At Opal Food+Body, we understand that the journey to healing from OCD and eating disorders is unique for each individual.
Our holistic approach to OCD and eating disorders combines both community support and personalized therapy to help you uncover the underlying causes of your eating disorder. Together, we work to explore the “whys” behind your behaviors and find healthier ways to cope. With three levels of care available at our Seattle clinic, we’re here to support you every step of the way toward a life of recovery.
What are the Signs+Symptoms of OCD?
Symptoms of OCD include obsessions, which are persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts,urges, or images. Clients typically engage in compulsions in response to the obsessions, in an attempt to alleviate anxiety.
Avoidance of uncertainty and low distress tolerance are associated with OCD. Intrusive thoughts may include any of the following fears: contamination, imperfection, harm to oneself or others, forgetting/loss, and sexual deviancy.
How is Opal Treating OCD?
Opal is offering Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is a highly regarded treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). ERP is being integrated into the Partial Hospitalization Program and Intensive Outpatient Program weekly group offerings and collaborative care is provided by the ERP specialist and the individual client’s treatment team.
Opal provides psychoeducation about OCD & ERP and conducts OCD assessments upon admission. Additionally, we offer support with hierarchy building and opportunities for staff supported exposure work in a weekly group setting.
At Opal, we offer:
- Individual therapy, nutrition counseling, psychiatry, exercise experientials and family/relationship therapy available at the PHP and IOP levels of care.
- Health at Every Size, weight-neutral treatment approach
- Non-diet approach to food. Meals and snacks provided offer a wide variety of foods (highly processed, fresh, organic, non-organic, home-cooked, frozen, easy to prepare, etc.)
- Eating at meals and snacks are done with other clients and staff, as a community.
- A belief that adequate food intake is a foundational step in recovery.
- Exercise + Sport programming, which addresses exercise bulimia, exercise avoidance, and other exercise concerns
- Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as a foundational treatment
- Group therapy including body wisdom group, movement group, self-inquiry, process groups, facing fears and more.
- Teaching/Didactic groups including Radically Open Dialectical Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Exercise + Sport Didactic, Health at Every Size Didactic, etc.
- Non-clinical lodging for PHP clients to use while in treatment is available for a weekly fee, as space available.
- Alumni outpatient groups
What is Exposure and Response Prevention?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a highly effective, evidence-based therapy designed to help individuals facing anxiety and obsessive-compulsive struggles. ERP gently supports you in confronting fears while reducing compulsive responses, helping you build confidence, regain control, and live a life aligned with your values.
The potential benefits of ERP include building distress tolerance, making obsessive thoughts feel less overwhelming, and increasing functionality, empowering you to engage more fully in daily life and enhance your overall well-being.
How Does Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Work?
- Assessment: Our trained therapists conduct a thorough assessment to understand each client’s unique experiences with OCD.
- Gradual Exposure: An exposure hierarchy is created so the client can start with less distressing situations and gradually work toward more challenging exposures.
- Response Prevention: During exposure work, clients practice resisting the compulsive behaviors and increasing tolerance for distressing emotions that may follow the intrusive thoughts.
- Support and Guidance: Throughout the ERP process, our staff provides support, encouragement, and guidance, helping clients navigate challenging emotions.
