Blogs Archives - Page 7 of 10 - Mountain Valley Treatment Center

Courage & Perseverance at MVTC – Omar Shah, MVTC Psychiatry Fellow

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Carl Lovejoy

Rotating at Mountain Valley Treatment Center (MVTC) has been a great experience for me. It has brought to life, the theory I have read, regarding therapy for OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), anxiety and depression. No longer is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy just a theoretical tool to be used for me. It is practical and an effective method of treatment for severe mental health symptoms. On the surface, it appears patients are doing well and are merely having some dysregulation with their mood and/or anxiety. But under the surface, they feel they are drowning and they cannot function the way they want to any longer.

Like many psychiatric residents, I have read endlessly about the benefits of psychotherapy for mental illness. I have provided therapy myself to many patients. However, interning in a residential facility which hosts patients with few other options, has been a real eye opener for me. I have found that a tremendous amount of work goes into treatment here, both by providers and by patients. Interactions are intimate, subtle and profoundly meaningful. The power of active listening, emotional validation and eliciting information in a nonjudgmental manner is not lost on me. Therapy consists of sharing real life experiences, purposeful progression and encouragement every step of the way. After my experience here, I do not think it can be any other way. It seems a multi prong approach is necessary to fight the anxiety and depression the patients are dealing with. For example, OCD can be severely debilitating. It takes courage and faith on the patient’s part to tackle their compulsions. I’ve learned it is difficult to challenge OCD without a supportive environment and having good morale. It is not as simple as a quick fix with some medications and some exposure response prevention (ERP) treatment. There are lifestyle changes involved and perseverance is needed. The patient’s family support and academics are just part of the overall picture.

My respect for the patients and their providers has grown over the course of my rotation at MVTC. Treatment for the patients may at times feel slow or even futile because of the nature of the illness they are suffering from. But with vigorous therapy and positivity, it seems the illness eventually succumbs to the will of the patient. They learn to master their problems to the point of being able to live with them, if not completely getting rid of them. They regain the peace of mind and function they once enjoyed. It is truly humbling and joyful to see this transition taking place.

The experiential learning of various therapies for OCD, anxiety and depression has been very beneficial for me. When I read about these treatments or refer a patient for treatment, I am more appreciative of what that entails. I can visualize the frustration the patients might be having or the fear they may be experiencing, dealing with their mental illness head on. I am also more aware of the belief in themselves, they are leaning on, for the tasks in front of them. I feel I will be a stronger source of support for my patients now than I was before my rotation at MVTC.

Inside One Teen Girl’s Struggle to Manage Anxiety during the Pandemic

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Carl Lovejoy

The pandemic has created challenges for all of us. People Magazine recently published a profile of our resident, Kaylie, who is one of the growing number of American teens who suffer from an anxiety disorder.

Her mom Lisa explains: ‘Mountain Valley was the first time Kaylie had to take care of Kaylie and do the hard work on her own.’

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4 Tips for Choosing the Best Anxiety Treatment Center for Families

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Carl Lovejoy

Effective treatment for anxiety disorders is very specific and should be individualized for each client. There are many programs and treatment centers that add anxiety to the list of conditions they treat, but very few are utilizing evidence-based practices or have clinicians trained appropriately in the “gold standard”, Exposure and Response Prevention or ERP.

Exposure and Response Prevention is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy where the client gradually confronts the fear, worry or situation and eventually, the client learns that the fear, worry or situation does not produce the negative outcome they believe will occur, thus their relationship with that fear, worry or situation is such that their quality of life is improved. Getting to and through this process requires a skilled clinician, defined period of time, and a good rapport, trust and communication between the client and the clinician.

A clinician supporting ERP is a key imperative for the process as is the ability of the clinician and other staff to provide education about anxiety, its impact on the body and senses, and terminology related to ERP. The staff must be able to provide this psychoeducation in such a way that the client understands based on their age and cognitive functioning.

Over the past several years working with families and clients to determine if Mountain Valley Treatment Center is a good fit for their needs, I have found myself in a position of highlighting our program structure and educating families on what to look for when selecting an appropriate program.

With all that in mind, here are 4 tips for choosing the best anxiety treatment center:

1. Look for an Anxiety Treatment Center Where the Clients Tend to Have Similar Presenting Issues

The center should have a population of clients with similar presenting issues, those being anxiety disorders, OCD and related disorders. Many anxiety treatment centers have clientele with a wide array of challenges such as substance use disorders, aggressive behaviors, and varying degrees of cognitive functioning.

2. Make Sure the Anxiety Treatment Center Provides CBT & ERP Therapy

Do they provide CBT and ERP? A center that says they specialize in treating anxiety disorders must be providing sound exposure and response prevention therapy. ERP should also be conducted in a variety of environments and based on the client’s individual needs.

3. Make Sure the Anxiety Treatment Center Provides Individualized Treatment Plans

Ensure that the center creates and updates specific, individualized treatment plans for each client. Additionally, there should be a system in place whereby the client, and family have access to the plan and sign them. Typically, an initial treatment plan will be developed upon admission and be based on information collected during the admissions process. Once admitted and after a period of time to gather information, the clinical team and the client/family will create a master treatment plan with goals and objectives. Treatment plans should also be updated as necessary and based on evolving progress in treatment.

4. Do They Have An Integrated Team Approach To Care?

A clinically sound treatment center will follow best practices and have a multi-disciplinary team working with, monitoring, and documenting a client’s treatment and care. This team should be communicating with each other on a regular basis. A typical treatment team will consist of the individual clinician managing the client’s case, an individual representing the programming who can provide information about a client’s functioning outside of therapy such as during activities and after hours, and a medical representative who can contribute information in the area of medications or physical/medical conditions.

At the end of the day, everyone connected to the client wants them to have a successful treatment experience and get the help they need. Finding the right treatment center is one of the first steps.

If you found these tips helpful, and would like to learn more about treatment, and about Mountain Valley, contact us today.

Anxiety, Instinct and The Senses

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Carl Lovejoy

As we all move (sweat) into July, I began thinking about our natural instinct in managing anxiety and its relationship with our five senses – taste, see, hear, smell and touch. We have all heard of the “fight, flight or freeze” instinct we are born with when responding to disturbing thoughts, feelings and events. Remember the Sabre-Toothed tiger story? My drive to work the other day got me thinking about how the senses can be impacted when we are fearful and worried.

As I wound my way down River Road on the way to campus, with windows down, passing the dairy farm (smell), with the sunlight reflecting off the Connecticut River (sight), sipping my coffee, purchased from the Starbucks ‘near’ campus – only 12 minutes away (taste), the wind blowing through my hair (hear), and feeling the heat of my seat heater on my rear-end (touch) – I had accidentally turned it on; I came up with the idea of asking some of our residents how their particular anxiety affects their senses. Later that day, I had the perfect opportunity during our new Elements Activity Therapy module. A group was preparing the hints and identifying locations around campus for the scavenger hunt later in the day. I asked the question. The three most common responses were (1) blurred or tunnel vision, (2) nausea, and (3) dry mouth.

At Mountain Valley we help residents develop skills to get in touch with how their body reacts to fear and worry. For example, practicing cognitive defusion so the thoughts don’t control the feelings resulting in the ineffective coping skills. As a result of this work, getting your senses back to where they can be appreciated in the moment to become aware of the positive things around you – like on my drive into work, will make for a more enjoyable life after Mountain Valley.

A Much Needed Dose of Support from Lyme, NH Psychiatrist, Dr. Barbara Wilson

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Carl Lovejoy

Lyme, NH psychiatrist, Dr. Barbara Wilson, offers the Mountain Valley family a “daily dose of support” – My Version of Anxiety isn’t your Version of Anxiety!

In a previous life in outpatient psychiatry, I would frequently see patients who are struggling with social anxiety. A recurring comment from them was “every time I walk down the street it looks as though people are staring at me and are angry with me. I can see it on their faces.“ My reply to this would be, “have you ever considered the possibility that they are all constipated? “ In truth, it was likely far more probable that the majority of the people are walking down the street constipated versus thinking about how much they don’t like a person walking past them with whom they’ve never met.

And while I still stick to my “constipation hypothesis,”ᵀᴹ another possibility is that a lot of people are also walking around anxious. Their minds are racing, they’re not sleeping well, their necks and shoulders sore from the constant tension. Perhaps, they are also carrying the burden of their children’s anxieties or their grandparents’ anxieties or their coworkers’ anxieties or their patients’ anxieties. Perhaps their anxiety is constant; from the minute they wake up until the minute their head hits the pillow it is a whirlwind of “what if‘s” and “how do I plan” and “what might be.” Perhaps their anxiety sneaks up and bites them in the butt. One minute they’re doing well, staying focused, and dealing with the problem in front of them and the next they are scattered, emotionally labile and instantly exhausted. Perhaps they don’t think they have any anxiety at all and are confused by the new onset of jaw clenching, eye twitching, and headaches.

More often than not, anxiety is something that starts deep inside and rarely makes it to the surface for others to notice. However, in the new prolonged, uncertain reality that is COVID-19, my guess is that more anxiety is coming to the surface than ever before.

? How the hell do I know? I say that not because I don’t experience it but because it’s different for everybody. For me I eat less, I’m more irritable, and even more forgetful than my baseline walking advertisement for Vyvanseᵀᴹ. For you, your brows may furrow more, the corners of your mouth may turn down, and you may not be as good of a listener to your friends as you were before. You may even walk right past a friend, not because your eyesight is poor and 6 feet away makes them blurry, but because you are so lost in your own hamster wheel of thoughts and emotions you haven’t looked up to see the world around you.

I bring this up for you today because we are all guilty of jumping to conclusions as to why someone may be behaving the way they are. I’m giving you permission tonight to abandon my “constipation hypothesis”ᵀᴹ and assume that whatever behavior you’re seeing is likely their anxiety on the surface. And instead of starting your conversation with “is everything OK? “ or “what’s wrong?“ just assume you know what’s wrong and say “you know what, I’m feeling super anxious, too.“ It sounds like a funny way to start a conversation AND it instantly articulates the sentiment “ .”

You’re doing an amazing job. Has anyone told you that? Well I just did.

Dr. Barbara Wilson is a physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. To ready more of Dr. Wilson’s Daily Doses, follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/barbara.wilson.7777

Reunions, Lunches, Emails, Cards, and Messages – Carl Lovejoy Offers a “Unique” Perspective

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Carl Lovejoy

I often cringe when people use the word unique to describe something that is clearly not one of a kind – yet when I meet with prospective families on our Plainfield campus or a school counselor on their campus, I find myself occasionally employing this mis-used adjective to describe Mountain Valley. Surely there are other fine programs, treatment centers and hospitals using the same evidence-based treatment modalities we do, but there is much about Mountain Valley that is, well, unique.

I have told this story countless times, but one of my favorite moments with an early group of Mountain Valley residents took place in my office in The Creamery on our original campus in rural Pike, NH. As was the case back then, kids would frequently head to my space during lunch time to raid my snack basket and escape the rigors of exposure therapy. On one beautiful summer’s day, four or five young residents squeezed together onto my old, red leather couch and started to tell me that they wanted to return to MVTC.

“Return?” I questioned, feigning incredulousness. “You want to return?”

Knowing where they were going with this topic, but not wanting to let on, I continued my questioning while pointing my index finger at each of them – “You! You came through the door kicking and screaming – and now you tell me you want to return? And you! You sat in your car with the doors locked in the Creamery parking lot for five hours before I could convince you to give MVTC a chance. And what about you? You had to be transported here! And now you all tell me that you want to come back???”

“No, we don’t want to come back for therapy, silly.” they responded in unison. “We want to come back for a reunion!”

And come back they did. Eight families in October of 2012. 15 in 2013. Several of my colleagues with experience in residential treatment scoffed at the notion that kids would be interested in returning, but they did, for a four-hour event. And each subsequent year, more and more returned – from as far away as Alaska, Hawaii and Costa Rica.

We received numerous emails from disappointed residents who couldn’t attend due to school commitments, so we moved the Reunion from fall to summer – a Summer Celebration – and with the move from Pike to our gorgeous campus in Plainfield, our numbers grew exponentially – almost 250 former residents, their parents, siblings and grandparents, former staff and friends attended last summer for our 8^th annual event – and there’s little doubt that we could have even more in attendance this summer.

Unique? Maybe, maybe not – but certainly special – and fun. We hope you will return on July 18^th for our 9^th Annual Summer Celebration, replete with the amazing Fire It Up pizza food truck, Mac’s frozen treats, the ginormous inflatable waterslide and the legendary bluegrass trio, The Sky Blue Boys w/Banjo Dan and Cookie!

In addition to organizing our reunions, my professional responsibilities at Mountain Valley include traveling around the country, stewarding relationships with former residents and their parents by meeting with them for dinners, lunches, coffee, ice cream cones, etc. I love doing this – especially when I get to see the amazing progress our graduates have made – and I cherish the feedback I receive about their MVTC experiences.

Similarly, I am always thrilled to receive emails, social media messages – and even notes left on whiteboards – sharing testimonials regarding the MVTC experience and the impact it had on them or their parents. The first time I heard “You saved my daughter’s life.” I knew we were on to something. Most recently, prior to a resident’s graduation ceremony – an experience that hasn’t changed much since our very first graduation in the fall of 2011 – the grateful grad wrote a heartfelt message on a Gallup House whiteboard for all to see, “I am Mountain Valley – Mountain Valley is my home.”

How fortunate I am – and we all are – to work at such a, I’ll say it – unique place – a place that gives residents back their lives and, yes, at times, saves those lives in a way that few, if any, other programs seem to do. And how fortunate I am to have had the opportunity to get to know these bright, talented, resilient young people – and their amazing parents who share them with us. We look forward to seeing many of you at this year’s reunion on July 18 – and hearing your laughter, enjoying your hugs, seeing your tears, and listening to your stories of strength and success.

Carl Lovejoy is Mountain Valley’s Associate Executive Director for Communications and Development and a member of MVTC’s founding team.

Dr. Tim DiGiacomo Interviews MVTC Residents Living with OCD, Anxiety and OC-related Challenges

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Carl Lovejoy

In the words of rock and roll titan Alice Cooper, “School’s out for summer!” Well, sorry, Alice, but it’s that time of year again, summer is in the rear view mirror and most adolescents are back in school. Actually, most adolescents have been back in school for a couple of months now, and many have, once again, hit the proverbial “wall,” and are refusing to go to school.

As children, when my siblings and I felt nervous or upset before school, our mom would just tell us “eat a banana and get on the bus.” She was a nurse, so we trusted that this was a legitimate cure and eating this magical fruit would miraculously make everything right in the world. And, while this is not an evidence-based first line treatment, it apparently worked for us and got us to school and her to work.

So, what happens when you need more than just bananas (or prunes, for that matter – another magical fruit so familiar to Mountain Valley alums) to respond differently to your OCD or anxiety, live your life more fully and unburdened, and get yourself to school?

Well, I’ve recently read some interesting and informative blogs and articles related to the start of school and OCD and anxiety. There is a great deal of good information out there from professionals related to evidence-based treatments, but I also thought it would be useful to include some thoughts from those living with OCD, anxiety, and OC-related challenges. So, I sat down with several gracious Mountain Valley residents to get their thoughts…

Awareness and Insight

I was curious about awareness and insight into OCD and school-related challenges, so when I asked how Tommy* became more aware that challenges started to increase for him, he noted, “when little things became big problems…I had always loved school but then I started to hate school and then I started to think ‘what’s the point?’”

This was the evolution of OCD and BDD-related challenges leading to depression-related challenges. This is what led to an increase in isolation and avoidance. Tommy stated, “Just the thought of school was so distressing that I didn’t want to move.” Having to avoid certain places and situations at school, due to the OCD-related stress, took a toll and despite his efforts, it was exhausting. He was unable to consistently get to school and he fell farther and farther behind in school.

Similarly, Gina* noted that it’s important to remember that school is not just about academics, and that academics are not the only sign of difficulties. She could keep up her grades fine for a time; however, prior to challenges with her grades, she noticed an increase in isolation and time trying to distract herself from distressing thoughts and situations, stating, “I didn’t want to spend time with my thoughts.” She and her family began to notice a need for more help as she became more withdrawn and started avoiding school. For Gina, as she returns to school, she plans to keep in mind that “it’s not just about academics,” but also overall health and living life in a meaningful and fulfilling way.

Reaching Out for Support

Another important theme came out of these conversations; the importance of reaching out for support. Both Tommy and Gina noted the importance of trusting others enough to share their challenges, but also noted that it was hard for them to understand their challenges enough to articulate them to others. As such, it can be challenging for others to respond in a way that is helpful. Sometimes, family, friends, and teachers will not understand what’s happening for someone living with OCD or anxiety and it’s challenging to talk about this.

Tommy noted that he didn’t feel shame in talking about his challenges, but also just did not know that he could talk with others about this, despite having loving and caring relationships. Gina noted, “I didn’t want others to see how vulnerable I was, but I didn’t have the energy to cover it up either…so I just didn’t go to school.” Both also noted that in the absence of sharing with others that it’s too easy to rationalize their challenges, minimize them, make excuses, or be overwhelmed with their obsessions and compulsions. By bringing in others to the challenges, you’re able to get feedback and support.

Get Creative with School and Treatment

Tommy and Gina suggested using academic advisors, school counselors, family and friends for support and to tailor your OCD and anxiety treatment to school. That is, to incorporate exposure therapy into your school day to address your OCD while still working on your academics and engaging in other school activities. They suggested getting creative with school schedules, if possible, so that you’re able to attend school and achieve, while also still giving yourself time to recover and engage in treatment. Gina noted that if you are really suffering and stuck, “It’s okay to sacrifice a semester or to take time out of school to get treatment.” This, in reference to a more intensive level of treatment, more so than typical outpatient therapy.

You are More than your OCD

A final overarching theme was to find ways to continuously challenge yourself to overcome your stuck points with OCD and also to continuously care for yourself. It’s crucial to remember that you are more than your OCD and more than your OCD is allowing you to be during challenging times. Living with OCD, anxiety and OC-related challenges is not easy and change can be difficult; however, you’ve got people like Tommy, Gina, and the staff at Mountain Valley to keep cheering you on.

Intrusive thoughts à distraction
Engaging in compulsions à distraction – can open you up to bullying and ridicule
Address the lack of understanding of OCD by educating school staff
Help your child find ways of explaining their OCD to their friends
Identify self-care to help your child continue attending school
Identify support people at school
Help your child understand their reasons for continuing to attend school and engage fully
Know that there will be ups and downs – some days are harder than others
It may be harder during the transition times and also when the work increases/becomes more challenging

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality. Prior to MVTC, Tommy attended school and worked a part-time job on the docks.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality. Prior to MVTC, Gina attended school and worked a part-time job at a diner.

Dr. Timothy DiGiacomo, Mountain Valley’s Clinical Director, is a licensed clinical psychologist with comprehensive experience treating children, adolescents and adults with individual, group and family therapy, including utilizing CBT-based modalities for anxiety, depression and trauma. Tim has treated individuals with anxiety, depressed mood, motivational difficulties, stress-related problems, learning difficulties, and trauma. Tim has completed the International OCD Foundation’s Advanced Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) and is trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy, and other evidence-based treatments. He has a particular interest in family therapy. Tim enjoys meeting clients where they are at and helping them to learn the tools that they need to resolve their difficulties. Tim takes a strengths-based and supportive approach to empower families to make positive changes that work for their family’s needs.

Dr. DiGiacomo oversees, leads and guides the clinical program and strategic development of our clinical services. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring the incorporation of the latest in Evidence Based Practices (EBP) for the treatment of OCD and Anxiety Disorders, overseeing Performance Measures systems including Outcomes Monitoring, research, and screening approval for prospective clients. He also serves as the “Clinical Face” of Mountain Valley externally. This includes, but is not limited to, developing and delivering local, regional and national conference presentations, supporting clinical outreach activities, liaison with external organizations and entities to the benefit of Mountain Valley and in the overall treatment of OCD and Anxiety Disorders.

Dr. DiGiacomo provides on-site clinical supervision of staff and systems including directly supervising the Senior Clinician and at least one therapist for both administrative/performance and clinical supervision and providing clinical supervision for the Associate Clinical Director. He actively engages in and supports the marketing communications initiatives and branding to include, but not be limited to, identifying national accreditation for the Residential Exposure Specialist training, supporting the digital marketing program, and publication of the work we do.

During his time at West Central Behavioral Health in Lebanon, NH, Dr. DiGiacomo worked as a clinician, psychological assessment coordinator, Team Leader, and Acting Director of the Child Team. He served as a Clinical/Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry for the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, providing therapy and assessment supervision, and teaching seminars for psychology interns and post-doctoral fellows. He has taught courses on co-parenting and alternative dispute resolution for the State of New Hampshire for families going through divorce. He has also served as adjunct faculty for New England College and Franklin Pierce University, teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He served as a psychologist and consultant for the Plainfield, NH and Lebanon, NH school districts. Tim has worked in research at Yale University, in clinical roles at VA Medical Centers, and in various mental health facilities.

Dr. DiGiacomo graduated from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology and completed his internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Dartmouth Medical School. He earned his Master of Arts in Community and Clinical Psychology at Norfolk State University. He completed his B.A. in psychology at Fairfield University.

Don Vardell Writes about The Importance of Traditions at MVTC

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Carl Lovejoy

Having and maintaining traditions are important both for families and organizations. They are a vehicle for supporting positive aspects of an organization’s culture, spotlighting what makes the group unique, and make for great stories. Some of my favorite traditions from my family and my previous work experience include: the ugly Christmas sweater passed down to other family members, monthly ice cream socials, making holiday cookies with Grandma, dressing up like your therapist at Halloween.

The best traditions are those that are organic – those that come from the bottom up. At Mountain Valley we are filled with fun, unique and resident-developed traditions. Here are just a few with their reason/purpose:

The “Elder Stick” – a walking stick adorned with holiday lights and sayings from past residents. The most senior resident (by number of days at Mountain Valley) is handed down the stick the evening after a graduation.
The “Auction” – the evening before a graduation, the resident graduating auctions off specific items collected while at Mountain Valley. Things like specific clothing, books, or crafts made in the art module are examples of the most common items. Other residents make their “case” for why they want the item and the soon-to-be graduate awards items based on the case made.
Graduation Day Meal – the resident graduating picks the lunch meal that will be served to the whole community, family members and staff. Classic meals include sweat potato gnocchi, pasta bar, and make your own ramen bowl. All flawlessly prepared by our Chef, Pete Bayless. During the graduation ceremony, ice cream from the local dairy, McNamara Dairy, is served. Who is hungry?

Again, all of these have been resident-driven. These, in addition to so many other things about Mountain Valley’s model are what make our treatment program special. While being clinically intensive, we also strive to make a resident and families’ experience memorable and effective. What are the traditions within your family or workplace? I’ll bet they don’t include an ‘Elder Stick.”

Don Vardell, Mountain Valley’s Executive Director, is seasoned healthcare administrator and operational leader with experience at the helms of private residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools and non-profit service organizations.

Erika Faust Returns as First MVTC Graduate to Join Staff

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Carl Lovejoy

Since Mountain Valley opened in 2011, we have looked forward to the day when we would invite a graduate to work on the staff. That day occurred last month, when Erika Faust was hired as our Program Outcomes Associate. Her thoughts on returning to MVTC are below.

I entered Mountain Valley in July of 2016 at 20 years old after realizing I needed a greater level of care in order to learn how to manage the anxiety I had struggled with my whole life. I wanted a fix for my anxiety, but learned that in order to get better, I had to radically accept my anxiety and learn to live with it in a healthy way. I learned that I would still experience anxiety and could use the skills I learned at Mountain Valley to return to college and live in accordance with my values and goals. Over the course of my final year at Villanova, I realized that I wanted to put my mathematical degree to use in the mental health field – and I fantasized about one day working for the place that made such a positive difference in my life.

Upon my graduation, Don Vardell provided me the incredible opportunity of becoming Mountain Valley’s first Program Outcomes Associate. In this role, I use my mathematics background to coordinate data collection and analysis. In addition, I also get to assess activity therapy modules to ensure they are meeting programmatic goals. With 19 years of equestrian experience, I especially enjoy joining the equine group, where I lead the activity occurring in conjunction with horseback riding and make suggestions for the equine program’s continual improvement.

As MVTC’s first alumnus to be hired to work on the staff, I hope to serve as a positive role model for current residents. Though I am working in Plainfield instead of Pike – the campus on which I spent my time at MVTC – the beautiful Mountain Valley culture remains the same. I thoroughly enjoy being back at Mountain Valley in this capacity and hope to play a role in keeping it the incredible place it is.

MVTC’s Clinical Director, Dr. Tim DiGiacomo, asks, “How’s Your Moooooood?”

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Carl Lovejoy

An article in a recent edition of The New York Times would like readers to believe that animal-based therapy using cows is something new. Mountain Valley residents, however, would be quick to tell you that they have been exposed to these amazing creatures for years. Cow cuddling, as the practice is called, invites interaction with the farm animals via brushing, petting or heartfelt chats. Our current favorite cow, Zeke, isn’t actually a cow, he’s a steer, and he possesses the same traits that make for an excellent therapist – he’s calm, accommodating of a range of personalities, and has the patience to listen to endless problems without so much as a judgmental moo.

MVTC’s Clinical Director, Tim DiGiacomo, a long-time advocate of cow cuddling, shares his light-hearted thoughts on animal-based therapy here in Plainfield.

How’s Your Moooood? *

*Disclaimer: This blog post comes to you complete with incredibly well-thought-out animal puns and jokes.

I’ve felt a bit sheepish (I warned you) about writing this blog but I wanted to get the message out. Mountain Valley is not your typical residential treatment center for anxiety and OCD. Sure, we use empirically supported treatments for anxiety and OCD including CBT, ERP, DBT, and ACT. We also provide therapeutic activities fostering exposure to, appreciation of, and interaction with the outdoors and of course…our fantastic animals. Our residents say that it is these therapeutic activities and the animals specifically that help to rejuvenate and provide moments of joy, humor, and connection, especially during challenging times. For many residents, it is the animals that help them get unstuck, re-energized, and back to working so hard towards their goals.

MV is a place where chickens, sheep, horses and a steer roam…no buffalo yet. It’s a place where you can feel herd, understood, and supported while engaging in the challenging work to address your anxiety and OCD and to learn to reduce symptoms, live your life in the present moment and to move towards your values and goals. For many at MV, the animals on campus help to reduce stress, provide a reason to get outside, and provide a sense of commitment, responsibility, and a desire to care for the animals. There’s not a day that goes by that residents aren’t talking to or cuddling with the sheep and hens. It can really make someone’s day when Gandalf, and the other ladies run up to them in between activities or on their way to a therapy session. And then there’s Zeke…a behemoth of affection. I’m not sure if he realizes that he’s a steer or knows his size, especially when he trots over to you for a pet. In a recent survey, Zeke was voted the most favorite MV animal and beat out the udders by a whole 2 percent! (Wow, that was a stretch!) And, thanks to the excellent equine work being done at Willow Brook Farm, Froggy, Leo, Cesar, and Shenanigans are always ready for a pat down or a trot too. Nothing like a 2000-pound horse to provide a few lessons on anxiety as well as confidence for you.

In all seriousness though, the presence of and work with the animals at MV has a very significant effect on the well-being of those who live here. For those struggling with contamination-related challenges, they can offer an opportunity for exposure. For those wanting to learn to be more present and mindful, the animals offer a source of comfort and a refocusing of attention. For those trying to use the animals to avoid feelings or exposures…the animals tell them to get back to work, don’t avoid but rather engage, and that they’ll be around to hang out later.

So, while the backbone of MV is evidence-based practice, I’d have to say that the heart is the animals, the residents, and those who work here. Please feel free to reach out to us to learn more about Mountain Valley, or check out The New York Times Magazine article featuring the work of the residents at Mountain Valley.

Written with assistance from MV’s Canine Crew – Luna, Betty, and Hopa