Thank you for being a support person. For understanding. For speaking up. For listening without judgment. For learning about a complex illness. For being there to make someone laugh during a tough moment. For just being there.
Today’s nutrition blog focuses on the approaching Thanksgiving holiday.
Getting treatment and having a strong support system at home is instrumental for individuals seeking recovery from their eating disorders. We strongly encourage families and friends to be active in their loved one’s journey, but that can also come with its own set of frustrations and feelings of being overwhelmed.
We hope our tips and ideas were helpful for anyone who struggles with an eating disorder and all support people who celebrated Thanksgiving last week. If your family or friends haven’t celebrated yet, we are here for you. Feel free to check out all of our staff’s #ThanksgivingSupport suggestions here.
By Christy Zender, MSW, LICSW, Emily Program Site Manager
Let’s start with a quick analogy.
Eating disorders and icebergs are more alike than one might think. Picture an iceberg floating in a vast ocean: You can only see the tip of the iceberg and have no idea of what is under the surface of the water. Most people look at an eating disorder the same way, only seeing what is on the outside, above the water. This generally represents the behavioral parts of an eating disorder – weight, size, shape, purging, excessive exercise, and so on – the things that you can see, measure, and quantify.
The Emily Program offers all levels of care for teenagers, from outpatient services to 24/7 residential treatment. Our compassionate staff understands the complexities that come with eating disorders and that no two teenagers are alike. Working with the teenager and their family, we establish a treatment plan that will fit each individual’s needs.
