The Importance of Family System Work When Treating an Adolescent with an Eating Disorder

When a child struggles with an eating disorder, it has a major impact on the entire family. Daily routines as well as coping and problem-solving behaviors are all negatively affected. It can seem as if the easiest things become overwhelming; just getting up for school on time involves frustration and fighting. In addition, families dealing with an eating disorder often say that it feels as if time stands still and that everything in their lives has come to focus on the eating disorder.

Research shows that a non-blaming approach to treatment in which the family is seen not as the cause of the problem but rather as a resource to support the adolescent in the recovery process is recommended. Additionally, working within the family system helps members understand the evolution of the family dynamics in relation to the development of the eating disorder. Think of it this way, by openly identifying and discussing these family dynamics, insight and learning can happen and change can be created. Family system work creates significant improvement and positive changes in terms of both the individual and family functioning.

As part of the therapeutic work, families benefit from exploring how they became caught up in the eating disorder. When family members are able to step back from the disorder and identify and practice using their strengths, they gain perspective and are able to discover solutions to their situation.

At The Meadows Ranch, family members are seen as partners in the recovery process. Let me emphasize that families are part of the solution. As the adolescent returns to the family system after treatment, clear expectations and family rules are a necessary part of the recovery process. Parents must “parent” the adolescent and avoid “parenting” the eating disorder. It is important to have discussions surrounding this when families are calm and empowered versus anxious and reactionary. Families can accomplish this with improved communication skills, clear expectations, and with the involvement of professionals.

Family system work is vital in the recovery process for adolescents with eating disorders. Although this work can involve many different people, perspectives, and experiences, healing can occur, understanding can be developed, and families can embrace recovery with elegance, dignity, resilience, and solidarity.

Content Source...

Effective Trauma Treatment for Eating Disorder Patients

Many individuals who suffer from trauma will use an eating disorder as a means to feel in control of something. This often occurs because trauma makes a person feel vulnerable and like they have no control over what happens to them in life. Eating disorders often blunt a person’s ability to experience emotions, which lessens intense anxiety, fear, and anger. In addition, an eating disorder can become a distraction from thoughts of trauma as eating disorders often become all consuming. At The Meadows Ranch, our treatment teams understand that to treat a patient with an eating disorder and trauma entirely, both need to be concurrently addressed since failing to treat one or the other will lead to a relapse and a decreased quality of life.

At The Meadows Ranch, we focus on nutritional rehabilitation at the start of treatment because without basic nutrition a person’s brain is offline and unable to participate successfully in therapy or really feel one’s emotions. The next layer is creating a safe environment that supports the trauma work. At The Meadows Ranch, we have a truly amazing group of professionals that genuinely care about each patient’s recovery with staff available around the clock to offer support.

In addition, people that have experienced trauma often engage in maladaptive coping skills, which may include eating disorder behaviors, self-injury, and shutting down to manage their intense emotions. In order to address these maladaptive coping skills our staff, including behavioral health techs, nurses, therapists, and dietitians, are trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). DBT includes skills in mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance. If one of our patients is struggling, our entire staff are trained to help her find and practice an effective coping skill in the moment. This is particularly important when a patient is doing trauma work since she will be more vulnerable to intense emotions and memories that may require assistance to contain her emotions. At The Meadows Ranch, this support is offered 24-hours a day.

The final piece in treating trauma is processing the trauma that has occurred and allowing that trauma to become a chapter in the book of life instead of a novel as it can become when it is not adequately treated. At The Meadows Ranch, our therapists are specially trained in treating trauma, which includes being certified in Eye Motion Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is an evidence-based treatment for trauma.

The treatment of trauma and eating disorders is complex and multifaceted. At The Meadows Ranch, we have all of the tools available to help individuals recover from both trauma and their eating disorder treatment .

Content Source

Eating Disorder Treatment Options for the Adolescent Impacted by Trauma

As a parent, you have likely planned and envisioned only the best for your child, including desires for their future, saving for college, and more. One thing that you may never anticipate is that your little girl will develop an eating disorder, which can dampen the hopes, dreams, and aspirations that you wish for your child.

Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, are often connected with negative stigmas and stereotypes, which can leave you feeling more confused about what your child is confronting. It is important to know that there are resources and support to help you and your child through this journey and that you do not have to navigate this alone.

The Connection between Trauma and Eating Disorders

Research has uncovered multiple factors that may influence the development of eating disorders in adolescents, including both biological, psychological, and environmental components. The combination of these influencing factors can increase a child’s susceptibility to developing an eating disorder. While it is not necessarily possible to determine a child’s risk factor, there are warning signs that may indicate the susceptibility of forming an eating disorder.

For example, the experience of trauma or traumatic events, including physical, emotional, psychological, and/or sexual, can increase an adolescent’s risk of developing an eating disorder. The high levels of stress and anxiety that trauma often produces can lead to destructive methods of coping, including maladaptive eating behaviors associated with eating disorders.

Studies have found that emotional abuse, physical neglect, and sexual abuse were found to be significant predictors of eating psychopathology [1]. Research has also found that women who reported both childhood physical and sexual abuse were three times as likely to develop eating disorder symptoms as those who reported no abuse [2]. With the experience of childhood trauma associated with a range of serious long-term psychiatric complications, including eating disorders, it is important to recognize the necessity to address these concerns effectively.

Effective Treatment Options

Adolescents with eating disorders who have been impacted by trauma will require specialized and comprehensive care to find healing and recovery. Given the nature of eating disorders and the influence of unresolved trauma, it is necessary to find treatment options that can help address both simultaneously. In healing from trauma, many adolescents find that they are also able to recover from their eating disorder, as destructive eating behaviors are no longer necessary to cope with trauma stressors.

Thankfully, there are many treatment options available to help your adolescent facilitate healing from the inside out and address any unresolved trauma in a therapeutic and healing manner. The level of care for treatment that may be best for your child will depend on a number of factors. Having a complete assessment done by an eating disorder professional can help determine what level of care is best suited for meeting your loved one’s individual needs, including medical, nutritional, and psychological concerns. This may include critical care/inpatient, residential treatment, and transitional care for eating disorders impacted by unresolved trauma.

Establishing medical stability is a priority of eating disorder treatment, including nutritional rehabilitation and psychiatric safety. Once this has occurred, the process of uncovering complex psychological factors contributing to an unhealthy relationship with food can begin. Various forms of therapy can be helpful for trauma resolution, rebuilding self-esteem, and gaining confidence over the eating disorder.

Choosing the Right Treatment Center

At Remuda Ranch at The Meadows, we understand the unique challenges that young girls aged 8-17 face when impacted by eating disorders and trauma. Our treatment program is specifically equipped to effectively address the complex issues stemming from these conditions and empower recovery through our innovative treatment approaches.

Through the devastation and confusion that you and your loved one have experienced, we want you to know that you are not alone. We will work with your adolescent in a nurturing and safe environment to help them regain their health, find healing from trauma, and eliminate eating disorder behaviors. Connecting with the specialized care at Remuda Ranch at The Meadows can make all the difference in recovery from eating disorders impacted by trauma. Connect with us today and learn more about how we can help you and your family find whole-person healing and restoration. Give us a call at 866-239-7381.

References:

[1]: Seongsook Kong, et al. (2009) Childhood trauma as a predictor of eating psychopathology and its mediating variables in patients with eating disorders. Journal of Clinical Nursing 18, 1897-1907

[2]: Rayworth, BB, et al. (2004) Childhood abuse and risk of eating disorders in women. Epidemiology 15, 271-278.

Content Source....

Utilizing Psychodrama as an Effective Therapy in Treating Eating Disorders

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.” -Viktor Frankl

I will never forget this one particular group. I was sitting in a treatment center in Tucson, Arizona in the spring of 1986 and the facilitator asked for a volunteer. I froze. There were 30-35 patients sitting in a circle in a large conference room with a wide-open space in the middle as the facilitator moved gracefully around the center. After a few moments, a young woman, who I believe came in two weeks ahead of me, timidly raised her hand. The therapist thanked her and for the next 90 minutes I observed sublime human connection.

What did I just witness? Here was this peer publically sharing voices and experiences long kept silent within herself. Here was this peer showing vulnerability, courage, and strength. Here was this peer who seemed to have gained new insights and awareness about past events, and subsequently, new insights and awareness about herself. Here was a clinician who showed expertise, restraint, and seemed to allow the patient to tell her story without an agenda.

As an observer, there was a juxtaposition of fascination and emotional fragility. The intellectual and the emotional were at war. What I know now, and didn’t then, was that she was telling a human story. My story. Her pain connected to my pain. Her loneliness connected to my loneliness. I thought I would be safe as an observer, but little did I know the impact of that afternoon.

This was my introduction to the term, the concept, and reality of Psychodrama. I was a patient barely two weeks sober trying to grasp themes of sobriety, unmanageability, and powerlessness, and at the same time, having difficulty identifying and expressing feelings. What I witnessed that day was a brave woman, a skilled therapist, and a room full of patients “magically” connected in a moment of healing.

Fast-forward thirty-one years. I have spent the past 28 years as a clinician, and for the last 10 years, I have used group psychotherapy utilizing psychodrama and other experiential techniques with eating disorder patients.

Psychodrama and other action-oriented techniques developed by J.L. Moreno, and later by his wife Zerka Moreno, can be especially effective in the treatment of addiction and trauma. It can be extremely effective in the treating of eating disorders. An effective clinician has done his or her own work and will attain regular monitoring and supervision. Clinical judgment is needed, as those with medically compromised weights and those detoxing or actively psychotic are not appropriate for such work.

If clinically appropriate, Psychodrama, Sociometry, and group psychotherapy provides the chance for an individual or individuals in a group setting to heal and connect. Psychodrama creates a space for the safe expression of emotions. This therapeutic space can provide an opportunity for the patient to understand themselves and their history better, to resolve loss and trauma, to overcome fears, to improve their intimate and social relationships, and to practice new skills to prepare for the future.

We Can Help

Remuda Ranch at The Meadows incorporates a variety of treatment methods and therapies to help our patients achieve long-lasting recovery from their eating disorder. Our specialized approach combines proven medical and clinically intensive treatment to help restore balance to the lives of women and girls struggling with an eating disorder.

To learn more about the treatment therapies we offer, visit our treatment page. For immediate help, please call to speak to a Counselor at 866-329-7713.

Content Source...

Eating Disorder Healing Through Equine Therapy

Content Source

Kristen Zollars, Program Director of Equine Services for Remuda Ranch at The Meadows, recently wrote about Eating Disorder Healing Through Equine Therapy. In this article she addresses how interacting with horses can help one deal with their own emotions and bring about acceptance.



To read this article in its entirety, please go click here.

Horses are an integral part of our leading-edge treatment. At Remuda Ranch at The Meadows, our patients learn how to be predictable, trustworthy and communicative from the bonds they establish during our Equine Therapy program. For additional information about the treatment of eating disorders, please call to speak to a Counselor at 866-842-1253 and we will contact you with the information you need.

Healing Through Experiential Therapies

Expressive Arts Therapy and Recreation Therapy are integral elements of the eating disorder treatment program at Remuda Ranch at The Meadows. Each of these therapies provides patients with an opportunity to express themselves through a variety of modalities which enable them to explore and discover existing and new thoughts, feelings, emotions, and somatic experiences. Through non-verbal representation, patients are encouraged to delve into the topic area at a level they are comfortable with.




By providing a relaxed and non-judgmental environment, even individuals who are unfamiliar with an art room and proclaim to have no artistic talent, soon find themselves engrossed in the activities outside of a traditional therapy session. Experimenting with themes, ideas, and materials, patients are better able to express their emotions and feelings that so often surround very difficult issues they need to address in treatment.

The Expressive Arts Therapy program at Remuda Ranch includes themes related to eating disorders designed to help patients confront and express their thoughts in a manner and depth that is most comfortable for them. Activities that focus on issues such as body image, childhood influences, inner child, timelines, problem-solving skills, generational messages about the body, and spiritual connections are just some of the topics covered in our curriculum.




Recreation Therapy helps patients realize that they can have fun without the intensity of activities often identified as a major component of a patient’s eating disorder. Reducing the intensity of movement is instrumental in a recovery-focused treatment program. Activities such as volleyball, badminton, board games, gentle stretching, and therapeutic walks teach patients team building and relational skills that aid in reducing their eating disorder behaviors and also provide an enjoyable outlet for movement and play.

Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Success is possible, and we love to share the stories of recovery from our alumni.
Meggie Sexton was kind enough to share hers with us recently. Meggie says; "After struggling with bulimia, anorexia and exercise addiction for six years, I decided I needed to put myself first and take a chance by going away to inpatient treatment before my life slipped away anymore. I put my job on hold, my doctoral degree on hold, you name it...but I knew if I didn’t get my health back in order, none of those long-term professional, educational or personal goals were going to be reached.
The seven hour plane ride to Arizona back in October of 2010 was the most painful, slow-moving time of my life. Once I arrived at Remuda, I was scared, and my eating disorder was defensive. Over time, I fell in love with the support system there, and I relearned how to love myself. At the end of my 45 days, to be honest, I didn’t want to leave that safety net. Fast forward to today, and I have a loving husband, Sam, we have settled into our first starter-home, and we have two healthy baby boys, Connor and Cooper. Without the help of Remuda, I don’t know that I ever would have dug myself out of the deep, dark and awful hole of eating disorders. Iam forever grateful for their help, and I truly believe they helped save my life.
"Thank you for sharing your life with us and your”

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Centers

Content Source : Best Eating Disorder Treatment

We are extremely proud of our medical staff at Remuda Ranch at The Meadows. Their dedication to patient care and treatment is what makes the Remuda Ranch at The Meadows such an effective treatment program.
Remuda Ranch at The Meadows offers an acute level of care as well as inpatient and residential programming in a safe, nurturing environment. Our treatment is led by a well-qualified multidisciplinary team that is dedicated to providing assistance and support 24 hours a day.

Patients who enter our program can rest assured knowing that they are receiving the best care possible throughout their stay. During the early phase of recovery, patients often discover physical and mental health symptoms for the first time. These symptoms may not be new, but they were often masked or relieved by the eating disorder. The keen assessment skills of our nurses and medical staff helps in this early phase and throughout the course of our patients' treatment.

Dedicated To Your Care

Remuda Ranch at The Meadows nursing and medical staff can help individuals suffering eating disorders discover a higher quality of life. We offer a comprehensive holistic treatment that focuses on healing all aspects of the mind, body, and spirit. We invite you to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment. For additional information about our programs, please call to speak to an Intake Coordinator at 866-332-0836 or complete the form below and we will contact you with the information you need.

Eating Disorder Help For Your Child

Content Source : Child With An Eating Disorder

Fortunately, warning signs do exist for both anorexia and bulimia. If you suspect your daughter is heading toward an eating disorder, please get help immediately. First, consult with your primary care provider, and if indicated, consider outpatient treatment with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. However, if your daughter has an eating disorder, has been in therapy for many months and is simply not improving, please consider allowing us to provide the care that she requires.

We understand that the idea of inpatient or residential treatment may be daunting, but sometimes, that is what it takes to save a life. The truth is, far too many women and girls die from eating disorders.

If your daughter requires inpatient treatment, please trust us with her care. We can absolutely guarantee that she will receive the best possible treatment in an environment of compassion, love and support at Remuda Ranch at The Meadows.eating disorders

I Might Have An Eating Disorder: What Do I Do?

The moment when you recognize your eating behaviors have gotten out of control can be followed by intense fear and uncertainty. Will I need treatment? Where will I go? What will happen during treatment?

The first thing you should do is choose to be hopeful, and choose recovery. There are effective treatments for eating disorders. Talk to a trusted friend or family member and seek help from a healthcare professional or facility that specializes in eating disorders.

Right now, you might wonder how you could ever change. What could happen during treatment that would allow you to let go of the unhealthy behaviors you’ve held onto for so long?

Here are 18 things that you will learn in eating disorder recovery, to help you let go of dangerous eating behaviors and start building a healthy, happy life:

1. Acknowledge that your behavior is harmful and will negatively affect your life now and in the future if you do not choose to change.
2. Identify your feelings and internal messages before, during, and after you binge, purge, or restrict.
3. Identify what triggers you to binge, purge, or restrict.
4. Focus on the present rather than the past, and on the positive aspects of your life.
5. Take time to nurture yourself in ways that have nothing to do with food or your eating disorder behaviors (a walk, movie, hot bath, etc.).
6. Enjoy your body. Choose physical activities for fun rather than weight loss, such as dancing, stretching, and swimming.
7. Take responsibility for changing your behaviors.
8. Work toward the point where weight is no longer something by which you rate your success.
9. Think about your accomplishments, positive personal qualities, and valued relationships, and affirm yourself for these things.
10. Identify goals and activities you have been putting off until you’re “thin.”
11. Set small goals that you can accomplish easily, and congratulate yourself for every success.
12. Explore any ambivalence about giving up old habits and your fear of living without them. Take the risk to try new behaviors, without being certain of the outcome.
13. Recognize your personal rights. You have the right to say “no,” to express your feelings and opinions and to ask to have your needs met.
14. Find a growth-oriented, non-judgmental community of relationships, such as a church, support group, or appropriate 12-step group.
15. Keep a journal of your experiences, feelings, thoughts, and insights. This is a safe place to be honest with yourself. The journal is for your eyes only: no one else will be reading it or judging it. The journal can also help you identify the feelings, internal messages, and triggers that lead to your eating disorder behavior, so that you may prepare yourself to choose alternate strategies.
16. Don’t let the scale run your life. Remember that numbers on a scale are not a value judgment of self-worth. Throw the scale away.
17. Let go of fault-finding, blame, guilt, and shame. Focus on the present, and take responsibility for what you can change today.
18. Understand that shame and guilt often lead to eating disorder behavior, and eating disorder behavior then leads to more shame and guilt, creating a vicious cycle that can be broken.

How We Can Help

Remuda Ranch at The Meadows offers customized, comprehensive treatment programs for women and girls with eating disorders, designed to help heal the mind body and spirit. We take pride in our…

• Experienced, multidisciplinary staff: Treatment is led by dedicated doctors, psychologists, dieticians, and nurses who help patients achieve medical stabilization and support them through the stages of recovery.
  
• Comprehensive care: We can stabilize women and adolescents with an acute eating disorder, and help them progress in our program to residential and partial levels of care.
  
• Experts: Our leadership team has extensive experience in the field and are involved in daily operations, ensuring that each patient receives the help she needs.
  
• Family Program: Our staff incorporates the patient’s family into the healing process through weekly webinars and an onsite Family Week.
  
• Spiritual approach: Mindfulness activities and life skills are incorporated into the recovery process. Christian focused and 12-step focused tracks are available.
  
• Healing atmosphere: Our facilities are located on a ranch in the beautiful Sonoran desert, and are designed with patient’s comfort and healing in mind.
  
• Discovery and ownership: We work with patients to confront their issues in a positive manner in order for them to develop a sense of their true potential, allowing them to take responsibility for their lives.

For more information, reach out to one of our Intake Specialists today at 866-390-1500 or send us an email.

Content Source

Every single day, she battles her disease -- there is no respite.  

Because she is severely malnourished, she does not think clearly, her thoughts are disordered and her perceptions are skewed. Positive self -esteem is non-existent.
 

Every day, she feels bombarded by images of skinny females everywhere: smiling from magazine covers, mocking her from television ads. They are perfect; she is not.  

She is profoundly depressed and just plain exhausted.  

No matter how hard she tries, she will never be “good enough.”

Deciding that life is simply not worth living is not that much of a stretch.

This is what life feels like to many women who struggle with eating disorders.

Eating disorders are physically devastating diseases. The medical consequences of anorexia and bulimia include everything from anemia and bone loss to intestinal issues and infertility.

The good news is that if caught early and treated, most of these medical problems can be reversed and health restored to the individual. However, what can not be reversed is mortality—a full 10 percent of those struggling with an eating disorder will die from it.

These deaths often occur as a result of cardiac damage or other extreme medical complications, but a lesser known cause of death is suicide. The risk of suicide is multiplied many times over for those who suffer from co-occurring eating disorders and depression.

Eating Disorders and Depression

Some studies indicate that as many as 90 percent of women with an eating disorder are also clinically depressed. For some, depression leads to an eating disorder. For others, the eating disorder results in depression. No matter which comes first, together, they are a deadly combination. The rate of suicide among those struggling with both depression and an eating disorder is markedly higher than in those who struggle exclusively with depression.

Being very underweight and malnourished can cause real, physical changes to the brain and body that are known to lead to the negative moods that are often associated with depression. These mood states can intensify feelings of not being good enough, that are so common among people with eating disorders. The focus on perfectionism that is often associated with eating disorders, can also contribute to depression as it sets one up for failure by setting completely unrealistic expectations. The symptoms of depression and the symptoms of the eating disorder are often so deeply intertwined that it can be difficult for a treatment professional to find ways to help their clients who struggle with both to untangle and free themselves from them. And, since the eating disorder behaviors are often used as ways to cope with extreme feelings of shame, self-hatred, and hopelessness, once people who do manage to let go of their eating disorder behaviors may find themselves facing an overwhelming and painful depression. As complicated as the combination of these two disorders can be, there is hope. Treatment programs that provide a combination of different approaches—physical, psychological, and spiritual—tend to have the best chance of helping a person with a dual diagnosis of depression and an eating disorder get into recovery.

Treatment for Eating Disorders and Depression

Recovery from any behavioral health disorder is a process. It takes time and commitment on the part of the patient and her loved ones and compassion and expertise from doctors and health professionals. One key to effective treatment is helping people change the way they think both about themselves and their relationship with food by treating the depression and the eating disorder at the same time. Tailoring treatment to the individual is also essential. Some need more of an emphasis on emotional and trauma work. Some need more of an emphasis on the way they think about food and their body image.

The experts at Remuda Ranch at The Meadows take a careful assessment of each client at the beginning of their treatment process to recommend the best course of action based their personal history and diagnoses. We help clients work through the issues that are contributing to their disorders in all aspects of their lives: self-perception, relationships with friends and family, relationships with food and nutrition, and spirituality. We offer everything thing from individual counseling to equine therapy in our efforts to help our clients find hope again and build happier healthier lives.

If you have any questions about eating disorders and depression or our programs, please call 866-332-1140, or send us an email.

Content Source

Binge Eating disorder – a nightmare for every girl. Binge eating disorder causes when a person is either depressed or anxious or dissatisfied. It commences slowly but its effects are life threatening. Binge eating disorder (BED) is actually the most common eating disorder in the United States. BED affects an estimated 2.8 million people in the United States, according to a national survey. It is seen mostly in teenagers who have a pressure of maintaining academics and social life. There are 5 important facts about Binge Eating:

• Binge eating disorder has a 3X effect on the number of people diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia combined.
• Binge eating disorder is way more common than breast cancer, HIV, and schizophrenia. 
• Research shows that binge eating is being wrongly associated with overweight and obese but you can be obese and not have binge eating disorder.
• 3.5% of women struggle with binge eating
• 25% of college-aged women engage in bingeing and purging for weight managing.

What to do? How to seek help? Remuda Ranch - Inpatient Binge Eating Disorder Treatment

Our program focuses on healing the underlying pieces of the puzzle so that you can find relief. This is not a weight loss program even though our residents often do lose weight. Our team focuses on each patient individually planning her schedule. Binge Eating also effects mentally thus we counsel patients and make them mentally strong. We take into consideration root cause of a problem and treat the patient accordingly. So, come to Remuda Ranch for all SHE-Disorders. 

Content Source

Anorexia - more harmful than you think it can be…

Anorexia is often called as anti - obesity. It is very common prevailing symptom in the individuals who aren’t confident about their body. It has many misconceptions about it as people have no awareness about it. Anorexia is a complex eating disorder with 3 main features:

• Refusal to maintain a healthy body weight
• An intense fear of gaining weight
• A distorted body image

Anorexia brings Depression, Emotional Trauma, Loneliness, Insecurity, Pressure to be perfect, etc. with it. There are two types of anorexia:

• Restricting Type - weight loss is achieved by restricting calories (following drastic diets, fasting, and exercising to excess).
• Purging Type - weight loss is achieved by vomiting or using laxatives and diuretics.

Anorexia in teens is very common because they have constant pressure to look good, have slim figure and to be beautiful. What teens do not understand is they are beautiful the way they are. Being healthy and being anorexic are two different things and that is explained at Remuda Ranch.

Remuda Ranch is Anorexia Treatment Center that has treated anorexia and disorders for more than 25years. Thus, here we have professionals and experts that schedule whole therapy and workshop schedule which could help retain therapy for life.

Remuda Ranch has psychiatric and primary care provider, a registered dietician, a licensed master's or doctoral-level therapist, a psychologist and registered nurses. We do not just cure anorexia but also depression, anxiety, substance abuse or trauma. In addition to individual and group therapy, patients engage in experiential treatments such as art, body image, equine and challenge course therapies. Every patient here is taken care at Remuda Ranch personally without defining time limit.

Remuda Ranch is Anorexia inpatient treatment Centre that is the solution for any kind of Anxiety or disorder.

Rewards Matter for Eating Disorder Patients

By Vicki Berkus M.D., Ph.D., CEDS, Remuda Ranch Medical Advisor

People who are struggling with their eating disorders (ED) and refusing to cooperate in treatment often need rewards they can work toward. Being in treatment would be hard for anyone; but, it’s especially hard for adolescents and for those who don’t yet have coping skills or a mind that’s fed well enough to fully function.

Privileges as Rewards

To encourage patients to follow their treatment plans, most programs use levels of activity as rewards. Anything that patients tend to look forward to–going on outings, going to a movie, more exercise time, eating somewhere other than the treatment group table for a meal—can serve as motivation for patients to adhere to their treatment regimens.

I used to be stopped in the hall by my patients with requests. “Can I _________?” they would say. They couldn’t help themselves. The idea that their entire treatment team would have to make the decision, not just me, was not in their thoughts at the moment of the request.

I decided to come up with a system that would help them know exactly what they needed to do to earn one of the privileges they wanted.

Actions Replace Words

I would have patients fill out a “request sheet” every Monday. On the sheet they were asked to write down what they wanted to do most at the end of the week – exercise more, go on an outing, etc. They also would have to write down what would be required for them to be allowed to do what they asked. (e.g., eating 100 percent for the three days prior to the activity, or not needing to be reminded to limit their movement when sitting.)

Depending on each patient’s need, the clinical team would either set the criteria for them or the patient would sit with the therapist to develop the criteria. Either way, the patient knew and agreed upon exactly what they needed to do on their part to get the added perks.

I was amazed at how quickly their behavior changed. Instead of finding me and putting a lot of energy into “making their case,” they would get excited for the change and for the challenge of meeting their goals. They would then hear from the clinical team by Thursday what the weekend would look like in terms of activities and changes.

It sounds simple but ED patients are adept at holding onto the yardstick that compares their peers’ eating disorder behaviors to their own. The ability to put on “emotional blinders” and focus on their treatment is just not in their skill set in the beginning of treatment. Having structured reward systems help them to achieve that focus.

A Team Approach

It is important for treatment teams to be consistent with patients and for each team member to be fully up to date on the latest information about their behavior and their risks. Patients need to know that the team members have access to their daily behaviors including, meal consumption, fluid consumption or daily weights. They also need our united front on the decisions we make that have such a significant impact on them during their treatment.

At Remuda Ranch at The Meadows, we use a consistent team approach every day and work with each person individually based on their strengths. With the support of our teams, our patients achieve much greater success toward their recovery.
If you would like to find out more about Remuda Ranch, please call 866-390-5100 or contact us.

Source Link

 

A Story about a Cat - Remuda Ranch Eating Disorder Treatment Program

By Vicki Berkus M.D., Ph.D., CEDS, Remuda Ranch Medical Advisor

I have learned that I will not win a “battle of wills” against a patient with an eating disorder.
They have perfected setting rules for themselves and the last thing I want to do is give them more rules. I also don’t expect a new patient to immediately trust me; I know that I need to earn the trust. If a patient refuses to talk about their eating disorder or refuses to tell me what they would be willing eat, I start by finding a way to get them to just talk—about anything.

A Story about a Cat

One of the most difficult patients I’ve met in my career actually said to me, “Dr. B, don’t look at me. I don’t deserve to be looked at.” Where do you start from there?

This patient was extremely shut down. The only thing she was willing to talk about was her cat. So, we visited about her cat for a while. Once she started to relax, I asked her if she would be willing to imagine that her cat had an eating disorder and write a story about it.
She did an amazing job! (I tried to get it published but no luck.) She was able to clearly and beautifully articulate her own fears and feelings as long as she was able to imagine that it was all about the cat.

Finding a Way through Shame

I had another patient who was 16 and had lost her hair and her teeth to her disease. She refused to talk about her eating disorder. So, I asked her what she would like to talk about.

She told me that she would talk about her heroin use but not her eating disorder.
So, we started there. Not long after, she told me she had dropped out of high school because the kids would snatch off her wig and laugh at her baldness. She was filled with shame and guilt. As a result, she had only eaten one piece of hard candy, ½ cup of yogurt, and a half of bagel each day for the last year. It can be hard to imagine someone needing that kind of control.

Eventually, she was able to start talking about her eating disorder, but we had to go at her pace. To push her too far too fast might have ruined any chance I had at developing a rapport with her.

Meeting Patients Where They Are

The hardest part of our work as eating disorder professionals is establishing relationships with our patients that allow trust to develop. I frequently start by asking them what they would be willing to try. It may be a smoothie or a quarter cup of a supplement like Ensure or Boost. It may be talking about a beloved pet, or a co-occurring disorder rather than the eating disorder itself.

I also try to provide patients with the information they need in order feel ready to try. For example, if their fear of eating includes fear of the pain that they feel in their GI tract when they eat, I will talk to them about how together we can address the pain and come up with a plan to make it less painful. I will also often order abdominal films for patients so they can look at it and see why they are not “going to burst” with one more mouthful.

Most importantly, I try to remember that with each suggestion I make, the eating disorder is pushing the patient to make the opposite decision. It will take the entire treatment team to help the patient through this difficult phase of their recovery.

Remuda Ranch Can Help

One of the most important goals to achieve while in treatment is to learn how to live life with your Eating Disorder (ED). Remuda Ranch at the Meadows uses a 45-day curriculum to teach the skills you will need to live with ED and move toward life-long recovery. Call us today for more information: 866-390-5100.

Source Link