McCallum Place: Therapeutic Care for Eating Disorders
Q. When is specialized eating disorder treatment recommended?
A: Many individuals seek treatment for disordered eating or eating disordered behavior, but they’re unsure about when a higher level of care is needed. At times, an outpatient therapist, dietitian and/or psychiatrist can provide adequate opportunities for therapeutic intervention, meal planning and support and medication management. When an individual notices that their disordered eating is no longer contained to meal-time struggles and begins to permeate other areas of their life, a higher level of care may be indicated. For instance, if someone is becoming isolative and avoidant of social interactions in order to avoid eating with others, treatment may need to be considered. A higher level of care may be needed if an individual finds that they’re missing school or work due to eating disorder thoughts, behaviors or medical complications, or if there are medical complications that require monitoring. McCallum Place can help individuals determine the level of care that’s most appropriate, during a free intake assessment.
Q. What can I expect in treatment?
A: Our intake counselors help determine the most appropriate treatment option for you or a loved one who is reaching out for support at McCallum Place. Treatment recommendations are based on your individual medical concerns, eating disorder behaviors and co-occurring mental health diagnoses. We offer a multidisciplinary approach in which we provide therapy and nutritional counseling, psychiatric sessions, meal support and medical monitoring. Our therapeutic groups focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, development of coping skills and use of expressive therapies, and other therapeutic topics. Our goal is to meet you where you are and provide you with the care needed to reintegrate back into your
life—recovered. ■
Written by: Tiffany Cleven-Putthoff, BS, and Julie Williams, MSW
Julie Williams, MSW
Julie Williams earned an MSW from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and has 14 years’ experience. Julie is currently seeking her LSCSW in Kansas. During internship at Baptist Lutheran Medical Center Eating Disorder Unit, Julie recognized her passion for working with people with eating disorders. Julie is trained in dialectical behavior therapy and treats depression, anxiety, bipolarity, self-injury, eating disorders, personality disorders, dissociative disorders, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders.
Tiffany Cleven-Putthoff, BS
Tiffany holds a BS in family studies and counseling with an emphasis in leadership and is pursuing a master’s in healthcare business administration. Tiffany’s experience includes working with children, adolescents, young adults and families of various populations. She began working at McCallum Place Overland Park in 2015 and is now intake coordinator and office manager. Tiffany is an advocate for mental health awareness, particularly eating disorders, anxiety and depression.
