions, and are looking for a change that changes everything. This is where the name “life transformation” starts to hit home at our wellness centre. Life, much like healing and growth of any kind are verbs. Here we work on the tools of transformation – socially, psychologically, emotionally and practically.
A non-clinical, trauma-informed residential programme for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and disordered eating. Psychiatrists, dieticians and mindfulness specialists in a luxury Knysna setting since 2012.
Speak to Our TeamWhat We Treat
✓ 14 Yrs Eating Disorder Experience
✓ Psychiatrists & Dieticians On Consultant Team
✓ Trauma-Informed Approach
✓ Non-Clinical & Private
✓ MANTRA & CBT-E Modalities
If you or someone you love is at immediate medical risk due to an eating disorder, please contact your doctor or hospital emergency services first. For support, contact the National Eating Disorders Helpline: 0800 13 02 01. For our programme enquiries: +27 82 442 4779.
Private eating disorder center
Healing the Whole Person — Not Just the Eating Behaviour
Eating disorders are among the most complex and misunderstood mental health conditions. At their core, they are not about food — they are about pain, control, self-image, trauma and unmet emotional needs. Until those underlying dynamics are addressed, any treatment focused solely on the eating behaviour will be limited in its lasting impact.
At CHALT, our eating disorder treatment centre in Knysna has been providing private, trauma-informed, holistic residential treatment for over 13 years. Our approach combines clinical expertise — including consultant psychiatrists and registered dieticians — with the emotional depth of our Paradigm Process™.
Our non-clinical, home-like environment is ideal for clients who are not at acute medical risk but who are seeking deep, lasting healing in a private, supportive and beautiful setting.
When I realise what my needs are and start satisfying those needs in a healthy and balanced way, my self love has returned in the place of self harm. Mark L Lockwood BA(psy)(hons) – Founder Paradigm Process
Our team believes that people need to be helped where they are at and our full life transformation programs do just that. While eating disorders sound simple, they are multifaceted and underlying feelings of desperation, powerlessness, trauma and suffering are universal with eating disorders. Informal life transformation in a homely setting with a combination of psychotherapy, nutrition, education and a world-class ED program is super-powerful and effective in the long term.
“Continue. Be loving and be strong. Be fierce and be kind. And don’t give in and don’t give up.” – Maya Angelou
Treatment Modalities
Our Evidence-Based Treatment Methods
MANTRA
Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults — internationally recognised evidence-based protocol.
CBT for Eating Disorders (CBT-E)
Gold-standard cognitive restructuring of distorted beliefs about body, food, weight and self-worth.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Emotion regulation, distress tolerance and self-compassion skills essential to ED recovery.
Dietetic Consultation
Individualised nutritional guidance from registered dieticians who treat clients as complex human beings, not numbers.
Body Image & Self-Concept Work
In-depth psychological and experiential work to rebuild a healthy, accurate and compassionate relationship with one’s body.
Trauma Processing
Addressing the underlying trauma, attachment wounds and adverse experiences that drive disordered eating behaviours.
Mindfulness & Yoga
Somatic and contemplative practices that rebuild the mind-body connection central to eating disorder recovery.
Social & Activity Coaching
Golf, hiking, beach activities, padel and social engagement — restoring joy and a healthy relationship with the body in motion.
“When I realise what my needs truly are and start satisfying those needs in a healthy way, self-love returns in the place of self-harm.”
— Mark L. Lockwood BA(Hons)(Psy), Clinical Director
Luxury Eating Disorder Center program
Our team have been together for 14 years and our doctors, psychologists and mindfulness team, sports and fitness coaches and life coaches really take the science of eating disorders into the modern world of Joe Dispenza and Tony Robbins styled therapy that statistically works wonders when added to the cocktail of modern therapies that are available today. The magic of our professional team is working in a beachside setting that offers so much healing at every turn that everything here becomes therapy. The walks, hikes, the Big 5, the whale watching and then the yoga, art, mindfulness, sport, gym and fitness coaching coupled with the psychological work make us the epitome of a holistic eating disorder clinic or wellness centre.
Evidence & References
Clinical Evidence Base
ANAD — Eating Disorder Treatment Directory — National Eating Disorders Association treatment resources. anad.org →
Mayo Clinic — Eating Disorder Treatment — Evidence base for eating disorder treatment approaches. mayoclinic.org →
Journal of Eating Disorders — Psychotherapy Research — Peer-reviewed evidence informing our therapeutic approach. jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com →
Within Health — Mindfulness & Eating Disorders — Evidence for mindfulness in eating disorder recovery. withinhealth.com →
Priory Group — Eating Disorders — International eating disorder treatment context. priorygroup.com →
Do I qualify to be treated for an Eating Disorder?
Always consult your doctor. See if you want medical help from ED clinics and psychiatric units or non-medical help like CHALT offers. They really are a good port of call to start. A qualified psychologist can also help you understand what treatment is best for you. Many issues underlie, cause, exacerbate, hinder and make more complex issues from what we call eating disorders today. If you want life transformation, growth, social skills, balance, self regulation skills and the like then you’ve found your dream package.
We work holistically at our spiritual healing and wellness centre and believe through experience, research samples, case studies and evidence based success stories that we have the science couples together with the spiritual solution for whatever hinders you in your life. Our Eating disorder treatment center program, and the work on trauma, emotional healing, personality disorders, anxiety and everything from depression to borderline personality traits can play roles in how people end up thinking, feeling and then behaving in their lives. If they are ready and willing to improve – the odds are stacked considerably in their favour. People who want to heal really, really do transform their lives. Aside from some of the best consultant psychiatrists, psychologists, nutritionists and dieticians in the world we have an array of specialists in their fields who add rays of magical sunshine into our programs.
Types of Eating Disorder Treatment
- Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
- Dietetic Consultants who love their clients and treat them as individuals
- ED Meditations, affirmations and Paradigm Process of Recovery Tools
- Occupational therapy in our Eating disorder treatment center, retreats, workshops and events.
- Body image work, assignments, video and audio work that brings the gift of psyhco-education about who I am, how I feel and what I need. When I realise what my needs are and start satisfying those needs in a healthy and balanced way, my self love has returned in the place of self harm.
- Work with our wonderful social coaches that includes social exploration and connection, sport and gym work and learning everything from hiking, to golf, padel and everything else that keeps me balanced, fit and loving myself.
FAQs
Eating Disorder Treatment Questions
What eating disorders does CHALT treat?
CHALT treats anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, ARFID, disordered eating, body dysmorphia and exercise compulsion. Our trauma-informed approach also addresses co-occurring conditions including depression, anxiety and personality disorders.
Is CHALT an acute clinical eating disorder facility?
No — CHALT is a non-clinical, luxury private wellness centre. Our programme is best suited to clients who are not at acute medical risk but who want deep, lasting holistic healing in a private setting. For acute medical risk, your doctor or nearest hospital should be your first point of contact.
Do you have dieticians and psychiatrists for eating disorders?
Yes — our eating disorder team includes consultant psychiatrists, registered dieticians, psychotherapists, body image specialists and mindfulness coaches working collaboratively around each client’s individual treatment plan.
How long is the eating disorder residential programme?
Programmes are typically 30–90 days, individually determined. Contact us for a confidential assessment →
You Deserve a Life Where Food Is Not the Enemy
Our team understands how isolating and exhausting an eating disorder can be. We offer compassionate, expert care in a beautiful private setting. Take the first step today.
Speak to Us ConfidentiallyCall +27 82 442 4779
Health Disclaimer: Eating disorders are serious medical conditions. If you or someone you know is at immediate medical risk, seek emergency medical care immediately. For support, contact the National Eating Disorders Helpline: 0800 13 02 01. Full Disclaimer →