Today we’d like to introduce you to The Lotus Collaborative.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The Lotus Collaborative was founded by Dr. Liz Esalen in 2011 with the belief that treatment can be both clinically excellent and deeply human.
Today, The Lotus Collaborative provides eating disorder and mental health treatment in Santa Cruz and San Francisco through Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs. While evidence-based clinical care is at the heart of every program, recovery is understood as something that happens in everyday moments as much as it does in the therapy room. Around lunch tables. During neighborhood walks. While someone is painting, writing a song, or laughing with people they never expected to trust.
Clinical outcomes matter, and so does measuring them. Since 2022, The Lotus Collaborative has analyzed more than 1,300 validated clinical assessments across over 430 clients. Eighty-four percent of clients improved on our primary eating disorder outcome measure (EDE-Q) between admission and discharge. Behind every data point is a person rediscovering hope, connection, and a life beyond their eating disorder.
At Lotus, recovery isn’t just about becoming less sick. It’s about becoming more yourself.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Many people spend years believing they’re “not sick enough” for treatment. The truth is, you don’t have to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out. Recovery often begins with one conversation.
For many people, the treatment process itself can feel overwhelming. What’s the difference between outpatient therapy, an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)? Which level of care is the right fit? How does insurance work?
Outpatient therapy, IOP, and PHP simply offer different levels of support depending on a person’s needs. And no one needs to know which one they need before asking for help. These are questions our team helps answer every day.
The first step is simply reaching out. From there, our admissions team, Sue and Gabe, can answer questions, verify insurance, and schedule a free assessment. The Lotus Collaborative is in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare, and we also work with Medi-Cal referrals. If Lotus isn’t the right fit, we’ll help connect people with resources that are.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
One of the things The Lotus Collaborative is most proud of is the community that develops within its programs.
Recovery can be incredibly isolating, but healing often begins when people discover they are no longer carrying it alone. Clients share meals, navigate challenges together, celebrate milestones, make art, and build relationships with people who understand parts of their experience in a way others may not.
That sense of community doesn’t have to end when treatment does. Lotus offers a free weekly Eating Disorder Recovery Support Group in both Santa Cruz and San Francisco, open to alumni and anyone in the community with a recovery-oriented mindset. It’s a place to connect with others, find support around complicated relationships with food, body image, and exercise, and be reminded of the beauty and possibility of recovery.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Every day, our clients choose courage over certainty. They remind everyone around them that recovery isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up, trying again, and gradually becoming more fully themselves.
The Lotus Collaborative is also deeply grateful for the providers, schools, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout Northern California that collaborate with us in supporting people seeking recovery. One of the most special things about this community is its generosity and willingness to work together.
No single provider can meet every need, but together, a connected community can make it much easier for someone to find the care they’re looking for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelotuscollaborative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelotuscollaborative/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLotusCollaborative
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-lotus-collaborative/
