The Wandi
Experience

Your recovery journey begins here

Located in a beautiful bushland setting, Wandi Nerida provides evidence-based therapies with complementary and holistic approaches to help make eating disorder recovery a reality. Here we explore what sets Wandi apart from other treatment facilities.

A typical day at Wandi Nerida

Tenae is a graduated participant of Wandi Nerida. In this video, she discusses what a normal day looks like at Wandi, what it was like when she first arrived, how the supplementary therapies at Wandi supported her recovery and her advice for prospective participants.

What to expect with Wandi Nerida's model of care

Dr Carly Roukus, Clinical Lead at Wandi Nerida, explains the B-FREEDT Model of Care, including our treatments and therapies, staff expertise and training, and how Wandi uses a multidisciplinary approach.

What sets Wandi apart

Brian Mayahle, Chief Executive Officer of Wandi Nerida, explains what makes Wandi a special place and why we believe everyone can recover from an eating disorder. This video also discusses the clinical governance model and what makes Wandi Nerida different to other treatment facilities.

Wandi's homelike environment

Danielle Doughtery, Operations Director at Wandi Nerida, shares how Wandi’s homelike environment can support recovery. This video also touches on the admissions process and considerations, what’s involved in the weekly clinical program and Wandi Nerida’s success rate and clinical evaluations.

Take a tour

Join Mollie as she takes us on a tour of Wandi Nerida – Australia’s first residential treatment centre for eating disorders.

Our therapeutic programs

Individual therapy

One-on-one sessions with your dedicated care team form the foundation of your eating disorder residential treatment experience. Our person-centred approach means therapy is tailored to your individual medical, emotional, physical, and nutritional needs.

Individual therapy helps you work through the underlying factors maintaining your eating disorder while strengthening your healthy self throughout your stay and beyond.

Group therapy

At Wandi Nerida we understand the importance of one-to-one sessions with a participant’s individual care team. However, one of the aspects that sets us apart is our focus on group therapy. We believe that social community is a powerful agent for change. Group therapy fosters social connection and allows for peer feedback and reflection as well as accountability and support. Research has shown strong outcomes in routine clinical settings for psychological therapy delivered in a group format to clients with eating disorders.

Family therapy

At Wandi Nerida we take a “systemic approach” to treating eating disorders. This means that our treatment program considers all the factors in a participants’ context that may be maintaining the eating disorder and also draws on a participants’ environment to find support and solutions to help them recover from the eating disorder. Furthermore, we recognise that eating disorders affect not only the individual but impact whole families and communities. Our family therapy program therefore has both educational and therapeutic components to help families heal and draws on the strength in families to assist their loved one to recover from an eating disorder.

Holistic therapies

Equine assisted therapy

We have state-of-the-art equine facilities and are offering equine-assisted mental health and psychotherapy in our program. Our practitioners employ a wide range of psychological and human development principles in working with participants alongside our herd of horses to address underlying psychological problems.

Nature-based activities

Nature-based activity is a known therapeutic supplement to traditional treatments. Wandi’s organic gardening program allows participants to connect with the natural world while providing opportunities to reflect on their individual purpose and values.

Art, music and drama therapy

“Expressive therapies”, which incorporate art, music, drama and dance therapy encourage creativity and focus on the non-verbal aspect of communication through the use of imagery, symbolism and metaphors as a link to psychological/emotional states. We believe any individual regardless of ability, disability, illness or health can engage creatively in the arts and use them to help restore health and wellbeing.

Movement therapy

Exercise and movement are important for physical and emotional wellbeing. Our movement therapy program is designed and monitored by exercise physiologists and incorporates different activities such as nature walks, yoga, guided stretch exercises and dancing. We understand the complexities that come with some eating disorders in the form of excessive exercise and strive to support our participants to develop healthy habits around movement and exercise.

Building skills for the real world

Outings

While treatment can feel like a safe cocoon, it is important to practise being in recovery out in the world. To help support you as you apply healthy coping skills in real-world scenarios such as going to the movies, getting coffee and snack, visiting museums, etc. Staff always accompany participants during these exposures.

Awards and recognition

In June 2022, Wandi Nerida won the coveted Award for Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety from the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards. The Award for Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety recognises innovation and demonstrated quality improvement in the delivery of safe, effective patient care.

Ready to begin your recovery journey?

Our team is here to answer your questions about the eating disorder residential treatment experience at Wandi Nerida. We’ll discuss eligibility, the admission process, what to bring, and what to expect during your stay.

For more information about our program, visit our