Parent Support
When a child or teen has an eating disorder, parents are invaluable to the recovery process. I work with parents who are supporting a loved one through recovery using a family based approach.
Family based approach
Parents are an invaluable part of the treatment team for adolescence recovering from an eating disorder
A family based approach includes the “Maudsley approach” where (when possible) parents play an active and positive role in helping restore their child’s weight. It is believed that parents can intervene in a loving and supportive way to restore their child’s weight and reduce eating disorder behaviours.
People living with an eating disorder are often unable to make decisions about food, weight and activity due to their illness. So parents are encouraged to make these decisions until the teen regains mastery over these aspects of their life.
In the weight restoration stage of recovery (referred to as phase 1) parents take the lead at meal and snack time. With the dietitian’s help, a plan for what is served, how much and when it is served is created. Meals and snacks are organized, prepared and cooked by parents (or caregivers) and the teen able to focus on eating and managing emotions at meal/snack times. Parents are also tasked with emotionally supporting their loved one during and after the meal. This can feel a bit different than what you’d expect as a parent’s role in feeding a teen, however, with an eating disorder in the mix, the teen cannot tasked with both fighting the eating disorder and food organization.
Often both the teen and parents need counseling and coaching through eating disorder recovery.
It is very normal that both the teen in recovery and the parents supporting the teen to need sessions with the dietitian. This can look like meeting together as well as separately.
Since supporting a loved one through recovery is not something most parents learn about before the issue presents itself, it is normal to need coaching from the dietitian treating your teen. It is also very normal to seek the guidance and support of a psychologist or therapist both for your child as well as for yourself. Groups for caregivers of loved ones in recovery are a helpful tool.
Counseling Services
The health team
Recovery from an eating disorder is really hard. You and your child deserve a full team of people supporting you. This often includes a pediatrician or family doctor, psychologist or therapist, dietitian and even a mental health coach.
I am happy to coordinate and be in touch with your loved one’s health team. It is part of my job as a health care team member to regularly touch base with others in the treatment team, with the consent of my client. This also includes regularly touching base with parents or other caregivers. Eating disorders thrive on isolating the person in recovery and I will do my best to support your child and you through this experience.
If you are looking for a therapist or need a referral to a healthcare practitioner for your teen, it is my pleasure to help get you in touch with people in your community who can help you.
Eating Disorder Resources for Teens & Parents
Books
Videos & Podcasts
Kelty Mental Health Resource Center
The Kelty Center is known for their fantastic videos on meal support for parents.
Ed Parenting Podcast by Ginny Jones
Concrete, helpful advice for parents supporting a loved on in recovery.
Tabitha Farrar
These podcasts and videos are hosted by Tabitha Farrar who uses her experience and training to support people and loved ones through eating disorder recovery. https://tabithafarrar.com/youtube-channel-stream/
Emotion Focused Family Therapy
EFFT is a helpful strategy when supporting a loved one through eating disorder recovery. This group offers general traning to parents on EFFT as well as eating disorder specific support. https://www.mentalhealthfoundations.ca/resources
Are you the parent of a teenager or an adult child with an eating disorder? Is your spouse suffering? In this 2-part video series, caregivers will learn how to respond to some of the common statements that come up along the journey, including coaching scripts for meal support and symptom interruption.
Websites
NEDIC
NEDIC is Canada’s National Eating Disorder Information Center.
They provide a help line (1-866-NEDIC-20), email support, and instant chat servicecs, as well as recources specific to parent’s needs. They also have a list of providers for recovery support that you can search as well as general information on eating disorders.
F.E.A.S.T.
FEAST (Families Empowered And Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders) is a global community of parents and those who support parents in families affected by eating disorders.
Their website, webinars, family guides and support groups are geared towards parents’ needs. They also have an interesting 30 day email campaign to support parents involved in recovery.
Maudsley Parents
The Maudsley approach can mostly be construed as an intensive outpatient treatment where parents play an active and positive role in order to: Help restore their child’s weight to normal levels expected given their adolescent’s age and height; hand the control over eating back to the adolescent, and; encourage normal adolescent development through an in-depth discussion of these crucial developmental issues as they pertain to their child.
Eating Disorder Resource & Support Center (of the Mcgill University Student Society)
These services are available to anyone – you do not have to be a McGill student to access them. Whether you have had any type of professional diagnosis, have any idea on how to label your current or past relationship with food, or would just like to ask questions and learn more about eating disorders and disordered eating, their resources are available (virtual support groups, peer mentorship, etc)
Anorexie et Boulimie Quebec
ANEB
Support groups, help line, information
Kelty Mental Health Resource Center
Their website contains a lot of helpful information and they are well known for their fantastic videos on meal support for parents.
Support Groups
Sheena's Place
Sheena’s Place offers hope and support to people aged 17+ affected by an eating disorder or disordered eating. Our professionally-facilitated groups are completely free of charge and participants do not require an eating disorder diagnosis or referral to register.
Body Brave
Body Brave offers online, self-guided support programming, as well as group and individual treatment services.
Anorexie et Boulimie Quebec
ANEB
Support groups, help line, information
Eating Disorders Nova Scotia
Peer mentors, support gruops for people in recovery and thier loved ones, peer support chats and webinars.
Canadian Mental Health Association
Eating Disorders: Family and Friends Education and Support Group
Eating Disorder Resource & Support Center (of the Mcgill University Student Society)
These services are available to anyone – you do not have to be a McGill student to access them. Whether you have had any type of professional diagnosis, have any idea on how to label your current or past relationship with food, or would just like to ask questions and learn more about eating disorders and disordered eating, their resources are available (virtual support groups, peer mentorship, etc)
Eating Disorders Support Network of Alberta
EDSNA provides information, guidance, a provincial voice, a community hub and most of all, support. We offer professionally-facilitated support groups in Edmonton, Calgary and online. Thanks to ongoing funding, we are able to offer these groups at a very low cost to the participants and can even waive fees if people are experiencing financial difficulty.
Helpful Videos for Eating Disorder Recovery
The Plate by Plate Approach® to Food
The Plate-by-Plate Approach® was designed to support the food and eating aspect of eating disorder recovery. It it different from traditional food appraoches since it eliminates the need to measure or count portions or calories or servings. The purpose is to act as a guide for people and famillies to serve enough food and normal variety. Watch this video for a quick run down of the basics of this approach.
CLICK ON THE BOOK BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO
Reach Out
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s eating habits or would like to discuss support options, please feel free to reach out via email or website message.