F.E.A.S.T.: Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders

Vision: F.E.A.S.T. is an international organization of and for parents and caregivers to help loved ones recover from eating disorders by providing information and mutual support, promoting evidence-based treatment, and advocating for research and education to reduce the suffering associated with eating disorders.

Principles: 

  • Eating disorders are biologically based mental illness and fully treatable with a combination of nutritional, medical, and therapeutic supports.
  • Parents do not cause eating disorders, and patients do not choose eating disorders.
  • Parents and caregivers are a powerful tool for a loved one's recovery from eating disorder.
  • Blaming and marginalizing parents in the eating disorder treatment process causes harm and suffering.
  • When available, patients should receive evidence-based treatment.
  • Families should be supported in seeking the most appropriate treatment in the least restrictive environment possible.
  • Food is medicine: all treatment should include urgent and ongoing nutritional rehabilitation.
  • When the family is supported, the patient is supported.
  • Siblings and all family members are affected by a family member's illness, and deserve full attention to their needs.
  • Parents have unique abilities to offer other parents support, information, and the wisdom of experience.

Area served: Live online "Around The Dinner Table (ATDT) Forum" staffed by volunteer parent mentors

Population served: Parent mentoring provided via the ATDT Forum to parents and adult carers of sufferers

Cost: Free, donations welcomed

Mentoring services offered:

  • Around The Dinner Table parent and adult carers forum (available to parents and adult carers only)
  • Parent book reviews
  • Research blog
  • Specialist referrals
  • Parent recipe book
  • Parent book reviews

How to join: http://www.feast-ed.org/onlinecaregiversforum.html

Additional info: F.E.A.S.T. is a strong advocate of the Maudsley Method or Family-Based Treatment (FBT). Founder Laura Collins is the author of Eating With Your Anorexic: How My Child Recovered Through Family-Based Treatment and Yours Can Too

Website: www.feast-ed.org

Contact info: 540-227-8518 or info@FEAST-ED.org

Status: F.E.A.S.T. is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization

 

*Information provided courtesy of F.E.A.S.T.; page last updated 11/2010