Dr. Mark Kirshenbaum is a board certified pediatrician preventing eating disorders based in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Tourocom and sees all types of pediatric pathologies. He is also your go-to guy for any mental health concerns. 

In this episode, we will dive right into how one pediatrician deals with eating disorders, how parents can foster healthy relationships and environments for their children, and the importance of consulting a primary care doctor. This is solely Mark’s opinion.

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Show Notes

[00:01 - 08:17] Opening Segment

• I introduce our guest for this episode

• Dr. Mark talk about his background

• How Dr. Mark became a pediatrician preventing eating disorders

• Dealing with mental health

  1. Dealing with more eating disorders

[08:18 - 24:40] Fostering Healthy Relationship Between Food and Children

• Being aware of the teenager’s attitude and behavior

• Communicate and get to the nuances of the relationships

• Establish a judgement-free environment

  1. Don’t shut the kids down

  2. Establish an environment where people can speak freely

• Check ourselves as parents

• Role modeling to your kids

• Things to lookout for as red flags

• Different red flags in different communities

  1. The way we define “unhealthy” is defined by social norms

  2. Utilize the professionals in schools like teachers, counselors, older friend

[24:41 - 42:15] Experience with Specialists and Hospital 

• Regular adult nutritionists will at times do significant damage

• Working with someone whose specialty is weight loss will not be the person that's going to help somebody who's struggling with their relationship with food

• Importance of conducting a risk assessment

• Mark’s personal opinion as a pediatrician preventing eating disorders on exhausting other options before going to the hospital

[27:29 - 51:41]  Closing Segment 

• Final words

   

Tweetable Quotes

“Never try to shut down a kid who's opening themselves up to you for guidance.” Dr. Mark Kirschenbaum

“When you talk about laying the groundwork for mental health and eating disorders, in particular, it's about open lines of communication and modeling for your kids.” - Dr. Mark Kirschenbaum

More From Rachelle

Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.

I believe in the power of deep work and its positive impact on your life in the long term. Learn more about how we can work together here.

You can connect with me on Instagram, through my website or email me directly clicking the links below.

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