WiW: to work with teens with eating disorders - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Urgent

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

WiW: to work with teens with eating disorders

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I am not really looking forward to today, despite it being Friday, mostly because of what I have to do today. Last time, one of the girls pinched my arm and poked my tummy and called me fat. It is sometimes hard to remain empathetic.

Regardless, I was going to go with my red blazer this morning, but I need to have more of a "peer" image today and not as much authority, so I will leave the power blazers at home!

Love this skirt. Even if it is a size smaller than what I usually wear!

Cardigan: Rickis
Top: Smart Set
Skirt: Anthropologie
Earrings: Ruche
Necklace: Modcloth
Belt: Burberry (vintage)
Pumps: Le Chateau
Watch: Fossil

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Urgent

15 replies

Latest reply was from ramya

ramya

Veteran

What you do requires courage Lyn.
I admire you.
And I love what you are wearing:)
Must show hubby that I am not crazy to wear belts on skirt wiyhout belt loops:)

T-Rex

Veteran

Good luck!!! I hope you get through to at least some of those kids today.

Anonymous

Well, remember, they are sick and are working through the effects of their illness, as annoying as that may be

The cardi gives you a nice hourglass shape.

celia

Veteran

Your outfit is fabulous as always,I especially like the skirt.
Hope you keep your calm during the day, I cannot begin to imagine what it is like to work with people with eating disorders, you are very brave to do it.

Kristin L

Veteran

Good luck with today, Lyn! Like Ceit said, they are sick patients. That doesn't excuse what they said, but it helps explain why they act they way they do.

Your outfit looks wonderful.

Sara L.

Veteran

What Ceit said. The skirt and cardi look good on you. I think you're right that the cardi is more approachable than a blazer.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have a good friend who is a psychiatrist who works with eating disordered teens. She suffered from an eating disorder herself at their age, which gives her insight. It is hard work, though.

You look sensational!

cobaltblue

Veteran

That sounds so hard! I appreciate what you do. You look great; good call on the cardigan for today.

JulieJohn

Veteran

You look lovely and approachable. Good luck, I hope they are nice.

Aziraphale

Veteran

You look lovely, as always! That skirt is fantastic.

Good luck with the group counselling. You are doing a very difficult job. If it helps, remember that some of those girls don't want to be there, and all of them have a certain level of psychological pain, so try to take what they say with a grain of salt. I remember being made to go to group counselling when I was about nineteen. I was distressed and very, very angry, and spent the entirety of each session actively trying to make the counsellor cry. (Something I can't look back on without shame). The girl who poked you and called you fat was trying to hurt you. I beg you not to take it personally!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Thanks ladies for all your support - the group went well today, the patients were actually all very sweet. The staff on the other hand ... *cough* ... one of the staff wanted to talk to me about "attractiveness" afterwards and how this can be a barrier to therapy. Luckily, I had a "crisis" on the other ward so I was able to get out of that talk

@ Ramya - Of course you can wear a belt without belt loops! That's kind of silly of your DH :p You should tell him otherwise! Almost none of my skirts have belt loops!

@ T-Rex - Thanks Some days it is hard.

@ Ceit - It's the only thing that gets me through the day sometimes.

@ Celia & Kristin - Thanks for your kind words; I dunno if brave is the right word. Maybe foolhardy. HAHA.

@ Sara - I might save the blazer for when I have to take away their privileges

@ Suz - That's interesting! I know a lot of psychiatrists who have had ED in the past choose not to work on ED for relapse prevention. I know that my thoughts can be altered sometimes when I work there too much, so I ration myself (and have a donut before hand).

@ Cobaltblue - Well, I'd rather talk to these girls than tackle the 300 lb poor fellow who punched out a security officer today! I'm not very good at taking punches.

@ JulieJohn - Thanks

@ Elizabeth - Thank you for your insight. I will try to remember this. One girl told me I had fat ankles today, and I couldn't help but give her a strange look back. The other therapists are much better at keeping a straight face. I'll get there ... or use botox. :p

Anonymous

What? They were implying you were dressed/are too pretty for them?!

The best thing to say to the girl who said you have fat ankles is "why, thank you!" in a voice as if you just got the loveliest compliment (because if you were in Tibet for example that would be a super super compliment) Bonus points for kind of patting them lovingly (your ankles that is).

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

@ Ceit - I have no idea what they are implying; they were all wearing bright colours and rather different things - (i.e.: lace blouse with sheer blouse-sleeves and teal tights with leopard print pumps), so I don't think I was the most distracting one there. Hopefully they will forget about it.

I also think I need to go to Tibet. My friend just went and he said it was amazing (aside from the laundromat which stole his silk tie), but the people are warm and welcoming (he went on a medical mission) and there's so much good stuff you can do there. Also, he was chased by a monkey. That's always good in my books

Debra

Veteran

You look great Lyn and what you are doing is very important work.
I was listening to a woman in her forties on the radio last week who had suffered quite severly with eating disorders when she was in her teens.
She is still suffering medical conditions today as a consequence of this.
However, she thanked all of the people who supported her all those years ago and said she probably would have died without them........
They may not appreciate you now but they will later........

ramya

Veteran

Lyn if they come back to give you a lecture on attractiveness I would point out that you live in Canada lasy you checked and not somewhere in pre historic era....
Grrrrr