My day today started in the best way possible, with a note of appreciation and gratitude from one of my “moms” (meaning, the mom of a family I am working with utilizing family-based treatment) thanking me, in essence, for helping to re- empower her as a parent when an eating disorder threatened to rob her child of life. Previous treatment experiences had been disempowering; FBT, in contrast, validates both the rights and responsibilities of parents.
This is one of the most rewarding aspects of family-based treatment, empowering families to restore life to a loved one. It can sometimes be excruciating and thankless, but comes with infinite rewards–the most important of which is life.
My Mother’s Day Wish for all the moms out there is that you find the support and resources that you need to extricate your child from the grips of an eating disorder. You can do it, even when you might think you cannot. We will talk more in future posts about how to solve some of the practical obstacles that present themselves in FBT. Motherhood can sometimes be a thankless endeavor. Today, I give thanks to the amazing moms who have crossed my path. You are an inspiration.