How My Mom Helped Save My Life
Parents & Caregivers, RecoveryI can vividly recall my first day at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital clinic. I had already been sick for 3 years, in which time I had seen more treatment providers than I can count on two hands. I was beginning to lose hope that I would…
Plastic Surgery Apps for Children Exist – Here’s How We Can Stop Them
Activism, Parents & CaregiversPlastic surgery is not a game - unless you’re a young child with access to a smartphone. Hundreds of cosmetic surgery apps featuring child-friendly, animated characters are available for download via Google, Apple, and Amazon. Using medical…
NEDA Responds to Your Most Common #NEDACon Questions!
Parents & Caregivers, Understanding Eating DisordersNEDA’s first Regional Conference will take place Saturday, May 12 at Drexel University. #NEDACon is designed to bring together individuals and loved ones who are experiencing eating disorders or wanting to learn more about eating and body…
Siblings of People in Eating Disorder Recovery Need a Voice
Parents & Caregivers, ResearchSiblings are our longest relationships. Often, a sibling is our first best friend. We love them deeply, hate them at moments and know both their strengths and weaknesses.When a sibling has an eating disorder, there is an impact, but what is…
5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Attend a NEDA Conference at Least Once
Parents & Caregivers, Understanding Eating DisordersTwo and a half years ago, I arrived in sunny San Diego, not knowing a single soul in the area and certainly not knowing what I would experience over the next few days. I was in town for the annual NEDA Conference, the first one I had ever…
4 Ways Providers Can Create a Safe Space for Patients
Parents & Caregivers, RecoveryThe value of relationships cannot be understated. The relationship the patient has with their bodies and their health care providers are two of the most crucial. So many have felt isolated and ashamed and being able to step into a truly "judgment-free…
Confident Selves for Confident Kids
Body Image, Parents & CaregiversEveryone has something good inside. Some hide it, some neglect it, but it is there. -Mother TeresaI still think "self confidence" is one of the most important life skills. Self confidence means that I know my worth and innate goodness even if…
A Parent’s Advice on Helping Kids Love Their Bodies
Body Image, Parents & CaregiversI will never forget when, as a young teen, I was told by my mother’s friend, “You have legs just like your dad’s.” Many decades later I can still hear her voice and feel the sting and confusion her comment stirred in me.I had never thought…
Making Our Way Back to Mother and Daughter, in Recovery
Parents & Caregivers, RecoveryI came from a dysfunctional family. My mom was a prescription drug addict, an alcoholic, and sick all of the time. She was also a compulsive overeater. My father was a very violent man. When I was just a little five-year-old, I witnessed his…
How to Challenge a Friend’s Eating Disordered Talk
Parents & Caregivers, RecoveryMy best friend and I have always been candid about our eating disorders. We've known each other for 20 years, and when we met, we were in the midst of anorexia. Our eating disorders were similar: there was no magic moment when either of us announced…