Anorexia Nervosa is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder. In fact, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. This is why Pro-Anorexia websites (commonly referred to as ‘Pro-Ana’) are so problematic in our society today. These websites have the potential of encouraging vulnerable girls to develop an eating disorder, while simultaneously discouraging sufferers from seeking much-needed treatment.
25
Mar
Mar
Written by Molly Cook, LCSW, LISA
The designation of miniature horse is determined by the height of the animal, which, depending on the particular breed registry involved, is usually less than 34–38 inches (86–97 cm). While miniature horses are the size of a very small pony, many retain horse characteristics and are considered “horses” by those in the equine realm. Miniature horses are friendly and interact well with people, though they still retain natural horse behavior, including a natural fight or flight instinct, and must be treated like an equine.
20
Mar
Mar
Equine Therapy is a highly effective therapeutic tool used at The Meadows Ranch in our eating disorder treatment program. As part of our innovative and holistic treatment program, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) helps patients learn new ways of dealing with trauma, their eating disorder, and relationships.
21
Jan
Jan
American Journal of Psychiatry has published a new study touting the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of bulimia nervosa. The study tracked 70 patients who were randomly assigned to either psychoanalytic psychotherapy or enhanced CBT. The study tracked the patients for 2 years and at the end discovered that 44 percent of the CBT group had stopped binge eating and purging compared to 15 percent effectiveness in the psychotherapy group. By the end of both treatments, substantial improvements in eating disorder features and general psychopathology were observed, but in general these changes took place more rapidly in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.