Finding Balance

I recently came across a website that is a great resource for anyone struggling with disordered eating. The site is www.findingbalance.com and can be accessed by clicking HERE. Finding Balance is a faith-based nonprofit whose goal is to provide resources, support, information and encouragement for those struggling with food issues.

This site was started after a study was published in SELF magazine in 2008 by Cynthia Bulik, director of UNC's Eating Disorder Program, which reported that 75% of women have eating issues of some kind. This statistic is astounding. The creator of Finding Balance, Constance Rhodes, author of Life Inside the Thin Cage, was inspired to create the site as a way of reaching out to the many girls and women who struggle with food issues, as a tool to help and encourage. To read about Constance and her journey of recovery from disordered eating, click here. The site also aims to eliminate the stigma associated with eating and body image issues. For more information, visit the site at www.findingbalance.com.

Preventing Anxiety in Children: A Familial Approach

I recently came across an article detailing a study that looked at anxiety prevention which I enjoyed (I work with children and teens that deal with anxiety as well as their families) and thus, wanted to pass on this article of interest. A pilot study conducted at Johns Hopkins Children's Center recently looked at anxiety in children who have parents that are anxious. The researchers employed a family approach using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and they found that as few as eight weekly sessions of family CBT therapy were helpful in reducing anxiety. This study used a very small sample size, but the results are significant as far as prevention efforts go. Golda Ginsburg, a child psychologist at Johns Hopkins and senior researcher on this team, reports that children who have parents with an anxiety disorder are seven times more likely to develop anxiety. As a result, in conjunction with what we know about children and anxiety (one in five children in the US develop anxiety disorders), this is helpful information for parents, as well as health care professionals. For more information on this study and to read this article, click HERE.

Gurze Books- Eating Disorder Resources!

Gurze Books is a GREAT resource for information, resources, books, etc on eating disorders that has been around since 1980. It is a publishing company and its logo is located to the right. Gurze has a very user friendly website, located at http://www.bulimia.com and can be accessed by clicking here. There is something for everyone on this site, whether you are a parent of a child with an eating disorder, have an eating disorder yourself, or are a professional who wants more information on eating disorders. Check it out!

Effects of Parent's Deployment on Children

A recent study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics reports that a third of kids who have a parent who has been deployed is at greater risk for developing psychological problems. More research needs to be done, but what is clear is that kids who have a parent who has been/is deployed have been identified as 'at-risk.' Parents of these kids need to be aware of this, as it relates to the support that their kids may need. Not all kids are affected the same way and this study does not mean all kids with a deployed parent will have psychological problems. What it does mean is that parents need to be aware and can aim to prevent such issues by providing a supportive environment, and seeking professional help if needed.

Information retrieved from this article. For more information, follow the link to read the article.

A Follow-Up to Bullying

I recently wrote a post on bullying at school, in which I included a link to an article on increased efforts to understand and prevent bullying at schools. This article can be found here. I wanted to post a follow-up because I have been coming across more articles on bullying since then that are interesting and informative! I wanted to pass them on. The first one is a brief article which highlights a few statistics, as well as a study on bullying that was recently completed in Finland. The study concluded that young people who are bullied typically experience psychiatric problems later in life. To read this brief article, follow this link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090916/hl_hsn/scarsofbullyinglinger.

The second article, which can be accessed here,

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/schooling/bullying/the_wounded_spirit.aspx, is an article from Focus on the Family that explores the lasting effects of bullying on adults. The last article is geared towards parents whose children are being bullied. It advocates being vigilant and aware of your child's emotional well-being, as bullying often results in varying degrees of depression. If your child or teenager is experiencing depression, it is wise to seek professional help, either through counseling or other avenues. Follow this link to read.