The Lotus Collaborative

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The Lotus Collaborative Dr. Liz Esalen is the Founder and Executive Director of The Lotus Collaborative, Health and Recovery Centers. She is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)

🪷Holistic eating disorder & mental health services
🪷Supporting all identities & backgrounds
🪷 Free consultations 👉 (855) 852-4968
📍Santa Cruz & San Francisco, CA | 📍Virtually, in the state of CA TLC provides holistic eating disorder treatment in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, CA along with supportive living in Santa Cruz called The Mermaid House. TLC offers a unique well-balanced holistic approach

to healing. Their quality eating disorder recovery programs embody compassion, inspiration, and empowerment. They have heart-felt expert staff and beautiful, home-like retreat centers. Our choices to go the extra mile convey our deep respect for clients and the healing journeys they are embarking upon. Dr. Liz believes in hiring recovered staff and she herself, has fully recovered from an eating disorder. The Lotus Collaborative understands the unique and various steps to full recovery. Dr. Esalen believes that eating disorders are divine messengers, asking us to pay attention to the wisdom our bodies and souls are attempting to communicate with us. We must pay keen attention to our minds and cultural messages, for they influence our beliefs about who we are and what is possible. Although the recovery journey can be difficult and frustrating, it is our opportunity to learn, evolve, and choose a connected, thriving life. By choosing the recovery journey, we allow the opportunity to blossom into the vibrant beings we were meant to be. Dr. Esalen believes that treatment should provide connection with oneself, others and a recovery community. She believes we must align our hearts, bodies, minds and souls, and experience mastery opportunities including the chance to mentor others earlier in recovery. TLC provides treatment that is "just right," balanced between evidence-based skill approaches, with deep, interpersonal, psychospiritual process work. True healing cannot come exclusively from quantitative, impersonal, outcome-focused, "expert" and "sick patient" practices. And conquering an eating disorder cannot come from solely kind, well-intentioned listener-therapists. The Lotus Collaborative believes recovery is best achieved by providing solid education, teaching loving awareness of oneself and others, skills training, and strategies to substitute eating disorder behaviors with what one truly needs. Dr. Esalen believes treatment centers should be owned and directed by clinically trained leaders, that can balance both business needs with the best interest of the client and staff. She believes that treatment programs cannot be true healing centers if a company does not nurture and respect their staff members. She began The Lotus Collaborative in Santa Cruz, CA to honor both the professionals and the clients that give their heart and souls to this powerful healing journey. After two thriving years, Dr. Esalen opened The Mermaid House in beautiful Santa Cruz, a supportive transitional living environment for women working on eating disorder recovery. The great interest in The Lotus Collaborative's holistic approach to healing eating disorders created the opportunity to open another treatment center in San Francisco, CA. Dr. Esalen has been in the healing profession for over 20 years and has dedicated her career to excellent eating disorder care. Her specialties include Eating Disorders, Behavioral Medicine, Health & Sports Psychology, Women's Issues, Identity issues, Mindfulness, Domestic Violence and Trauma. She has extensive eating disorder clinical leadership and program development experience. She has been Program, Clinical and Executive Directors of partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, group outpatient, supportive living, and private practice levels of care. and a Licensed California Psychologist (PSY24204). Her personal and professional mission is to inspire people to achieve a thriving life filled with peace, love, support, community, advocacy, strength, vibrancy, freedom, and zest. "Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit." e.e. cummings

You can find more information about The Lotus Collaborative at www.thelotuscollaborative.com. You can email her at: elizabeth@thelotuscollaborative.com

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), up to 35% of individuals who abused or were dependent on ...
14/07/2025

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), up to 35% of individuals who abused or were dependent on alcohol or other drugs have also had eating disorders, a rate 11 times greater than the general population.

Substance use and eating disorders often share:
✨Isolation
✨Shame
✨The illusion of control
✨Deep pain beneath the surface
You’re not alone if these struggles overlap.

“If you are someone on a newer or existing path of recovery, whether from a substance use or an eating disorder, it is so very critical to stay connected to others for support… Remember, being alone was exactly where you were in your disease, so it surely will not work in your recovery.” -Lotus’ Clinical Director, Erica Ives

✨ Recovery thrives in connection.
✨ Recovery is not meant to be done alone.
✨ Recovery is possible.

Last month, our Santa Cruz Clinical Director, Erica Ives, and Dietitian, Leah Hopkins, shared a behind-the-scenes look i...
11/07/2025

Last month, our Santa Cruz Clinical Director, Erica Ives, and Dietitian, Leah Hopkins, shared a behind-the-scenes look into the heart of Lotus during Santa Cruz Spotlight.

Thank you to everyone who continues to show up for this work and for the people we serve. We’re so grateful to be part of so much knowledge, support, and collective commitment to healing.

Had a wonderful visit with Dani and Ravi at Fusion Academy yesterday! When you walk in, there’s a wall of staff photos f...
03/07/2025

Had a wonderful visit with Dani and Ravi at Fusion Academy yesterday!

When you walk in, there’s a wall of staff photos from back when they were students themselves. It’s there to remind the kids that the adults around them have been there too, and to remind the staff to be who they wish they had when they were younger. And that pretty much sums up what the heart of Fusion feels like. Genuine, creative, and smart.

Fusion’s relationship-centered, holistic approach feels so aligned with what we value at Lotus. Healing happens across all parts of someone’s life and it’s strengthened when schools, families, and providers work together to surround clients with care.

Thank you for having us, Fusion Academy 🤗

Little info dump! What did we miss?
30/06/2025

Little info dump! What did we miss?

More men are seeking therapy than ever before. Whether it’s trauma, mood, or an eating disorder, reaching out for suppor...
27/06/2025

More men are seeking therapy than ever before.

Whether it’s trauma, mood, or an eating disorder, reaching out for support is the first step to living a healthier, more fulfilled life.

At Lotus, we’re here to help you find the support you deserve, in a safe and non-judgmental environment. It’s time to break the silence and begin your healing journey.

📞 Call us at 855-852-4968 or visit our website to learn more.

Watching sea lions nap = free nervous system regulation
25/06/2025

Watching sea lions nap = free nervous system regulation

Watching sea lions nap = free nervous system regulation
24/06/2025

Watching sea lions nap = free nervous system regulation

Today on Juneteenth, we pause to honor the strength, resilience, and joy of Black communities: past, present and future....
19/06/2025

Today on Juneteenth, we pause to honor the strength, resilience, and joy of Black communities: past, present and future.

At Lotus, we recognize that true healing cannot exist without justice, equity, and community. We are committed to creating safer spaces, unlearning harmful systems, and choosing growth over comfort.

Healing doesn’t have to wait. We’re expanding our Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) to offer more flexi...
18/06/2025

Healing doesn’t have to wait.

We’re expanding our Eating Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) to offer more flexible, accessible options, including virtual, hybrid, and in-person care.

Clients can now complete program hours non-consecutively throughout the day and week, allowing care to fit more naturally around school, work, or family needs.ďż˝
Email us at info@thelotuscollaborative.com or call (855) 852-4968
We’d love to hear from you 🪷

Ever come across health advice online that just didn’t sit right? You’re not alone,and your gut instinct might’ve been s...
13/06/2025

Ever come across health advice online that just didn’t sit right? You’re not alone,
and your gut instinct might’ve been spot on.

Up to 87% of health content on social media has been found to be misleading or inaccurate, especially when it comes to nutrition, wellness, and eating disorders.

Let’s shift the conversation.
✨ Share a time you questioned health advice online
✨ Tag a provider you trust
✨ Or drop a myth you’ve unlearned in recovery

At The Lotus Collaborative, we believe in:
🌀 Evidence-based care
🌀 Community-centered healing
🌀 Empowering clients through curiosity, not fear

We’re here to help you navigate your path with clarity and compassion. 💛

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Opening Hours

Monday 10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 17:00
Thursday 10:00 - 17:00
Friday 10:00 - 17:00
Sunday 10:00 - 16:00

Telephone

+18558524968

Website

http://www.thelotuscollaborative.com/support-group-registration

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