Client Testimonials- (If you would like to talk to someone in person who has finished Selah's program, call our office at 888-641-0022 and we will connect you with someone.)

When I entered Selah House I had little hope of living. My eating disorder had taken over my life and I was actually hoping it would kill me rather than try to live life with it. The admissions process truly saved my life. I was desperate for help and was losing any fight I had left in me, but Chaia gave me hope in my assessment. It was different than any of the other several treatment centers I had been assessed by. I was skeptical when I heard that the majority of the staff had suffered from eating disorders, because I didn't believe it was possible to be free from these horrible diseases. My skepticism was challenged the second I entered Selah. I saw the staff’s eyes and voices full of life and emotion. They gave me hope that just maybe I could experience the same freedom. I made things difficult for myself and the staff out of my fear of changing and mistrust of their care for me, but they patiently loved me and waited for my heart to change. Never have people given me such continual support. They didn't give up on me, much to my surprise. I've never had people have that much confidence or faith in the potential for freedom they saw in me.
God is truly amazing to have worked through the Selah staff to transform my life. I never believed I would have freedom from my eating disorder, but I am slowly coming alive day by day. I feel hope, and for the first time can see myself as a beautiful, cherished, precious child of God. For the first time I can actually feel freedom in my heart from the lies that have bound me for so long, and genuine happiness. I have hope for the amazing future God has for me! For the first time I feel capable of seeing the gifts and beauty within myself and it is so liberating.
The team at Selah House completely changed my life and I will forever be so thankful to them! I never would have fought for my freedom if it wasn't for them!

Mindy

It has been one year since I commenced from Selah House. Though I have had some bumps in the road, I am pleased with where I am today. Words cannot express the gratitude I have to all involved in my recovery process. I know, at times, I did not make it easy. You are a gift from God to me on this earth. You believed in me when I did not. I trusted you when I could not trust myself. You took my hand when I did not know which way to go. I was loved by you when I believed I was unloveable. You guided me to where I am today.

Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for being who you are and doing what you do. I hope to continue to grow and make you proud. I hope to be to you, what you are to me, a true inspiration. I thank God for you and not only today, but everday of my life.

Love, Michelle

Angels of Hope entered my life August 1, 2007. Those Angels are the entire team here at the Selah House. For 18 years, I have been an abused victim of an eating disorder. That eating disorder stole my life as a friend, teacher, wife, mother, and person in general. Program after program, I searched for hope in terms of finally finding a road to recovery, painfully hitting pot after pot hole along the way. My road has been paved at least by teh most incredible team of people I have ever known.

From the moment I entered treatment on December 3, 2007; I have been encouraged, nurtured, accepted, applauded, loved, and most of all challenged by people who believed that I could find recovery. The main therapist team of Janie, Todd, and Misty were able to look me in the eye, and seee when I was truly present myself or if it was the presence of my eating disorder. Each of these team members hle my hand and lent me a shoulder to cry on as they walked me throught the blackness of my past. They helped me thaw out in terms of being able to experience feelings and emotions that had been put away for many years.

Other wonderful aspects of the Selah program have been all the different therapy grops. Writing group helped me listen to music and connect to meaning of verbal sounds. Art therapy encouraged me to find the inner child that so longed to be unleashed. Dance and movement therapy helped me get in touch with my body by relaxing and listening to my inner beauty. Beading group allowed me to be creative and develop beautiful, expressive pieces of jewelry to wear with pride to celebrate my journey to recovery. Body image group helped me see just how much my eating disorder lies to me. I got to see how twisted my body image was through my eating disorders eyes and after 7 weeks to finally be able to see my body through the eyes God gave me. Nutrition group taught me the truth about eating for the nourishment of my body. Finally , the Selah group helped me open up my heart to the Lord.

In the beginning of recovery, I was angry with God and even doubted his existence. I continually thought that He was purposefully ignoring my cries for help and letting me suffer through years of pain and agony. Through the affirmations of many people, I was able to see God in a way that I need to see Him. One particular RC named Meghan, helped me see God's love all around me. His love has been with my every second of every day through the love of people around me, through the beauty of nature, and the guidance to the Selah House. I am so thankful for God's blessings upon the Selah House. He has provided those of us with painful eating disorders the presence of His love here in this home.

I pray for each man or woman with an eating disorder to be guided as I was to the Selah House. I pray that you experience the hope I felt back on August 1st. The hope that freedom from an eating disorder can and will happen under the roof of the Selah House with God's love upon us.

Selah has saved my life and helped me embrace the gifts God has granted me.

- Melanie

Thank you, all of you, for your support and encouragement while I was in treatment and even now as I enter back into my life. I couldn't have grown, matured, or overcome my struggles without each and everyone of your individual help and concern, as well as your thoughts! I hope the best for Selah in the future, because it is a great place where those who struggle really can find freedom! I would recommend Selah to anybody who is struggling with an eating disorder! Getting treatment was definitely worth it, and was one of the best choices that I have ever made!

-Anonymous

I placed my trust in God and His ability to use the staff at Selah to make me whole, and I’m a free woman today because of their willingness to be used by God to heal me. I cannot thank them all enough for daily walking me through to recovery and teaching me to separate who I am from who ED is. I used to walk in shame, but now I walk in confidence. In John 10:10, Jesus says “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I am finally living life to the full, thanks to the help of the loving and genuine staff at Selah House.

With loving gratitude,
-Kendra

I asked the Lord what it would mean to let go of my eating disorder of 15 years. His reply was the Selah House. The compassion, wisdom, truth, and kindness of the staff who work here have encouraged me to discover a life without my eating disorder. The love that God has poured out through them encourages and strengthens me to fly into His grace and into the freedom He desires me to know. Here at Selah House I have learned that as the Lord has told us, “the truth will set you free (John 8:32).” Here I am learning to love myself and to trust in God’s love for me.
-Darcy

Upon entering Selah House I felt an immediate sense of security and love. The staff conveyed such love and empathy. They were truly there to make a difference and to launch me into the freedom to live life without an eating disorder.

Not only is the staff amazing; with their unconditional love and their ability to make you feel like family, but the equine experience provides an amazing component of the treatment program at Selah House. Never before could I have imagined how a connection with a horse could help lead me to get in touch with and understand my deepest emotions. There is a unique connection between working with a horse and identifying components of my eating disorder.

In closing, I should mention that the unique family program is outstanding. I have been in five different treatment facilities and have never experienced such intense and beneficial family work.

I am blessed to have gotten the opportunity to be at Selah House. For the first time I am confident that I can walk into freedom and have a bright future without an eating disorder.

With Deepest Love and Appreciation,
-Whitney

Selah has fulfilled more emotions and needs than any binge, purge, or quick fix any diet pill could do for me!

I found a place where I could connect with the obstacles that were standing in the way of me being in control of my life.

“Team Selah” was a group of individuals that came together for me through nutrition, therapy, equine, dance, and spirituality that gave me a life altering experience to break free from ED.

The Journey to Recovery from ED…
S - Strength, Support, Spirituality
E - Eliminating the mask of your eating disorder
L - Love for you and life after ED
A - Affirmations for a healthier life
H - Health, Happiness, Hope

If you’re reading this then you need the help… Get it. Selah is the place to get your life back.
-Steph

Family & Friends Testimonials

March 5, 2008

Dear Selah House Staff,

Please allow me to extend my personal praise and gratitude to each and every one of you, as my daughter begins to find her path away from her eating disorder, and toward recovery, life and the light. I wanted to take the opportunity to provide this testimonial for families who may be considering this program.

Everyone at Selah will remember where our daughter was at the point of intake. She was angry, depressed and so sick that we worried she would not be alive long enough to enter Selah. It was no small task to convince her to enter treatment at all, but Chaia walked with her patiently and courageously, to ensure that she arrived as scheduled to begin her program. Chaia responded to my frequent frantic calls with compassion, and she checked in on my daughter regularly to be sure that she was alright. Finally the day arrived when it was time to enter the peace that Selah House can offer. I could not have been more grateful to turn her over to their care. Every day we were in fear for her life.

With Janie as our primary therapist, and Todd as our family therapist, we journeyed together to renew family relationships that had withered under the oppression of ED. Family week was grueling, exhausting and liberating. Blame was removed and discovery began. I believe that this amazing staff has truly opened the door for my daughter to begin to live and explore life in the Grace of Jesus Christ - as she has never felt before. Last night I told my daughter that I had not felt so happy in a long time…and she agreed.

This recovery has taken us on many twists and turns as we discover who my daughter really is, behind the performance, the perfectionism, the masks and the dynamics of our family. Her journey forward will look different from what we had envisioned for her, but that is what has been so very exciting about this process. Finally, I feel as though my daughter is developing a vision for HERSELF. And we are able to enjoy her more fully as she more fully discovers her own gifts and talents and plans for life.

When we were first considering treatment, we were recommended first to another treatment facility, which just did not “feel” right to me, or to my daughter. Women with ED are broken and need spiritual support and encouragement. Very few treatment facilities in this country appropriately combine both the tools to support the soul and the heart, along with the medical and therapeutic programming that is needed to bring about the overwhelming changes that need to happen for recovery to begin. Selah House is everything that I had prayed for, and more. It is hard to believe that it is as close as Anderson, Indiana.

Other parents may have concerns about the “credentials” of the team members at Selah. This staff is first rate. All of the professional members of the staff have been treating eating disorders as qualified specialists for years. It is only the house that is new. The house, however, has been the dream of Misty Rees, Program Director, and it serves as a life support for those of us who have family members who needed that level of support. A particular benefit of Selah House, as a Central Indiana parent, is that Selah and the Selah family will be close enough to give my beautiful daughter ongoing support as her recovery continues. Once a part of this amazing family, always a part of the family. With Selah, residential treatment can continue through both outpatient and aftercare programs. The ability to provide aftercare is key to ongoing recovery and freedom. This is a difficult disorder to conquer, and the path to recovery is sometimes long and crooked. Selah is uniquely able to support their patients all along that path.

I would be remiss to not thank the 24 hour hour support of all the ancillary members of this team, who will now be life-long friends of our family. All of the RCs; Suzy, the dietician; Kendra, the nurse; Marcy and Mischon, who cook…just everyone. These people clearly love the Lord, love the girls, love their work. And we love them, too. And that doesn’t even include the amazing residents and their terrific families, who we have grown to love as well.

Some people may be concerned about the role of religion at Selah House. My daughter was raised in an evangelical Christian family, but she had felt disconnected from God as her disease held her in its grip. Selah House is not based in a particular faith, but God is very much present within its doors. The faith aspect of Selah is strong, and as my daughter looks back at her time there, I think she will tell you that it was a critical component of the “why she should get well” aspect of recovery. Without God it is hard to see your purpose in the world, and without purpose, it is hard to be willing to do the work that is necessary. For nearly any woman who enters Selah with a belief in a loving, creator God, the faith component will be a source of hope and strength.

Finally, I know that if you are reading this letter, you are feeling hopeless and anguished and lost….and you are looking at the Selah House web site wondering if this might be your answer. You see a lovely place that seems like it might be a place where you personally can go, or could send your hurting friend or loved one. Selah House is all of what you see, and so much more. I have never met a more committed and invested group of professionals anywhere. Selah House has been an answer to our prayers, and could be yours as well.

Sincerely,

Fishers, Indiana

As we approach the celebration of Liann’s first year of recovery, we also need to celebrate the gift from God of the Selah House team. After years of treatment, we were informed that there was little hope for her recovery. The following day, we met Misty! Wow!

It is so difficult to express our gratitude and admiration for this group of people in simple words, but we will try. Our journey is likely familiar to many who are reading this now. It was filled with desperation, tears, false hope, expert and not-so-expert opinions, and finally a point where a change was clearly needed.

Although it was difficult to leave Liann on that first day of residential treatment, we knew that she was surrounded by the most qualified and the most caring treatment team we could find. We had no idea what this really meant!

Not only was Liann being expertly and lovingly treated, but we were, as well. Our individual and family meetings were amazing. We were so encouraged to KNOW that freedom from eating disorders is not only possible, but that these women who were helping our daughter to recover were living proof.

Family week was a turning point for our family. We learned so much about ourselves and our family dynamics that we still put into practice today.

Clearly, the credentials and experience of Dr. Irick, Misty, Janie, Kendra, Todd, Patty and the entire treatment team at Selah speak for itself, but what makes Selah so special is what is in the heart of each individual who has devoted their life to saving others. Liann has sought and found support and guidance from any number of Selah professionals whenever she has needed them. We know that each phone call, hug, open-door welcome has made all the difference in her recovery.

The out-patient and follow-up programs have been so helpful to Liann, but the support for our family even this far out of residential treatment is great as well. We know that we can pick up a phone at any time, and Janie, Misty or whomever we need will be available to discuss our concerns or questions with us. Even when it is simply to calm our misplaced anxieties, we’ve always felt more than comfortable making these calls. Although we have not been able to attend as many of the support for Families groups as we’d like, the ones we have been to have been awesome and informative. Through Todd’s observation, Lou and I are still learning a lot about ourselves!

We don’t want to name names, because we don’t want to miss anyone, but from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you all and appreciate what you ALL do more than you will ever know.

-Karen and Lou

Dear Misty & Staff:
Wow! What a wonderful experience to attend and participate in your family week with our daughter. Your program is awesome and we were very pleased to be included. Our daughter is in the right place!

After more than eleven years and five hospitalizations in four different venues, we feel very fortunate that our daughter is in Selah House. For the first time we are optimistic that she has a great opportunity for a bright future.

As you well know the stress on the family dynamics has been overwhelming these past eighteen months. After participating in your program last week we now have a much better insight into her disease process, our role and responsibility in dealing with it, and the foundation and purpose of your program.

After traveling more than one thousand miles and arriving at two-thirty am in Anderson, IN., we were definitely not ready for the challenge facing us. Upon entering the Selah House, meeting the staff and experiencing the warmth and love conveyed by all, the tone was set for our awesome experience. It is little wonder that our daughter has expressed her feeling of “security, home, family and being loved.” Your title “Selah House,” which translates from the Aramaic word means properly ‘at ease or at rest,’ conveying both the contentment and security connotes quite well what lies within the beautiful facility housing your program.

During our three-day visit we experienced the feeling that your staff had a true and genuine commitment that it was their MINISTRY to serve our daughter and lead her to the freedom of living as the rest of us have. We are truly blessed that she is under you care.

In closing, we would be remiss to not individually thank you Larry, Patty, Janie, Kendra, Kathy, Chaia, David, Marcie, Raegan, Adina and all else. Each of you were very kind to us and very special to our daughter.

With great respect and deep appreciation,
Sincerely yours,
-Robert and Holly

P.S.
The unique and special aspect of the equine program provides an additional dimension to your outstanding facilities.

Dear Misty Rees & Selah House Staff:
I wanted to take a minute and reflect upon my wife’s stay and treatment team at Selah House.

It is without trepidation that I make the following points regarding Selah. Whitney and our family have been Extremely blessed to be afforded the chance to interact, be educated, and receive treatment from such a comprehensive program. This program focuses on a magnitude of dynamics that play an ever important aspect in treating the devastating and debilitating role an eating disorder plays on one’s ability to love and function in society.

The staff and house provide ample opportunities and tools for these young women to express their feelings and address the multifaceted issues that lie behind eating disorders. Having been affiliated with treatment centers around the United States which are deemed “the best”, not one of them have addressed the issues in such a comprehensive manner as Selah.

One facet which makes this program unique is the level of competency, love, dedication, and care that everyone from the directors to evening resident counselors displays for the girls. Not one of them views their role as a paycheck – they all make it their mission to see the residents succeed.

In addition to the staff, I feel that open communication is vital to the family of the loved one if they so desire. This program is by far the best at informing, sharing, returning calls, and updating the family of their loved one’s condition. They also provide and intense family week which is conducive to both clients and families.

In closing, if a person was to look up the definitions of success, guidance, dedication, love, support, and nurturing, and then look for these positive attributes in a residential program, they would find that Selah possesses them all. This is truly one of the finest organizations that I have ever been affiliated with. I am unequivocally assured that your experience will be as positive as our.

Thank you so much to the following individuals: Misty, Janie, Patty, Kathy, David, Janet, Marcie, Chaia, Kendra, Nece, and all resident counselors.

Warm regards and great appreciation,
- Aaron