The best way to help your child recover is to walk that fine line of being both firm and loving. Often due to your own temperament and possibly how you were raised, caregivers tend to lean to one pole. Being firm is great for follow through and can also lead to patients feeling judged or […]
You will struggle at challenging the eating disorder….a lot. That is completely normal and expected as eating disorders are aggressive and tenacious. Dust yourself off and keep going- don’t give up. We are not asking you to be perfect. The goal is EFFECTIVE. Perfect parenting isn’t realistic or even needed. And if you find that
With treatment being long, costly and stressful, It is easy to sink into despair and engage in the what if game. If you struggle with obsessive thinking and find it hard to shift out of scary thoughts try this tip. First it’s pointless for others or yourself to just stop worrying. This is scary and
I’ve asked parents what was a message they didn’t feel they heard enough of throughout their child’s treatment and the one that really stood out was FULLY RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE. Eating disorder data can be bleak and we know blips and relapse can occur but it is so important for caregivers to know that we
When I ask parents how they self-care during their child’s recovery I either get a look of frustration or simply “I don’t”. When all of your time and energy is dedicated to taking care of a sick child along with completing all of your OTHER responsibilities, prioritizing yourself takes a back seat- or let’s be
We will tell you this a thousand times- YOU did not cause your child’s eating disorder. You are a fabulous loving parent- perfect- NO – but who is?! Eating disorders don’t have a direct cause. Think of it as a combination of genetics, neurobiology, temperament and maybe a stressor…or not. It’s complex, confusing AND it’s
