CAPE TOWN - EDSA is an outpatient treatment centre for individuals with eating disorders or who have suffered from various forms of trauma.

The centre will open in Constantia Cape Town in March at 8, Klein Constantia Road under the Recovery Direct banner.

“I wanted a central location so we can reach as many people as possible,” says marketing manager Doug Kemp, who has a played an intergral role in the establishment of the Recovery Direct treatment centres for non-12step addiction treatment facilities.

Though treating eating disorders will be a particular focus, Kemp says he wants the centre to be “for any person that has trauma that they’re wanting to work through.”

That could be a physical trauma or something that’s manifested as anxiety, anger or depression.

Kemp says that healing trauma that’s been stored in a person’s body “is something that is new in the field and far more innovative and constructive and effective than the majority of treatments presently offered within the industry in South Africa.”

Staff members will include a variety of professionals, such as psychologists, dieticians, nurse practitioners, psychotherapists that are what Kemp calls a “trauma-informed” specialists in their field.

The centre will have a soft opening in early March 2019. Updates can be found on the dedicated Eating Disorders Website or on the following pages associated to the Eating disorders community in South Africa.

(Residential ED private care treatment centre)
(National ED awareness programme and outpatient help centre)
(Free dedicated national help line)

“The distinctions between Recovery Direct Eating disorder residential programme and the other residential treatment programmes offered in South Africa are that Recovery Direct’s centres do not follow the 12 step treatment model. Recovery Direct’s focus is on delivering far more intensive evidence based (one on one treatment sessions) via the registered psychologists and recovery support staff.”

“The one on one patient session ratio at Recovery Direct is about 3 to 5x that of other centres (that usually only offer “weekly one-on-one counselling”) in that each client will have at least one one on one individual session with a qualified psychologist specialised in ED’s every day of the work week. We have found that the duration of stay coupled with this intensive daily routine, we are able to exponentially accelerate the treatment as clients are able to unpack more in the daily sessions and reach the core drivers of their respective eating disorders which in most cases results in trauma resolution focused therapy.”

“Trauma is a complicated experience, and what happens after a traumatic experience even more so. Two people’s reaction to trauma may be completely different, and we’re learning more about how different and varied those reactions are every day. ”

The centre is operated by the CEO Mr Gary Bretenbach and Clinical Director and Trauma Treatment Specialist Vaughan Pankurst that oversee the team of about 15 dedicated psychology professionals.
Vaughan Pankhurst : “Our centre is one of the few treatment providers that specialise in resolving both substance use and eating disorders within the trauma care programmes.”  “This is a hand selected team of my own making and we spare no expense or effort in ensuring that our clients receive premium, confidential and life changing therapy in their day to day treatment at Recovery Direct.”

Submitted by: MyPR