Support for Partners & Spouses
Empowering Partners and Spouses Through Recovery
We know that it can be incredibly difficult to witness your partner struggling with an eating disorder or a disordered relationship with food. These challenges can have tremendous impacts on your relationship and your mental wellbeing. We believe that partners and spouses deserve support too.
We aim to support and empower partners and spouses through their loved one’s recovery journey. We provide information about eating disorders, skills for dealing with challenging emotions that may arise with your loved one, techniques for supporting your partner as they heal their relationship with food, and strategies to help deal with and/or prevent partner burn out.
Our entire team is trained in family-focused care, meaning that they understand the need to support family members as well as the affected individual. We take a strict no-blame approach to working with family members. We do not endorse the idea that partners or spouses can cause eating disorders, in fact, our philosophy is that, when properly equipped with knowledge and skills, partners and spouses can be tremendous assets in their loved one’s recovery.
We use an empathic, non-blaming, non-judgemental and supportive approach with all the partners and spouses we work with.
Holistic Support Services for Partners & Spouses
Meet & Greet
Our Meet and Greet services offer a free, 15-minute phone or video call, giving you the opportunity to assess whether a specific therapist is the right fit for you or your loved one before committing to a full session. This is a no-pressure chance to ask questions about the clinician’s experience, treatment modalities, availability, and more, helping you make an informed decision about your care or the care of your loved one.
Whether you’re seeking support for yourself, your partner, or a family member, a Meet and Greet is a great way to start. Reach out today to schedule your call and take the first step towards finding the right therapist for your needs.
Psychological Counselling
Discover a supportive, non-judgmental environment where the experiences of partners and spouses are understood. Our compassionate psychological counseling employs evidence-based methods like DBT and CBT to help you navigate the challenges of supporting your loved one with an eating disorder, addressing the emotional impact on both partners and fostering lasting recovery together.
Nutritional Counselling
Help your partner transform their relationship with food through personalized nutritional guidance. Our experts provide practical strategies and support to assist you in navigating eating challenges, promoting intuitive eating, and nurturing a healthier approach to nourishment together.
Groups
Connect with other partners and spouses who understand the journey of supporting a loved one with an eating disorder in our supportive group settings. Our therapeutic groups foster a sense of community, offering shared experiences and collective strength while providing valuable insights into understanding the illness. This environment helps you feel less isolated as you navigate your own challenges alongside your partner’s recovery process.
Occupational Therapy
Empower yourself with the knowledge and skills to support your partner or spouses’s recovery. We provide actionable information to help you understand their eating challenges and offer targeted training to create a recovery-focused environment at home. Our therapists guide you in fostering a supportive atmosphere and advise on practices to avoid, such as undue pressure during mealtimes.
Psychological Counselling
At Alberta Wellness, we recognize that supporting a partner with an eating disorder comes with its own set of challenges and emotional complexities. Our services for partners and spouses are designed to provide you with the knowledge and support necessary to create a recovery-focused environment at home while also addressing the personal stressors you may face.
We offer tailored education to help you understand the intricacies of eating disorders, equipping you to support your partner effectively. Our coaching focuses on helping you build a supportive and nurturing environment that promotes recovery and resilience.
Additionally, we provide individual support to help you manage the emotional impact of your partner’s illness. This includes strategies for handling stress and coping with the emotional challenges of being a supportive partner. By addressing both your needs and those of your loved one, we aim to foster a balanced and compassionate approach to recovery.
Nutritional Counselling
Navigating the challenges of mealtime and food consumption can be daunting for partners and spouses of individuals with eating disorders. We offer support for caregivers, even if your loved one isn’t currently a client with us, empowering you to feel confident in your ability to support their nutritional recovery at home.
Our services include teaching partners how to create a recovery-focused environment while helping you understand and navigate your loved one’s complex nutritional needs. Additionally, we provide valuable information and education about eating disorders and recovery, ensuring you gain a deeper understanding of your partner’s experiences and challenges.
Group Information
Our groups provide a unique healing opportunity for partners and spouses, as recognizing that you are not alone in your struggles can be profoundly empowering. Listening to others with both similar and different experiences can inspire new coping strategies and offer broader perspectives on the challenges you face. Participants benefit from a safe, supportive, and informative environment where you can learn valuable skills to aid in your partner’s recovery journey while also supporting your own emotional well-being.
Decisions about whether groups will run are made four days prior to the start date, so if you’re interested in joining a group, we encourage you to register as early as possible to ensure it takes place.
Groups for Partners & Spouses
Meal Support Workshop
Description: The Meal Support Workshop is a 2 hour, one time educational workshop. The facilitator, Chantelle Jensen, a Registered Nurse, will cover:
- What is meal support and why we need it
- Benefits of meal support
- Pre meal check in
- Behaviours at meals
- 4 C’s of meal support
- Distractions
- What to say/not to say at meals
- Validation
- Scenarios/practice
When: Monday evening from 5:30 – 7:30pm MST. Offered once per quarter.
Next session: December 16th, 2024
Where: Live virtual, via Zoom.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $50 for the first support person and $25 for each additional support person
Size: Maximum 8 families
Who can attend: Open to anyone who supports a friend or family member with an eating disorder during meals and would like to learn more about how to support and encourage.
Registration: Sign up on-line or by calling 780-977-7062
Biology and the Eating Disorder Group for Adults
Description: This 6-week group focuses on learning the specific impacts of Eating Disorders on body systems (Cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, Neurological, Urinary, Skin), Electrolytes, Sleep, Stress and Refeeding.
Next Offering: March 4th to April 8th, 2025
When: Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:30pm MT
Cost: $160 (covers 6 weeks)
Size: Min 4, Max 8 per group
Who can attend: Open to individuals struggling with an Eating Disorder, supporting an individual with an Eating Disorder or anyone wanting to learn the biological impacts on the body.
Sign up online or by calling Alberta Wellness Center for Eating Disorders.
EmpowerED Caregiving
Description: EmpowerED Caregiving is a series of recordings. It aims to provide you with strategies for responding to your loved one’s emotions. Based on Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), this workshop teaches communication skills to support the processing of emotions. Emotion Coaching is a tangible skill that can help you support your loved one’s recovery, and repair trusting relationships. It will also provide the space and support your loved one’s needs to find healthier ways to deal with anxiety, shame, anger and other challenging emotions that often accompany eating disorders.
Format: Recording. Can be watched as many times as needed for a six month period. Can also be shared within the family so all family members can have consistent communication.
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost: $35+gst
Who can purchase: Open to any caregivers of children/loved ones of any age.
Eating Disorders 101
Description: Eating Disorders 101 is a recorded educational webinar designed to provide key information about eating disorders for friends, family, coaches, teachers, colleagues and the general public, in order to help build an informed and compassionate support system for those who are struggling with Eating Disorders or Disordered Eating. The webinar will cover the basics of what eating disorders are to clarify myths and misunderstandings, share what is helpful and what isn’t and provide suggestions on how to support families impacted by eating disorders.
Format: Recorded educational webinar
Cost: $35+gst
Recommended for: Anyone who knows a friend, family member, colleague, room-mate or student with an eating disorder or members of the general public who wish to learn more.
In Home Meal Support Coaching
If your loved one is living at home, the majority of their meals will take place in your shared environment. Our in home meal support is designed specifically for partners and spouses of individuals with eating disorders, providing coaching services to equip you with the necessary skills to support your loved one during mealtimes.
As your partner transitions from in-patient care, where they received a high level of support during meals, they will continue to need that same level of assistance at home. Our coaching is aimed at helping you feel capable and confident in providing the essential support they need during this critical time.
Mealtimes can often be stressful and challenging, leaving partners feeling uncertain about how to help or what to do to encourage their loved one to eat. Through our coaching, we teach effective strategies by modelling techniques that empower you to assist your partner during mealtimes, fostering a supportive and positive dining experience. With the right tools and guidance, you can play a vital role in your partner’s recovery journey.
Where: Calgary NW, Calgary SW and Cochrane, AB
Cost: is variable depending on location and needs.
Packages Available Include:
Meal Support Webinars and Workshops
Meal Support Workshop
Occupational Therapy
Our Occupational Therapy (OT) services for partners and spouses are dedicated to helping you support your loved one’s recovery from an eating disorder. We offer comprehensive information to help you understand the challenges your partner is facing, along with tailored training and coaching to empower you to contribute positively to their recovery at home. Our therapists work with you to establish a recovery-focused environment that fosters healing and encourages progress. We provide practical strategies to create a supportive and nurturing space, ensuring that your home environment supports your loved one’s journey towards wellness.
To discover how our OT services for partners and spouses can make a meaningful difference in your support efforts, visit our OT services page for more information and take the first step towards enhancing your role in your loved one’s recovery.