Foundations
"Foundations" is our intensive 12-week program designed to help clients strengthen and form a foundation for healing from their Eating Disorders. This 12-week 'symptom interruption program' is intended to assist individuals who are experiencing active symptoms that are disrupting their daily lives. Many people struggle to maintain a healthy foundation of eating, exercise, and self-care while attempting to work through the complexities of their Eating Disorder in therapy. Proper nutrition, balanced exercise, and rest are the key components of a strong foundation. We have observed our clients struggle to make the behavioural changes necessary to recover from their Eating Disorder, weekly therapy is wonderful but not enough support to build your foundation and experience the reward. We want to help you build this foundation. Led by our nutrition lead, Tracey Harper with clinical guidance and support from CCP therapists.
This program is designed for:
We support all individuals who are experiencing eating disorders or disordered eating. Eating disorders can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation and our program embraces cultural, racial and gender inclusivity. We strive to create a safe, respectful, trauma-informed therapeutic environment where everyone feels cared for and valued while working to create a full life. Individuals who need help in reducing or eliminating symptoms of their eating disorders/disordered eating. Individuals who are new to getting support, those who have had treatment before, and any individual who is finding it difficult to make changes on their own. Symptoms of their eating disorder may include but are not limited to:Only eating specific foods and unable to expand their variety.Not eating enough to sustain an optimal weight. Eating in a way that feels out of control or in a way that makes you feel like you have to “fix” it. Eating in a way that feels out of control and then engaging in symptoms of purging like, vomiting, exercising, laxative abuse, restriction. Restricting your intake below what is necessary to meet your needs. Over-exercising and placing harm on your body.
Why we recommend this program?
Nutritional rehabilitation is a critical piece of healing from an eating disorder. We see the need for longer nutritional rehabilitation support and believe that meeting with your nutritionist bi-weekly will not allow you to retrain your brain to understand what level of food is needed to recover. More regular appointments for a longer period will help with support and accountability.
We know that treatment options that focus only on the eating disorder and don’t address the difficulties with managing emotions have had limited success.
We will work to interrupt your eating disorder symptoms through regular support during difficult eating moments. Nutrition rehabilitation aims to achieve a safe pace of weight restoration, re-learn “normal” eating behaviours, and provide nutrition education on the maintenance of long-term flexible eating essential for recovery.
We work with individuals struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating behaviours that are interfering with their lives. For example, anorexia, bulimia nervosa, ARFID, binge eating disorder, OSFED and orthorexia. Regardless of an individual’s weight, nutritional rehabilitation is a key element of eating disorder recovery. Your nutritionist will walk beside you and help you to establish a healthy relationship with food and your body. The hope is that this support will yield positive behaviour change and ultimately sufficient nutrient intake.
Accessing Care
It’s essential to combine nutritional counselling with psychotherapy to address the eating disorder symptoms directly while working on mental and emotional needs at the same time. There is good evidence that outpatient treatment programs can be very helpful in reducing or eliminating eating disorder symptoms. The added support weekly will allow you more of an opportunity to stay connected with friends and family and continue to get support from them along with the opportunity to practice new skills and strategies outside of appointments.
No Referral Required
There is no referral requirement and a diagnosis is not necessary to attend this program. We require that clients see their family physician or primary care provider and a therapist to ensure medical stability while working with us.
Individualized Care Plan
This program will provide clients with a comprehensive nutrition treatment plan tailored to their individual needs. This program will be available to those who are currently in therapy with a Psychotherapist either here at CCP or another clinic who is willing to collaborate with our nutrition and clinical lead.
Collaboration
Our therapists work with you to heal underlying challenges that may have contributed to the eating disorder while supporting you in finding coping skills to navigate your present life.
The cost of seeing a psychotherapist is completely separate from the cost of this program. ​
What to expect each week?
Nutritional rehabilitation involves eating an appropriate amount of food to meet individual health, development and activity requirements, eating a variety of foods from all food groups and responding to the body’s hunger and satiety cues. Nutritional recovery also involves eating with flexibility, eating at social functions and for enjoyment and pleasure. The reason why someone struggles with an eating disorder is unique to them. With support from your therapist and our clinical director, our team will develop an individualized plan for each client to support them on their journey to recovery. Each week will cover different themes and structured learning. Our multi-disciplinary team develops an individualized plan for each client to support them on their journey to recovery.
Length of Program
This program is 12 weeks long.
5 - 1 hour long sessions
2 - 45 minute sessions
5 - 30 minutes sessions
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One of the key components of this program is consistency and accountability. By signing up, you’re required to attend all sessions and all 12 sessions will be booked, paid for and committed to before your first session. After the completion of this program, individuals will be illegible to attend our support group and our "Grounded" programs.