St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute is located in St. Louis, MO, Chesterfield, MO, and Fairview Heights, IL. The Eating Disorder Program at SLBMI offers outpatient and daily intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment to adolescents and adults of all genders. Treatment approaches include Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Expressive Therapy, and Spiritual Counseling. It specializes in co-occurring OCD and other anxiety disorders, and works closely with The Center for OCD & Anxiety-Related Disorders (COARD) at SLBMI.
Any updates or reviews? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
When were you there: September 27 2008 – December 11 2008
How many patients on average?
2 – 6
Does it treat both males and females? If so, is treatment separate or combined.
Both, combined
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, etc?
Psychiatrist – 1/week
Psychologist – 1/week
Nutritionist – 1/week
Medical Doctor – on your own
What sort of therapies are used? (DBT, CBT, EMDR) etc?
CBT, DBT, Art, Schema
Describe the average day:
3 hours/ day; 2 groups and 1 meal; 4 or 6 days/week. Saturday is in the morning; you bring breakfast. Wednesday and Friday are in the afternoon.
What were meals like?
The therapist leading the group right before the meal checks that your meal meets your meal plan. Then you eat. If you don’t finish, you get ensure.
What sorts of food were available or served?
You bring your own meals.
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
It is inexact. If you don’t finish or if the meal you brought doesn’t fit your meal plan, you have to drink a can of ensure.
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
I’m not sure. No one ever failed to comply. After a few times, they’d probably recommend a higher level of care. SLBMI only offers IOP.
Are you able to be a vegetarian?
Yes.
What privelages are allowed?
As you progress, you get to decrease the umber of days you come to IOP.
Does it work on a level system?
No.
How do you earn privelages?
Decreasing behaviors.
What sort of groups do they have?
CBT, DBT, Schema, Grocery shopping, weekend planning, community, art, behavior checklist
What was your favorite group?
Art!
What did you like the most?
In general, the therapists led great groups.
What did you like the least?
The psychiatrist was very confrontational. He left though.
Would you recommend this program?
If you just need IOP, yes. If you are stepping down, I’d recommend continuity of care if the IP/PHP center you are at offers IOP.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
Individualized.
What did people do on weekends?
N/A
Do you get to know your weight?
Yes.
How fast is the weight gain process?
2 lbs/week
What was the average length of stay?
1 – 2 months
What was the average age range?
When I was there, most were in their 20s. It ranged from 14 – 40s.
How do visits/phone calls work?
N/A
Are you able to go out on passes?
N/A
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an OP treatment team?
Yes. They have a discharge contract and will help set up an OP team. Unless they are already full,all the staff (nutritionist, psychiatrist, and therapists) take outpatients,
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
Not really. You make your own housing and transportation arrangements.