Search
By: Ashley Pennington, MA, Senior Regional Director of Clinical Partnerships
At Magnolia Creek Treatment Center for Eating Disorders, we understand the challenging decision to begin the journey of recovery at a residential eating disorder treatment program during this time of uncertainty. Our experienced, multidisciplinary team understands that entering a higher level of care can sometimes raise doubts and fears that create a temptation to wait. Our mission at Magnolia Creek is to ease uncertainty and support those in darkness into the light to reduce suffering and create a path to freedom. We know that the battles with eating while living in isolation can actually increase the volume of the eating disorders’ voice, especially during a global pandemic. In fact, Anorexia Nervosa continues to hold the second highest mortality rate of all psychological disorders, second only to opioid abuse. Many aspects of our community, lives and schedules have been given additional space due to COVID-19,creating time used to renew, restore, and prepare for a future unburdened by an eating disorder.
Why Magnolia Creek?
Medical Team
We are prepared and ready to help. Our highly skilled, board-certified medical leadership team is led by our Medical Director, Dr. Joe Fraiz, a board-certified Infectious Disease physician with over a decade of experience in the field of Eating Disorders. He continues to serve as a rudder as we navigate and adjust our environment, successfully keeping our treatment environment, clients and employees COVID-19 free. We also are fortunate to have the advanced training and experience of Dr. Tom Scales, triple-board certified in Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Neurology, and Addiction Medicine serving as an attending psychiatrist. Brooke Colley, Group Nursing Director, has over 15 years’ experience in the eating disorder field and oversees the nursing needs of our clients and helps support our nursing staff.  Our facility Medical Director, Dr. Patrick Tapia, is board certified in Psychiatry and specializes in treating both children and adults with eating disorders and co-occurring conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, among others. Our Magnolia Creek Director of Nursing, Aretha Bryant has over 15 years of experience in the nursing field providing quality medical care and support to our clients and their families. Our medical team has banded together to update policies and procedures in accordance with the CDC, securing proper, non-invasive COVID-19 testing procedures, offering accurate infrared temperature and face covering scanning technology, and also modeling proper handwashing protocols for the health and safety of our employees, current clients, prospecting clients, and their families. We are happy to announce that Magnolia Creek remains COVID-19 free.
Admission Team
Our admission team compassionately works alongside our clients and families on their journey to freedom from eating disorders. Under the leadership of Alycia Aldieri, National Director of Eating Disorder Admission, and Kayla Harvey, Assistant National Director of Eating Disorder Admission, our dedicated team partners with clients and families to uncover the clinical and treatment priorities and helps navigate insurance coverage and payment options for care. We take pride in having highly skilled clinicians from our team available to assist with walking clients and families through the process of admission and continuing care.
Clinical Team
Our clinical team at Magnolia Creek has decades of experience in the treatment of eating disorders. Under the dedicated leadership of Dr. Danielle Haygood, our licensed master’s and PhD level clinicians provide comprehensive, evidence-based care for eating disorders. Our treatment model is tailored and informed through a partnership with the client, family, and outpatient provider as appropriate, to ensure long-term, sustainable freedom from eating disorders. Our clinical, dietary, medical, and direct care teams are in regular communication internally and externally as needed to help coordinate and strengthen recovery plans and positive outcomes.
Magnolia Creek is accredited at the highest level through the Joint Commission, specializing in eating disorders and other co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. We are monitored by Legit Script to ensure the most appropriate and necessary support to treat women with co-occurring substance use disorders.
Nutrition & Dietary Model
Under the dedicated leadership of our Director of Nutrition, Leigh-Ann Bamberg, RDN our team walks alongside our clients to teachthe foundations of Intuitive Eating and assist them in the rediscovery of normal eating patterns through comprehensive nutrition groups and individual nutrition counseling sessions.  Our approach to nutrition is based on the premise that all foods can fit into a nutritionally-sound meal plan including balance, variety, and moderation. Clients learn to feel comfortable identifying and responding to feelings of hunger and fullness while learning to normalize meal portioning.
Utilization Review & Financial Team
Our utilization review and financial teams work diligently with our clients and families to ensure that finances are communicated in a concise and considerate manner that align with the client and family needs. We understand that finances may create challenges, which is why we work alongside our clients and families to ensure that the financial arrangements are planned out and clear.
Magnolia Creek Treatment Center for Eating Disorders believes that recovery is possible, even during a global pandemic. Freedom cannot wait, which is why we have continued to open our doors to all those in suffering across the globe. We have never closed our doors, and stand in unity to provide safety, security, and compassionate care. We continue to be here and ready to help.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, look no further, we are here and ready to help. Call us today or complete our contact form to learn more about admissions at Magnolia Creek.
