Do you ever wonder what sort of experience you would have in inpatient eating disorder treatment? Individual therapy? Group therapy? How would it work to help you overcome an eating disorder?

1. ELLERN MEDE INPATIENT
EATING DISORDER
TREATMENT?
WHAT CAN PATIENTS EXPECT FROM

2. Do you ever wonder what sort of experience you would
have in inpatient eating disorder treatment? Individual
therapy? Group therapy? How would it work to help you
overcome an eating disorder?

3. At Ellern Mede, patients report that yes, inpatient eating
disorder treatment does work. It gives them their life
back, with every bit of individual or group therapy one
step closer. Therapy input comes in the shape of
psychiatry, psychology, dietetics, nursing, occupational
therapy, activities, and peer and staff support that wraps
around you, forming an army to support you in your fight
against the voice of the eating disorder. Every patient has
their own bespoke treatment plan, devised by our
multidisciplinary team for your specific needs.

4. We measure the effectiveness of all our inpatient therapies
and treatments. We also offer Ellern Mede inpatients an Art
Therapy Group, which is something many of our patients
find particularly helpful because they can find ways to
express themselves without words. Here, we share the results
of recent patient experience from this group.

5. Creative Art Group’s proven
success in treating eating
disorders

6. Sally Sayers, Art Therapist, and Ezgi Kilinc, Assistant
Psychologist, facilitate this group. Evidence shows that art
therapy has unique advantages because patients can
explore self-understanding, while containing feelings that
might otherwise overwhelm them. (Killick, 1997). As
patients begin to represent their state of mind through
artwork, they become able to think and talk about feelings
they would otherwise repress. (Magagna, 2012).

7. This research has involved 11 patients, of which 9 are female,
and 7 are in the 15 – 16 age bracket. All were diagnosed
with Anorexia Nervosa and benefiting from inpatient
treatment with Ellern Mede. This is a semi-open group, with
new patients enrolled on a continuous basis. Around six attend
at any one time, given that some may be on home leave and
attendance has been consistent. Four patients have been
discharged from hospital and have given their post-therapy
feedback on the Creative Group. Feedback is being gathered
through a Hopes and Goals form, a feedback form, and CORE-
10.

8. Patients were given the option to write a minimum of 1 and a
maximum of 3 hopes / goals. Among those hopes the patients
expressed were:
"boosting my confidence"
"be able to express myself in better ways"
"a distraction from life on the ward"
"to have a creative outlet"
"using art as a way to express the way I feel"
"to have a space where I feel I belong and feel understood"

9. Pre and Post Group Feedback Questionnaires were completed by
patients who had completed this group work and were ready to be
discharged.
Narrative comments received from the patients who completed
the feedback is also of interest. Here's what patients said in
answer to the question: "What have you found the group useful
for?"

10. "talking at the beginning and creating images and writing"
"art therapy has helped me take my mind off stuff. Even if my
week or day was bad, art therapy helped. It has kept me busy
when on and off the ward, especially when I was in Lask
ward. I have always been anxious about joining groups and art
therapy has helped my confidence to join an art therapy group
near home once discharged".
"having a space that’s safe, calm and creative".
"a quiet, open, calm space, with no judgement and kind
people. And freedom to do whatever felt helpful".

11. Here's a picture thank you card one
patient gave us because they were
spending more time at home on
home leave as they prepared for
discharge from inpatient eating
disorder treatment: A snippet of
what it said is "I wanted to write
this because I am missing art
therapy. I really enjoy it and I want
to thank you for making the space
so comfortable and inviting. It has
been a privilege."

12. At Ellern Mede, we understand that coming into inpatient
eating disorder treatment may seem formidable, but
actually, through early intervention and effective
treatment, not only do you get your life back, you actually
make real friendships along the way, mend relationships
with your family, and while yes, it's hospital, it's not like
any other hospital. It's like home for a while.

13. Ezgi Killinc comments: "Ellern Mede has a proven track
record of obtaining excellent recovery for patients. Now
we can show that this particular therapy has great
outcomes. The comparisons with past group feedback
show an increase in patient satisfaction for the Creative
Group, which is an indication of great patient
commitment."

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HEADQUARTERS
Ellern Mede RidgewayHolcombe HillThe
RidgewayMill HillLondon NW7 4HX
P H O N E
+44 (0)20 3209 7900
EMAIL
info@ellernmede.org