For Patients
Contact The Walker Wellness Clinic
The following questions often arise when one is considering seeking treatment at The Walker Wellness Clinic:
- "Can I continue to maintain my current lifestyle such as working or attending school or other extracurricular activities?"
- “How long will the patient be enrolled in treatment?”
- Do other family members become involved in the treatment process?
- Will my insurance cover the cost for treatment?
- How do I choose the program that is the right one for me?
- Do I have the opportunity to give feedback about the program and help design my treatment plan?
- How do I find out about the cost of treatment at The Walker Wellness Clinic?
- Are patients from out of town or out of the country enrolled in The Walker Wellness Clinic programs?
- Do you provide group psychotherapy?
- May I meet the treatment team prior to starting the program?
- How do I get started and how soon may I enroll in your program?
- Are there any males in your program?
- Will my treatment team members be all females?
- How do I pay for the treatment at The Walker Wellness Clinic?
“Can I continue to maintain my current lifestyle such as working or attending school or other extracurricular activities?”
As long as the patients are medically stable and meets criterion for outpatient, we encourage them to continue their academic, occupational, or extracurricular activities. We also encourage patients to attend camps, family vacations, and other meaningful activities during the course of treatment to see how they manage their eating disorder in other environments.
“How long will the patient be enrolled in treatment?”
Typically a patient will be enrolled from approximately three months to one year and this is contingent upon the severity of the eating disorder, medical complications, and how the patient responds to clinical recommendations and outpatient treatment. Often times the patient may decrease their level of care as they make progress such as starting with a day program and stepping down to an intensive outpatient program and then eventually a standard outpatient program.
“Do other family members become involved in the treatment process?”
At the onset of treatment, we understand that patients may not feel comfortable discussing their eating disorder with their family. Therefore, we meet with the patient and parents separately and do not incorporate the family component until the patient has more of a sense of comfort. The Walker Wellness Clinic requires that the family participate in family psychotherapy if the patient is an adolescent. The purpose is to give the family support and coping mechanisms on how to deal with the eating disorder. In addition, we offer a parent psycho-educational support group during the course of treatment as well as a family week of activities and support. We encourage the adults to participate in family therapy as well, but this is not mandatory.
“Will my insurance cover the cost for treatment?”
We cannot guarantee that you will receive third party reimbursement from your insurance company, but we provide a statement if you would like to file one with your insurance. We do not work directly with insurance companies or managed care companies and we do encourage you to check with your insurance company prior to starting treatment. The Walker Wellness Clinic has incorporated this philosophy to protect the patient’s confidentiality.
“How do I choose the program that is the right one for me?”
During the initial intake and assessment, a clinical recommendation will be made to help patients make a healthy decision that meets their needs. However, we welcome the input of patients in making a decision about their treatment and we encourage them to select from a menu of services such as adjunct therapy (i.e., music or art therapy, equine therapy, or cooking classes). If the patient enters into a program and the treatment team thinks that the patient needs more or less intensive treatment, it will be recommended during the course of treatment.
“Do I have the opportunity to give feedback about the program and help design my treatment plan?”
We elicit the patient’s feedback at all times. In fact, patients are encouraged to choose the adjunct therapy that is right for them such as cooking classes, art therapy, music therapy, or equine therapy. We value your feedback on how you feel about your treatment and what is important to you.
“How do I find out about the cost of treatment at The Walker Wellness Clinic?”
We can email you a brochure that contains a description of the programs offered as well as the cost for treatment. The treatment is more cost effective than inpatient and residential programs and patients may continue their academic and/or occupational functioning as they are enrolled in treatment.
“Are patients from out of town or out of the country enrolled in The Walker Wellness Clinic programs?”
We have specifically designed our programs so that we welcome patients that live locally, nationally, or out of the country to be a part of the treatment process. It is our pleasure to assist patients with accommodations and sometimes it is more important for patients to attend a program out of state or out of the country because they are seeking more confidentiality and privacy.
“Do you provide group psychotherapy?”
We provide more individual sessions than most treatment programs; however, we also offer the following in a group setting: adolescent group psychotherapy, adult group psychotherapy, body image, music therapy, art therapy, nutrition education, cooking classes, parent psycho-education group, and equine therapy.
“May I meet the treatment team prior to starting the program?”
We conduct an initial intake and assessment meeting and some of our clinical staff may be available to meet with the patient and/or the family during this meeting.
“How do I get started and how soon may I enroll in your program?”
We recommend that you review the various treatment programs that are offered such as the standard outpatient program, intensive outpatient program, and day program. You may contact us via email at Walkwell@msn.com or call 1-877-7254 to complete an intake to see if you are a candidate to enroll in our program. Once you complete your intake forms and our treatment team reviews this clinical information, an intake and assessment is scheduled and you may start the program immediately afterwards as long as you are medically stable and meet criterion for outpatient treatment.
“Are there any males in your program?”
The Walker Wellness Clinic provides clinical services for both the male and female genders, however the genders are not mixed in any of the group sessions. The male track for the treatment of their eating disorder is more individualized since the prevalence for the male to develop an eating disorder is on the rise.
“Will my treatment team members be all females?”
Our treatment team members are all females with the exception of Mr. Philip Walker, M.S., exercise physiologist and co-owner of The Walker Wellness Clinic.
“How do I pay for the treatment at The Walker Wellness Clinic?”
We provide a statement for you to file with your insurance company, but we encourage you to check with your provider prior to enrolling in treatment. We only accept MasterCard, Visa or check and payment is made on a weekly basis for the clinical services that are rendered that week. Moreover, we provide your statement on a weekly basis as well if you wish to file for third party reimbursement.