River Centre Clinic

Hands down...the River Centre Clinic saved my life. When I write that, I include every single staff person, including doctors, therapists, kitchen staff, program directors, office personnel, and every single one of the women I had the pleasure of being in treatment with. RCC is located in Sylvania, OH...which is actually right alongside the great city (a city is only as good as the people who occupy it, right?) of Toledo, OH...:) During my long battle with my eating disorder, I was in and out of many various types of treatment, including hospitals, psych wards, and specific ED treatment facilities. People ask me how I finally did it. Hmmm...I can't say it was ONE thing, but I do believe it was ONE place...RCC. I do believe that my previous treatment experiences were absolutely necessary, for negative and positive reasons, in order for me to end up at the door of RCC on January 21, 2002, desperate to find my path to life. My 'story' exists in other posts on this Blog, so I won't repeat myself. There were many aspects of my treatment at RCC that made it possible for me to fully recover, but the first and most important thing that I was given was HOPE. I had never been told that someone believed I could recover. Many people had given up on me..including myself. There were other aspects of my treatment at RCC that were unique, including....the scientifically-based treatment model that was used, which allowed me to utilize my obsessive mindset to propel me toward recovery....rigid meal planning...personalized therapy and treatment plans....a carefully planned aftercare plan for prevention relapse...their attention to the continuum of care, beyond the PHP program.....the constant focus on the development of MY identity....outside and without an eating disorder...and something that I never considered important-developing a support system by forming healthy and honest relationships. My recovery didn't happen quickly...but it has certainly become COMPLETE!! The most amazing thing for me now is to wake up and not feel fear. I had lived my life in fear before recovery. I have an amazing ability to LOVE, and I love laughing and being totally and completely silly! I now think a lot about TODAY, and what is important RIGHT NOW. After all, do any of us really know that we have tomorrow? I have seen many adolscents, young women and middle age women find hope and health through their treatment at the River Centre Clinic. Check it out at http://www.river-centre.org/ !!!