Family Support
Evidence-Based Treatment In-Person in Chicago and Online
Support to families and caregivers of young adults and those struggling with eating and anxiety disorders. Family support is provided through family therapy, individual therapy, and parent consultation. You can help your loved one reclaim their life.
Get started with a free Consultation
Maybe the changes in your child or loved one have been subtle—they say they no longer like foods they used to love, they’re wearing baggy clothes more than anything else, or they’re more anxious about leaving the house than they used to be.
Or, maybe, it’s been more obvious—they’re turning down plans with friends to avoid eating “unhealthy” foods or to get a workout in, they make negative comments about their body, or are inconsolable when they get less-than-perfect grades or can’t get something “right.”
But, most noticeably, their personality has shifted toward one you don’t recognize.
You’ve watched them become more isolated and less lively. There’s shame in their voice and behind their eyes when anything related to their body or eating habits comes up. The joy you used to see in them has been absent.
You know they need help, but it’s such a sensitive issue that you’re not even sure how to approach it without driving a wedge between you.
You see them struggling, but this isn’t as simple as helping with homework.
You want to support them through recovery. I want to show you how.
Overcoming something like an eating disorder is no small feat. That’s why I encourage anyone who has supportive loved ones to lean on and incorporate them into the recovery process in a way that feels comfortable. I’ll make sure you are involved in treatment and armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to feel confident in helping your loved one work toward recovery.
As their support system, you’ll be involved in parts of their assessment session to discuss treatment options and your role in them—with the consent of the primary client, of course. I will collaborate with you and any other providers—physician, dietician, psychiatrist, etc.—to ensure your child or loved one receives the best possible care.
In our work together, I’ll help you find ways to stop letting the eating disorder disrupt your family life. You’ll team up with the part of your loved one that is desperately seeking relief and overcome the debilitating eating disorder together. You’ll learn how to calmly guide your child while remaining firm that the eating disorder has no part in it.
Over time, once they have stabilized a bit, we may delve deeper into why these behaviors started and the societal expectations that may have contributed. We’ll also address any additional concerns—like anxiety, OCD, or depression—and work on helping them develop their identity outside of their eating disorder so they can have a full, well-rounded life after recovery.
My Approach
Collaborative
As someone who has focused on this specialty for a long time, I know how complicated it can be to navigate all the moving parts of this process.
I’m more than happy to assist with—or even lead the charge on—building a team of professional that will help your child or loved one have the smoothest possible recovery experience.
specialized
Having specialized in treating eating disorders and comorbid conditions for over a decade, my peers consider me an expert.
I often work alongside other mental health professionals who feel that their clients need more specialized support, and handle many cases that would be classified as acute. All that to say, I’m confident in my approach and that I can five your loved one the best chance to overcome the challenges they’re facing.
Empowering
I want your loved one to live a full, happy life—I’m guessing you want that too! That’s why, in the work we’ll do together, your child’s well-being will be the priority.
I’ll empower them to take back control of their habits and recognize the underlying factors contributing to their eating disorder—including societal and relational dynamics. I’ll also empower you by giving you tools and resources to better support them on their journey.
It’s time to help them shine again.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
There are several ways family members can be involved. Family-based treatment, also known as Maudsley Therapy, is an evidence-based approach to treating eating disorders, particularly in adolescents and young adults. It involves empowering families to take an active role in supporting their loved one's recovery, focusing on restoring normal eating patterns and addressing typical developmental tasks that may have been stalled by the eating disorder. There are also adaptations of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Enhanced (CBT-E), an evidence-based CBT therapy for eating disorders, to include parents and other loved ones. Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) offers many tools to support your loved one towards recovery. In addition, I provide consultation to parents, caregivers, partners, siblings, etc. who want to support their loved one with an eating disorder.
-
Signs of an eating disorder can vary, but common indicators include significant changes in eating habits, weight fluctuations, preoccupation with food, excessive exercise, and distorted body image. I know these topics can be sensitive to address, and would be happy to discuss the best way to go about supporting your child or loved one. Click here to schedule a free consultation and we can chat about it.
-
Family-based therapy is effective in treating a variety of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). It's designed to empower families to support their loved one's recovery journey.
-
Individuation, or becoming more independent, is a typical milestone of young adulthood. However, eating disorders can impact judgment, and depending on the severity, some may not be able to reach recovery on their own. I encourage parents to be involved in their young adult’s eating disorder treatment, at least initially, so they have the best chance to recover and be more stable and sustainably independent in the long term.
-
Some eating disorders, like anorexia, impact the brain in a way that makes one feel good when engaging with their eating disorder. If your loved one is not interested in seeking treatment, this makes sense based on what is happening in their brain. However, eating disorders are serious concerns with the potential for many medical complications including death and the earlier the eating disorder is identified and treated the more likely they are to recover. If you are finding it difficult to support your loved one in accessing or participating in treatment, I provide consultation to learn strategies that may help. Reach out here.
-
No. Eating disorders are not anyone’s fault. They are the result of a perfect storm of genetics, temperament, and the environment, among other things. By learning more about eating disorders and their treatment, you can help your loved one move towards recovery.