Caryl Ehrlich

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Caryl Ehrlich, a beloved friend and founder of The Caryl Ehrlich Program for weight loss. Raised in Miami, Caryl's early life was transient as her family made seasonal treks between Miami and the Catskills, where her parents managed her grandmother's inn and restaurant. In 1964, Caryl moved to New York City where she found her home and herself through art, writing, entrepreneurship, and lifelong bonds.

In 1981, The Caryl Ehrlich Program came about from Caryl's success with overcoming compulsive overeating and achieving permanent weight loss without dieting. Helping friends and colleagues adopt the same approach, she gradually developed a behavioral method for weight loss that she taught in private sessions across the United States and abroad. Caryl's program reached people through word of mouth, two books-the first entitled Conquer Your Food Addiction published by Simon & Schuster-and appearances on radio and television, including her shows on WMCA Radio in NYC and Changing Habits with Caryl Ehrlich on New York Cable TV.

The program proved game-changing for many. Launched when fad diets were in vogue, and addiction was shameful. Caryl turned that mindset on its head by encouraging program participants to address the triggers of overeating and change their behaviors, rather than their food choices. As one of the earliest programs of its kind, it achieved remarkable success for over 40 years.

Beyond her program, Caryl was a prolific collage artist and writer. Her collages transformed everyday objects and jagged cutouts into playful, multidimensional pieces. Her short stories in online publications also showcased her talents as a keen observer and humorist, capturing events, relationships, and New York life through a comedic lens. One memorable piece was her response to The Sun's call for family vacation stories: Miami mobster Meyer Lansky's son gifted Caryl's family a trip to Cuba just before the Castro Revolution. Caryl and her teenage siblings found themselves posing for a photo taken by their mother, with Castro's guerrilla fighters in camouflage uniforms, bullet ribbons crossing their chests, and rifles slung over their shoulders. Her family was among the last American flights out.

Drawn to the lives of the marginalized-especially women-Caryl became a fierce advocate for abortion rights after nearly dying from an alley abortion in the 1960s. She never wanted marriage or children; instead, she nurtured a chosen family of friends with unwavering love and support. Her razor-sharp wit and ability to turn any moment into tearful laughter lifted us all. To know Caryl was to share deeply, smile more, and laugh often.

Caryl leaves us as a cherished friend, a gifted artist, and a successful entrepreneur who helped many. Like her collages, her legacy lives on in the way she turned fragments into whole beauty, strangers into close family, and ordinary moments into something extraordinary. Caryl paid it all forward. We now carry her memory forward-with the love and laughter she so freely gave.

Caryl passed away June 9, 2025. She leaves behind a beloved family of friends and a nephew.