Our Clinical Approach

The Victorian  is made up of four  distinct levels of  supervision and treatment intensity.  This variety allows our clinicians to adapt the recovery regimen for each client as the assessment of their progress evolves.

Evidence Based Practices for eating disorders

We have built our treatment processes upon evidence based practices for addicts and eating disorder sufferers,  meaning that the treatment activities have been scientifically shown to be effective by research studies in the fields of psychology,  addiction and eating disorders. 

Here is a description of 7 key components that are integrated into the eating disorder treatment program for every client:

12-Step Principles for eating disorders

The 12-Step program of Anorexics & Bulimics Anonymous and Overeaters Anonymous is very helpful as a social support system for those in recovery. The 12-Step model is based on working through a series of "steps" with a "sponsor" (and then helping other newcomers once the 12 steps are completed and recovery is progressing).  We integrate 12-Step meetings into treatment daily, holding 12 Step meetings in and out of the facility. This helps our clients familiarize themselves with the programs and the fellowship so they can plan their meeting attendance in the area to which they are going after completing treatment.  The 12-Step program is very beneficial for its widespread availability and uniformity for all people suffering from addictions.  

Stages of Change with eating disorders

It is normal for clients to go through a progression of personality shifts when they are in treatment.  An eating disorder often hides a person’s “true self”. Recovery unveils the “true self” little by little each day. Our treatment team uses the Stages of Change model to "meet the client where they currently are." If a client has “reservations" they are still not yet acknowledging that there is a problem.  This stage requires an entirely different clinical intervention than if the client is in the "reservation" (acknowledging problem but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change).  Clients will respond to different instructions, questions, and assignments depending on which stage of change they are in. 

Pharmacology for eating disorders

Medications are an important element of treatment for many eating disoreder clients.  There have recently been great advancements made in medications that help regulate appetite (like anti-depressants.)  We have a staff psychiatrists and several nurses who are trained to recognize the need for such medications. Our Support Staff is available for the daily administration of these medications and to watch for progress or setbacks  Research has shown that the likelihood of a long term positive outcome  goes up when medications are integrated into treatment. Since our philosophy is based upon giving the client "the best possible change at achieving long term abstinence" we make it a priority to use the latest proven pharmacological tools to enhance treatment.

Motivational Interviewing

Eating disorder addictions are often accompanied by denial.  Motivational interviewing is a therapeutic technique that helps an individual acknowledge the problem behavior and guides them through ambivalence to the point of desiring to make a change.  Motivational interviewing does not confront the client and tell them what to do, but rather asks questions that will lead the client to come to conclusions that a change is needed in order to go on living.  Our clinicians use motivational interviewing to establish rapport and create a cooperative therapeutic setting for all of the clients in the house. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a proven effective approach to building awareness in the eating disorders client.  The therapy teaches the effects their own thoughts have on the way they feel.  We find that many of our clients perceive events in their lives through a filter which causes negative emotions which result in eating disorder behaviors.  Through the probing questions of CBT, eating disorder clients will learn to see things in a more positive light - and not internalize the things that they would previously dwell on, eat over and starve over.  Our staff is also fond of CBT because it is designed to get results quickly and instill a lasting change in the way clients perceive life's events, their bodies and their peers.

Contingency Management

Contingency management is method of motivating change in behavior through positive and negative consequences. Contingency management is illustrated by our progressive stages of treatment in our four programs.  Within each program there are stages that clients progress through by maintaining abstinence, sobriety and achieving therapeutic progress.  Then clients may also "step down" from one program to the next if they are demonstrating readiness for less structure.  Clients at The Victorian benefit from the continuum of care we offer because it allows for continuity of treatment staff through the progression of the four programs.

Family Systems

We have found that the greatest progress is made when the entire family system is addressed during the treatment process.Eating disorder addiction occurs as a result of both genetic and environmental factors.  By no fault of the family, the client's family figures prominently in both of these areas. The disease of eating disorder addiction is so gradually progressive that often an entire family system will be participating in the "charade of normalcy" by protecting the eating disorder  and enabling the addictive behavior.  Every program in our treatment model has a "family program" component and the family is welcomed into the treatment process.