"I have had the pleasure of working with EJ and her parents for the past six months. EJ is a sweet, talented and highly intelligent girl with a quick smile. Sadly, she suffers from an anxiety disorder that drastically interferes with her ability to eat normally. Her parents have expended an enormous amount of time, resources and energy working on this problem as a family and with numerous professionals over the years. Outpatient treatment has not proven to be successful long term, leaving inpatient treatment the only option. I feel the intensive, specialized services at Remuda Ranch will provide EJ what she truly needs to break this lifelong cycle which will ultimately heal the Mullikin family."

Lynn Victory, RD, LD - Nutritionist and Eating Disorders Counselor

What is Remuda Ranch?

Remuda Ranch provides inpatient and residential programs for women, girls and boys suffering from Anorexia, Bulimia, other Eating Disorders, and related issues. Our Christian programs offer hope & healing to patients of all beliefs.

Remuda Ranch provides Christian inpatient treatment for women, adolescents and children struggling with anorexia, bulimia and related issues. Utilizing the highly effective Remuda Model of treatment, this intensive program is designed to eliminate eating disorder behaviors, regain patient health, and get every individual on the road to recovery.

Remuda's Anxiety Disorders Program provides Christian intensive treatment for women and girls struggling with anxiety disorders including:

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder
• Trichotillimania
• Panic Disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Social Phobia
• Separation Anxiety Disorders

Utilizing the highly effective Remuda Model of treatment, this inpatient program is designed to understand and manage anxiety disorder behaviors, then equip each patient with the tools she needs for recovery.

Women and girls remain at this program for a minimum of 60 days. This gives them the time needed to embrace behavioral treatment in a steady and progressive manner and increases the possibility of lasting success. The program is small and intimate, with a great deal of individualized attention. Because severe anxiety disorders often result in depression, social isolation, shame, loss of esteem and substance abuse, our team of anxiety disorder professionals also address these co-occurring issues. We use a combination of innovative therapies and skilled specialists to give our patients the best possible chance for complete and lasting recovery. Our age-appropriate programs ensure that each patient is surrounded by her peers and receives treatment from professionals specializing in that specific age group.

Treatment Approach

At Remuda, we utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. When indicated, Exposure with Response Prevention Therapy is used to help a patient face and overcome her fears. Each patient learns the skills required to effectively and successfully deal with her anxiety.

Treatment Team

Each patient has a team of anxiety disorder professionals dedicated to her recovery.

• A Primary Care Provider evaluates and monitors her physical health.
• A Psychiatric Provider offers daily psychiatric oversight and closely monitors medications.
• A Psychologist provides psychometric testing and diagnostic services to facilitate treatment planning and coordinates exposure with response prevention therapy to manage phobias and obsessive compulsive symptoms.
• A Masters or Doctoral-level Therapist meets with her one-on-one and in group sessions to understand the impact of the anxiety disorder and help develop healthy coping skills.
• A Registered Dietitian develops an individualized meal plan, if needed.
• A team of Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Mental Health Technicians, are on staff 24 hours per day, to ensure an atmosphere of consistency, nurturance, safety and accountability.
• An Education Coordinator assists each young patient with her individual academic needs.

Group Therapy

Therapy is conducted both individually and in groups to help each patient gain additional insight, learn to express feelings and develop healthy coping skills. Through interaction with others, she discovers she is not alone, and that other women and girls struggle with similar issues.

Group therapies include:

• Community Meetings
• Health Issues
• Recovery Process
• Skills
• Nutrition
• Exposure Therapy Interventions
• Chapel
• Optional Bible Studies
• Trauma Recovery
• Substance Recovery
• Anxiety Reduction

Family Involvement

Psychiatric disorders are devastating illnesses; by default, they don’t impact just one individual, but the entire family. Therefore, treating a mother, wife, sister, or daughter without the family, is therapeutically incomplete. Only when the family is brought to a point of mutual understanding and renewed communication, can they begin to look at the future with genuine hope.

Upon admission, the treatment team gathers history from the family and provides education about the treatment process. In addition to therapeutic phone calls throughout her stay, each patient has a two to three day family experience. Mutual understanding of the anxiety disorder is achieved through intensive education, exposure therapy and relapse prevention. These sessions are conducted by skilled professionals, who not only facilitate, but model the tools required for effective communication.

Experiential Activities

We recognize that our patients are individuals, and as such, they all learn differently. This is why we utilize a variety of innovative therapies throughout treatment. We know a great deal of learning, growth and change takes place during these sessions. These therapies include:

• Equine
• Canine
• Movement
• Art
• Challenge Course
• Recreational Activities

Academics

Because we never want our young patients to fall behind in their studies, each girl meets regularly with her education coordinator. Together, they plan an individualized curriculum to follow while she is in treatment. We remain in touch with the girl’s school at home, so she can remain on track.

Relapse Prevention/Aftercare

The goal of treatment is to not only help our patients get healthy, but stay healthy. Relapse prevention assignments and sessions prepare the patient and her family for transition to daily living. We assist each woman and girl in creating a complete aftercare plan, and our follow-up coordinator will contact her five times within the first year after treatment. If additional aftercare resources are needed, our staff members are simply a phone call away.

Outcomes of the Remuda Model of Treatment

The Remuda Model of Treatment, developed over 20 years, has demonstrated a 95% success rate in helping patients achieve recovery from eating disorders and co-occurring anxiety disorders. This Model is now the foundation of our Anxiety Program, and we are confident that it will offer similar outcomes for patients with OCD and other anxiety disorders. In addition to alleviating the psychiatric disorder, Remuda programs help our patients live life as God intended. Consider the data for Remuda patients one year after completing treatment:

• 89% report improved relationships with family and friends.
• 85% feel that Remuda positively influenced their spiritual growth.
• 4 out of 5 patients reported little or no OCD symptoms.

Why Now?

Today, anxiety disorders are the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders in children, with an estimated 5 million young people struggling with these illnesses. A full 13% of women in America have an anxiety disorder. If left untreated, anxiety disorders can paralyze an individual’s life. To say nothing of the destruction of the entire family system where no one – not brothers, sisters, husbands, or parents -- is spared.

But if caught and treated early, recovery can be a reality. Research indicates that the sooner a patient of any age receives treatment, the more likely she is to recover from an anxiety disorder.

Why Remuda?

Because it works.

If you know a woman or girl who is struggling with an anxiety disorder, please call us today. 1-800-445-1900.