Welcome

Episode description:

Aronson Kagiliery joins Peace Meal to share her family’s journey of finding the right eating disorder treatment for her teenage daughter with anorexia. After exploring local options, she shares, her family ultimately traveled to pursue care at Veritas Collaborative. Most helpful to Aronson’s experience at Veritas were parent programming and weekend sessions, which affirmed that her daughter’s eating disorder was not her fault. She then offers insight on prioritizing treatment above a child’s other commitments, as well as providing support outside of treatment by refusing to let the eating disorder rule.

Reflecting on her daughter’s treatment and recovery, Aronson reflects on the importance of self-care and attending to her own needs—something she wishes she had done more. She describes what gradual healing looked like for her daughter, including the signs she knew her daughter was getting better. In a particularly touching moment, Aronson recalls her daughter sharing that she has days where she doesn’t think once about her eating disorder, a reality they never imagined was possible. To close, Aronson graciously shares words of wisdom for other parents supporting a child with one of these illnesses.

The holiday season has officially arrived! With the festive spirit and cheer of the holidays often come stress and anxiety, especially for those in eating disorder recovery.

We hope that this season brings you connection with friends and family or time for reflection on growth or goal setting for the coming months or years. May these few recovery ideas help you successfully navigate this year’s holidays in recovery.

Tell us about yourself!

Hi, I’m Marissa (she/her)! I started with The Emily Program in 2022 after moving to Spokane, Washington, with my family. I am the Clinical Manager and an Outpatient Therapist at our Spokane Outpatient & Day Treatment site for Adolescents and Adults.

The benefits of athletics are well-established. Participating in organized sports can help you build self-esteem, recognize the value of teamwork, set the foundation for a lifelong physical activity practice, improve mental health, promote social connections, open the doorway for scholarships or even a career, and teach important life skills, such as goal-setting and leadership.

However, these positive outcomes come with an important caveat. The pressures of athletic competition and the emphasis many sports place on body weight, shape, and size can contribute to psychological and physical stress. For individuals naturally predisposed to eating disorders, these stressors can be a tipping point into disordered territory.

Athletes frequently experience diminishing returns from disordered habits like restrictive dieting and over-training. Although it can be difficult for an athlete to step away from their sport, pursuing treatment increases their likelihood of safely returning—and can be lifesaving. Coaches, parents, teammates, and providers have a critical role in ensuring athletes are prioritized over the sport. Understanding the risks athletes face is key to providing preventative support.

Seeking support for an eating disorder is not only okay, it’s necessary. The longer care is delayed, the longer disordered thought patterns and behaviors have to take root and complicate recovery.

Eating disorder treatment and recovery can (and do) look different for everyone. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, race, or background, there is a recovery path for anyone. The Emily Program’s day treatment programs are ideal for many individuals with eating disorders because they allow clients to practice recovery skills in their everyday lives while receiving comprehensive, evidence-based treatment at a higher level of care and structure.

The Emily Program is committed to providing evidence-based treatment that meets you at any stage of life. Breaking free from these all-consuming illnesses is possible. Read on to learn how our day treatment programs promote lasting recovery from an eating disorder.

Pause for a moment. Take a deep breath in. Now, exhale it all out. The prospect of beginning residential treatment for an eating disorder can be anxiety-provoking, overwhelming, and even terrifying. Whether you’re about to start treatment for the first time, are a returning client who has received treatment in the past at a different level of care, or are helping your loved one or patient prepare for their admission to residential treatment, intense emotions and uncertainty surrounding the start of treatment are understandable.

At The Emily Program, we’ve designed our residential treatment programs to accommodate all the apprehension that may come with this brave leap into the unknown. Residential care offers around-the-clock structure and ongoing skill development, with a focus on personalized support from our multidisciplinary care team. The Emily Program’s residential facilities are places of hope and healing. Learn about the variety of interventions we offer in residential care, designed to bring lasting recovery within reach.