Joy and Sorrow Can Co-exist for Caregivers – by, Becky Henry, CPCC, ACC
While waking up this morning this all came to me in about 15 minutes. You see, today, after a month of alternately working my tail off and walking my talk of life balance with self-care, fun, friends and colleagues, my family are coming to visit us in Palm Desert and...
Differences in Treatment Outcomes when Family Caregivers have Support? – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Family caregivers receiving support is a factor in treatment outcomes. We finally have research showing that treatment outcomes improve when caregivers have support! Check out this research link from 2021: Sheetal Patel , Autumn Shafer , Jane Brown , Cynthia Bulik...
Why Do Caregivers Need Their Oxygen Mask on First? – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Imagine if there was an easy, convenient resource to help family caregivers get the information, support and help they need to cope with this unplanned role they've been given...Clinicians and family caregivers, this is for you! For my newsletter subscribers, I’m...
Ready Made Resource for Family Caregivers – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Clinicians and family caregivers alike often ask if there is an easy, convenient resource to help family caregivers get the information, support and help they need to cope with this unplanned role they've been given. Some of you have asked if I'm still providing...
New Year/New You? What’s Rest Go to do With it? – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Amidst all of the talk of New Years Resolutions and New Year, New You, it can be tempting to judge ourselves and our actions. Sometimes, often maybe even, especially early January when the days are short and cold in the Northern Hemisphere, it can be helpful to just...
Is Preventing Holiday Stress Possible? – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Next week I'll be sharing Intern Anna's wonderful tips for relieving holiday stress that some of you may remember from last year. Her article is HERE on my website. So if my tips today for preventing holiday stress don’t resonate or work for you, take a sneak peek at...
How to Cope this Thanksgiving – Intern Anna’s 5 Tips
Family caregivers have shared how utterly painful and difficult the holidays are for their loved one with an eating disorder. Thanksgiving typically being the most difficult with so much of the focus on food for many families. Last year Intern Anna shared her helpful...
Caregiver Fear Can be a Barrier to Recovery – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Fear is a normal response when a loved one is in crisis. Fear can take away our capacity to engage our wise minds and can spiral us into trying to handle what is not ours to handle. The line between being a supportive caregiver or parent, and enabling a family member...
Combating the Caregiver Self Blame Cycle – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
It's common for family caregivers to get stuck wondering, "What did I do wrong?" And there isn't a simple or quick solution. In the beginning when getting a loved one stabilized is of utmost importance, this takes a back seat, some would say it is relevent. Many...
What We Wish Recovery Looked Like – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Family caregivers of those with eating disorders often STILL get a bad rap. Thankfully, many clinicians now see the value in supporting these caregivers who are typically trying to help save a family member’s life. It’s still very common sadly to hear clinicians say...
How to Practice Resilience as a Caregiver – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Hello Dear Caregivers and Clinical Colleagues, I hope you are able to have some moments to renew your spirits this holiday weekend. Not only are the hours of sunlight short in the northern hemisphere and the coming days getting cooler (thank goodness after what has...
Can Boundaries Help Caregiver Effectiveness? – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Often I hear the raw terror from parents and partners telling me they are so uncertain about how to support a loved one with an eating disorder. There may be the sadness and fear about your child or partner who has been physically harming themselves and often...
Therapeutic Apology – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Thank you to all of you who take your time and energy to read my newsletters/blogs, I really appreciate it and am so glad to hear of how so many of you have found helpful information and support from them. Sometimes I miss the mark for some folks. After my post last...
How Caregivers Can Have Freedom from Ed – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
As I was lying in a zero gravity chair in the Irish countryside watching clouds float by after a 90 minute massage to work out the kinks from various mediocre air bnb beds, I thought about caregivers, parents in particular, finding this kind of rest. And yes, I was...
Supporting Young Adults in Eating Disorder Recovery – by, Brianna Ripoli, MPS, LPCC and Katie Gilder, MPH, RD, LD
Happy July! I hope you're enjoying summer. I'm in Ireland now with family and as part of my SELF CARE, I'm inviting colleagues to share insights and helpful information as guest bloggers. If you'd like to participate, please reach out. This week, Brianna Ripoli, MPS,...
Hot Holidays and Healthy Hints for Helpers – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
So, it’s HOT – at least in the Northern Hemisphere. And I’m of Norwegian descent and my body tells me to go look for a snowbank to stick my head in, or a mountain top to cool off on when it gets over 60% humidity and the temp is above 80 F. And yes, we’re going to...
How to Tame Caregiver Fears – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Fear is a normal response when a loved one is in crisis. No kidding, right? It seems it should not have to be said...and yet for the clinicians who work with people in crisis daily and are used to the constant parade of crisis situations coming their way, crises...
Why Pride & Eating Disorders? – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Why is it important to talk about Pride during June when our focus here is support for caregivers of those with eating disorders? I’d love to hear your thoughts after you read my thoughts as well as those of 2TravelDads. My Top 3 Reasons Why Pride is Important for...
Oxygen for Caregivers – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Family caregivers of those with eating disorders are often resistant to the concept of self care. It totally makes sense, you have a loved one who is being hijacked by a life threatening eating disorder and I’m over here talking about something that many have been...
A Mother’s Day Gift – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Describing the love a mother feels for her children is easier said than done. You see those of us who have had the honor of becoming moms/mums never had any idea of the intensity, immensity and unreasonability of the love we would feel for these humans. Seriously, no...
Three Reasons to Set Firm Boundaries AND Enforce Them – Becky Henry, CPCC
Falling prey to all of the chaos and fear of the eating disorder (ed) is common, even to be expected. Learning to live in-tune with our own desires, needs, and feelings and set boundaries aligned with our values takes intentionality and support. Boundaries are not...
Recovery Reflection – by Intern Anna
It would be such a game changer for family caregivers to know what most clinicians know, which is that full recovery is possible. Even though we don't have an agreed upon clear definition in the field of what "Recovered" actually is. Most agree that "living in...
Caregiver Burnout Solutions – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
Parents and other family caregivers of those with eating disorders often want to give up and/or run away. Anxiety and fear are normal reactions to seeing your child/family member disappear before your eyes. The demands on a family caregiver are so profound I often say...
Helping Caregivers Believe in Adult Child’s Capacity – by, Becky Henry, CPCC
A family caregiver’s role is important no matter the age of the child. We don't stop loving or caring about our child just because they hit the magical age of 18. Parents of those over 18 experience extra helplessness due to the fact that their child is now a “legal...
Tips for Supporting a Solid Recovery – by, Intern Anna
Family caregivers often share their distress about how to continue to support a loved one in recovery when they have stepped down to lower levels of care. It's really hard when we're afraid for our loved one's life to focus on what we can do to support them rather...