From “Why me?” to “Watch me”
From “Why me?” to “Watch me” by Carmen Nunez The moment the words “your child has an eating disorder” were spoken, the world as I knew it fractured. Receiving my daughter’s diagnosis was not just a life-altering event; it was a life-shattering shift in all things that once were. I remember the immediate, cold grip […]
If You Would Only Listen_alt
If You Would Only Listen by Elizabeth Woodcock Yesterday, I ran across the email that I had sent to the clinician at the premier children’s hospital in my city. I had spent more than an hour composing the email, explaining that my daughter was losing weight and my fears about the possibility of an eating […]
Self-Care Ideas
By Sue ChambersWhen my daughter was first diagnosed, no one told me—or maybe I just couldn’t hear it through the trauma-induced fog—that recovery could take three to seven years. I remember deciding, with absolute determination, that I would learn everything I needed to and have her well in six months. Looking back, I think I […]
When Overnight Everything Changed: A Parent’s Perspective on PANS/PANDAS
By: A Mom Who Wants to Help Others I woke up one January morning, not realizing that a simple virus was about to turn our family’s world upside down. My son had a high fever for several days, and we were told it was just a virus, nothing out of the ordinary. We did what […]
A Conversation With My Mum
A Conversation With My Mum By Bonnie Killip, dietitian (APD) and clinical hypnotherapist A few days ago, I sat with my mum and asked her a question I hadn’t before, at least not directly. “What kind of help were you searching for when I was first diagnosed?” I wanted to understand as an adult, a […]
If You Would Only Listen
If You Would Only Listen by Elizabeth Woodcock Yesterday, I ran across the email that I had sent to the clinician at the premier children’s hospital in my city. I had spent more than an hour composing the email, explaining that my daughter was losing weight and my fears about the possibility of an eating […]
Nurturing My Plants, Nurturing Myself
Nurturing My Plants, Nurturing Myself By Ella I think that anyone who has struggled with their mental health, whether that’s an eating disorder, depression, anxiety or any other measure of mental illness, understands how challenging it can be to take care of both your mind and body. When I was very unwell, I found solace […]
The Strength You Didn’t Know You Had
By Judy Krasna, F.E.A.S.T. Executive Director When people hear that my daughters are triplets, they always ask me how I managed with three babies. Truthfully, I don’t have an answer. Looking back on it, the first year was total insanity. No sleep for 9 months, non-stop feeding, changing, and soothing, and no downtime at all, […]
The One Who Always Gets Up
By Judy Krasna, F.E.A.S.T. Executive Director Two mothers are waiting outside of dance class. One mother says to the other, “Are you the mother of the girl who always falls?” The other mother responded, “No, I’m the mother of the one who always gets up.” I don’t know the source of this, but I saw […]
Dear Family
By AJA Dear Family, Today, your child was diagnosed with an eating disorder. Today, a doctor that you’ve never met told you that your child will die without treatment. Today, that same doctor told you that your child isn’t well enough to go home. Today, you learned that your child is sick. So sick that […]