National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre

First in Eating Disorders

Resources for Loved Ones

There are many resources available, the NEDRC team have found the following useful for loved one:

‘The everything parent’s guide to Eating Disorders’ – Angie Best-Boss

You don’t know what to do. Your once happy, carefree child has begun abusing food and fallen into a pattern of disordered eating that is literally taking her life. You watch in horror as she/he binges and purges, starves her or himself, compulsively eats, or takes pills and supplements. There is no such thing as a harmless eating disorder. Your child is in danger and she needs your help. Children with an eating disorder need their parents to be prepared, engaged, knowledgeable, and ready to do battle on their behalf. With the professional, accessible advice presented here, you can get the support you need.

This guide helps you:

Promote positive body image–at any age
Instill healthy eating habits
Recognize warning signs
Find the right treatment options
Stay positive and encourage your child

This book provides an all-encompassing look at eating disorders–the symptoms, the causes, and the treatments–so you can feel confident about the steps you need to take to help your child overcome this illness.

‘Skills-based caring for a loved one with an Eating Disorder’- Janet Treasure

Skills-based Caring equips carers with the skills and knowledge needed to support those suffering from an eating disorder, and to help them to break free from the traps that prevent recovery. Through a coordinated approach, it offers detailed techniques and strategies, which aim to improve professionals; and carers; ability to build continuity of support for their loved ones. Using evidence-based research and personal experience, the authors advise the reader on a number of difficult areas in caring for someone with an eating disorder. This new and updated edition is essential reading for both professionals and families involved in the care and support of anyone with an eating disorder.

“They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel”

Our Ethos

We support a “no shame – no blame” approach. An Eating Disorder is neither anyone’s “fault” or “choice”. Our aim is to empower clients to feel strong enough to let go of their eating disorder and realise that the eating disorder is a symptom – it is not who they are.

Families are an important part of the recovery process and we encourage their participation but only with your consent. We also understand that not everyone has a relationship with their family and would not force this connection.

RE-EVALUATE:

– What has been the value of the ED in your life?
– Consider and re-assess your opinion of the ED behaviours (e.g., restriction, binging, purging, over-exercising, over emphasis on “healthy” also known as Orthorexia).

RE-COVER:

– Re-gain your life,
– Sometimes, a little re-construction is needed and that is ok too in order to get back what the ED has stolen from you,
– Re-learn; * healthy coping mechanisms, * living again, a fulfilling life.

RE-START:

– Resume your life, begin what you are capable of achieving,
– Your life has been interrupted by the ED but now you are in control of your life, not the ED.

RE-CENTRE:

– Gather your thoughts and focus
– Re-store your thoughts, beliefs and focus before the ED took over (we understand this may be hard for some to even remember life before “ED” but that is what we are here for).

About Us

The National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre (NEDRC) supports a realistic view to health and weight. We incorporate WHO, NICE, MARSIPAN and the HSE Model of Care for Eating Disorders guidelines along with elements of Health at Every Size (HAES) principles, Intuitive Eating and Therapeutic Movement. We approach each individual with a holistic view, using the Medical, Therapeutic, Psychosocial and Recovery models.

More About Us