Bridgepoint Center: changing lives for two decades
For the past 21 years, the Bridgepoint Center for Eating Disorders has impacted the lives of individuals across Saskatchewan. The facility was established in the central Saskatchewan town of Milden and provides residential eating disorder programming as part of the province’s continuum of care.
Participants are supported through an effective multidisciplinary team approach in a safe, nurturing space. Bridgepoint’s programming is free for Saskatchewan residents and participants are age 16 and older.
Carla Chabot is the Executive Director of Bridgepoint and she lives in nearby Outlook. Members of the Bridgepoint team also include Registered Nurses, group facilitators and social workers of different ages and backgrounds. There are 15 beds made available to participants.
“At Bridgepoint, our participants can get away from the stress of daily life so that they can start the journey of discovery and recovery from their disordered eating. We treat most types of eating disorders and we don’t put individuals into groups based on their diagnosis,” said Chabot.
“Another thing that’s unique about us is that participants can self-refer for our initial retreats. The hardest part is coming through those doors, but our participants find a safe community to heal in very quickly.”
In 2013, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) made changes to its eating disorders section. One of the biggest changes is that binge eating disorder is now a separate diagnosis for the first time. The other two common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Chabot said that the inclusion of binge eating disorder in the DSM-5 increased demand for Bridgepoint’s programming quite a bit.
“Eating disorders are challenging to overcome because they survive in secrecy, sometimes for years. A lot of people don’t know that an eating disorder is a mental disorder and can be fatal. An eating disorder often has comorbidity with other mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder or PTSD.”
Chabot explained that the program is key in reducing unnecessary hospital stays, admissions and readmissions for eating disorders. Bridgepoint continues to be a costeffective program and saves the province money as admissions to acute facilities may be prevented or reduced. Bridgepoint can also provide post-hospitalization support when a participant is stable. With eating disorders, recovery is rarely linear.
Over the past year, Bridgepoint has served 101 participants with its residential programming, as well as education sessions for 38 family members and supports. Participants are referred by friends and family, counsellors and physicians, or they find out about Bridgepoint online.
Bridgepoint’s approach is holistic and focuses on positive shifts in body image, emotional and physical self-care, self-esteem and relapse prevention.
The first step in Bridgepoint’s programming is a weekend retreat. Retreats include an in-depth assessment interview, meal preparation and planning, and small group/individual support sessions to prepare for an ongoing program, plus all meals.
The month-long Module 1 includes eating disorder-specific group therapy, developing tools for a healthier attitude towards food and weight, nutritional support with a dietitian, ongoing meal preparation and planning support, creative expression and yoga.
Module 2 is 17-days long and focuses on the development of self in relationships, especially during a time of crisis or stress. It also builds on tools participants learned in Module 1.
Bridgepoint is considered a community-based organization and falls under the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Ministry of Health. As a registered charity and a nonprofit organization, Bridgepoint also accepts funding from foundations and individual donors.
Going forward, Bridgepoint is continuing to expand its programming. “We are aiming to include more options for male participants and youth under the age of 16 and their families. We know that the treatment of disordered eating and eating disorders works best when it starts early on.”
If you, or someone you know, would like to find out more go to the website atwww. bridge point center. ca or phone (306) 935-2240.