Quest® Psychstrategies Eating Disorders Program
Warning Signs of an Eating Disorder
- Withdrawal from, or avoidance of, numerous activities because of weight and shape concerns
- Frequent dieting and/or episodes of bingeing and purging
- Feeling depressed
- Extreme concern about appearance as a defining feature of self-esteem
- Intense fear of being fat
Eating disorders make it difficult to live a healthy life and enjoy quality relationships. Severe medical complications are common and sometimes result in death.
Your Decision
You are trying to make a very important decision to get help for your eating
disorder. Your life will change as a result of your decision. No one
comes to this point easily. Desperation, failure to change on your own,
and hope that you can live another way will contribute to your decision.
Your next step is to make a commitment to this change process and to
not give up.
Staff Support
Our staff are trained, licensed (or supervised by someone licensed) and
have eating disorder specialties in their respective fields: mental health,
nutrition, medication management, group therapy, or family education.
Many of our staff have their own personal history of recovery from an
eating disorder and are some of the best examples available of the fact
that there is hope for your own recovery.
The staff work to create an environment of safety for uncovering what lies below your eating disorder and for practicing new behaviors. They are here to meet your needs and to challenge you when you encounter obstacles.
How Our Program Helps
Quest was conceived and established by a group of local therapists in order
to treat their clients with eating disorders. These founding therapists
organized a program for clients to attend while living at home, where family
and support people could attend to learn more about eating disorders and
to participate in treatment with the primary client. Family, friends, and
a network of support are essential for a client to recover from an eating
disorder.
The program seeks to provide a safe, supportive environment where people can heal from guilt, shame, isolation, and destructive thinking that often accompanies anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive eating. Through a variety of sound healing strategies, supported by the current research in the field, clients are able to change unhealthy patterns and experience the freedom of recovery. Additionally, the program provides outreach activities including educational seminars and consultation services to the community.
Eating disorders may cause medical complications and can be life-threatening. Clients are required to be under the care of a primary care physician and are required to have a medical exam and medical clearance before starting the program. Medical monitoring, including exam, labs, and vitals checks may be recommended by your doctor while you are in treatment at Quest. Your physician and the Quest program will communicate regularly in order to ensure client safety and provide the most appropriate care.
Quest is committed to working with the whole person – body, mind, and soul. To that end, we incorporate body work such as yoga, a supervised meal, self-relaxation, Heart Math, and body attunement skills. We encourage clients to explore their personal and spiritual beliefs during recovery by incorporating a 12-step approach specific to eating disorders. We utilize cognitive behavioral techniques such as logs and rating sheets, thought blocking, and identifying thoughts and feelings related to eating disordered behavior.
Clients are encouraged to continue working with their outside therapist or psychiatrist. Quest works cooperatively with outside clinicians while you are in treatment.
Medications can play a significant role in improving the lives of clients with eating disorders. If indicated, a psychiatrist will meet with you to see if medications will be helpful. Clients are with us for a short time (usually about 12 weeks), so we utilize all appropriate resources and work as quickly as possible to create a change process in eating disordered thinking and behavior. Your psychiatrist will be able to determine what kind of medication may help you with issues such as sleep, depression, anxiety, obsessive thinking or other conditions affecting your recovery.
What Can I Expect From Quest?
Eating disorders are challenging to treat. The great majority of our clients
significantly reduce or eliminate their eating disordered thoughts and
behaviors.
- You can expect to learn a great deal about eating disorders in general, and your eating disorder in particular.
- You can expect to learn alternate coping strategies and ways to reach out for help.
- You can expect to know yourself better and to feel more self-acceptance.
- You will learn what triggers your eating disorder and what you can do when that happens.
- You will learn about the recovery process and the stages of change.
- You will practice more networking.
- You will learn how to nourish yourself.
- You will be more attuned to your feelings and be able to express them.
- You will experience an episode of recovery that will remain with you the rest of your life.
Treatment Program
Each client participates in an initial assessment that consists of obtaining
a psychosocial history, history of eating disordered behaviors, mental
status examination, and Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). Upon completion
of the initial assessment, a treatment plan is developed by the team
based on the clinical needs of the client. Treatment typically takes
place within the structure of a three hour per day, three or four day
a week format and utilizes the following components:
- Individual therapy
- Family therapy
- Process Groups
- Supervised meal
- Cognitive-behavioral nutrition group
- Individual consultation and follow-up with registered dietitian
- Medication evaluation and follow-up with staff psychiatrist
- Stress reduction/body awareness group
- Multi-family group
- Twelve step groups
- After care support group
Other Features
- Weekly case conference and treatment planning meeting among treatment team
- Ongoing communication between program staff and the client’s primary care physician through oral and written reports of initial assessment, treatment plan and quarterly progress reports
- Clients are able to maintain jobs, school, family responsibilities, and other activities of daily living while participating in the program
Admission Criteria
Quest is designed for individuals who meet the clinical
criteria for Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, and require the structure
and intensity of an intensive outpatient program in order to effectively
treat their eating disorder. These individuals require more than can be
provided in regular weekly outpatient psychotherapy, but do not meet medical
necessity for an inpatient program.
Getting Help
Admission to Quest is arranged by calling 707.303.3246. The
program is covered by most insurance plans.