#remuda ranch

[hauntedhearse]

We passed by this sign for Wickenburg, AZ. I was there in 8th grade for ED treatment at Remuda Ranch. So many years ago and so many memories. ∞

[johnnyslittleanimalblog]

Remuda by Spirithills

[faster-gun]

Cowhands catching up their mounts from the remuda out on the range.

JA Ranch, Texas 1908

[living-in-laughter]

Remuda Ranch

Anyone have experience or know someone who does with Remuda Ranch... the are recommending inpatient but I’m interested to hear any past experiences.  message me please :)

[southwestcollectionarchives]

Western Wednesday, y’all! Where a boldly striding cowboy is fetching horses from the King Ranch’s Remuda. A Remuda, for y’all who don’t know, is the herd where cowboys keep their riding horses.

[learningwholeness]

It’s been two years.

Wow.

I have spent more time in treatment over the past two years than I have outside of it, and this journey isn’t done yet.

I have an assessment for php on Monday. I’ve slipped hard, and I cannot seem to get back up onto my feet.

I’m frustrated for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one is that I don’t think I can get anything else out of a HLOC. The work that I have to do still is work that needs to be done outpatient. I want to do trauma work with my outpatient therapist, and I want to live my life.

I still cannot deny how far I’ve come, though. Today did not go well, but I still survived. Not only did I survive, but I went to work and then came home to the apartment that I live in alone. I am independent, and this is something that I never would have imagined for myself.

I have started trauma work, and I have begun telling my story. I really don’t hold anymore secrets; my therapist from remuda knows everything about my past. I have a strong outpatient team, and I have goals. I didn’t have any of this two years ago.

I am growing, and I am healing. It isn’t what I expected, and it may just be what I need.

A year ago today I checked myself into the residential program at Eating Recovery Center. I sat down at lunch, didn’t touch the sandwich, and refused the first of many meals that I would eat in that cafe. I was convinced that I’d only be there for a couple of weeks because I wasn’t really sick. That couple of weeks turned into four months.

In the past year, I discharged that time, transferred to a transitional program, and then returned to ERC once more.

Today, I went to campus to take a test and then went to Panera for lunch. I ate alone, completed my food, and I went to the bathroom afterwards without any purge urges. There are definitely days where it feels like I haven’t made progress, but when I sit down to look at how far I’ve come I cannot deny it.

[clatterbane]

I haven't gotten around to any more in depth commentary on this article yet. Partly because it does touch on multiple such emotionally charged topics. Even though I don't have personal experience of specifically skipping/underdosing insulin for this purpose--and hope never to.

But, I also ran across this very interesting video last night. While he isn't diabetic himself, and has no personal experience of living with the combination of diabetes and an ED? This is coming from other ED experience (incidentally also as another very relatably weird autistic person--we also have high ED rates 😑). Plus a longtime friend's struggles--with the friend's input for the video. Very sensitive in-depth treatment of the subject.

Including going into some rather frightening statistics, from what little research on this topic there has been so far. While I knew that diabetics had higher rates of EDs, and have commented before that any chronic condition couldn't have been purposely designed much better to be extremely triggering for anyone with an ED? (Regardless of which type of diabetes it's considered to be.) I was still pretty shocked.

Diabulimia: The Scariest Eating Disorder...

Published on 5 Apr 2018

DWED (Diabetics With Eating Disorders) main FAQ page is here: http://dwed.org.uk/about-us-faq/ - well worth reading. The statistics regarding Diabulimia deaths compared to Anorexia Nervosa, I didn’t include in this video, as I’m not entirely sure there isn’t a misprint, but it certainly makes it clear that T1ED/Diabulimia blows anorexia out of the water as the long-upheld ‘most dangerous psychiatric illness’. Certainly the friend I mentioned, who’s a member of the DWED team, has lost several friends to the disorder at this point, and they seem to die younger, and with far less warning, than the majority of non-diabetic EDers I’ve known...

The DWED support forum is here: http://dwed.org.uk/online-support/

BBC Three documentary, ‘The World’s Deadliest Eating Disorder’, is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSLjM6cZaTo

If you have further links that are useful, post, post!

I know nothing about the situation in the USA regarding T1ED/Diabulimia, and whether any specific treatment centres have been established, but I doubt it…although Diabulimia clearly *does* exist in the States, as I knew of a girl attempting recovery from it way back in 2002. As with all eating disorders and addictions though, I strongly urge any sufferer or family member *not* to be disheartened or defeated by a lack of ‘proper’ treatment – this institutionalised mentality the world increasingly suffers from is dangerous. Going to hospital, or rehab, is NOT a necessity for recovery, nor does going into hospital, or rehab, assure that you will recover. It doesn’t mean that you’re a lost cause, just because you can’t go inpatient at a suitable facility – so many ED’d people go round and round with treatment centres, especially in America, flying all over the damned country and playing with ponies at Remuda Ranch and all the rest of the crazy billion-dollar industry the US has built on the back of addiction, and honestly, their recovery rates are far from impressive.

Even if you go to the best hospital on Earth, one day they’ll release you. And you’ll go home – back to your life. Back to all the realities and problems that made you sick in the first place. At that point, the real work begins; as such, it’s really not any different to simply *start* from that point, minus the hospital, if you have to. There is SO much information online these days – EDs are about control; make that work for you. Concoct a realistic meal plan, find activities to fill the gap, to pull you out of the dark hole and back into the world, and find friends – be they IRL or online – to be your support group, your cheerleaders. And in the case of T1ED/Diabulimia, make sure you have a competent doctor, who you can be honest with, to monitor you and give you any advice they can.

Recovery without ‘help’ is possible – I did it; there was absolutely sod all treatment available in my area, despite being labelled 'extremely high risk' when I was assessed - no one gave a crap, because I was out of the catchment area for the one and only ED clinic in the county. As such, it was die or deal with it myself. And I’m stubborn :P

So, be stubborn. Don’t let the shitty, fucked up health service kill you with its laziness, its underfunding and desperate lack of empathy. Be stubborn – it works. It won’t be a smooth journey, but it never is, no matter what help is at hand. And now, we have the internet – whoever and wherever you are, people will walk you through it. Good luck C:

[hauntedhearse]

I hate that I have no one I can talk to who understands my ED symptoms and chronic illnesses. I just want a friend. I wish I was still close to some of my Remuda girls... or anyone. ∞

[johnnyslittleanimalblog]

Through the woods by Spirithills Via Flickr: The horses from Bar three in Cranbrook, B.C.

[ecscott]

The Folly of the Myth of Control: How Control Promises More than it Can deliver

The Folly of the Myth of Control: How Control Promises More than it Can deliver

  Across the wide cab of my 1970 Ford pickup, Bruce plucked his banjo. The rain had stopped. We had driven from Montana through Idaho and into Utah. We were only sixteen. It was 2 a.m. I had been driving since about 8 p.m. and was beat. The speedometer needle vibrated at 80. We swung around an outside corner on the two lane road, hit a patch of water and hydroplaned, suddenly spinning out of…

[meadowsranch]

Remuda Ranch at The Meadows understands the pain that eating disorders can bring. There is hope and we can help. Our experienced staff is here to help you or your loved one to the road recovery. For more than 25 years Remuda Ranch at The Meadows has been helping people recover from eating disorders. There is hope. There is help.

[mountainfound]

Ranch ponies. Wild and curious . . . . . #ranch #horse #wild #naturalhorse #remuda

[placesthatchangedpeople]

Remuda Ranch as described by a mother to a patient

I have difficulties finding a more cruel illness than suffering from an eating disorder. The modern society give many teenagers the illusion that our bodies need to be perfect. Life is not that kind. Life takes it tolds on our bodies. Most people would turn in a sculpture of salt if they saw me naked. This is a testimony from a mother who send her daughter to a treatment place called Remuda Ranch due to an eating disorder:

I will share with an open heart our experience with Remuda Ranch Eating Disorder Clinic.

Our experience was not very positive. These are just some of the things I wish others had shared with us before we made our final decision. Had we know then what we know now, we would have brought our daughter to another place that would use a gentler therapy and more sensitive approach. I will only highlight our main concerns as 3 months of information would be excessive.

My daughter was 16 when she was admitted to Remuda Ranch. She struggled with anorexia. She was there for 3 months. Her case was considered “critical.” We were given all the paperwork to fill out before we came. We read the information. I asked a lot of questions on the phone before we finalized our decision. One of the questions I asked was “Do you use the Montreux – gentle approach with your clients.?” I was assured that did they did. The “gentle approach” is a very successful method of dealing with eating disorders that implements kindness, understanding, a lot of affirmative support and gentle words.

We dropped our daughter off July 4th, 2008. Within 48 hours we were at the Phoenix Airport ready to head back to Indiana. While waiting for our flight our daughter Alex called us crying and frantic.

“Mom, they have taken half of my clothes away. It is like a prison here. Please come get me! Please Mom, don’t leave me here! Please Mom, I beg you – I will eat food, I’ll do whatever you ask just don’t leave me here.”

For 20 minutes she begged, cried and pleaded that we wouldn’t leave and that we would return and take her home. I had to hang up because our flight was being called. I had to make empty promises and weak excuses. I felt a part of me die. We were very upset to receive such a call so soon after dropping her off. It left us devastated and confused. Apparently it is protocol to go through the girls clothes upon arrival and separate whatever is not on the dress code list. It was not done graciously or in love. Shorts that are too short, or tops that don’t have the proper sleeve length are removed. Yet – strange enough – bikinis are allowed. Apparently we overlooked this detail when reading the information they sent us. It traumatized our daughter and left us feeling helpless and as though we had made a horrible mistake.

A counselor was assigned to our daughter. He seemed to find delight in pointing out Alex’s weaknesses and faults. He seemed to find ways to discourage and dishearten her. When she would try to correct him if he had misunderstood her – he would become upset. There were some very good factors that he did bring out. He and the team were able to access some of the disfunctionality in our family. Things that we had never seen were exposed and we were very grateful to see this. Yet her counselor did not come across as a good listener or a gracious person. He seemed to enjoy intimidating Alex.

After a certain amount of time we were able to spend a weekend with Alex – with specific guidelines to help her eat in a healthy manner while away from the camp. When she came back her counselor once again seemed to find a way to beat her down, make her feel guilty and admonish her for not following the guidelines. We were with her. We took the time to explain that she in fact did follow the guidelines and we were very pleased with her sincere efforts. When we shared this with him during our phone counseling session he seemed to grumble some incoherent words. He liked control and was not happy when he didn’t have it – even with the parents. Anti-depressants were handed out. I was assured before we admitted her that they would never be pushed on her.

We believe that every other possible avenue of therapy should be used before someone – especially a young person – is administered anti-depressants. I have seen too many people and teens addicted to these and we certainly didn’t want our daughter to be another statistic. One afternoon Alex called us very upset.

“Mom, they are saying that I have to take anti-depressants. They said that everyone else is taking them and only me and another girl are not. Mom I don’t want to take them!”

Immediately I was on the phone with the head nurse. I was livid. I explained the situation and told her that I was promised this type of thing wouldn’t happen. She was caring and apologetic. After that they didn’t push Alex anymore about the drugs.

There were inconsistencies in the system. Alex had been preparing for a talent show before she left for Remuda and we asked if she could bring her guitar – a wonderful therapy and healthy outlet for anyone that is struggling with an eating disorder. She was told she couldn’t bring it – something about not having extra room for instruments. Yet when we were there for our week-long visit with her we saw another girl practicing on her violin. When I asked about the inconsistency of the rules they said that this girl had a competition coming up. It made no sense.

The program has some positive sides. It was informational – yet my daughter felt there was way too much emphasis on food – what anorexics and bulimics think about all the time anyways. She felt there should have been more positive outlets to get their minds off of food, charts, calories and diet plans. Working with abused animals, developing new hobbies or implementing other healthy alternatives would have benefitted in a tremendous way.

Alex often told us that several of the nurses were very stern. These girls are very delicate. One wrong word can drive them over the edge. A recent statistic put girls with eating disorders at the top of the suicide list in America. These girls beat themselves down for the least thing. They are broken people. The last thing they need is stern and militant nurses. These same nurses were often over-bearing, intimidating and demeaning. All nurses should be gentle and tender-hearted – or they shouldn’t be working in such a sensitive environment. On the day my daughter was finally scheduled to leave her counselor specifically told Alex to meet him at “The Cross” – a special place where prayer needs are posted and given over to the Lord. She waited. He never showed up. Everyone in her previous circle of friends had abandoned her. She came to Remuda believing that her counselor would be a man of his word, trustworthy. He deeply disappointed her. She left feeling de-valued by him.

If we knew then, what we know now we would never have sent her.

Since that time God has done a beautiful work in Alex’s life. She began working with abused animals and was able to get her mind off of her eating disorder and on those who needed her. She found a faithful friend that believed in her. She is now working on a 3,000 acre dude ranch. She gives riding lessons, brings clients out on trail rides, helps to take care of 200 horses and meets people from all over the world. God has completly healed her of Anorexia.

Alex’s dream? To one day open a ranch for girls that are post-eating disorder. They would be working with abused animals. She wants to call it Sunrise – because each new day gives us hope in Christ. It has taken a full 4 years for my daughter to recover from the trauma of Remuda.

For about a year she would have nightmares that she was still there. It was not all bad. There was good that came from it. It exposed the faults and problems that were in our family that we were not aware of. They gave us some good communication tools to better express our boundaries. Yet there are still times in a moment of fear Alex will say:

“Oh no, this is terrible. It feels like Remuda all over again.”

[heavyweightheart]

private eating disorder treatment centers are pretty unregulated and there are all kinds of weird bourgie things going on in them like “equine therapy”, which is cool i guess but is not at all evidence-based and seems pretty off the rails in terms of treatment goals. i’ve posted about this before but at my TEP location in a lakeside business tower there are yachting magazines in the lobby, like WHAT :/// we have a lovely view of the lake (and the many yachts on it; this is seattle) but i can’t even begin to fathom how much it costs to rent that space. how many people could’ve had their treatment paid for by the difference between a practical location for the center and an opulent one?

all the big facilities like monte nido, timberline knolls, remuda ranch, ERC, castlewood, etc. go for spa or resort-like environments with varying degrees of absurdity. 

the juxtaposition of the messiness (literal, i mean vomiting, GI issues, constant crying) and brutality of eating disorder recovery and these spa-like environments is kind of grotesque actually 

[ocreando77]

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Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention 1-800-931-2237

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Remuda Ranch 1-800-445-1900

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