Supporting your Child or Other Loved One with an Eating Disorder Through the Holidays

Supporting Child with Eating Disorder Over Holiday

By Carly Poynter, AMFT, staff therapist The holidays are a challenging time to navigate for most people. The holidays are even more challenging for those who struggle with their relationship with food. As we prepare for the holiday feasts and festivities, there are a few things to consider, especially when you have a child or …

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Teen Eating Disorder Recovery Group

Teen Eating Disorder Recovery Group open to teens 13 to 18 in California over zoom

  As we have written elsewhere, we believe Family-Based Treatment (FBT) is a complete treatment for teens with eating disorders. Most teens will not need (or want) additional therapy. The one area where we think teens could use a little more support is in developing a strong anti-diet stance to stand up to weight stigma …

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When to Add an Individual Therapist in FBT-Phase 1

Individual therapy in FBT

When I am working as the Family-Based Treatment (FBT) therapist for a teen in eating disorder recovery, their parents will often ask whether the teen should also see a therapist individually. Unlike other therapy situations, in FBT there is no expectation that there is both an individual therapist and a family therapist. It’s there in …

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What Parents of Teens with Eating Disorders Need to Understand About Diet Culture

What Parents Need to Know About Diet Culture

  Many parents experience guilt when their teen is diagnosed with an eating disorder. Nearly every parent can point to a time they themselves dieted, opted not to have a dessert they really wanted, expressed a preference toward thinness, or discouraged their child from keeping eating. You may have done things to try to keep …

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Parents, Don’t Let Your Kids Download Kurbo!

Parents, don't let kids download Kurbo app

A disclaimer: I have no vested interest in Weight Watchers’ new Kurbo app. This app will in fact create more work for me. But let me be clear: I do not want this kind of work! I know that you mean well and are merely concerned about your child’s health, but I can assure you …

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This Halloween, Serve Candy to Your Teen in Recovery

Halloween Candy

A Family-Based Treatment (FBT)-approach For teens with eating disorders, Halloween can be scary for the wrong reason: the candy! Most teens with eating disorders are only willing to eat a restricted range of foods. Expanding this range is an important goal of treatment, with the reintroduction of fear foods being a key step. Candy tends …

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