Charis Center for Eating Disorders is located in Indiana. It offers outpatient, IOP, PHP, and short term medical stabilization for adolescents and adults.
Any reviews? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
Wondering if anyone has been to Charis recently? Do they have PHP? virtual or in person? if in person do they have housing? Would you describe a typical day in PHP? How did you like the team and treatment modalities? Pros and cons?
Thanks
Hi at the moment they only have the youth php open 17 and under. I believe its fully in person. Its all in the clinic its not a separate housing area. They also have a classroom for the patients still in school.
I do not know the php team but they do have plenty of lovely providers.
Con is they rarely have adult php and iop open due to staffing issues and some medical providers can be a bit too blunt and potentially triggering.
Pro is they offer providers for all eating disorders. They have art thearpy group open all the time. They have dietitians, therapist, psychologist, and medical doctors and you can see all if needed.
What. Disorder. Is. It. When. A. Man. Is. Hungry. All. Of. The. Time. And. Eats. x. Or. xy. Times. In. One. Day. Or. That. Eats. More. Than. x. Or. xy. Times. In. One. Day. And. Gains. A lot. Of. Weight. Because. It. Fast. What. Is. There. A. Disorder. That. Could. Be. The. Cause. Of. This. What. Is. The. Name. Of. The. Disorder. For. This. If. This. Is. A. Disorder. Then. What. Is. The. Name. Of. The. Disorder. And. How. Can. I. Get. Help. For it. To. Get. It. Under. Control
*numbers redacted per site policy
Hi, Donald. It sounds like you’re describing binge eating disorder. If you’re looking for help, check out edreferral.com or the neda website which will have links to treatment and therapists. good luck!
Has anyone been to Charis Center in Indiana in the last few years? It is associated with Riley Childrens Hospital (for kids/adols) and IU Health (for adults). Looks like they offer PHP, IOP, and outpatient. Not sure how many days per week for PHP, or how long each level of care usually lasts. They also do medical stabilization – my assumption is that it is room-based and on a regular medical floor in the hospital. Not sure if you have to already be a current patient or have to be local to receive medical stabilization. Would love any reviews, information, or descriptions about Charis! (Note that this is a completely different program than Charis House in Florida ?)
I went here about 10 years ago and have spoken with them on occasion since then. When I called during covid they had stopped taking adults. I will call tomorrow and clarify this and see if I can get more information. Their PHP is 5 days a week from morning through the evening (8-10 hours) except Friday is an abbreviated day. IOP is 3 days a week 3 hours each day. I had not heard of the medical stabilization piece; however am very interested. I will inquire about this as well and report back.
Update- I called Charis Center today and here is what I found out..
Adult Outpatient- Currently seeing adults, have a waitlist (70 as of 3/12/24)
Adult- IOP- 3 days a week 3 hours a day
Adult PHP- Working on creating one
No medical stabilization program
Adolescent Outpatient- No waitlist
Adolescent PHP- 5 days a week
Not sure about adolescent IOP I forgot to ask.
I am not necessarily recommending this program as I have not been there for over 10 years, I am just familiar with it since it is in my home state and I was a patient of the medical directors for years.
I hope this helps
Shannon
Looking for a recent review of the adult PHP program! Some specific questions I have:
How effective/helpful would you say the program was overall for you?
How accepting were the staff in terms of gender and sexual identity? Did group / therapy explore queer identity / LGBTQ+ topics much?
What were groups like/what types of activities do you do? I’m looking for a varied approach, not just CBT and DBT.
Do you ever have to cook your own food?
What was your experience with the medical team?
What are current COVID restrictions? Are there outings/visitors allowed?
Any other things you think someone going to this facility should be aware of?
Thank you in advance!
has anyone been to the adult res?
I’d like to leave a recent review of Charis Center’s PHP program. I discharged from there yesterday. But the comments are closed?
Are there any full reviews on the Adult Inpatient Program at Charis Center?
Charis doesn’t have inpatient. But they do have a pretty decent, comprehensive Partial hospitalization program (PHP).
The Charis Center not only treats the patient, but the entire family! We are all involved in this illness, and we are all a part needed for the recovery. Dr. R was pivotal in our progress because she can scare the daylights out of you – but that is the only thing that was getting through to stop it, then she surrounds you with a team of doctors, that together were able to stop the progression that this illness was engulfing. You do go frequently at first and see 4 doctors on rotation, but it takes a team of doctors to reverse the effects that have taken hold of a loved one. Besides, the frequency does have a way of keeping the eating disorder at check, while they slowly reverse the effects that have already transpired. We have been going for a year, and will be considered recovered in another three years. The frequency does reduce as progress improves, which does reinforce that we are trusted, and truly getting better. They do know their stuff, and We are so Blessed that this facility was who our Pediatrician referred us to go to for treatment – because who you see is X. From one parent to another – If you feel like there is a problem, you have one!!! Referring us here was the BEST advice given! However, it was a struggle to prove to the many doctors we seen, and tests done, that there was a problem, because I was told our child was within the normal range – as it continued to deepen it’s hold. Gender does not matter anymore, but if you wonder if this place is worth it, the answer is Yes. At first it was hard to go, and we didn’t want to be a part of this group, but now we are so thankful we stuck in there. It has become easier to go now, and we are acknowledged for the improvements and progress made. There is no way you are able to defeat this without someone steering the ship like Dr. R does, and It is so worth your time to learn how to beat this with experienced staff! Dr. R isn’t as scary to us anymore, and she actually laughs, but she knows her job quite well. She knew she needed to be hard at first to gain the upper hand. So if you are serious about really recovering – do not waste your time elsewhere. It is extremely tough for the patient, and all family members involved too, but so worth it. We are winning the battle, and life has changed, but our child is back and that is Priceless:)
I second everything Sarah G. said. By the time I got to Charis, I had come to realize without a doubt that continuing to engage in my eating disorder would be a slow and tacit form of suicide. I knew that I did not want to die, but I also knew from past experience that I could not recover on my own. I would recommend the Charis center to anyone who is serious about recovering completely, and doing it with the understanding that you, and every member of the team, are working hard to save your life. That is a serious matter: you will work harder perhaps than you have ever worked for anything before. But if you are ready, Dr. R and her team will make sure that you get the job done.
I can certainly tell you that The Charis Center and it’s staff have done nothing short of save my life. The clinic is serious about curing the disorder, and they dont mess around doing so. Before moving to Indianapolis, I was at another ED clinic, where I progressively got worse due to their relaxed approach. When I moved back to Indianapolis, Dr. R and the team quickly got me in to PHP. PHP has truly changed the way I live, and I cannot express how thankful I am for that. I hadn’t felt like myself in YEARS and I owe it to Charis for my recovery.
Be aware, Charis is goes straight to the point. And while the psychologists there are sympathetic and caring, the head doctor is very serious about treatment and will tell you what you need to hear and put you where you need to be (in terms of level of care). Both the caring psychologists and the strict physician is what made the perfect balance for me. The team at Charis is also in constant communication, and gels really nicely. They do not miss a beat.
Treatment is intensive, and so worth it. It’s hard for anyone to be 100% willing to do everything a psychologist, nutritionist, or doctor wants you to do, but I promise that if you put in the work they ask, you will recover. Be warned that they do use systematic desensitization to get rid of your ED rules and eating behaviors, but it was absolutely what contributed to my successful recovery.
Like I said, I have been to two treatment places, and this place is awesome. I would recommend it to anyone who is serious about recovery. If your not serious about recovery, I don’t know if I would waste your time here. I would recommend you to the place I went to previously, which only allowed my condition to worsen. If you want recovery, they will do everything in their power to guide you to it. Guaranteed.
Stay strong and take a big step!
Have been through IOP twice. I have never been to a more intensive treatment. Both times, I felt like I had to justify my eating disorder and why I needed treatment… when I talked to a residential treatment center they wanted me to be admitted within 5 days. But to receive treatment at Charis it was like pulling teeth. It was so hard to advocate for myself while in the midst of my disorder.
The first time was wonderful!a wonderful staff led the group and it was one of the best and most eye opening experiences of my life. However the second go, was not as helpful. The format of the group had changed from a closed group to a rolling group. It was hard to make group a safe place. Also, there were two doctors facilitating so it felt very incohesive. The doctors- while I would describe both women as nice- lacked passion, energy or enthusiasm. I am sure both are good on an individual basis, but do not seem to be able to provide a safe, secure environment for a group to work on eating disorder recovery.
I was at Charis for a year from 2011- 2012. It is a good program. My therapist is freaking amazing. Granted, I ended up at another program shorter after I moved away from Indianapolis where Charis is but for an outpatient program, Charis will do the job if you’re ready
The following is my personal experience and the opinions below are presented solely to spare another sick individual from suffering the way I did at the Charis Center
The Charis Center is primarily a eating disorder clinic. Please keep this in mind while reading my review. The first visit was with a Psychologist asking questions and typing in my answers, understandable during a first visit. In my opinion she presented herself as cold but I wanted to give her another chance. During the second visit, I was speaking about my overeating and she actually asked Why don t you stop buying the food? Wow, I never thought of this, I guess I am cured. Then she proceeded to make snide comments about my appearance. I am here because I have all but given up and you are discussing why I am unkempt? I can barely get out of bed but I will dress up for you. Maybe I am making a leap but attacking the aesthetics of a person who has a eating disorder is beyond cruel dare I say sadistic.
I have never experienced such a indifferent and pretentious healthcare provider.She was as cold as a razor blade. She looked at me like I was scum I have never felt so belittled in a therapy situation. Difficult to comprehend why a person would go into a profession where people are desperate and in pain and choose to look down their nose at the sick person.
In my opinion anyone who enters The Charis Center in a delicate condition is in grave danger, of being assigned to this provider, which is akin to playing Russian roulette with your life. In fairness I can t indict the other providers but why take the chance? They tolerate a person who exudes a elitist attitude. People who vetted this person are supposed to be attuned to the human psyche and either choose to dismiss the blatant lack of empathy or they just don t care.
Wow rosemary, thanks for the info. I live in Indiana and was thinking about going there. I wish I could contact you and find out which provider treated you that way.
You seem like an intelligent and emotionally-attuned person and as both a former client of the Charis Center and a counseling psychology graduate student, I am incredibly sorry to hear about your experiences there. I really loved my personal therapist but there were a couple interactions with other staff members that left me pretty upset. I hope you’ve found better treatment options since your time there, and please know that you didn’t deserve the shaming and lack of empathy you experienced.
The Charis Center offers outpatient therapy, psychiatrist, medical doctors, and dietitians. There are also outpatient groups such as DBT, art therapy, mindful eating, and process group. They are PHP, which runs about 12 hours a day, five days a week. They accept a variety of insurance including Medicade and Tricare.
I went to Charis Janualry of 09.
It’s a PHP program, and they do outpatient and have support groups. I settled on this program because it was really the only thing available in Indiana for men. At the time I was 23, and I was definitely not going out of state.
We got there at 7:30am and left at 6:30pm.
They provided 3 meals and 2 snacks. There was someone there who was used to eating late, so they gave them a snack to take home. They were pretty flexible. There was a snack menu at the start of every week and the menus were on a 4 week rotation. Some weeks had a bunch of cereal, some had pudding and pretzels, some had lots of of oatmeal/raisins and granola. I like cereal/stuff like that, so it was good for me. No choice for lunch and dinner, and those were hit-or-miss. There were some that were ok (steak, fish with rice) and there were some that were ridiculously bad. The hospital brought them the food, so when I say bad I mean “hospital bad”. This is a true story: A girl that was with me saw what we were eating (Cold Beef-Manhattan sandwich) and made the wierdest/funniest squeak noise I had ever heard. That bad. The staff ate with us sometimes, and others they just talked to us and watched. I liked all of the “handlers” so it wasn’t bad. One thing that was consistantly awful was Boost. I drank Boost for every meal and snack by the end (but that is individualized, I think).
We had CBT and DBT, and there were several groups a day that went over different topics. On Tues and Thurs there was yoga and art (yoga was pretty awful. I was scared of farting in front of everybody and there were a lot of positions I just couldn’t do). Near the end, they added music, which I really got into. Process group was everyday for like an hour and a half. I tried not to sleep. Those were awkward because we were supposed to bring up whatever we wanted to talk about, but I had trouble doing that. Also, I (and a few others) were not sure with what we were and were not supposed to bring up, so I was probably more cautious than I needed to be in process.
I was there for almost 3 months, and saw about 15 or 16 different php people there. There were only 2 other guys there throughout my stay.None of the other patients bothered me. We were all pretty reserved. I liked them. The staffers also did a good job of starting conversations during the day if things were dragging. I was really concerned when I got there and found that the only 2 guys besides me was a highschooler and a therapist (I had never thought about the demograghic before that point) but it was ok. In fact, it kinda helped me get over my anxiety towards women. We watched a lot of FRIENDS, but it was ok. They introduced me Across the Universe. Gotta be thankful for that.
Apart from the 3 individual sessions a week, everything was in groups. They were not bad, but I rally had trouble paying attention. Part of the problem was me because I was refeeding, but the room played a role, too. It was way too comfortable. There was a sofa, but I layed on the floor against the wall in a nest of blankets and pillows. Again, they changed it up near the end of my stay and we sat in a circle in chairs. It worked better. I have no idea how they do it now.
The best thing about the program for me were the staff/doctors and the other patients. I wasn’t too happy about being there, but it was pleasand enough to keep coming back and do what I had to for recovery! Later on, the CBT really helped, and the DBT mods were interesting. Music was probably my favorite group.
There were some things that weren’t fantastic. Seriously, on the weekends I would go home and be SO thankful for the food because the hospital stuff was so “iffy”. The process group was ok for what it was. Maybe I just didn’t get into things like that where we went in a circle and just talked.
All in all, Charis is why I recovered. I was sick for a while and they got me to a physically-stable place. I loved Dr. R. Everything she said happened (good and bad). She knows how to do her job and she scared me enough to keep me from fucking up. The direct-care people were great. I think most of them were either Social Workers or were on their way to being SW. My therapist and dietician were also awesome. I saw my therapist for a while afterward to keep up with everything. Four years being healthy!!! I would endorse Charis anytime.
The doctor will tell you the good, bad, and the ugly, but we always quote her saying “Do it anyway”. She’s perfect for lighting a fire under your butt about what needs to be done but only because she really does care and knows her stuff! I told her she was mean but that I needed it lol