Helping parents raise kids who are free from eating disorders, disordered eating, and body hate
When treating your child for an eating disorder like anorexia, binge eating disorder or bulimia, you will benefit from employing a multidisciplinary team, which may include professionals such as a psychotherapist, registered dietitian, doctor, psychiatrist, and recovery coach. We spoke with Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LGSW, who is a licensed psychotherapist who recently added recovery coaching to her practice. She says …
I have yet to meet a parent who doesn’t get overwhelmed when thinking about all of the things necessary to steer the family ship. There is complex tactical coordination, like getting everyone out the door in the morning to figuring out sports, music and school activities. And, of course, it’s not just about the kids’ schedules – parents have their own schedules to …
“If you have a child who is diagnosed with an eating disorder like bulimia, binge eating disorder or anorexia, it’s important to know that people do fully recover from eating disorders,” says Christy Harrison, a dietitican specializing in eating disorder recovery. “People who have gone through what you are going through right now have made it through to the other side.” …
Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses. They are not the same as addiction, however, there are similarities. In both situations, people suffering from the disorders are seeking an emotionally stable state by chasing their disordered behavior. The story of Rat Park is one in which we learn that rats who are put alone in a cage and offered drugs will …
First of all, we send you all the love we can right now. It can be devastating to learn that your child is sick, and eating disorders like bulimia, binge eating disorder and anorexia carry with them a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. Please, take a deep breath, and know that you can get through this with love. IT’S NOT YOUR …
More Love Asked: Dr. Ravin, can you tell us how you approach Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa from an evidence-based treatment standpoint? How similar/dissimilar are they from each other? Response from Dr. Ravin: I approach Anorexia Nervosa (Anorexia) and Bulimia Nervosa (Bulimia) from an evidence-based treatment standpoint by keeping up to date on the latest scientific research on these conditions and applying …
I was talking to a teenager the other day who has been hospitalized twice for anorexia. She is lovely. She was talking about her last relapse, and how much she needed her mom during that time. “I mean, I couldn’t even let her go to the bathroom by herself – I needed to be with her all the time,” she said. …
If you haven’t spent any time on F.E.A.S.T. yet, please do! It’s an international organization for parents and caregivers of eating disorder patients. If your child has an eating disorder, especially anorexia, then please go check out their resources for evidence-based treatment. I created this printable graphic regarding some of the core principles the organization states:
One of the biggest challenges parents face in supporting their children with eating disorders like binge eating disorder, bulimia, orthorexia and anorexia, is the blame, guilt and shame they feel about how their child’s illness reflects upon them as parents. As parents, we carry natural burdens when it comes to our children’s success and happiness in life. Our sense of burden can …
Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls by Mary Pipher, Ph.D., can help moms understand that, even though she might sometimes act like one, your daughter is not a monster. She is not going down a terrible path from which she can’t recover. She is not going to reflect poorly upon you. She is not going to live a life …