About Abigail Natenshon
Over 35 Years of Eating Disorder Specialty Practice
 
Contact Me
(847) 432-1795
 

Certified
Eating Disorder Specialist
 
 

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New Online Telehealth Eating Disorder Therapy Groups Offered
 
 
 
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Mission Statement
 for Parents and Families

 
  • Might your child have an eating disorder?
  • Are you at a loss for how to respond to your child? Or how to convince her/him that she has a problem that requires attention?
  • Are you seeking treatment for your child? Do you need assistance in finding expert care?
  • Might your child already be in treatment, though not making an effective and sustainable recovery? Have you been excluded as an integral part of the treatment process?

 

If your answers to these questions are “Yes,” you have come to the right place.  Let me help you use yourself knowledgeably, constructively and confidently in mentoring your child’s recovery.

 

 

 

 4 Basic Truths

  1. As parents or loved ones, you have a pivotal role to play in your child’s recovery. It is up to you to make certain that your child’s therapist/case manager includes, educates, and mentor’s your participation with the treatment team in the treatment and recovery processes.

 

  1. You are not to blame for the onset of your child’s eating disorder.

 

  1. Eating disorders are fully curable in 80 percent of cases that are recognized and treated in an effective and timely manner.

 

  1. Knowledge is power.  It is essential that you educate yourself: You are already an expert about your child. You now need to become an expert about mentoring your child’s eating disorder recovery.

 

How this site can help you

Through the years, I have seen a great many eating disordered children and adolescents who had met with treatment failures elsewhere. All too frequently, parents have been excluded from the treatment process, leaving them feeling defeated and lost. Warned to back off, parents were led to believe that their participation in treatment would be intrusive, violating the child’s autonomy as well as patient/therapist privilege.

I have created this site to dispel these myths and to create a blueprint for parents to follow in rekindling the kind of emotional connections that would facilitate a child’s effective and timely recovery. This site is designed to educate and empower you to better understand your child and the issues he or she might be dealing with, eating disorders, and the role you play in healing them. With or without a formal eating disorder diagnosis, you need to know whether eating disorder treatment should be the treatment of choice in your child's case, and then, how to find the most expert treatment available.

This site contains information that will offer you a foundation of knowledge, a detailed plan of action, and insights into your own, and your child’s, personal journey through what may prove to be a difficult, though gratifying healing process. The tools and strategies you will find here WORK…they are the product of 41 years of my professional experience treating eating disordered individuals and their families. 

By exercising empowered and proactive parenting through this crisis, you will ultimately create a deeper and more meaningful emotional connection with your child; it may be the greatest investment you have ever made as a parent. In the process, you may also discover the very best in yourself as a parent, along with rediscovering the precious child who has been lost to you.

 

 

 Testimonials about Treatment Services

 

The following is an email I received from a (consultation) patient

Abbie, Thank you SO MUCH for seeing me today and taking so much time with me. I wish we lived in the same town and that you were my therapist. I'm so glad to have connected with you today. You definitely got me thinking about so many things -- where I'm living and why, what I need from a therapist, what I need from a relationship, what I need medically, what I need to feed my spirit (the arts!), how to think about drawing my true self up and into the space the bulimia is currently filling...

 

I'm always touched by the power a deep human to human connection really can have. It does feel healing to be in the presence of another person who is invested in your well-being, and who can fully support you while reminding you how capable you are of supporting yourself at the same time. As you noted, I think it's been a long time since I've been in the presence of someone who can do both (the loving parent who also sets limits, the supportive therapist who also encourages independence and growth) Sounds like what I'm longing for is secure attachment. One of these days I'll get there...

 

I'm very grateful for our meeting, as are my parents.   Best wishes….KG

 

 

Abbie’s Response

The greatest pleasure is mine in being able to be a part of your life and of your rising up from the ashes of your disorder.  It's your time now, and you are ready.  I am here for you if and when you would like to call or are back in town. 

 

I trust that you know very well how to care for yourself.  I think what happened is that you have just become aware of this, as well....something you have known for a long time, but have been afraid to acknowledge.

 

Great things are to come in your life.  Please keep me posted, if only every now and then, through dropping me an email to let me know what you are up to.

 

Warmly,

Abbie

 

 

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"The change in my daughter has been breath-taking ….I see her taking charge of her life (not always as I would) and I LOVE seeing her really grow. It's amazing. You were right in the beginning…. that this would be a healing journey for both of us. Thank you so much!!!!”

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So, C's Dad, despite all of his initial resistance to her treatment, has dubbed you a "Rock Star therapist" … we all happily agree!

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Just want you to know that I recently went with a friend of mine and her anorexic daughter to make an introduction to a local therapist; it only took about 10 seconds before I came to realize just how lucky I was to not only to have found you, but also that you took such good care of us all. Thanks Abbie!

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"Working with Abbie is like having a wooly afghan wrapped around you on a wintry day…comfy, cozy and safe."
    -- K.L. a psychotherapy patient


 

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For Speaking Services

Ms. Natenshon is a gifted and engaging presenter in the area of eating disorders and its treatment. Her grasp of the material, ability to synthesize important insights and impart them in a highly "usable" manner is impressive and inspiring. Her clinical sensitivity and passion for her subject empowers her audience to leave feeling enhanced and prepared to face clinical challenges. By combining clear thinking, concrete tools and a wealth of clinical experience, she helps you understand not only what to do when treating this population, but why.

                                                                                            Ava Carn-Watkins
                                                                                            Ph.D.Assistant Director
                                                                                            Graduate Program in Counseling Psychology
                                                                                            The Family Institute at Northwestern University:
                                                                                            Center for Applied Psychological & FamilyStudies

 

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Psychotherapy via phone

“I’ve had several therapists in the past, and none of those experiences have produced any real results – let alone make me think more deeply about the underlying reasons behind my behaviors. Even though our sessions have been purely by telephone, I am already encouraged by how fast I feel I am getting to the root of my issues.

Our work together comes without judgment, without pressure and without fear, and for the first time I feel comfortable being entirely honest about my problems. This ability to be completely truthful is what has held me back in the past, and is what is allowing me to move forward now.  Many thanks.”    PG.

 

...also via Skype

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About Picky Eating Interventions

Hi Abbie!

I had a moment and wanted to update you a bit on my son Thomas.  I contacted an Anat Baniel practitioner here in Florida and we traveled 2 hours and visited her one Friday morning.  Thomas had only a one hour visit with her and I did witness some minor "progress"!  I was extremely pleased.  He tried to taste a strawberry.  That was huge for him.  He was able to put it to his mouth, touch it to his lips, and then licked it.  That is something he would NEVER have done previous.  Then, he tried ice cream!  He NEVER EVER wanted nor was he EVER interested in ice cream.  He asked my husband one night if he could try it and he did!  Granted we wish it was a piece of meat he had tried but it is progress.  He has made a few other minor advances. 

 

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