Treatment Modalities

At Carolina House, we provide clinically excellent care for people who are suffering from any type of eating disorder, including: 

• Anorexia nervosa 
• Bulimia nervosa 
• Binge-eating disorder 
• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) 

We also offer a dedicated program for individuals who are struggling with non-eating disorder-related mental health concerns, such as: 

• Anxiety 
• Depression 
• Bipolar disorder 
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related concerns 
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder 

We recognize the significant impact eating disorders and other mental health disorders have on a person’s life, and we also know that the impact looks different for everyone. For this reason, we create individualized treatment plans so that every client gets the most benefit from their time in our care. 

When a person comes to our center, we thoroughly assess their needs to determine which treatment modalities will be most helpful for them as they work toward healing from the disorder they’re suffering from. We work hard to make sure that everyone’s needs are met. 

Our team incorporates a number of different treatment modalities into each person’s care plan. We believe that a person’s mind, body, and spirit must all be points of focus as they go through the process, which is why we make sure that the care we provide is truly holistic. 

The treatment modalities that are available at Carolina House vary depending on the level of care a person is in. Examples include: 

• Medication management services 
• Individual therapy 
• Family therapy 
• Group therapy 
• Experiential therapies

A vital part of the therapeutic experience for clients of Carolina House is weekly individual psychotherapy sessions with experienced mental health clinicians. Building on the core components of our program, our therapists use a wide variety of appropriate treatment models in the sessions, including insight-oriented discussions, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and clinical psychodynamic modalities.  

Individual therapy gives clients time to meet one-on-one with a therapist in a confidential setting where they can talk about their personal experiences, their symptoms, and their treatment progress. They can also learn and practice coping skills that can help them long after they leave our center. 

The model we use at Carolina House places an emphasis on family systems. It is important for a person’s family or other loved ones to be involved in their therapeutic process because they are the ones who help the person stay on their path to recovery once their time in our care has come to an end. They provide support and encouragement.  

Family therapy sessions typically include bimonthly intensive family training and support. 

Group therapy is an important part of the therapeutic process. Suffering from eating disorders and other mental health disorders often makes people feel isolated. By coming together with other people who have faced similar challenges, clients learn that they are not alone in their struggles. This not only removes the sense of isolation but also provides clients with a chance to give and receive support throughout their healing journey. 

By participating in experiential therapies, clients can focus on healing outside of the traditional talk therapy experience.  

We offer unique opportunities for experiential therapies. Examples include: 

• Yoga and mindfulness 
• Art therapy 
• Music therapy 
• Culinary therapy 
• Nutrition therapy 
• Therapeutic horticulture 

Our team works with clients to incorporate mindful awareness into their daily lives. Increased awareness of self and internal body cues is taught in classes that include both didactic exposures to the concept of mindfulness and the practice of various mindfulness techniques. Mindfulness techniques are continuously reinforced during regularly scheduled yoga classes. Clients can participate in restorative yoga and gentle yoga. Additionally, clients have time each day to practice these techniques individually.  

Mindfulness is a powerful tool for increasing awareness, which provides an opportunity for clients to learn how to make more conscious choices. 

Art therapy is a very important part of our programming at Carolina House. Engaging in the process of expressing themselves creatively through art therapy in a safe, supportive environment gives clients the opportunity to discover and use their own creativity as they work toward healing. This not only gives clients an outlet to express themselves, but it can also help them increase their self-confidence as they discover new talents. 

In the eating disorder program at Carolina House, we take a unique approach to treating people who are struggling with disordered eating behaviors by giving them an opportunity to have real-life experiences while in our care. Clients are able to work in the garden, cook in the kitchen, and go shopping for food. Clients get to meet with groups to prepare meals so that they can start to be comfortable around food. They are able to plan and prepare their own meals, or they can choose to eat chef-prepared meals that are provided on a hot bar. Clients have access to ingredients grown in the Carolina House garden to use in culinary groups and in personal meal preparation. 

Culinary groups are provided weekly and give clients a chance to work with our experienced culinary staff as they engage in food-related activities in a therapeutic setting. The culinary team works to reframe our clients’ perceptions of food as a tool to achieve optimal health rather than an enemy. 

Nutrition plays an important role in wellness, as the way a person eats can impact their emotional and mental health. Our team has expertise in food and nutrition and how a healthy lifestyle can optimize our clients’ mental health and quality of life.  

In our eating disorder program, clients can participate in individual and group sessions targeted at nutrition. In these sessions, they learn how to establish a healthy relationship with food, changing it from a scary experience to something nourishing. Mindful eating exercises are used to implement this process. 

As the basis of programming at Carolina House, dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is woven into the various interventions we offer. When using DBT, our team helps clients learn about and practice core mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance.