Eating Disorder Clinic Newsletter
May 2020
Welcome to the Omni Eating Disorder Clinic Newsletter!

Our newsletter features news and updates regarding the clinic and our services, as well as eating disorder, health, and nutrition articles, recipes, staff spotlights, and more! 
WHAT WE DO:

Omni's Eating Disorder Clinic offers outpatient, intensive-outpatient, and partial hospitalization services for individuals with eating disorders and co-occurring conditions. Our staff includes therapists, day program specialists, an intern, APRN, and dietitian, as well as an administrative assistant that can assist you in getting started with services and answering any questions you may have.  For more information regarding our staff, please click here!

Day Program clinic hours are Monday through Friday from 8a-8p, and Saturday/Sunday from 9a-3p. Flexible outpatient scheduling is available as needed.

402-333-0898
https://omniic.com/omni-services/eating-disorders-program/
NEWS AND UPDATES:

Omni Inventive Care is closely and continually monitoring the latest COVID-19 developments and wants to reassure you that, as always, the health and safety of our clients and employees remains our top priority. For more information regarding Omni Inventive Care’s response to COVID-19, please click here.

Omni Inventive Care’s Eating Disorder Clinic is now offering virtual IOP and PHP services! We are currently accepting admissions for all settings of care. Clients receiving virtual services will receive the same evidence-based services that were previously delivered on-site, including individual and group therapy sessions, therapeutic meal times, nutritional counseling sessions, and weekly medical sessions with our APRN.

We care about your recovery and want you to feel supported during this time. We are offering a FREE, virtual support group for individuals with eating disorders, as well as their family, friends, and/or other supports.  For more information, please click here.  To register, please call 402-333-0898 or email Ashley.carpentier@omniic.com.


STAFF SPOTLIGHT:

Mary Loftis is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner and has worked in the mental health field since 2013. Mary earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has experience working with children and adolescents with severe behavioral issues, families, adults with major mental health issues, and individuals with eating disorders. Mary has worked at Omni as a home-based therapist, and then as a Program Therapist at the Omni Eating Disorder Clinic. Currently, Mary serves as a therapist for the Omni Eating Disorder Program where she provides therapy services to children, adolescents, and adults with eating disorders and other major mental health issues. In her time outside of work, Mary likes to go on walks and hikes, enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, and being at the lake!

 

COVID-19 and Isolation

One huge thing we talk about with regard to mental health and eating disorders is building and utilizing a positive support system. Involving family or other supports in eating disorder treatment can be crucial when it comes to recovery. But, what about when you are in the middle of a pandemic and you’ve been told to stay home and stay away from others? What if you can no longer visit your therapist in person or attend treatment services at a clinic? How can you still maintain progress and continue with your recovery journey while in quarantine?

Social distancing =/= isolation.

While isolating certainly results in being alone, social distancing doesn’t have to equal isolation.  Being in a pandemic where many typical services and resources are inaccessible can be challenging, but I’ve included a few tips below to help you maintain and utilize connection throughout these difficult times:

1)       Reach out for help when you need it! Asking for help is not always easy, and it can be especially difficult when you might be already feeling disconnected from others. However, it’s so important to reach out for help if you need it. Whether it is a call, email, or just a quick text, being able to chat with a friend can boost your mood and help you feel less isolated.

 

2)       If you live with family or a roommate, regularly schedule times to be together: eat dinner as a family, watch a movie, or have a cup of coffee together to reduce feelings of loneliness and boredom.

 

3)       Look to virtual platforms for new ways of maintaining connection; Zoom, Skype, WebEx, Facetime, Facebook, etc. are all easy and free ways of connecting with friends and family.

 

4)       Find virtual professional services in your area! Many mental health workers, dietitians, and other providers have made changes to their available therapy platforms and are able to meet your needs during this time and assist you in continuing to make changes.

 

5)       Find an online support group! Omni offers a virtual family support group (click here for more details) to provide support and resources for individuals with eating disorders and their family, friends, and other supports.  Many additional online support groups can be found here.

 

6)       Get outside: being in quarantine does not mean you need to stay inside all the time. Getting outside, going on a walk, sitting out in the sun, getting some fresh air, can all greatly help boost your mood.

 

7)       Be mindful of negative or unhelpful thoughts during this time that could lead to slipping back into old behaviors:

  1.  “ I don’t need help. I can just do this on my own until all this is done”.
  2. No one is around. I can use behaviors and no one will know”.
  3. “No one is here to watch me eat. I don’t have to eat if I don’t want to”.
  4. “I feel so alone. No one cares about me”.

Remember: you are not alone in this. We are experiencing unprecedented times right now, and it can be scary and anxiety producing to think about it all. However, this will not last forever. For now, try your best to focus on your recovery and your goals when your ED tries to pull you the other way; work to maintain balance as the world around us becomes confusing and messy, and seek connection when feeling separated.

 

Katie Jones
Omni Eating Disorder Program Director

Food Safety

Food safety is very important not only in commercial kitchens, but in personal and household kitchens.  Food safety starts with a clean kitchen, clean utensils, clean dishes, and clean work surfaces and cookware.  Frequent handwashing is recommended before, during, and after food preparation.  Using gloves is recommended for direct food contact in commercial cooking.  Use a clean cutting board when cutting, slicing, and chopping foods. Do not use a dirty or used cutting board for cutting multiple items.  To prevent cross-contamination, never use a cutting board for a meat and use the same cutting board for slicing vegetables or fruits.  Food must be discarded if it has had contact with any body fluids, and all surfaces that have been touched should be thoroughly sanitized.   Do not handle foods if you have open cuts or wounds on your hands, arms, or face.  

Foods should be stored properly and at the appropriate temperatures.  Hot foods should be served hot, cold foods cold.  Refrigeration units should have thermometers, refrigeration units should be below 40 degrees, freezer units below 0 degrees.  Once thawed, do not refreeze foods.   Invest in a food thermometer to take temperatures of foods to assure they are safe.  Ground beef dishes and casserole dishes should be heated to 165 degrees, poultry products should be heated to temperature of 165 degrees, other beef items to 145 degrees, and pork 145 degrees.  Complete information on appropriate food temperatures is available at Foodsafety.Gov.  Be aware, it is not possible to tell if food is the appropriate temperature without a thermometer.  If a food smells or looks bad or spoiled, throw it out.  When prepping or serving foods, always cover your cough if you sneeze, if using tissue throw it out, and wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water.  Do not take the chance of getting ill. 

 

Margaret Hodges, RD, LMNT

Registered Dietitian


Accurately Identifying Respiratory Distress in Those Who Vape

In August and September, there were people hospitalized with lung injuries that resulted in death caused from certain types of vaping. Although the number of cases has significantly declined, it is important to remember that new cases could arise and 

to be knowledgeable of potential signs and symptoms. Colds and flu viruses can also cause upper respiratory problems and can overshadow any concerns about problems caused by vaping. If patients are reporting a gradual start of symptoms, including breathing difficulty, shortness of breath, chest pain, mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting and diarrhea, or other symptoms such as fevers or fatigue, it could be related to a virus or to e-vaping tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

When collecting a history about the onset of the symptoms, also inquire about the client’s practice of e-vaping THC, as it could be the cause of the respiratory distress.  If vaping is a practice, collect the following information: the brand, manufacturer, and types of vaping products. This information should be given to the health care provider to determine if the products fall within the FDA’s regulatory authority, as well as where they were obtained. Although there could be many sources for respiratory distress, including cold and flu viruses or other illnesses, it is important to not overlook vaping as a potential cause of the disorder.

Deb Wisnieski, Ph.D., APRN

You deserve recovery.

You deserve to be at peace. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be healthy. You deserve to be carefree.

-Recoveryspiration 

Resource of the month:


National Eating Disorder Awareness Help & Support Page

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support

Offers a self-screening tool, helpline information,a treatment locator, and more to help those who may be struggling with an eating disorder. 

Omni Eating Disorder Clinic
8715 Oak Street
Omaha, NE 68124
402-333-0898
https://omniic.com/omni-services/eating-disorders-program/

The Omni Eating Disorder Clinic is one of only a few regional treatment settings that offer a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of eating disorders. Omni offers outpatient mental health and nutrition therapy, IOP, and PHP treatment services for individuals with eating disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.


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