What makes the Earth House program unique?

Earth House is residential, not institutional.

Earth House provides a home for students who are actively working to recover.  There are no fences around the property, no locks on the doors, no special rooms for seclusion.  Students have their private space, and when there are no planned activities, each person is free to pursue his or her own interest.

Students are expected to share in the chores, participate in classes, and help one another.  As they are able, they go into the community to study or to work.  They are encouraged to get a driver's license, to have a car and in general to work towards their highest possible level of functioning and towards requiring as little supervision as possible.

The program of recovery at Earth House begins to take effect as better exercise and eating habits help the student feel better.  Then better concentration becomes possible, confusion lessens, and the student can begin to set realistic goals.

Earth House treats the cause as well as the symptoms. 

Earth House is interested in the physical causes that underlie brain malfunction and the subsequent disordered thinking.  We have found that many of our students have abnormal levels of toxic metals such as lead, mercury, copper, cadmium and aluminum.  Others have cerebral allergies.  These conditions can be corrected by orthomolecular treatment.

Earth House has each student undergo a battery of biochemical and cerebral allergy tests.  Levels of vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and essential fats are checked and nutrients sufficient to bring the levels into normal range are prescribed.  Allergies, if any, are discovered and treated appropriately.

Appropriate doses of psychotropic medications are continued to treat immediate symptoms.  However, as brain chemistry becomes more normal through proper nutrition, smaller and smaller doses of the drugs are required.  Combining appropriate nutrients with medication is advantageous for a number of reasons.  For example, some nutrients potentiate the activity of the medications while others can actually be substituted for medication, so that smaller doses are needed.  The body therefore begins to do for itself what the drugs have been prescribed to do.

As a rule, schizophrenic patients dislike taking psychoactive drugs because of the unpleasant side effects.  The Earth House goal of substantially reducing or eliminating the need for these medicines is a strong motivating factor for student compliance and perseverance.  Student input about medication is taken seriously, and their concerns are addressed.

Earth House insists on good nutrition.

Nutrients are supplied in regulated amounts to recreate biochemical balance, just as supplements are given in any condition where a normal diet cannot accommodate the bodies needs.  Good overall nutrition is crucial to developing biochemical balance.  Earth House provides a diet designed to promote good health and fosters sound dietary habits.  The food is delicious and attractive, as well as healthful, and students learn that healthful eating can be satisfying by sharing attractive family- style meals around one big table three times a day.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, fowl and whole grains are the staples of the diet.  The diet avoids all stimulants such as caffeine and all junk foods because they contain additives, refined flours and sugars, and are highly processed.  Hypoallergenic foods such as wheat, soy, and eggs are used on a rotation basis to ensure that students being treated for cerebral allergies can avoid foods to which they are sensitive.

Earth House requires supervised daily exercise.

The Earth House philosophy is that exercise is beneficial to body, mind, and spirit.  In the past decade, as scientists have been able to understand the biochemistry of exercise as well as the mechanics, it has become clear that exercise is especially important for the mentally ill.  At Earth House we have 12 hours of compulsory exercise each week in addition to recreational sports and games.

Classes provide variety and balance.  Variety is used to maintain interest and increase attention span.  While some exercises are for cardiovascular fitness and others are for relaxation, all reduce stress, detoxify the body and increase body awareness.

Through such activities as swimming, volleyball, jogging, and other games and sports, the required therapeutic regimen is enhanced by the social dimension of teamwork and play for th fun of it.

Earth House teaches life skills, the tools for sustaining health.

The Earth House program promotes social interaction and development through creative and academic classes, group and individual psychotherapy, and learning through informal interaction with staff and other students.

Classes in art, literature and drama are designed to enhance oral and written communication skills, self-understanding and self-expression.  The dedication of Earth House teachers to their work wth our students is reflected in the fact that many have been with us as adjunct faculty for more than a decade. 

There are four group therapy sessions each week, three for everyone and an advanced group for the more verbal. Here students learn to get in touch with their feelings and to give and recieve feedback on their perceptions.

With a staff-to student ratio of more than 2 to 1, it is possible to give individual help for specific needs that occur in the course of recovery.  Help with a job search or getting a driver's license, instruction in banking and credit card use, and other types of assistance in dealing with the outside world are worked into the daily routine.

Earth house makes the family a part of the treatment team.

It is critical that family members understand how they can cooperate in the recovery to the best advantage of the student.  In an orientation session, Earth House provides materials to explain the program and the importance of our rules.  Additional materials are provided to make sure that home visits are successful.

Three or four times a year Earth House gives a family workshop to discuss techniques for supporting wellness, transitional strategies, dealing with setbacks, and other relevant topics.

Earth House is cost effective.

This comprehensive, humane program costs about the same as treatment at a state hospital.  Our fees are as little as one tenth those of some private psychiatric hospitals. Since most Earth House students advance to independent living or living with only modest outside support, long-term savings are enormous.