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-Meals are supervised and you sit only with the ED patients. The meals are all balanced, and they use no atrificial sugars, everything is very healthy, which can be a bit triggering. Meals go by exchanges. You don’t get a choice in what you eat if are in the ED program but they do honor certain dislikes. There is dessert twice a week. You get to go out to a restruant a couple times in your stay there.
– Ensure is given to patients who need to gain weight.
-privilages include equine therapy, pool, exercise, going out to restaurants.
– groups include 12 step meetings, process, yoga, psychodrama, CBT, body image support, ED group, art, etc.
– Whati liked the most? The Location is awesome. The facility is very comprehensive. They work very closely with so many different pscychiatric issues. Family week, accupuncture, and massages but at an extra charge.
-They are SOOOOO strict about clothing. You really must be well covered at all times. This is because they also treat sexual compulsions.
Would you recommend this program? only if you are serious about recovery. They are VERY STRICT. You will have to contract on behaviors before you arive (cutting, purging, stealing etc.)
-The fitness staff will work with you to find a healthy relationship with exercise. Once you are cleared exercise there is swimming, yoga, and weights.
-What was the average length of stay? It’s generally 45 days but it changes. If you go in there fresh on drugs, you will be there longer.
-age range varies from 20’s to 50’s, very diverse at any time.
– ED patients are fairly integrated into other addictions community as well, they are very 12 step obviously. Most ED people including myself came in as dual diagnosis.
Honestly I would say this program is much better for addicts, alcohol issues, sex addiction, etc. .. If you are coming in just for an ED I don’t think it would be very helpful. I was very excited and motivated coming in and they REALLY helped my other issues with alchohol and drugs but the ED component is not very strong, I ended up going to a residential program for my ED after ST. It is very pretty there and awesome things to do. They are big into AA so a lot of patients there thrive off the community support like it would be in real life when u get into the AA program, so there is no individual therapy, sometimes if u really need it like 30 minutes twice a week. If your main problem right now is your ED I highly suggest ERC, Laureate, Or Center for change.

 

-meals are all healthy and they use no artificial sweetners or anything. a typical breakfast would be something like a bagel with peanutbutter, 2% or soy milk, a peice of fruit or fruit juice. A lunch would be something like 2 peices of whole grain bread, lunch meat and cheese, an apple, a yogurt or milk, and a small bag of pretzels or sunchips. Dinner varies from thinks like stirfry, fish, chicken, different kinds of pizzas, pastas. Desserts you have to have twice a week and are things like brownies or frozen yogurt or cookies etc.

-they work with you on the meal plan, youll start off on the basic and then they will adjust accordingly on how your body responds. If you need to gain weight they will not start you off on a huge meal plan if thats what you mean
-eventually towards the end once your in your range you will be allowed to get foods through the buffet line and get it checked to make sure its right.
– the ptsd/anxiety/and depression is treated well, there are groups based on those issues. They work with you to decide which groups you will attend because they offer alot since they treat many things there
– You will not be allowed to do alot of the fitness things if you have alot of weight to gain but once you let closer to your range you will be able to.
– im not sure about alternative to ensure
-they do not use tube there, or bedrest or wheelchairs. if you require that or your not eating/continuing to lose weight you will be sent to the hospital then referred to a different program to transfer to.
– there is individual therapy but its not a whole lot, 1 to 2x a week and everyone in the ed program has the same therapist
-i did not see the nautropath, they dont use that much for the ed patients but if you request it im sure they will set something up
-i have never heard of anyone having to be in the hospital for a day or two before going to the lodges, im not sure where that came from.

 

from 2009

 

Sierra Tucson works with dual diagnosis. Most patients are there not only for the eating disorder but for depression, chemical dependency, drug abuse, and anxiety.
When were you there: This is from summer 06 so things might be alittle different
What were meals like? Meals are balanced and always have a fruit, vegetable, complez carb, and protein. They don’t add anything artificial sugars and everything is healthy. There is a lot of support from staff and patients around meal times.
What sorts of food were available or served? Everything goes by exchanges. Also, you get to go out to restaurants which is nice. There is a dessert twice a week.
Did they supplement? How did that system work? There are supplements (ensure) given to patients who need to gain weight.
What privelages are allowed? privilages include equine therapy, pool, exercise, going out to restaurants.
Does it work on a level system? Somewhat. If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, you will have to go through a detox before you start to really get into the program.
What sort of groups do they have? 12 step meetings, process, yoga, psychodrama, CBT, body image support
What was your favorite group? Equine
What did you like the most? Location is beautiful. The facility is very comprehensive. They work very closely with so many different pscychiatric issues. Family week, accupuncture, and massages.
What did you like the least? They are VERY strict about clothing. You really must be well covered at all times. This is because they also treat sexual compulsions. It seems strange at first but it’s kinda good because it takes away from being triggered by fellow patients.
Would you recommend this program? Yes but only if you are serious about recovery as it is verrry strict. You will have to contract on behaviors before you arive (cutting, purging, stealing etc.)
What level of activity or exercise was allowed? They work with each person individually to deterime an appropriate exercise program. The fitness staff will work with you to find a healthy relationship with exercise. Once you are cleared exercise there is swimming, yoga, and weights.
Do you get to know your weight? If you want to
What was the average length of stay? It’s generally 45 days but it changes. If you go in there fresh on drugs, you will be there longer. You can think of it like you spend 45 days in the eating disorder program.
What was the average age range? Most people were 20s and 30s
-Also, from what I’ve read, they really delve into the 12-step programme, as well as other diagnoses (usually co-morbid mental health issues like depression, anxiety, etc). However, I read from one of the people there that when she was in the mood disorder programme, they didn’t deal with the ED, so she wasn’t given the tools in dealing with that.