Our Services

“Walden Living was extremely helpful in my recovery.  There is no way I could have gone from Residential Treatment to home and not fall back into old patterns without the help from Walden Living. ” ~ Walden Resident, 2011

Our Philosophy for Recovery Oriented Transitional Living:

At Walden Living we understand that recovery is an individualized journey, which is why we strongly promote the importance of each client’s active role in their own recovery.  For individuals struggling with an eating disorder, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression, Walden Living aims to shift the focus from symptom reduction to the individual as a whole person.  This holistic approach addresses all aspects of life, from meaningful interests and hobbies to education and career development.

Separate from treatment, Walden Living provides continuity while transitioning between levels of care.  Unlike most transitional living programs, Walden Living does not require clients to utilize specific treatment providers.  Instead, Walden works together with the outpatient treatment team that best fits the needs and current situation of each individual, whether partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment, or outpatient care.  Our goal is to remove barriers to accessing specialized care while regaining independence.

Our Why Our Transitional Living Program Works:

Walden Living is a unique recovery oriented transitional living program that gives individuals with eating and anxiety disorders, as well as individuals struggling with the development of effective living skills, the opportunity to live in a safe and specialized environment.

The strengths of our program are three-fold:

1.  This program was conceived and developed under the ongoing supervision of Dr. Theodore Weltzin, a board certified psychiatrist and pioneer in the development of effective treatment for patients with eating disorders and anxiety disorders.

2. We employ experienced Personal Coaches who assist with the day-to-day activities of Walden Living clients, and

3. We offer affordable housing located in communities with convenient access to nationally recognized treatment centers, Rogers Memorial Hospitals, as well as access to specialized, community-based treatment professionals, career resources and educational opportunities.

While some individuals with eating disorders are often perceived to be treatment resistant or unable to recover, it has been our experience that this often relates to limitations of treatment based on cost and access to expertise.  At Walden Living we seek to provide a recovery oriented living situation in which individuals can access the treatment they need in a real-life situation.  The aim is to shift the focus from treatment and symptom reduction to focusing on the individual as a whole person and the rebuilding of lives.  Improvements are gauged by successes in life-skill developments, as well as overall improvements in quality of life.

Walden was designed to address the following situations to promote recovery:

• Addressing the limitations of treatment access relating to insurance coverage for treatment in 24 hour care settings or lack of available treatment expertise.
• Improving access to specialized treatment providers with a proven track record of helping individuals recover from their eating and anxiety disorders.
• Helping individuals to progress in their recovery in a real life living situation, thus decreasing the reliance on specific individual treatment programs and helping to develop confidence in recovery while in an independent setting and where social and supportive interpersonal interactions are emphasized.

As part of the transitional living service, our Personal Coaches provide individualized coaching to help orientate individuals to the community, provide structure, assist with transportation, participate in meal planning and provide overall guidance.  Our housing options include affordable, furnished recovery oriented living suites conveniently located in downtown Delafield, WI, as well as furnished housing in Madison, WI. 

As successful treatment from any illness requires an individual treatment approach, we believe Walden Living provides an opportunity for patients to adapt to treatment, in an environment that best fits their needs, and helps them successfully recover from their illness.

For even more information on our transitional living program, how to gain admission to our program, or more about our recovery-oriented staff, feel free to check out our "Connect with Us!" page on this blog!

“I am very lucky to have had the chance to be part of the program.  If everyone coming out of Residential treatment had the opportunity to go to Walden Living they would be much more successful and confident in their recovery.” ~ Walden Resident, 2012

“Without Walden, I couldn’t conquer a grocery store today!  ” ~ Walden Resident, 2009