Everyone is affected
It’s often been said that when a family member has an eating disorder, the whole family has an eating disorder. Siblings are the silent sufferers and can become the eating disorder’s long-term “collateral damage”.
Here at EDFA, we recognise that the intensity of living with an eating disorder in the family is felt acutely by all members, often for many, many years.
A national Sibling Support Group
EDFA Siblings Support Groups are a safe space to give siblings a voice and acknowledgment for the range of emotions (i.e. sadness, confusion, helplessness, isolation, loneliness, fear, anger, frustration) and daily struggles of living with a sibling with an eating disorder.
This support will help them to understand what their role as a sibling is.
Date: 2nd Tuesday of the month, 7:30pm AEDT
Facilitators
Natalie Kuchenmeister, Educator & Lived Experience Carer
Robyn Gorfine, Educator & Lived Experience Carer
Olivia Larkin, Sibling with Lived Experience
Julia Wastell, Sibling with Lived Experience
Benita Bruce, Sibling with Lived Experience
Siblings Support Groups are a member-only service.
Each participating family will receive a FREE book for siblings aged 7-14 years “The Disappearing Sister”, kindly donated by the author, Elizabeth Cummings (valued at RRP $14.99):
(Postage $6.00 & Support EDFA by purchasing a Baton for $5.00)
What siblings will gain from the group
Siblings will learn that it is not their job to “fix” or take responsibility for their unwell sibling, but they can be there and make a difference, and most importantly, to take care of their own mental and physical health and wellbeing.
Some of the things we hope siblings will take away from our Siblings Support Groups are:
- They have permission and are expected to move on in their own lives, and continue to enjoy the things that bring them joy and purpose, with no shame.
- Their voice is as valid as any other voice in the family, and they will be heard and validated in the support group.
Ready to join?
Sibling Support Groups will be held on the second Thursday of every month via Zoom. Check the events calendar here.
To reserve a spot for your child:
Parents of siblings under 18
Download and sign the consent form here.
Siblings 18+
Download and sign the consent form here.
Return forms to admin@edfa.org.au.
Members need to be logged into their account to access the consent forms. Log in to your account If you are a member, please log into your account here.
If not, become a member for just $25/year here.
Your membership options
| Features | Non-Member $0 | Member $25p/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 Daily Support Forum | ||
| National Carer Support Groups for carers of loved ones with any eating disorder | ||
| Special Carer Support Groups' (ARFID - run monthly, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder - run quarterly) | ||
| Support Groups (run quarterly) | ||
| strive4Men - A group for male carers, and those who identify as male (run quarterly) | ||
| Siblings Support Group | ||
| Twice Monthly Education Sessions with experts from the eating disorder field and those with lived experience | ||
| Access to Member Only Content | ||
| Access to Digital Library - Webinar recordings (over 120 hours) | ||
| Member Recommendations - GP's, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Dietitians, Peer Mentors, Recovery Coaches and More. Updated monthly. | ||
| Information Packs | ||
| strive Monthly topic sheets and talking points | ||
| Downloadable EDucational Resources | ||
| Discounts to events and conferences | ||
| A voice of change in the ED space |
