NEDA Conference October 8-10, 2010 - New York City

The NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) Conference is coming up next week (Oct. 8-10) in New York City with this year’s theme being “Building Bridges to Recovery,” and on behalf of Timberline Knolls, I will be presenting at the conference on the topic of trauma.

With this I wanted to educate everyone a little bit on some of the signs and types of trauma.

Signs of Trauma and PTSD:

PTSD symptoms may become disabling, particularly if the sufferer lacks adequate social support to allow them to voice their traumatic experiences. Once a person has experienced a traumatic event, many diverse warning signs of trauma can arise.

* Inability to trust others
* Difficulty concentrating / Easily distracted
* Depression / Anxiety
* Feeling uncomfortable in social situations
* Abuse of drugs
* Eating Disorders
* Self Injury
* Recurring thoughts from the trauma interfering with everyday life

Types of Trauma:

The National Co-morbidity Study recently identified four most frequently experienced traumas:

* Witnessing someone being badly injured or killed
* Being involved in a fire, flood, or natural disaster
* Being involved in a life-threatening accident
* Combat exposure

I encourage anyone and everyone to ask for help and ask me questions they have or voice concerns on this topic or anything else.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn Recognizes Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center with Statewide Proclamation

In recognition of National Recovery Month, Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center has received a proclamation from the Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, recognizing the month of September 2010 as Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. I encourage everyone to use this time to celebrate the continued success of the many people in Illinois who have turned their lives around and achieved recovery, and a time focused on bettering the lives of those who are in need of treatment.

We want to express our deep gratitude to Governor Quinn for acknowledging the importance of Recovery Month among the citizens of Illinois. We urge all citizens to express support for those who are courageous enough to seek alcohol or drug addiction treatment and encourage and support others who search for help.

Approximately 23 million Americans are dependent on illicit drugs or alcohol, and of those 23 million Americans, less than 10 percent receive treatment. Recovery Month is sponsored annually by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to raise awareness of both the scope of the problem, and the effectiveness of drug and alcohol addiction treatment.

We want the message to be clear: substance and drug abuse is preventable, addiction is treatable, and recovery is possible. The journey to recovery requires not only great fortitude, but also a supportive network. As we celebrate Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, we also express our appreciation for the family members, mutual aid groups, peer support programs, health professionals and community leaders who provide compassion, care and hope.

Yoga Therapy

At Timberline Knolls, we've incorporated a new form of therapy into our treatment program, yoga therapy, known to help bring balance to the body and mind through an awakening of the spirit.

Here are some of the different kinds of yoga we are using:

Fitness Yoga - aims at working toward fitness related goals utilizing breathing techniques and yoga postures.

Yoga Therapy - facilitates the experience of a mind-body connection through yoga postures, relaxed breathing techniques, guided relaxation, breath and movement coordination and meditation.

Gentle Yoga Elective - while similar to Yoga Therapy, the movements are gentler and slower, the postural holds are longer and there is a greater overall emphasis on restoration, self-exploration and breathing techniques.

Yoga Therapy for Individuals - helps develop mind-body connection, increase body-awareness and self-awareness and learn proper breathing to regulate reactivity and self-control.

Has anyone used yoga as a form of therapy? I would love to hear your experiences.