Magnolia Creek’s programs emphasize self-acceptance, validation, and personal empowerment. As such, we acknowledge the client as the most important member of the treatment team. Treatment at Magnolia Creek is active rather than passive, collaborative rather than imposed, and personal rather than detached. We believe that clients can fully recover, not simply manage, their disorders. In addition to traditional group and individual therapy, our program offers art, movement, recreational, exposure, and cooking groups. Our evidence-based treatment model emphasizes both group and individual therapy. Clients have five to eight weekly individual sessions (with the primary therapist, family therapist, dietitian, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner/nutritional medicine physician, and clinical director), in addition to 20 to 30 hours of group therapy.
ABOUT MAGNOLIA CREEK TREATMENT CENTER FOR EATING DISORDERS
Near Birmingham, Ala., Magnolia Creek Treatment Center offers residential treatment and a partial hospitalization program (PHP) for adult women struggling with eating disorders and co-occurring concerns, such as substance use, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Medical detox is not available on-site.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Clients take an active role in their recovery. The collaborative spirit draws on personal strengths in an atmosphere of personal empowerment, acceptance, and validation. Treatment integrates 12-step principles, which the program considers “an essential tool for people struggling with addictive behaviors and thought processes.”
Clients meet with their therapist up to four times per week, as well as weekly with their dietitian, a psychiatrist, and physician or nurse practitioner. The program is rigorous and highly scheduled with 6:15 a.m. wake-up, three meals and three snacks daily, plus exercise, group and individual counseling, journaling, and experiential activities.
Psychoeducational sessions address grief and loss, body appreciation, trauma, and boundaries and relationships. Medication management is also available for individuals struggling with co-occurring mental health concerns. The PHP operates on weekdays, and clients in PHP can be provided with furnished apartments, as needed. Upon discharge, Magnolia Creek provides ongoing therapeutic or dietetic consultations as an aftercare protocol.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Magnolia Creek is accredited by The Joint Commission. The team includes therapists, doctors, nurses, and dietitians, and a chef.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Magnolia Creek is a 24-bed facility set on 36 acres with a private lake, wooded walking trails, recovery garden, and outdoor therapy area. All clients share rooms. An on-site chef, who can accommodate dietary preferences, conducts a weekly cooking class. Residents regularly participate in recreational outings.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
To date, the five alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com offered mixed opinions about Magnolia Creek. Three individuals praised the facility, one offered moderately favorable opinions, and one alum was critical of the facility.
Alum B.M., who completed an extended survey, consistently gave top ratings for most evaluated metrics, including perfect five-star ratings for the facility’s cleanliness, the quality of counseling, the inclusion of holistic offerings, and the staff’s level of experience and training. Alum Annie agreed, writing: “The staff was both caring and tough.”
Several alumni considered their experience life changing/saving and praised staff and the facility’s discharge planning. Isolated complaints concerned poor conditions and insufficient therapy.
On its Facebook page, which the organization can manage, the facility received five out of five-star ratings from all six reviewers to date.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The two loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com to date submitted conflicting feedback. Parent Cyndi praised the facility’s staff and wrote: “Magnolia Creek gave our family back our daughter. They literally saved her life.” However, parent J.L. reported that their daughter failed to see her psychiatrist.
WHAT STAFF SAY
On Indeed, one staff member to date rated Magnolia Creek four out of five stars; four other reviews pertain to a different facility. The employee enjoyed helping “women in the time of crisis,” but noted the facility could be “short handed at times.”
FINANCING
Magnolia Creek accepts most major medical/behavioral health insurance and is in-network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Cigna.
CONCLUSION
In December 2016, al.com reported that Magnolia Creek had been bought by Tennessee-based Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare, which planned “to further resource the organization.” On April 26, 2017, a blog post on “Magnolia Creek Celebrates Grand Re-Opening,” announced the addition of a 10-bed residential cottage, which increased the facility’s capacity to 24 beds.