“I am speechless about Selah House,” true words from someone who was broken and needed help.
Growing up, Kammie remembers herself as being the “chunky” sister. Although she was athletic – playing soccer and tennis – she still struggled with her weight. By age 18, she had turned to laxatives and compulsive exercise to help manage her weight and improve her self-esteem. Even though she struggled with restricting, purging, and compulsive exercise, she didn’t feel she was to the point of needing help.
At age 22, Kammie was attacked while out running. During the attack, he commented on her weight, which only propelled her issues. Not only did she struggle with an eating disorder, but the attack also caused her to develop depression and PTSD. At this point, she knew she needed help. She checked into a residential facility and began treatment. She was ready for help and was trying to do her best in treatment, but she didn’t feel she was getting any better and left the facility. Although Kammie continued to battle her eating disorder, depression, and PTSD, she was nervous about going somewhere else for treatment.
Christ-centered, Clinically Excellent Care
She began researching treatment facilities again and found Selah House. After speaking to the admissions team, she knew she was ready to take the step into treatment again. Selah House was different for her.
“I had the mentality of doing what I need to do, and typically doing things on my own. Selah House made me feel different; they saved my life.”
The Christian values and a holistic approach to treatment gave Kammie what she needed to move forward in her recovery journey. She shares, “I found God at Selah house. I am a Christian, but at Selah House, I felt I could be open and talk about God. I also realized I couldn’t get through treatment without God.” At Selah House, we provide Christian eating disorder treatment, which means we regard every person as a spiritual being on a human journey. We treat the whole being with therapeutic psychiatric, medical, and nutritional care to support them physically, spiritually, and emotionally during their recovery.
Our professional team uses a comprehensive, evidence-based approach that contributes to healing. We utilize a combination of individual and group therapy sessions conducted in a loving and healing environment that helps empower clients as they recover from their eating disorder. Kammie found group therapy to have much more of an impact than she expected, “I liked the one-on-one of individual therapy, but group therapy helped us feed off each other. We were all dealing with different things in our lives, but at the end of the day, we were all fighting an eating disorder. It helped me to have others around me who were battling the same things.”
She also benefited from equine therapy, which helps clients think about life and their eating disorders metaphorically. “I never would have thought about using a horse to help me deal with my eating disorder. I tell others about it, and they can’t believe it.” Equine therapy allows clients to work directly with the horses, so they can perceive the horse’s actions and reactions as they process their feelings.
The nutritional therapy program at Selah House is based on the premise that “All Foods Fit,” meaning no food is labeled as “good” or “bad, but all foods are acceptable with balance, variety, and moderation. Kammie struggled with eating certain foods and wasn’t thoroughly convinced that could change. As she worked with her registered dietitian,she began addressing her anxiety issues that surrounded food and labels and found a place of neutrality in her relationship with food. She worked with Shelby to establish a nutritionally-sound meal plan and received recommendations for exercise and physical activity.
At Selah House, our supportive environment provides clients the encouragement they need to regain freedom from their eating disorder. We work with the client to develop a personalized treatment plan that includes a combination of treatment modalities to help them stay engaged and informed in their treatment experience.
Life After Selah House
Today Kammie is no longer worried about her weight, or food, or spending 3-4 hours in the gym every day. She is using her coping skills and what she learned at Selah House to focus on her recovery. She realized that recovery is one of the hardest things to go through, but knowing you have a supportive team and coping skills can make a difference.
“There were days I was angry, and I didn’t want to be at Selah House. They helped me deal with my feelings, and I realized that it is okay not to be okay. I was finally able to feel the feelings I couldn’t feel before. Selah House makes you feel safe, and with your treatment team on your side, you can conquer anything. They are truly there for the right reason and want to see you succeed and strive. Selah House cares about you,” she shares.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, Selah House can help. We offer multiple levels of care designed to offer a clear step-down process to help our clients feel continually supported as they recover. Our goal is sustained recovery and ensuring seamless continuity of care as the foundation. Call us today at 765.442.3551 or complete our contact form for more information.
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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27
