Family and Parenting

I am the father to a special child who has the most beautiful soul. I decided to seek recovery from my eating disorder because he needed a dad to help him grow and thrive. I put together a great team of professionals to help me. But that was just part one of the work. I had to learn how to be a dad and husband, a graduate student and worker, and do it all with some level of grace. It was terribly hard work, but worth every ounce of effort. I've since helped countless parents bring their kids and loved ones into recovery for eating disorders, substance abuse and mental health issues.

Family, whether biological or chosen, is often at the heart of our greatest strength and greatest fear and discomfort. Learning how to fully engage with your family in a healthy way is where many find their purpose and meaning. Parenthood brings its own additional fears that can stem from a one's own childhood experiences both positive and negative. Having a place to talk about those experiences, thoughts, hopes and fears can bring newfound confidence in your ability to be the parent you want to be and that your child needs. This can be especially powerful when you are the caretaker and supporter of a loved one who is suffering from mental or physical illness or disability. As the airlines say, "put your oxygen mask on first before you try to help the person next to you."

I am the father to a special child who has the most beautiful soul. I decided to seek recovery from my eating disorder because he needed a dad to help him grow and thrive. I put together a great team of professionals to help me. But that was just part one of the work. I had to learn how to be a dad and husband, a graduate student and worker, and do it all with some level of grace. It was terribly hard work, but worth every ounce of effort. I've since helped countless parents learn how to take care of themselves, improve their parenting skills, and create healthy relationships with their kids and loved ones. Of all the work I do, this is the most powerful.