On Verbiage
I am a lover of language; one of my trademark coaching methods is use of analogy (I can almost always find something you understand well to compare components of fighting an eating disorder to). My “Full Metal Apron” tagline comes from my love of words and phrases that are succinct and evoke a powerful image. My mantra in the trenches was “You have to see The Beast to slay The Beast”. My two daughters and I have tattoos in my handwriting, saying “nevertheless, she persisted” – three words that accurately tell you who we are.
Opportunity
The research community is working hard - top among them Dr. Cindy Bulik of the Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative and Dr. Walt Kaye who has done revolutionary fMRI and other research; this Wall Street Journal article that quotes them both is fantastic. We are getting answers – never as fast and soon as we want them and there is a sense of momentum. There are some brilliant things happening with Telemedicine that will transform access to care.
It’s my hope that at this critical and exciting juncture in eating disorders research, treatment, and advocacy, the parent/carer community takes on the task of collaboratively and aggressively transforming the field. We have an avenue to do so through F.E.A.S.T, an organization all parents globally should join (I am a proud board member and have eternal gratitude for the resource and opportunities the organization has afforded me); F.E.A.S.T. is the reason the voices of families have become recognized and valued. With more, involved, members, we can increase our collective impact as parents did in the autism field. We can drive change. F.E.A.S.T. founder, Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh is also quoted in the WSJ article - important validation of the power of parents.
Making Fetch Happen
Getting new words and phrases into any lexicon isn’t easy, and it is possible, and I would like your help to make this happen. Parents and other carers can lead field change by knowing what they need for their loved one and promoting the use of terms that are specific and descriptive. To that end, I invite everyone to join me in making fetch happen . . .* **
Strong wills are a hallmark of our loved ones with eating disorders and its often an apple/tree situation – with determination and cohesion, we can lead the change we wish to see.
*I am not taking credit for these terms; I have been using them for some time and have no idea of origins
**Accompanying video is here