community
integration
a sense of belonging
Healing does not occur in isolation. In fact, isolation is known to sabotage recovery. Our services are designed to create cohesion and interaction among all those who attend and work at Galen Hope. That’s one reason why belonging is at the core of our mission.
At Galen Hope, the interactions, relationships, achievements, and shared sense of purpose that occurs between our clients, their treatment, peers, and our therapists and other staff members all serve to facilitate a sense of belonging and a commitment to recovery. We feel this is as fundamental to client care as the clinical service we provide. We find tremendous meaning in bringing someone into our circle and helping them realize the importance they play in it.
Our goal for all Galen Hope clients is that they also find places where they feel a sense of belonging in the wider community. Those connections provide not only a buffer for the stressors that come with life’s ups and downs, but are fundamental to overall well-being.
community integration
Community at Galen Hope does not stop at our doors; it encompasses the community-at-large.
It is not uncommon for people with psychiatric disorders or eating disorders to improve while they actively engaged in intensive forms of treatment, but for that progress to be disrupted and symptoms to worsen when they transition home. That’s why reintegration into the community is central to the treatment process.
Community integration is baked into the treatment philosophy at Galen Hope from the very beginning, not as an afterthought or just prior to discharge from our program. From the moment the client is able, our therapists, dietitians, and care partners are working with our clients to develop goals related to returning to work, school or family life, life –skills and functionality, meaningful social interactions, and more. These goals and skills are practiced in community settings and in the home on a weekly basis.
We formulated our approach to community integration based on the PACT model, aka Programs for Assertive Community Treatment. We believe, as is foundational to PACT, that those with mental health diagnoses deserve to be treated in the least restrictive environment possible. Regardless of the severity or duration of the illness, we strive to reduce repeated hospitalizations and residential stays and help our clients build a life outside of the treatment bubble and institutional settings. You can read more about PACT in our blog.