Deborah Saari

“When I learned my daughter had anorexia nervosa (AN) many years ago, it was a confronting, frightening, and disorienting experience. We were told it wasn’t our fault per se. However, we experienced direct and indirect blame and even though I knew better, over the years, I took on the implicit stigma of being a parent with a child with AN. Additionally, we were given little in terms of how to support our daughter during meals and on her journey In contrast, during the Caregivers United program, I experienced compassion and acceptance, and the expectation that I could play a vital role in my now adult daughter’s recovery process. While I am grateful that research has broadened and deepened professionals’ understanding of eating disorders, I believe that if all parents and partners of loved ones with eating disorders started out with the type of education, support, and skills offered by Caregivers United, their family members would have much better outcomes. I am so grateful for the experience of this group program.”