Posts Tagged “Support Groups”

We wanted to share former clients’ reflections on their time in The Emily Program’s adolescent programs.

• “The Emily Program has helped me a lot mostly because I am a kid and usually these (things) don’t make a whole lot of sense. Thank you.” – Adolescent client
• “Our family is more open—not just about food, but with feelings. It’s amazing to see how much everything has changed and how willing they are to say how they feel.” – Adolescent client
• “I feel surrounded and protected—something I didn’t have for many years. It’s nice to have that, finally.” – Adolescent client
• “Sometimes, you feel like you’re doing the battle alone. Being with the other parents definitely made me feel more supported. There’s a whole bunch of other people going through the same thing with their kids.” – Parent of an adolescent client
• “I’m here with my daughter. She’s only been in the program for 2 months but I see changes in her already. So it’s nice to know I still have hope.” – Parent of an adolescent client
• “I want to thank my daughter for being strong enough to face her own issues with her eating disorder. She came to The Emily Program to take back her life and she helped me realize I can do the same.” – Parent of an adolescent client

It is estimated 95 percent of those who suffer from an eating disorder are between the ages of 12 and 25, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

That’s why The Emily Program – Cleveland has tailored its programs to meet the individual needs of children and teens, in addition to adults.

Like many other eating disorder facilities, The Emily Program offers multiple levels of care for adolescents and adults. What makes The Emily Program different is that our services are based in outpatient treatment. As The Emily Program founder Dirk Miller says, “We didn’t start as an inpatient program and develop outpatient services to support that model. The reason is pretty simple: most change occurs as an outpatient. We live our lives as ‘outpatients.’ Ultimately we must apply what’s learned to a life of recovery that we live outside the treatment program.”

By Sarah Hrudka, Outreach Specialist at The Emily Program

I remember the terror and anxiety that ran through my veins prior to confronting my friends about their eating disorder(s), because I was so unsure of how they might react. But I once heard the quote, albeit a bit cheesy perhaps, that “I would rather have a mad friend than a dead friend.” Not that I had enough power as a single human to save their life and well-being per se, but instead holding steadfast to the notion that I had enough of a voice to help, because I would rather say “I tried” instead of “I should’ve.”