ARFID and Holidays: Strategies for Managing Eating Challenges

ARFID and Holidays [Image description: Purple scrabble tiles spelling "ARFID and Holidays"]

The holidays are supposed to be joyous occasions where families gather and eat together. But these two particular elements combined—family and food—can be extremely challenging for adults with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). If you are an adult who has ARFID you may struggle with eating enough overall and or with variety. You may …

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Managing the College Transition…When You’ve Had an Eating Disorder

The College Transition [Image description: a young Black woman packs a suitcase for college] Represents a potential college student with a history of an eating disorder

The College Transition The day is finally approaching. You’ve gotten through college admissions tests, completed your applications, waited patiently for acceptances, and chosen your school. You’ve gone to prom. You are looking forward to finally being more independent and living away from home. You are learning about your roommate(s) and thinking about the classes you’ll …

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Family-Based Treatment (FBT)-Parent Support Group

If your teen (or young adult) has an eating disorder—including anorexia or bulimia—you may feel helpless, worried, or uncertain about how you can best support them. Our monthly parent support group— based on principles of FBT—can help. Family-Based Treatment (FBT) is the leading treatment for teens with eating disorders and it centers the role of …

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Eating Disorder Therapy Vs. Ozempic and Other GLP-1s

Guest post by 2023-2024 doctoral extern, Vera Levi, MA Many of our prospective clients are curious about GLP-1s for weight loss. They arrive seeking therapy for their eating disorder while simultaneously pursuing a prescription for Ozempic–not to treat a medical condition– but to lose weight. Here’s what you should know. Eating Disorder Clients Seeking Weight …

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ARFID Kids Camp

ARFID Kids Camp in Los Angeles 2024

Are you a parent of a child with ARFID and looking for activities for them this summer? Then, consider joining our ARFID Kids Camp! New for 2024: ARFID Kids Camp in Los Angeles Join our comprehensive 8-hour program, featuring 2 hours of daily activities focused on food exploration and education tailored specifically for children with …

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Private Equity and Eating Disorders: What You Need to Know

Private equity and eating disorders [Image description: an empty boardroom with windows] depicts a potential private equity firm investing in eating disorder centers

In case you haven’t been paying attention, the economics of eating disorder treatment centers have been evolving. And it is doing so in ways that may be harmful. Today, a very small number of large entities own and run most of the country’s residential treatment and day treatment centers. Private equity firms now back most …

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Eating Disorders Before and After Bariatric Surgery–What You Need to Know

Eating Disorders and Bariatric Surgery [Image description: purple scrabble tiles spelling "Eating Disorders and Bariatric Surgery"]

Health professionals often recommend bariatric surgery for patients with larger bodies. A large body size, referred to in the medical world as “obesity,”—a term we will not use unless citing medical data— is not the same as an eating disorder. Yet, there is an intersection. A considerable number of people considering bariatric surgery may have …

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Dr. Muhlheim’s Spring 2024 Training and Speaking Engagements

Speakers at FEAST special webinar [Image description: "Promoting Life in the Treatment of Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders" featuring speakers Lauren Muhlheim, Psy.D., Lucene Wisniewski, Ph.D., Judy Krasna, Angela Guarda, MD & Walter Kay, MD. "Wed, Feb 28. 2024" Register at www.FEAST.ED.org"]

Dr. Muhlheim is busy with several speaking and training engagements this spring. See where you can catch her below. On February 4, she’ll be a speaker at the 2024 Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (FEAST) of Knowledge. Her topic is Stages of Recovery: Setting Parental Expectations. Registration is available through FEAST’s website. …

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How Much Food to Feed?

Family having dinner and unhappy in FBT [Image description: family of 2 adults and two kids and the teen girl looks very unhappy about eating] Represents a potential family in California doing FBT for their teen's eating disorder

In Family-Based Treatment (FBT), we charge families with nourishing their teens back to health through meals at home. Because FBT is a parent empowerment model, parents are often given little specific guidance about how to do this. If you are like other families with whom I’ve worked, now that you understand this important point, you …

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Should You Let Your Teen Become a Vegetarian?

Should you let your teen become vegetarian [Image description: purple scrabble tiles spelling "vegetarian" above a plate with raw vegetables]

By Katie Grubiak, RDN, Nutrition Illumination and Lauren Muhlheim, Psy.D. We acknowledge that vegetarianism can offer benefits for both individuals and the environment. We also recognize that vegetarianism is embedded in some cultures and religions, and most children and teens raised in these cultures thrive. This article does not aim to debate the ethics of …

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