Imani Treatment, established 2008
Imani has grown considerably since we first opened our doors. Our name, which means “faith” in Swahili, was chosen very deliberately. We believe that recovering from an eating disorder takes a lot of hard work, as well as an equal amount of faith that things will get better. At Imani, we support clients’ journeys and dedication as they begin to heal, so that the faith they have in the possibility of recovery in general becomes the trust that they have in their own.
'When I found myself at Imani’s front door, bag in hand, I was broken and truly desperate for help.'
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Situated in the leafy suburb of Wynberg in Cape Town, South Africa, Imani’s core values have always included a holistic approach to treatment and creating a family atmosphere within our facility. Although our programme and weekdays are structured, providing multiple group and individual therapy sessions and other professional consultations each week, Imani also has the atmosphere of a comfortable home.
Our beautiful treatment centre feels like the large family residence that it once was, with well-appointed living areas, bedrooms and spaces for therapy. We are able to offer treatment to adults suffering with all types of eating disorders including Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia and Binge-Eating Disorder.
You can trust us to deliver the very best levels of care, no matter where you or your loved ones are in the road to recovery. Practical support around meal preparation, eating, nutrition and daily living activities is complemented by therapy to help understand and begin to deal with the root causes of each client’s eating disorder.
We have faith in every individual’s ability to heal from this devastating illness, with a combination of multidisciplinary professional treatments and active participation in dynamic eating disorder recovery fellowships, support groups and general communities. And our faith is not unfounded – inspiring success stories have proved us right many times.
Situated in the leafy suburb of Wynberg in Cape Town, South Africa.
What we do
Imani’s holistic programme is aimed at adults suffering with a range of eating disorders and behaviours, including Rumination Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, emotional eating, disordered eating as a result of psychotropic medications, Orthorexia, Binge-Eating Disorder, Anorexia and Bulimia.
Many of our clients have co-occurring diagnoses of anxiety, depression, addiction, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and other psychological issues that require simultaneous treatment or intervention. We are proud to say that Imani is one of the only centres whose wide range of care is suitable for such cases of co-morbidity, at each stage of an individual’s recovery and healing.
The dietary component of our programme is extremely hands-on, providing plenty of practice for the challenges of planning meals, preparing food, buying groceries and eating out. With cutting-edge nutritional counselling, we also empower individuals to take better care of themselves in the future. In addition to group work, each individual receives one-on-one sessions with qualified physicians, psychiatrists, case managers and dieticians, as well as with their primary therapist.
Finally, we consider family involvement to be especially important and beneficial, and strive to keep them involved in every step of the process by offering numerous opportunities to participate in their loved ones’ treatment. These opportunities include visitation, therapeutic family meals, and family therapy sessions.
Imani’s holistic programme is aimed at adults suffering with a range of eating disorders and behaviours.
Who is Imani for?
Imani is for adults who have been struggling with eating disorders of any kind, for any length of time. Whether an individual has relapsed on their old behaviours after a time of being well, or has just been diagnosed for the first time, and whether or not they have co-occurring diagnoses, we are here to help.
In addition, Imani is supportive of those who have family members, friends or significant others who struggle with eating disorders. Part of our holistic treatment approach is to involve and assist the important people in the life of the eating disordered individual. Through family therapy and general information sessions, we acknowledge the difficulties that sufferers’ loved ones face, and give helpful advice on how to deal with them and begin the process of healing the relationships.
Importantly, Imani is for people who want to get better. There are always ups and downs on the road to recovery, and no one is expected to feel positive about the process every moment of every day. But to successfully deal with an eating disorder, you need to keep moving in the right direction. We have faith that you can heal, and we want you to have that faith too.
Imani is recognised as leaders in the field of eating disorder treatment with an unparalleled treatment programme and approach.
Why choose Imani?
Imani is a clear choice for many individuals suffering with active eating disorders, for a variety of reasons. These include the following:
- Cape Town itself is a central hub of recovery. By choosing a treatment centre here, you’ll have access to a variety of eating disorder-based fellowships. You’ll be able to attend Overeaters Anonymous (OA), Eating Disorders Anonymous (EDA), and Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous (ABA) meetings, among others.
- You’ll easily be able to meet with individuals who have long-term eating disorder recovery, either as allies or as sponsors.
- Our dedicated team combines years of experience with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach.
- We have a dedicated, specialized eating disorder treatment unit. Here, we are able to arrest the progress of different types of eating disorders, and support individuals’ recovery.
- The centre itself has a comfortable, home-like environment that goes a long way to facilitate the healing process.
Meet the team
Our multidisciplinary team includes counsellors, nurses, dieticians, recovery assistants, support group facilitators and external specialists and practitioners. Each member is dedicated to helping sufferers with eating disorders, with treatment plans that are tailored to individuals’ specific needs.
At every stage of the healing journey, the experts on our team are able to offer the right level of care to our clients – always delivered with compassion and empathy. With years of experience between them, our therapists and other staff members are passionate about helping those afflicted with any kind of eating disorder to recover.
By working together to address physical, emotional, mental and spiritual elements of our clients, Imani helps them to move away from the limits that their disease imposed on them.
Meet the team
Our goal is to facilitate the growth and development of all aspects of the individual.
“Every eating disorder sufferer deserves to find recovery. Let us light the way.”