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Episode 36: Heather Russo ON Alsana’s Residential Treatment Programs for Eating Disorder Recovery

Episode #36

When it comes to eating disorder treatment, there are many options, and it can be overwhelming to know where to go for the right support. I want to make this easier for you by sharing treatment options I believe to be the best out there. That’s why I invited Heather Russo, the Chief Clinical Officer at Alsana, on to the podcast to showcase their holistic approach to residential treatment for eating disorders. We address the misconceptions about residential treatment programs and highlight the unique features of Alsana that are part of their Adaptive Care Model for recovery, that way you can make an informed decision about whether this program may help you. 

In this episode we discuss:

  • The five components of the Adaptive Care Model — medical treatment, nutrition, therapeutic, movement and relational.
  • What Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is and why it’s an important part of the therapeutic approach.
  • The types of eating disorders Alsana treats, and whether you may be a good candidate.
  • Alsana’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
  • The movement and nutrition approaches that Alsana uses to encourage developing a healthier relationship with one’s body and all foods.
  • Addressing common misconceptions people have about residential treatment.

About Heather Russo: 

In her role as Chief Clinical Officer at Alsana, Heather is responsible for nurturing

the growth and success of clinical treatment teams and maintaining the integrity

and efficacy of the Adaptive Care Model®’s Therapeutic Dimension. Heather holds

both an MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family

Therapy from Pepperdine University and an MS in Organizational Leadership from

Grand Canyon University. She is also a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist

Supervisor.

Under Russo’s guidance, Alsana is strengthening its current therapeutic approach,

which includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing,

and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), with the addition of Compassion

Focused Therapy (CFT) — a method proven effective in shame reduction and

trauma treatment. “Our clinical team’s primary area of focus in 2022 is the

application of compassion in all we do,” Heather explains. “Our clients come to us

with a self-compassion deficit. Without self-compassion, there can be no

recovery.”

Connect with Alsana: 

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Music by MBB: