By Rikki N. Massand | Posted September 11, 2025
Monte Nido – one of the nation’s leading eating disorder treatment providers – opened its new residential program this summer, on Sunset Road in Montgomery.
Monte Nido Clementine on Sunset Road
It is designed exclusively for female-identifying adolescents between the ages of 10 and 17.
The inpatient care program, known as Monte Nido Clementines, addresses a growing demand for youth-specific mental health services by offering evidence-based treatment in a home-like setting.
The township was perfect for the company’s expansion into the central New Jersey market, as the need for preteen and adolescent treatment of eating disorders was apparent.
Following the growth of its Cherry Hill Township “Clementine” program, the new treatment center in this area was desperately needed in the Princeton area, said Sarah Lewandowski, Monte Nido’s regional director of clinical operations for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
Sarah Lewandowski, Regional Director of Clinical Operations
She spent time organizing the house-like facility in July and early August. Lewandoski said, “We hold school every day – even in the summer – from 8 am to 10:15 am with a certified LearnWell teacher (who has earned the regularly-mandated NJ teaching credentials). The teacher coordinates with the student’s school, either a guidance counselor or academic advisor, and they receive the assignments and exams for students.”
Monte Nido’s classroom consists of a multipurpose room, and yoga classes are held several times a week. At times the group therapy sessions and educational groups can also be held there.
Family therapy sessions are held in a cozy, well-appointed studio on the first-floor, or if a family member can not make it to the Skillman facility, the center is equipped with a large screen and camera for Zoom connections. “Our family therapist can do virtual family therapy with the client and their family,” Lewandowski said.
The new eating disorder facility for teenage girls includes a kitchen/dining area.
All preteens/adolescents have full access to the state-of-the-art kitchen, and they can review recipes and lists of nutritional snacks. The kitchen can be an epicenter in every home, and for Monte Nido it’s the facility’s core. “If you were at your own house and walked in, you would be able to have access to the fridge and pantry. This supports normal behaviors and interactions around food, we promote their viewing food in a positive way,” Lewandowski said.
Monte Nido’s large dining room has a polished wood table with seating for 14 and ambient lighting for family-style meals.
The first client to enter Montgomery’s Monte Nido Clementines program entered at the start of August.
“It’s a big thing because so many of the clients, especially the younger ages, have never been away from their home before, so we work to make sure they feel safe. And for the parents, it can be the first time they’ve dropped their kid off anywhere new. It’s important to help build their comfort through integration and the surroundings,” Lewandowski said.
Upstairs, well-decorated bedrooms feature brightly-colored soft cushions and pillows and large personal wardrobe closets; the rooms are organized to have two clients in each.
The college dorm-room style bedrooms at Monte Nido Clementine
Valuables can be secured, and there’s much room for personal items. The program tries to pair clients of similar ages in rooms; for example a 17-year-old and a 10-year-old would not be sharing a bedroom. All the bedrooms lock from the outside, and clients need to ring the call-bell if they need to use a bathroom.
Monte Nido Clementines are managed “within the line-of-sight at all times.”
A room facing the south (towards Sunset Road) is designated as “for larger bodies” and/or for any handicapped clients. Body positivity is a core value of the program. Lewandowski, says, “It’s very important for Monte Nido to be size-inclusive, ensuring we can host and help out clients of every body size.
Addressing issues that can crop up for teens including weight gain/loss and “body-shaming” are also key for Monte Nido. By providing a safe, affirming environment, programs are dedicated to supporting clients in navigating specific triggers like swimwear anxiety, increased social comparison, and changes in daily structure.
Monte Nido’s program targets long-term success. One of the headline posts on the company’s website from mid-July notes that “Recovery is not a straight line.”
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The article, titled “Eating Disorder Relapse Triggers” details how professionals consider relapses as normal parts of the eating disorder recovery process.
“They stress to their clients, both those in treatment and those in aftercare, the importance of recognizing the signs of a potential lapse and reaching out for help.” Partnering with the clients’ families includes disseminating information, outreach and follow-ups including treatment center alumni support groups and other services.
Eating disorder treatment center
362 Sunset Rd, Skillman
Phone: 609.614.5990
