Group Schedule

Meghan’s Place: Outpatient + Eating Disorder Therapy Group: GROUP CYCLE AUG-NOV 2024

There are no groups the week of Sept 23rd

GROUP DESCRIPTIONS: 

Accountability and Lunch: The first half of the group we will discuss symptoms and behaviors we are struggling with and set realistic accountability goals for the week. The second half of group we will eat lunch together. There will be requirements for adequate lunch amounts. In order to participate, you must be open to eating with others and also being honest about struggles. 

Process Groups: In this group you will discuss recovery challenges and struggles with peers and process feelings, and experiences. This is a group that is helpful to process difficulties in recovery, garner support and normalize eating disorder experiences. IN ORDER TO JOIN THIS GROUP, YOU MUST HAVE EITHER A THERAPIST, DIETITIAN, PSYCHIATRIST OR MEDICAL DOCTOR that you are actively and regularly seeing. This group is mostly unstructured and is based upon what people would like to talk about in regards to recovery. In order to participate in this group, you must be open to sharing and giving feedback to others. 

Binge Group: This group is intended for people who struggle with binge eating disorder or bulimia. If you have anorexia nervosa, binge-purge type this group is not likely to be as helpful. This group is a mix between learning and exploring more about binge eating through learning, discussion and self-reflection. This is not a weight loss group. Some people naturally lose weight when they decrease behaviors and some do not. 

Boundaries in Recovery: In order to recover from an eating disorder, boundaries are necessary. In this group you will learn healthy communication skills, how to effectively set healthy boundaries and prioritize your recovery. This is a mix between a discussion and psychoeducation group. 

Body Image Processing Group: This group is a process group specifically around body image. Each week, we will have a topic relating to body image that we will discuss and process as a group. Topics include: Early messages about our bodies and how they impacted us, societal impacts on how we see ourselves and many more. IN ORDER TO JOIN THIS GROUP, YOU MUST HAVE EITHER A THERAPIST, DIETITIAN, PSYCHIATRIST OR MEDICAL DOCTOR that you are actively and regularly seeing. This is different from a “general” process group as it is completely geared towards body image. This is for people who are weight-restored. In order to be in this group, you must be willing to share your experiences and provide feedback. 

Dinner Group/ Discussion: As a group we will order take out. Additionally, after the meal we will discuss challenges and thoughts and various topics. This group is helpful to normalize eating in restaurants and outside of home. This is a good group if you are needing more accountability in your recovery.  There will be an additional $15-20 for meal purchase. 

Breakfast/Successful Strategies: You will bring your own meal (there will be specific guidelines) and eat with peers to normalize eating and have additional accountability. Additionally, we will discuss skills and methods to reduce slips and relapse behaviors.

Body Image: Processing, Coping, Fatphobia: First priority will be given to people who identify as being in larger bodies. You must have an eating disorder informed therapist you are seeing regularly for this group. In this group, we will process body image experiences, learn some basic coping skills and discuss how fatphobia has impacted us, including lived experiences. We will use the work of several fat-activists to look critically at the impact of fatphobia on our body image thoughts, feelings and recovery process. 

Recovery Essentials: In this group, we will examine important and necessary tenets of recovery. This group will be a mix between learning, activities, discussion and self-refection. Important recovery topics include honesty, accountability and many more.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________FAQ’s and Information:

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How many people are in the groups/ how many can I miss?

The groups which are held in-person will have a max of 6-7 people. Online groups will cap at 6-7  people. The exception to this is process groups- these will cap at 6 people.  If there are at least 5 people committed to a group, it will be held. If you are highly likely in the next two months to need residential treatment or PHP treatment, I ask you do not sign up- unless your team agrees to a trial. I do not allow new people to join groups after the second week. My hope is the same people all stay in the group for stability and consistency. You may miss one one to two groups and still join the cycle (missed group fee applies). If you need to miss more than one please talk with me. 

I have never attended group therapy, I am nervous!

It is super common to be nervous about group therapy. Since eating disorders are so shaming and isolating, peer therapy can be super helpful for recovery. The more you know your group members, hopefully the more comfortable you will become.

Can I join your groups if I am not your individual client?

Absolutely! You can join my groups regardless of who your individual therapist is. I do ask you inform and or discuss with your therapist.

Will insurance cover my groups?

Yes! I take a variety of insurance plans. Most will cover two groups in the same day, but some will not. Mostly all will cover multiple groups per week. If you have questions, I can help with that. Some insurance plans do have a copay. I also take private pay and my prices are lower than most groups in the area.

Can I take two groups or more in one day?

You absolutely can. There are some insurance plans that will cover multiple groups in a day and some that will not. 

Can anyone join groups?

Your treatment team must determine that you are appropriate for outpatient care for the next couple of months and you can make the commitment to attend groups regularly.

How many groups should I sign up for?

I usually encourage people who have stepped down from a higher level of care to attend about three groups weekly if feasible.