With a tween daughter of my own, I feel certain that at some point, I will be dealing with an eating disorder up close. I hope it's not her, but maybe a friend, or a relative. Is there anything that we can do to prevent it? What do we do when we think it's a problem for a loved one? This was my mindset as I went into BRAVE GIRL EATING.
Harriet Brown is a reporter by trade, and she brings some of that fact-finding expertise and ability to explain and evoke empathy without being overly dramatic. However she writes this book as a mom.
When her daughter lost a noticeable amount of weight and became insecure and emotional, Brown worried that she had an eating disorder. When it was diagnosed, she was faced with how to treat it. Many people opt for residential treatment, but Brown went with hands-on Family Based Treatment (FBT). This book details her day by day, week by week, and month by month treatment of her daughter.
Brown is not at all overly dramatic, and yet this is a heart-wrenching book. It reminds me a lot of Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, written by another journalist David Sheff about his son's addiction to crystal meth.
My heart went out for the parents' love and care and hard, but good, choices. And ultimately I wondered if the kid will be okay, or when the parents will be able to rest in the knowledge that their child is healed.
I've given this book 5 Stars, because it's honest, true, helpful, relevant and the story pulled me along and made me feel.