![Helping Others in Your Life Understand Your ARFID [Image description: 4 friends of diverse sizes and skin colors sitting at a picnic table] Represents supportive friends of a potential client seeking help for ARFID in Los Angeles, CA](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/allgo-an-app-for-plus-size-people-1qS6wnebTsM-unsplash1-3111-21-1024x683.jpg)
If you (or your child) have Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), you may have struggled with how to help others in your life understand this little-known disorder and how profoundly it affects you. ARFID can make eating uncomfortable in social situations if you or a child have ARFID. You may experience people trying to …
![Supporting Child with Eating Disorder Over Holiday in Los Angeles, California [Image description: photo of a Black family preparing a meal together and all the family members are dressed up] represents a potential family supporting a loved one with an eating disorder during the holidays](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4262010.jpg)
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 …
![Holiday Eating Disorder in Los Angeles, California [Image description: photo of a family around a festive holiday table eating a meal together] Represents a potential family in Los Angeles, California](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/pexels-nicole-michalou-57788921.jpg)
The holidays are something we should all look forward to and enjoy, but they can be fraught for people with eating disorders. The combination of festive large meals and large gatherings of people who may not be your family of choice, as well as people you have not seen in a while, can be challenging …
![Supporting a Loved One with Emetophobia [Image description: drawing of a couple sitting together on a sofa] Represents a potential person with emetophobia in California getting support from a loved one](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/My-project13.png)
What is Emetophobia–Fear of Vomiting? Emetophobia is an extreme fear—or phobia—of vomiting that significantly impacts a person’s life. People with emetophobia may be afraid of vomiting, or seeing or hearing another person vomit, or seeing vomit. In an attempt to avoid vomiting, these people often end up avoiding many situations, activities, and even people they …
![Easing Grief Through Connection (Coping Strategy for the Holidays) [Image description: jar of dimes]](https://www.eatingdisordertherapyla.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/dimes-smaller-1018x1024.jpg)
By Carolyn Comas, LCSW Grief can be complicated and a painful process. This holiday season many of us are experiencing the loss of the past year we were supposed to have. For those who have lost someone special this can compound the difficulty of this year’s holiday season. 2020 has not been easy for many …
It’s almost the first day of school and parents of students with eating disorders have additional concerns to address on top of the usual back to school frenzy. Transitions can be tough for all teens—they are especially difficult for those with eating disorders. However, there are some preparations you can make to help things go …
For many of my patients who have firmly joined the anti-diet camp and embraced a Health at Every Size® (HAES) approach to health, dealing with family members entrenched in diet culture can be a minefield that is tough to navigate. Let me say that I get it! I also have friends and family members who …
Dear Family Member, I understand your fears. I get it. You want the best for your loved one. You want him or her to have the best and healthiest and fullest life possible. I do too. You believe that helping your loved one to lose weight will help achieve these goals. Here, I disagree—I will …
Understanding and Responding to Your Youngster’s Fear: A Metaphor I often explain to parents that for a youngster suffering from an eating disorder, a meal can feel dangerous – like jumping out of an airplane. A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to (almost) live out this metaphor on a family vacation. This …