Changing Teens' Lifestyle for Long-Term Weight Loss
The Clinical Program at Wellspring makes use of students’ rapid and significant weight loss, and the resulting improvements in self-esteem, mood, outlook and energy level, in order to accomplish two objectives:
Permanently change thinking and behavior concerning diet and activity so students will maintain or continue weight loss after returning home; and
Overcome psychological or emotional difficulties that may have contributed to weight gain or created barriers to successful weight loss.
Therapeutic Program Overview
The Clinical Program begins by providing intensive training on the skills required for successful long-term weight control. These skills, including self-monitoring, goal-setting and journaling, become healthy habits during a student’s time at Wellspring. Nutrition and culinary training also provide important new skills.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is utilized to reinforce this training and improve student’s reaction to frustrating and/or stressful situations. Together with their therapists we call “Behavioral Coaches” (BCs), students learn to overcome whatever challenges might be causing them to resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as food and sedentary activity. CBT also includes rational emotive therapy and decisional counseling.
Every week, students participate in both group and individual sessions to develop the skills and motivation for initial and long-term weight loss success.
Behavioral Coaches are Masters- or Doctoral-level therapists. Every Wellspring student has an individual BC, who serves as the primary contact for parents. Wellspring BCs are under the supervision of Wellspring’s Clinical Director, nationally renowned weight control expert Dr. Daniel Kirschenbaum, a professor at Northwestern University Medical School.
Students also benefit from a very positive peer culture. For many, Wellspring provides a welcome opportunity to “fit in,” as students are surrounded by others just like them—people striving to learn and live a healthy lifestyle. The changes, both physical and emotional, are remarkable.
