Experiential Work
We believe that education and practice are crucial components of an effective treatment program for persons with serious eating disorders. Consistent with this belief, we provide a broad range of skill teaching groups.
In order for our clients to incorporate these skills into their daily routines, we provide experiential opportunities in which clients may practice their new skills. Some experiential opportunities occur within the residential treatment environment. However, when a client is participating in a 24-hour supervised and highly structured residential level of care, it is appropriate that she have the opportunity to practice her new skills out in the real world before discharging to an outpatient level of treatment. The experiential opportunities that we offer to clients are intended to make this a graduated transition.
Women who are suffering from an eating disorder frequently tend to isolate themselves from family and friends. Our planned group activities and structured social outings, with the support of our milieu therapists, expose our clients to a variety of social activities in small groups. These social outings help our clients to develop or re-start interests that have been interrupted by their eating disorder.
Following are some examples of how we provide experiential opportunities for learning.
Cooking:
While Laurel Hill Inn staff prepares most meals, we encourage clients to work toward a goal of preparing their own meal with help from staff. Clients are asked to provide our nutritionist with a recipe of their choosing ahead of the scheduled time to cook. The nutritionist is available to supervise the client while she prepares her menu choice and then assists the client in portioning her meal. The goal is to help clients choose recipes that are easy for them to recreate in their homes upon discharge.
Portioning:
Rather than have our milieu therapists portion client food at all times during treatment, we ask our clients to portion their own meals and snacks several times per week. This assists clients in gaining a better understanding of appropriate portion sizes. After sufficient practice using measuring tools, we ask that clients try to “eyeball” portions to normalize meal preparation.
Therapeutic Meals:
Clients eat their meals together in our dining room with supervision by two milieu therapists. Clients are supported by staff while eating an appropriate meal and are encouraged to use skills during the meal to tolerate their discomfort. Before and after each meal, clients fill out mood monitoring sheets which are then reviewed by members of the clinical team.
Dinner Outings:
Every Tuesday evening our clients go to a local restaurant as a group to practice eating in public and to socialize with their peers. Clients are provided with a copy of the restaurant’s menu in advance in order to select their meal prior to leaving for the restaurant. This helps to relieve some of the anxiety associated with the outing. At least two staff members chaperone the dinner outing and assist clients with portioning their food and participate in the meal.
Salad Bar:
Every Friday, the nutritionist takes a small group of clients to the local Whole Foods market for lunch where they practice portioning their meals from the salad bar.
Experiential Passes:
When clients are medically stable and emotionally ready, they begin the process of practicing their skills outside of the residential setting for part of the day. Clients will go off campus once or twice a week with a friend or family member or independently. Upon return from their passes, clients process their pass outing experience with a member of our counseling staff.
Group Weekend Outings:
We organize weekend group social outings for our clients as part of their treatment program. Outings are supervised by milieu staff. These outings allow clients to practice their social skills and expose themselves to potential new interests. Bowling, movies, miniature golf, museums, the aquarium, pottery painting at a local gallery, bookstores, arts and craft stores are popular options. We provide each client a weekly stipend for entertainment and collectively, clients choose an appropriate activity for each day of the weekend. The treatment team approves and adjusts requests as necessary.
Individualized Exposure Work:
Exposure therapy is a specific type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that is intended to help the client face and gain control of a specific feared situation. Every client meets with our doctoral level therapist twice weekly. Individual therapy at Laurel Hill Inn is CBT-focused and clients, along with the help of their therapist, create individualized exposure plans as part of their therapeutic work.
Supervised Clothing Shopping:
Since shopping for clothes can be extremely triggering for clients, we offer supportive shopping for clients who need new clothes to fit their changing bodies. A milieu therapist will accompany the client to a store decided upon ahead of time and will provide support and skills coaching while the client shops for new clothes.
