4 minute read
Treating Eating Disorders in Montana, One Family at a Time
WRITTEN BY AIMEE JOHNSON
PHOTO: VOSS HOUSE | EDCMT | TORI PINTAR
Has a child in your care ever commented negatively on their body shape or size? Or mentioned that they only want to eat “clean” or “healthy” food? Or perhaps you’ve found stashes of food hidden in their room? Or noticed them either eating excessively or not at all when they may be experiencing stress, anxiety or depression?
These are just some of the possible signs that your child could be struggling with food or their body, or at risk for developing an eating disorder. Adolescents who diet or focus on “clean eating” are at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder. In a large study of 14- and 15-year-olds, dieting was the most important predictor of a developing eating disorder. Those who dieted moderately were five times more likely to develop an eating disorder, and those who practiced extreme restriction were 18 times more likely to develop one than those who did not restrict their diet.1
As adults, we want what is best for the kids in our lives, but diet culture is something that we all deal with daily, and it can make disordered eating habits seem normal. Unlearning these societal pressures takes time and effort, and oftentimes parents need support with this as well.
To help families and kids, the Eating Disorder Center of Montana (EDCMT) has developed a new program specifically to support adolescents, ages 12-18, and their families, who are struggling with eating disorders of all types.
EDCMT’s Kids & Families Program includes treatment for adolescents and teens, and a four-week education program for their caregivers to learn how to support them through the healing process. This educational program for caregivers teaches communication skills, identifies goal-setting opportunities and builds empathy. The course offers new ways to be a supportive presence around meal preparation and how to manage emotions around what their child or loved one is going through.
The combined offering of therapy and nutrition support for both kids and their families is very intentional. According to Jeni Gochin, co-founder and clinical director of EDCMT and a licensed family and marriage therapist, “Families are one of the most important support systems for kids and teens going through eating disorders, and learning how to be there for them is crucial to their recovery.”
One parent who went through the caregiver program explained their experience, “It was important for us to work with a team that got to the root of the issue rather than just throwing meal plans at people and not acknowledging the complexities involved. We’ve worked with a number of dietitians and clinicians for my daughter over the past couple of years, and it wasn’t until we found Paige [Reddan] and eventually EDCMT that things began to click more.”
The multidisciplinary team at EDCMT includes advanced degree therapists, registered dietitians, yoga instructors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses, and a psychiatrist. EDCMT uses an anti-diet approach, incorporating intuitive eating, Health at Every Size® and the All Foods Fit philosophies.
Co-founder and nutrition director Paige Reddan says, “Our goal is to show you how food, brain and body really work together to give you back the life you once had and the life you aspire to and deserve to have.”
The Health at Every Size® approach, created by the Association of Size Diversity and Health, is designed to help medical providers de-center weight loss as a health goal and focus on each person having a different natural weight based on genetics, history, etc. With proper nourishment, people’s bodies tend to trend toward and settle at their natural weight that their metabolism will naturally regulate. An important piece of EDCMT’s nutrition therapy is helping people to accept and live in peace with their natural body size.
“All Foods Fit” is a term used to encourage neutrality around food, removing words like “good” or “bad” when it comes to food choices. EDCMT emphasizes that all foods provide energy, and no one is a better or worse person because of their food choices. EDCMT works with patients to relieve anxiety around foods that they have deemed “unhealthy” and normalize eating these foods in the context of a balanced diet.
Visit edcmt.com or call 406-451-7370 to learn more.
1 Golden, N. H., Schneider, M., & Wood, C. (2016). Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(3). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1649
Written by Aimee Johnson, Eating Disorder Center of Montana Marketing and Outreach Manager.
