Boarding Schools for Girls

When an adolescent girl is recovering from an eating disorder, her relationship with her mother can be more of a deterrent than a motivator. Mother-daughter relationships are complicated, and unrealistic expectations – by both parties – can hinder a child’s recovery.

A clinical lecturer at Northwestern University, where she is affiliated with both the Family Institute and the Department of Psychology, Weigel Foy endorses an introspective look at this unique relationship and believes temporary distance from family members allows many adolescent and teenage girls to feel safe exploring the mother-daughter relationship in ways they haven’t been able to during prior treatment for anorexia or bulimia. [Source: Melodika]

A residential treatment center can give a teen that much-needed distance and time to take an honest look at her relationships, uncovering negative behaviors and patterns.

Labels: relationships, parenting, mothers, eating disorders

Posted By: Boarding Schools for Girls 1 Comment

An Aug. 2 post on the Eating Disorders Help Guide blog addresses the very real risk that poor self-image can lead teen girls into dangerous behaviors in the name of regulating their weight:

A girl who’s convinced that she’s “fat” even though she’s not will continue trying to lose weight, even when she’s too thin. And, to the best of her ability, she’s going to hide her weight loss from her parents and other loved ones, so she can keep losing.

If you suspect that your daughter may have an eating disorder, contact your family physician or another qualified healthcare provider immediately. Eating disorders are complex conditions that can wreak considerable devastation if left untreated.
 

Labels: parenting, eating disorders

Posted By: Boarding Schools for Girls 1 Comment

Can a girl be bullied about her weight so often at school that she develops an eating disorder? A federal judge in Pennsylvania said yes, and awarded a teenage girl $55,000 in damages that her school district must pay.

The girl was only 11 years old when boys in her sixth-grade class began to tease her about her weight. Their taunts continued for two years. The child developed anorexia nervosa and had to be treated in an eating disorder clinic after her weight went down to starvation levels.

Her lawsuit named her school district as a defendant, and claimed authorities did not properly protect against bullying.

Once mistakenly believed to be a "boys problem," bullying also impacts many female students -- both as victims and perpetrators.

Labels: school, bullying, eating disorders

Posted By: CRC Health 1 Comment