You’re given a plot of land and have the financial resources to do what you please. What’s the plan?
If I had the resources I would open a transition recovery house for people in the later stages of recovery from their eating disorder. It would be a small facility with 6-8 beds. Its purpose would be to support during the first 90 days after discharge from hospital anyone who was transitioning from their family home to independent living and met the entry criteria. This post discharge is critical for relapse as the stress triggers reverting to old coping skills. By living in a purpose-built facility and continuing to work on recovery—new practical coping skills can be taught in the here and now.
Moving out of home is a right of passage for most young people. For anyone it is a stressful time with a rewarding goal—independence. For people living with an eating disorder without extra support this is even more difficult. Pre-requisites of my transition recovery house would include:
- a stabilised healthy weight for the individual—based on their bodies natural set point not BMI
- study and /or working
- individual and group cooking
- group food shopping
- daily recovery work time
- weekly group work
- mindfulness
- body image work including shopping for clothes
- compulsory participation in the structured house program
- no alcohol or drugs
- shared chore roster
- personal clothes washing
- keeping psychiatrist, dietitian and psychology appointments
- continued control of eating disorder behaviours
- nightly accountability groups
- budgeting
- meal planning
- volunteer work
I hope that over time my recovery transition house would develop to fill any other individual needs of its housemates and teach them how to do the same.