Are You Seeking Treatment Services for Yourself
or for your Child?
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Are you wondering if eating habits and/or body image concerns could
mark the onset of an eating disorder?
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Does it frighten you to think that an eating disorder might be
fatal?
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Are you of the (erroneous) belief that an ED is incurable?
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If you are currently in treatment, do you feel discouraged that your
progress is not what it should be?
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Finally, as a patient or parent of a patient, do you find yourself
at a loss for where to turn to find the quality of expert help you
and/or your child deserve? If so, you have come to the right place….
It may surprise you to know that when treatment is responsive to the
unique demands of these disorders and requirements for care,
successful outcomes are clearly within reach in 80% of cases.
During the 41 years of my psychotherapy practice, I have
brought hundreds of hard-to-treat eating disorder patients to
complete recovery, mentoring and motivating them to learn to
discover more effective means for managing and resolving life's
problems.
It takes courage and expertise to initiate a search for expert care
In choosing a therapist, you require and deserve a clear picture of
that professional's treatment qualifications and capacity for
empathy and therapeutic connection. I invite you to contact me
(847-432-1795) to discuss how I work, my philosophy of treatment,
and any concerns and questions you might have about yourself, eating
disorders, and/or the treatment and recovery processes. It takes
courage to pick up the phone to make this first leap of faith
towards healing.
Even as early as this very first encounter, you should be able to
discern the quality of a therapist's knowledge and caring, and to
hear the assurances you need about the intention to include you and
your input in the treatment process. If you or your child are
currently engaged in treatment that has not been effective, your
next effort needs to be different. It is time to do "what works," to
secure treatment that is change-focused and outcome-driven, to rest
assured that you have found an advocate and mentor fully capable and
committed to walking this path together with you.
You are invited to seek additional support, as well, in browsing my
website, www.empoweredparents.com
and in reading my book "When
Your Child Has an Eating Disorder: a Step-by-Step Workbook for
Parents and Other Caregivers." Both resources will educate and
prepare you to meet the challenges and rewards that lie ahead for
you and your recovering child. This workbook has proven to be an
invaluable resource for patients as well, in describing what these
disorders are really about, what makes ED treatment effective, and
how a patient can insure recovery.
Professional Services Provided
Abigail Natenshon is the founder and director of
Eating Disorder Specialists of
Illinois: a Clinic without Walls.
Natenshon is a preferred, out-of-network provider for most
insurance companies; she is available to provide treatment seven
days and evenings a week. (click here for more information)
Abigail offers the following services:
1.
Individual and Family treatment for child and teen patients and
their parents
2.
Individual and Family treatment for adult patients
3.
Individual and family treatment for picky eating children and adults
4. Adult treatment
groups: Eating disorder group therapy is available to
individuals seeking the integrative, experiential mind/body work
of Anat Baniel Method© / Feldenkrais Method©.
This form of somatic
education, when used as adjunct treatment in combination with
more traditional approaches, by providing integrative movement
with attention, enables autonomous shifting out of old habits
and into useful new ones. It facilitates learning “from the
inside out;” enhancing sensory-awareness and re-integrating
neurological function that goes far to re-create a core sense of
self.
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Read Abbie’s article:
The
Feldenkrais Method © and Anat Baniel Method © in the Treatment of
Eating Disorders, published in the Feldenkrais Educational
Foundation of North America
SenseAbility Newsletter.
Http://www.feldenkrais.com/resources/senseability)
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Click
here
for more information about adult group therapy.
5.
Consultation and coaching for patients and families around issues of
diagnosing, treating and healing eating disorders
as they affect individuals and families; and about managing
picky eating syndrome (selective
eating disorder)
Also via Skype
Click
here for more
information.
6.
Professional case management consultation...also
via Skype
7.
Diagnostic assessments/evaluations
8.
Referrals to expert multi-disciplinary treatment team professionals
9.
Family-based Interventions to bring patients to care
10.
Intensive short-term
“marathon” treatment for out-of-towners upgrades recovery status, rectifies and
redirects action plans, provides education and healing strategies,
and intensifies motivation to heal.
Click
here for more
information.
11.
Speaker Services include keynotes, lectures and tutorials.
Click
here for more
information.
12.
Online webinars
and educative support groups and classes, as well as On-site
support groups and classes for parents and families.
Click
here for more
information.
(847) 432-1795
Direct Phone Line
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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
…………………………………………………………………………………..
"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!!!!”
………………………………………………………………………………………
So, C's Dad, despite all of his initial resistance to her treatment,
has dubbed you a "Rock Star therapist" … we all happily agree!
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
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!
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
"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
………………………………………………………………………………………
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
…………………………………………………………………………………
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
……………………………………………………………………………………
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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