Eating Disorders: When Outpatient Treatment Is Not Enough - Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Not Enough

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Mealtimes and place. Clients will be asked not to go to the kitchen or begin any meal preparation until scheduled meal or snack time and not without staff present until they are on Level IV or Level III by contract. Clients are to eat meals in the dining room or other area supervised by staff until Level IV.

Snacks. Snacks will be served two or three times per day according to client needs. Protocol for snacks is the same as meals, according to the client's level and contract.

ENTRY LEVEL

The first phase in our level system is the Entry Level. Entry Level begins with the client's admission into the facility and continues until the first contract is made. During this time clients are getting acquainted with our program and will be given an Entry Level contract that lists certain tasks to be accomplished. Assessments will begin right away, and the treatment team will be getting to know the client. During Entry Level, clients are on a "grace" period with no formal requirements for eating. This gives us time to know the client and what her needs will be. In some cases an initial calorie assignment may be made. During Entry Level, clients will attend meals with other clients and a staff member, but no formal eating requirement is made. Entry Level lasts no more than three days. After Entry Level, the client helps develop her first contract on Level I and then continues on through the level system. An example of our Entry Level contract is provided along with our program schedule on pages 273 and 274 at the end of this chapter.

PHASES OF TREATMENT

• Initial interview, clinical assessment
• Comprehensive history and physical by our or your medical doctor
• Admission and orientation to the program
• Comprehensive psychological assessments, including a psychiatric evaluation
• Nutrition/exercise assessments and initial meal and exercise plan established
• Treatment team establishes a treatment plan
• Active involvement begins in therapy, education, activities, and family sessions
• Client works through the level system, gaining understanding, control, and confidence, and establishes a lifelong plan for recovery and wellness
• Staff helps client to make transition through the level system, providing increasing responsibility for self-care
• Treatment team, with client, reevaluates discharge criteria and discharge date
• Discharge with plan for transitional living or other aftercare

TREATMENT COMPONENTS

• Individual, Group, and Family Therapy (Cognitive Behavioral and Psychodynamic Therapies)
• Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment
• Medical Monitoring
• Communication and Life Skills Training
• Meal Planning, Shopping, and Cooking
• Nutrition Education and Counseling
• Exercise, Fitness, and Rehabilitation Program
• Art Therapy and Other Experiential Therapies
• Occupational, Career Planning
• Biochemical, Nutritional Stabilization
• Body Image Treatment
• Sexuality, Relationships, Co-Dependency
• Recreation and Relaxation
• Education Groups - Topics include: stress, psychological development, self-esteem, compulsive behaviors, sexual abuse, spirituality, anger, assertiveness, relapse, shame, women's issues