Special Webinar Highlights the important role fathers play in the lives of children with eating disorders
Are you are the father of a child with an eating disorder? If so, NEDA Navigators (an outreach of the Parent, Family & Friends Network) invites you to join Mike Pollan and Paul Cordero for this free online webinar for fathers, by fathers. They will share what they have learned from their own experience of caring for a child with an eating disorder about the role fathers can play in the recovery process. This webinar will go beyond the basics of eating disorder signs and symptoms and will give you relevant, applicable tools for helping your loved one through an eating disorder while also safeguarding your own health and well-being.
Those who are not fathers, but are interested in the role of fathers, are welcome to attend.
The webinar will be held on Thursday March 1st, 2012 from 5:00-6:30pm EST (2:00-3:30pm PST)
For this online webinar, space limited. To register, click here.
Read on for more about the role of fathers from some experts in the field.
Margo Maine, Ph.D., writes about the significance of fathers in her book Father Hunger: Fathers, Daughters and Food. The book explores fathers’ roles in their daughters’ emotional development and stresses the benefit of fathers and daughters maintaining a strong connection.
Robin Risler, Psy.D., a psychologist with a private practice in Philadelphia, affirms the importance of fathers. "I believe that fathers are critical to the emotional development of young women, because they are often their earliest role models of masculinity, which helps them to define by contrast the nuances of their feminine identities," she says. "Fathers who offer affirmative messages to their daughters provide them with a positive sense of what it means to be a woman today."
In her book, Maine identifies 10 myths which, when debunked, will help fathers be proactive participants in helping their daughters steer clear of eating disorders. The myths are:
1. Eating Disorders and body image are women’s issues. Men account for approximately 5% to 10% of patients with eating disorders.
2. Men can’t understand. Men can understand women’s experiences of body dissatisfaction by listening to their wives and daughters.
3. Eating disorders are caused by problems in the mother-daughter relationship. Although the mother may be the primary “feeder,” eating disorders are caused by multiple factors.
4. Distant, uninvolved fathers are the cause of eating disorders. Yes. it is important that fathers stay connected and involved, but fathers cannot cause eating disorders.
5. Fathers play an inconsequential role in the development of their children. Fathers are essential in providing for many needs.
6. Father’s role is to provide economically. Sticking with the roles of provider for men and nurturer for women is restrictive and limiting.
7. Parenting isn’t important to men. This is not true. Most fathers are active and involved.
8. Fathers don’t feel. Although men may not be as outward with feelings as women they experience emotions deeply.
9. Girls learn about femininity from their mothers. A girl develops her ideas about feminine behavior by watching her father interact with women. She observes the traits he values, and learns what it means to be feminine.
10. Adolescent girls need mothers, not father. Girls need both parents. From fathers they need the acceptance of their changing roles and bodies and their positive attention.
Philadelphia treatment programs:
Belmont Center
Brandywine Center
Renfrew Center
Everybody Knows Somebody. Get involved in NEDAwareness Week 2012, February 26- March 3! Visit the NEDAwareness Week homepage under Programs & Events at www.NationalEatingDisorders.org to register today and learn more about how you can do just one thing to help raise awareness about eating disorders and become part of the solution.
National Eating Disorders Helpline: 800 931-2237
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