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Avalon Hills: Treating eating disorders in Petersboro
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By
Justin Ellingford
March 24, 2005 | Risking deployment
to Iraq, a father re-enlists in the military,
then with his wife and daughter drive hundreds
of miles from Ontario, Ore., to the quiet community
of Petersboro in Cache Valley, where they leave
their 17-year-old daughter with complete strangers
for five months.
What would cause such strange behavior? A father's
love.
Clari Clark was 15 when she first realized that
she had an eating disorder, but never dreamt that
it would escalate, eventually landing her in a
residential treatment center in Utah.
"I struggled with restricting and purging, but
I just kept it a secret. I didn't tell any of
my girlfriends," said Clark.
Her secret however, would eventually be discovered
by her parents. In an attempt to help Clark get
treatment for her disorder, her parents admitted
her to a hospital in Boise, Idaho. "The hospital
said they wouldn't be able to keep me for as long
as I needed treatment," Clark said. |
ON THE ROAD BACK:
Clari Clark during her
treatment
at Avalon Hills. / Photo by Alisha Johnson |
Clark's parents made arrangements for her to go to
a treatment center in Arizona, but finances fell through
at the last minute. Just before Clark was to be released
from the hospital, they found Avalon
Hills, a fairly new residential treatment center
in Petersboro. To help with the expenses of treatment,
Clark's father, Mike, re-enlisted in the military.
"We thought he would definitely be sent to Iraq, but
we were really lucky and he was only sent to Idaho,"
said Clark.
Arrangements were quickly made with Avalon Hills and
Clark's parents picked her up from the hospital and
drove straight to Utah.
"I didn't feel like I had any say where I went," said
Clark, now 18. "But that's OK because I probably wouldn't
have made a good decision anyway. Looking back on it,
it was the best thing."
Avalon Hills officially opened its doors in Cache
Valley in March 2003, treating four major eating disorders
in adolescent females: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, compulsive
overeating, and binge eating. The facility was opened
and is operated by Dr. Benita Quakenbush-Roberts, clinical
director and owner, and her husband Gary Roberts, facility
operator and director. Tucked away in the hills of scenic
Petersboro, Avalon Hills provides a unique alternative
to eating disorder treatment among adolescents.
"A core piece that draws a lot of our clientele in,
is our animal therapy," said Shanna Hales, Human Resources
Manager at Avalon Hills. "We allow them (clients) to
get out and to get triggered, as opposed to being locked
up in an in-patient facility or medical facility."
Hales, now in her second year at Avalon Hills, says
that the animal therapy, as well as the hiking, boating,
and other activities, give the clients experience in
the real world, which is exactly what they need.
"We outreach to the community, the girls volunteer,"
said Hales. "It's just a big piece of helping them find
something outside to connect with."
Clark also felt that this was an intricate part of
her recovery process.
"I think I would have lost my mind if I would have
had to stay in a facility for six months straight,"
Clark said. "We still interacted with society. We got
to go to church, to movies, go shopping and buy our
own toiletries."
Another unique aspect of Avalon Hills is the client
to staff ratio, as well as their attempt to make the
treatment affordable to everyone in need, remaining
one of the few programs that still fights for insurance
coverage.
Jessica Ellingford, 23, was the first case manager
at Avalon Hills, and says that the relationship between
the staff and clients is so vital to their success.
"It was such a neat experience to contribute to the
recovery of the girls," said Ellingford. "The one-on-one
care that is provided at Avalon is what really makes
it stand out."
"We're one of three facilities in the nation that
treat adolescents primarily, and only adolescents not
mixed with adults," said Hales.
The facility houses 12 girls at maximum capacity,
and both Hales and Clark agree that the small size of
the groups contribute to the success of the program.
"Going out on the weekend really helped me," said
Clark. "It makes it really unique from other places,
it's like one big family. We would just jump in the
Suburban and go places."
To help with the difficulty of clients returning to
their normal lives, Avalon Hills also offers a unique
transition program to the girls. Hales said that graduates
of the program have access to therapy from their primary
therapist, as well as periodic visits as needed.
"Even after I had graduated from the program, I could
call Avalon whenever I wanted," Clark said. "My therapist
would provide support for our family even though I wasn't
technically a client anymore."
Although Avalon Hills has successfully treated girls
from all over the country, as well as girls from England
and Greece, Hales says that the program still has a
long way to go.
"In the world of eating disorder treatment centers,
we are still such an infant," said Hales. "We have so
far to go and so much to learn."
There are so many different causes and factors leading
to eating disorders, and Hales believes the media is
not solely to blame. Hales said that the lack of education
of parents and others is a primary problem, and a large
goal of Avalon Hills is to educate everyone.
"If you are unsure about the disease, get educated,"
said Hales. "If you have concerns or know someone that
has an eating disorder, talk to them, get it out in
the open. Just get out and get aware."
Learning and educating is a big part of the goal of
Avalon Hills. Contact Avalon Hills at (435) 753-3686
for more information.
Clari Clark with friends in Cache Valley after finishing
the Avalon Hills program. / Photo by Jessica Ellingford
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