For people struggling with eating disorders in South Dakota, east river, west river, and everywhere between.
Empowered Treatment offers adults with eating disorders partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient care, and transitional housing in Austin, Texas. If you have been wondering whether it is time to get help, we are here to talk it through.
Something made you look, and that is worth listening to.
Maybe it is the way meals have quietly disappeared from your day, or how a binge leaves you feeling ashamed every time. In South Dakota, eating disorders show up for students at SDSU in Brookings and USD in Vermillion, for health care workers in Sioux Falls, for ranch families west of the Missouri River, and for people in Rapid City and Aberdeen who have never told anyone.
Eating disorders are not a choice, and they are not about vanity. They often grow out of stress, anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, or a need for control when life feels uncertain. Over time they can affect your heart, your relationships, and your ability to enjoy anything. The good news is that people recover, and recovery usually begins with a single honest conversation about what has been happening.
You can talk to us before you have decided anything.
There is no test you need to pass before you are allowed to ask about treatment. You might still be unsure whether what you are dealing with counts as an eating disorder. That uncertainty is welcome. It is something we can sort through with you.
Calls are confidential, and the person you talk with will understand eating disorders. We can explain how our PHP and IOP work, what a typical week feels like, and what to expect next. You can also read what happens when you call a treatment center first.
Worry is a reasonable response.
Families sometimes wonder whether they are overreacting, especially when a loved one insists everything is fine. Trust what you are seeing. If you want guidance on approaching the subject, our article on how to help someone with an eating disorder covers practical first steps and common pitfalls.
When an adult you care about starts treatment in Austin, you can still be part of their support from Pierre, Mitchell, or the Black Hills. Our family education helps parents, partners, and siblings understand eating disorders and learn how to respond with patience instead of pressure.
Less to manage, more room to heal.
Specialized eating disorder care can be hard to reach from much of South Dakota, and long drives are not compatible with daily treatment. Our transitional housing removes that obstacle. It is a home in Austin’s historic Hyde Park area where you live with others in PHP or IOP, with structure and support built into the hours outside programming.
Shared living spaces
A room of your ownCare that sees the full picture.
Recovery involves more than changing what you eat. Our therapists, dietitians, family therapist, and psychiatric providers share responsibility for your plan and meet regularly about how you are doing. That way, nutrition goals, emotional work, and medical monitoring move forward together. Before you head back to South Dakota, we help line up follow-up care so the progress you made has somewhere to continue.
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
Full treatment days at our Austin center: supported meals, daily groups, individual therapy, dietitian care, and medical and psychiatric monitoring.
About PHP →Intensive outpatient (IOP)
Group programming plus weekly individual and dietitian sessions, built to fit around work, school, and family once more structure is not needed.
About IOP →
“A lot of people come into therapy expecting to be told what they are doing wrong, and I hope instead they find a space where they can be curious about why the eating disorder took hold. From there, we work together on practical skills for the hard moments, so recovery starts to feel possible in everyday life.”Sydney Kudeviz, LCSWTherapist, Empowered Treatment
What to know before you travel.
Getting from South Dakota to Austin
Most clients from South Dakota fly. We can help you choose travel dates, plan your first few days, and answer questions about the housing setup before you arrive.
- Distance: about 920 miles from Sioux Falls as the crow flies
- Departure airports: Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) and Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) both have routes to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
- Ground transport: expect about a 30-minute drive from AUS to our center, depending on traffic
- Where you’ll stay: our transitional house is offered with PHP or IOP
Coverage questions
Paying for out-of-state treatment can feel overwhelming. We review your benefits for partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care and help you understand where you stand before you plan travel.
- Request an insurance verification online, or phone us and we will check with your plan
- If your plan is issued in South Dakota, ask whether a Texas program is in network, how out-of-network care is reimbursed, and whether authorization is needed; we help you ask the right questions
- The South Dakota Division of Insurance offers consumer information, complaint forms, and an external review process for health claims
- If your coverage is through Medicaid, coverage for care outside your home state is usually limited, so call and we will help you understand what applies
Staying supported after treatment ends.
Having support close by makes a difference once you are home. These statewide resources in South Dakota can help you and your family find ongoing services and answers.
- South Dakota Behavioral HealthRun by the Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health, with treatment information, crisis help, and recovery support.
- Helpline CenterA Sioux Falls based nonprofit that runs the 211 Helpline and a 988 crisis line, connecting South Dakotans and their families with mental health and community resources.
- South Dakota Division of InsuranceConsumer information on health coverage, online complaint forms, and external review for denied health claims.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988, any time, from anywhere in the United States. In an emergency, call 911.
Questions from South Dakotans weighing their options.
Does it make sense to travel from South Dakota for an eating disorder program?
For some people, yes. Specialized day programs are not available everywhere, and stepping away from daily routines can help you focus. Staying in our transitional housing makes daily attendance realistic. Our team can help you weigh the decision honestly.
Who will I be in treatment with?
Our programs serve adults only, in groups with other adults working on recovery. You will be with people at different ages and life stages who understand what you are going through, which many clients find reassuring.
What if I relapse after going home?
Setbacks happen and do not erase progress. We plan for that possibility before discharge, including warning signs and who to contact. Read more in relapse prevention in eating disorder recovery.
Is your program a good fit if I also have depression or trauma?
Very often, yes. Many people with eating disorders also live with depression, anxiety, or trauma, and our clinicians treat these together within one plan. Learn about our approach to trauma-integrated treatment.
More for South Dakota
Articles and guides for readers in South Dakota.
When you’re ready, we’ll pick up.
Call our team to talk about what is going on and what kind of care could help. It costs nothing, and you will not be asked to commit to anything.