When Food Is Family

Key ingredients in the eating disorder mix

by Judy Scheel, Ph.D., L.C.S.W.

Motivating Loved Ones to Seek Recovery

People suffering from eating disorders are often ambivalent about recovering, which makes these types of illnesses harder to treat. Helping those with eating disorders discover their own reasons to begin the recovery process can contribute to creating and sustaining their motivation. Read More

Issues in Attachment That May Contribute to Eating Disorders

There is no, one cause of eating disorders; however, attachment issues need to be considered in the complex, entangled web of causes. Read More

Shame, Blame and Eating Disorders

For parents or loved ones of someone with an eating disorder, accepting responsibility is often the first step in the recovery process. In no way does this assign shame or blame, which is in fact counterproductive. Instead, it is a critical steps in helping the sufferer and family heal together. Read More

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (Feb. 26 - March 3) is a time to look at the role empathy plays in helping loved ones recover from an eating disorder. Read More

Teen Power Struggles and Eating Disorders

When you have teens, you have power struggles. But what happens when those power struggles manifest themselves in an eating disorder? Read More

Loss and Eating Disorders During the Holidays

Holidays are such an emotional time for everyone, and with so much focus on family and togetherness, many people deal with feelings of separation and disappointment during these times. But for someone suffering from an eating disorder, feelings of separation and loss can sometimes be a catalyst for damaging eating behaviors. Read More

Will the Real Authentic Voices Please Stand up and Be Heard

“Living authentically” means living a life that is true to you, and this includes integrating all sides of you. So what is the “authentic voice” when it comes to dealing with anorexia? Read More

Coping with Holiday Health

The holidays are a time of family togetherness, and for the typical family, that often means plenty of holiday food and lots of time spent together. But for families coping with eating disorders, holiday meals can so often be more of a struggle than a celebration. Read More

Linking Early Attachments to Eating Disorders Later on

The nature of someone's early attachments and familial relationships can often be a determining factor in the development of eating disorders later in life. Read More

Celebrities and Eating Disorders

Celebrities may have us all star-struck by their seemingly glamorous lives, but what happens when they put the spotlight on their own eating disorder? Here’s a look at how celebrities can help—and hurt—those suffering from eating disorders. Read More

Eating Disorders Affect Relationships

For many individuals, eating disorders are attempts to fix externally what is internally vulnerable in an individual. Yet the cause of an eating disorder can often be traced back to attachment patterns that are weak or failing in childhood, which leave someone vulnerable to a whole host of self-esteem, self-worth and relationship issues later in life. Read More

Judy Scheel, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., author of When Food Is Family, is the Founder and Executive Director of Cedar Associates Foundation.

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About When Food Is Family

When food is Family takes a look at how early childhood relationships play a significant role in the development of an eating disorder. Known as Attachment Theory, the emotional support, empathy, and acceptance a child receives during development set the foundation for self-worth throughout life. Without healthy attachments, self-esteem is diminished and food becomes a replacement for the healthy relationships an individual craves.