What we offer

The Weight Restoration Programme

The weight restoration programme is a three stage process. During the first six weeks – the Assessment Phase - patients will be provided with medical monitoring, one to one support with meals and time to develop a therapeutic relationship that will be conducive to recovery.

During the Weight Restoration phase a range of psychological interventions will be offered. All patients will have a named nurse, continued support with meals and individual therapy if appropriate. The final phase – the Transition Phase - aids the transition from hospital to home.

Individual treatment plans including a functional assessment will be conducted. The amount of time spent at home will increase with the team being available to discuss any problems and difficulties that may arise from this. In conjunction with the patient and their carers a relapse prevention plan will be developed. A day patient service is available and can be accessed depending on clinical need and geographical location following discharge.

Short Term Admissions

Short term admissions may be indicated for people who require a limited period of intervention in order to address specific concerns such as their physical state, their motivation to change, to prevent relapse or to help them cope with a chronic disorder.

All such admissions start with a period of assessment which is approximately 6 weeks in length and ends with a full review. For some, transfer to the weight restoration programme may be recommended. For those still wanting to work on specific concerns, but not wanting to opt for full weight restoration, then a further period of treatment may be indicated. This may involve people being offered a period of consolidation – the Consolidation Phase – during which they can work on their specific problems and prepare for discharge.

Therapy

On admission to the ward you may continue to see a therapist from your local team or you may be allocated a therapist from our service who will see you throughout your stay. You will be under the overall care of one of the consultant psychiatrists on the team.

If you have a therapist they will usually meet with you weekly and will work together with you to try to overcome your problems. They will work with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Outcomes

From time to time during your treatment you will also be asked to fill in some questionnaires. These help us to evaluate your treatment and the effectiveness of the treatments that we offer. It also helps to ensure that high standards are maintained. We have an excellent track record of weight restoration and associated improvement of psychological well-being. In addition to regular weighing we chart progress on a number of validated psychological measures. Up to date outcomes are always displayed on Langley Ward.

Day programme

Groups

A comprehensive range of groups are offered providing psychological, educational and creative input. These are run at various time on the ward, depending on patient need and staff skills. You may find some of those do not run whilst you are with us. If there is a particular group you think would be helpful but appears not to running please speak to a member of your care team.

Post meal distraction

Feeling full is a common experience for patients during weight restoration. When people with eating disorders feel full they are at risk of resorting to unhelpful coping strategies. We actively assist people by using the process of distraction after the main meal of the day in order to reduce these kinds of behaviours. Organised activities include board games, quizzes and discussions. However, patients are also encouraged to initiate their own distraction, such as using resources in the art room or reading a book.

Anxiety management and relaxation

Anxiety awareness seeks to explain the physical and psychological components of anxiety and what maintains it. Patients are encouraged to be more aware of their anxieties and how to manage these difficult feelings.

Mindfulness

Research evidence has shown that mindfulness practice can help to ‘re-wire’ the brain to positive effect. This can help to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and can help to improve self-esteem, emotional regulation and clarity of thought.

Bodywise

The Bodywise group is a psycho-educational group aimed at helping patients to understand the factors that influence their perception of body image and gives them the opportunity to explore their distress about changes in body shape.

Body Awareness Therapy

A 10 session group for patients who have achieved some of their weight restoration and are above a BMI of 17. The group aims to address body dissatisfaction. It uses individual mirror exposure and develops skills in both recognition and management of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that arise from, and help to maintain, unhelpful body appraisals.

Sandwich Making

The emphasis of this twice weekly group is on normalising behaviours around food, teaching appropriate portion sizes and being exposed to potentially challenging foods. One-to-one support is provided. Patients would normally start this after their assessment phase of admission.

Meal Cookery

Meal Cookery provides support in either a group or one-to-one setting. Patients are helped to plan, shop for, prepare and eat meals which are selected from a set list. The emphasis of this group is on normalising behaviours around food, teaching appropriate portion sizes and being exposed to potentially challenging foods. Patients would normally start this after their assessment phase of admission.

Hot teas

Hot teas are a way of encouraging patients to try alternatives to sandwiches, for example they may have items such as beans or egg on toast. This is then transferrable to the home environment and helps to increase confidence in their ability to prepare and eat a simple meal.

Enhancing Self-Esteem

This 9 session course is a structured educational programme for inpatients, day patients and outpatients that aims to help them understand and improve their self-esteem. The group allows individuals to work at their own pace and provides opportunity for mutual support.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

A 10 week course with a taught part and interactive element that encourages improvement in all aspects of interpersonal effectiveness. This aims to increase effectiveness in dealing with other people. Each session starts and ends with mindfulness practice.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Anorexia

The Cognitive Behaviour Therapy group is a 12 week programme. Patients are introduced to a range of techniques to help them manage the distressing thoughts and feelings often experienced by inpatients as they make changes to their eating and manage weight restoration. The sessions aim to give patients an understanding of how their eating disorder may be being maintained by current thinking patterns and behaviours. Specific techniques are offered to support each patient to make positive changes as a part of their recovery.

Yoga

This is a non- competitive class for inpatients with a BMI over 16, run by a chartered physiotherapist and Pilates practitioner. It aims to help participants improve posture, alignment and core muscle control. Slow controlled movements, breathing and relaxation techniques help induce a sense of calm.

Psychological Education

Psycho-education helps to replace myths and misinformation with knowledge and understanding and is designed to teach the basics about eating disorders particularly anorexia nervosa. It consists of 7 sessions covering a different topic each week.

Motivation

Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Eating Disorders is a group for patients in the early stages of their inpatient admission. This group aims to help patients to address their feelings of ambivalence towards change. The group helps patients to identify which stage of motivation to change they are at, to understand how motivation impacts on their recovery, and to explore barriers to change.

Creative Writing

Creative writing aims to encourage self-expression through the medium of writing and discussion. The sessions also aim to build confidence, encourage peer support and explore different perspectives and points of view. The group runs for 6 weeks.

Loughborough Eating Disorder Activity Therapy (LEAP)

The LEAP group aims to educate patients about compulsive exercise. It provides education about what constitutes ‘healthy’ exercise and introduces alternative coping strategies. The group runs for 9 weeks.