"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous'? Actually, who are you not to be?....

Seven months ago, I never would have guessed that leaving the Center for Change would be so difficult. All I could think about was the food on my plate, the weight I had to gain, and how miserable I was. I remember calling my parents about 3 weeks into my stay, crying about how I wanted to go home, and how I could recover without the help of anyone here.

It's been hell to go through. I know – I have been there. Everyone would say to me that I am hopeless and I am lost, confused and mislead. I have felt that way and so have each of you a thousand times over again. Now is the time to prove them wrong that you're not just some little girl who has an eating disorder who can't take care of herself. That's not how we are or we will be.

This is a rare and unusual story – a true story about a girl with whom I became close friends, and who I later observed and supported as she made significant life changes in treatment for her eating disorder at Center for Change. Except for our prior friendship, this unique experience together would not have been possible given the importance of proper boundaries in clinical settings.