| The Eating Disorder Journal (April 2020, Vol. 21, No.4)
This Journal is emailed to over 113,721 readers
THE WORLD'S LARGEST EATING DISORDER REFERRAL SERVICE SINCE
1999 Contents: For Professionals - Calendar of Events Continuing Education and Other Resources Weighing In on Eating Disorder Issues How to add a submission to The Eating Disorder Journal Instructions on how to unsubscribe to The Eating Disorder Journal
Current Research and News: We examine the clinical research and current happenings in the eating disorder field to find the most interesting and useful current information available. Largest ever eating disorders study launched in UK. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is recruiting 10,000 people in its latest “pioneering” study in to eating disorders. The recruitment drive, which makes the study the “largest ever” eating disorder survey of its kind, aims to help researchers better understand these conditions and enable the design of new treatments aimed at improving the lives of patients. Partnering with the NIHR BioResource for Translational Research and the eating disorder charity Beat, the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) says that it will “facilitate the discovery of new genetic and environmental risk factors and by creating a resource of potential study participants who agree to be re-contacted for further research”, in order to speed up the pace of research into the most under-researched set of psychiatric disorders. Last year it was revealed that a “record number” of children are being hospitalised for eating disorders, with Public Health England reporting that hospital admissions for eating disorders in girls aged just 10 years old had increased by 146% since 2013/14, with a total of 2,196 hospital admissions for eating disorders of children and young people aged 10 to 24 years in 2017/18. The report also stated that although bulimia is more common among children and young people, it is anorexia which accounts for the larger proportion of hospital admissions. The new NIHR study hopes “to discover new genetic and environmental risk factors and provide a platform that will increase the amount of research being done in the field”, according to Professor Gerome Breen, NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre. Gerome continued, “We want to make research into eating disorders faster, cheaper and more effective to meet the desperate need for more effective treatments.” Up to 5% of the population will experience an eating disorder, with the most well-known being anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders are serious and have the highest mortality rate amongst all psychiatric disorders. Currently, less than half of individuals reach full recovery.
Estrogen administration improves the trajectory of eating disorder pathology in oligo-amenorrheic athletes: A randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE: Estrogen replacement prevents worsening body dissatisfaction with weight gain in adolescents with anorexia nervosa. However, the impact of estrogen administration on eating disorder (ED) pathology in normal-weight young women with exercise-induced amenorrhea is unknown. We hypothesized that (1) normal-weight oligo-amenorrheic athletes (OA) would show greater ED pathology than eumenorrheic athletes (EA) and non-athletes (NA), and (2) 12 months of estrogen replacement would improve those symptoms. TRIAL DESIGN: Randomized trial. METHODS: One hundred seventeen OA, 50 EA, and 41 NA completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) for measures of Drive for Thinness (DT) and Body Dissatisfaction (BD) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 (TFEQ-R18). OA were then randomized to receive 100 mcg transdermal 17β-estradiol with cyclic progesterone (PATCH), an oral contraceptive pill (30 mcg ethinyl estradiol + 0.15 mg desogestrel) (PILL), or no estrogen (E-) for 12 months. Data are reported for the subset that completed questionnaires at 0 and 12 months between 11/2009 and 10/2016. RESULTS: OA showed higher EDI-2 DT and TFEQ-R18 Cognitive Restraint scores than EA and NA and higher EDI-2 BD scores than EA. Over 12 months, the E+ group (PATCH+PILL), compared to E-, showed improved trajectories for EDI-2 DT and BD scores. In 3-group comparisons, PATCH outperformed E- for decreases in EDI-2 DT and BD, and the PILL for TFEQ-R18 Uncontrolled Eating. CONCLUSION: In OA, 12 months of estrogen replacement improves ED pathology trajectories, emphasizing the broad importance of normalizing estrogen levels. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019 Apr;102:273-280. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.013. Epub 2018 Nov 16.
Study: Exercise addiction nearly 4 times more common among those with eating disorders. The study found in the journal Eating and Weight Disorders, as well as studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity. The information is based on looking at more than 2,000 patients, and the numbers are quite dramatic. It found that people displaying characteristics of an eating disorder are almost four times more likely to suffer from addiction to exercise than people displaying no indication of an eating disorder.
Bone mineral density in Anorexia Nervosa versus Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). BACKGROUND: Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and Anorexia Nervosa (AN) cause significant underweight in children and young people (CYP). The association of low bone mineral density (BMD) and underweight CYP in AN is well established, but less is known about BMD in ARFID. METHODS: Retrospective case-note review and analysis of BMD measures by DXA on underweight patients referred to a paediatric clinic for eating disorders between 2014 and 2019. Indications for BMD measurement were age > 5 years and underweight for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Of 134 cases where BMD was measured, 118 (88%) had AN and 16 (12%) ARFID. Age range was 6-19 years. 19% were males. ARFID cases were more likely to be male, have lower Body Mass Index (BMI), BMI z-score (BMIz), and longer underweight duration. For all cases, BMI and BMIz were positively associated with BMD z-score (BMI: coefficient 0.13,95%CI 0.04 to 0.22, p = 0.01; BMIz: coefficient 0.34, 95%CI 0.17 to 0.51, p < 0.001) and bone mineral areal density z-score (BMI: coefficient 0.12, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.23, p = 0.04 and BMIz: coefficient 0.27, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.49, p = 0.02). However, there were no associations of BMD with diagnosis (ARFID vs AN). Paired t-testing of 13 age, sex and pubertally matched pairs from AN and ARFID cases also showed no difference in standardized BMD scores. CONCLUSION: Low BMD in our sample of underweight AN and ARFID cases was associated with BMI but not diagnosis. BMD may be as important in ARFID as AN. Further research should examine mechanisms and potential interventions. Bone. 2020 Mar 4;134:115307. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115307. [Epub ahead of print]
Body shape in inpatients with severe anorexia nervosa. BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental disorder. Body shape disturbances are key in the development and maintenance of AN. Only few data are available on inpatients with life-threatening AN. Therefore, we aimed to investigate if body shape difficulties-with a focus on both body checking and avoidance-could improve during hospitalization in both subtypes of AN and to ascertain eventual associations between body shape concerns upon admission and clinical outcome. METHODS: Upon hospital admission and end of treatment (EOT), 139 inpatients with AN completed Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ), and Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire (BIAQ) in addition to measures of eating and general psychopathology. RESULTS: Patients with severe AN reported improved BSQ and BIAQ scores at EOT while BCQ did not significantly change. Diagnostic subtypes differed only in baseline BSQ scores and had an impact on the improvement in BSQ at EOT. Baseline BCQ was associated with patients' clinical improvement at EOT, even after controlling for age, duration of illness, Body Mass Index, depression, and anxiety scores. CONCLUSIONS: Data on body shape concerns and their trajectory during hospitalization for severe AN are lacking; our findings provide support to the effectiveness of hospitalization in improving body shape concerns and body avoidance, but not body checking. Also, baseline body shape concerns (especially body checking) impacted on clinical improvement. Future research is needed to identify treatments that could further improve the therapeutic approach to severe patients of AN in the acute setting. Eur Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 31;63(1):e2. doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2019.5.
To the EDReferral.com Members and the Community, we wanted to provide a few notes in light of the evolving COVID19 situation. As part of our commitment to the health of others and per the CDC social distancing protocol everyone at EDReferral.com will be working remotely. Our online directory and staff will be operating at the same level of service we always have. We also wanted to highlight that many of the EDReferral.com Individual Therapists, Groups and Treatment Centers offer Telehealth. Visit the following links: https://www.edreferral.com/phone-online-support, https://www.edreferral.com/calendar, https://www.edreferral.com/support-groups-free OR for all the member Telehealth resources visit the EDReferral.com Easy Search page at https://www.edreferral.com/easysearch. Choose the drop down category "Treatment Settings", select "Internet Online Counseling" or "Phone Counseling" then enter your location and click Search. Members to update your profile with the Internet or the Phone Counseling category login to your profile at https://www.edreferral.com/login, click "Listing Details" then "Treatment Settings" and check or uncheck the appropriate boxes. Finally, we want to thank the EDReferral.com community for continuing to be such a loyal and caring group. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful community to help others. We sincerely appreciate everyone who contributes to making the community the special network that it is. EDReferral.com is dedicated to the treatment and prevention of eating disorders and our family of specialists is filled with an amazing spirit of cooperation. Thank YOU! from The EDReferral.com Family
Calendar of Events for Professionals: November 2020 Save The Date - The 30th Annual Renfrew Center Foundation Conference for Professionals – 2020 Perspectives on Feminism, Eating Disorders and Beyond. November 13-15, 2020 at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott. Featured Keynote Speaker: Lori Gottlieb, Psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. The Renfrew Center Foundation is celebrating its 30th annual Conference. Since 1991, the Conference has been dedicated to providing eating disorders education and training for professionals and creating a stimulating environment in which to discover, debate and share the best of what we bring to our profession. To commemorate three decades of growth, outstanding scholarship and interpersonal connection, Conference 2020 has invited experts in the field of eating disorders and women’s mental health to create an exceptional program. Through thoughtful reflection, research and clinical practice, we will explore treatment, cultural influences, trauma, genetics, and trends in neuroscience. In keeping with our Feminist-Relational roots, numerous events are planned to foster rejuvenation as well as networking with professionals from around the globe. For more information, please visit www.renfrewcenter.com or contact Kelly Krausz at 1-877-367-3383 or kkrausz@renfrewcenter.com.
Treatment Center News – The Renfrew Center, the Nation’s
First Residential Eating Disorder Treatment Facility, announces its Day
Treatment and Intensive Outpatient Programming has shifted to a virtual platform
that is fully accessible to patients from the safety and comfort of their own
homes. This virtual programming simulates the evidence-based, in-person
clinical services we have provided for over 35 years. With the largest network
of eating disorder treatment centers, Renfrew has treated more than 85,000
adolescent girls and women with eating disorders and provides a comprehensive
range of services in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
Programs and services vary by site and include: Residential; Day Treatment;
Intensive Outpatient; Group Therapy; Individual, Family, and Couples Therapy;
Virtual Group Therapy; and Nutrition Therapy. The Renfrew Center Unified
Treatment Model for Eating Disorders® integrates an emphasis on the healing
potential of empathic relational connection with evidence-based emotion-focused
treatment interventions. The Renfrew Center is a preferred provider for most
health insurance and managed care companies and works with individuals to create
a financial plan that meets the need of each prospective Renfrew patient.
Renfrew’s training programs have reached more than 45,000 healthcare
professionals to date and are designed to enhance the knowledge and skills
needed to treat these complex disorders. Call 1-800-RENFREW or visit
www.renfrewcenter.com for more
information about The Renfrew Centers. At Alsana, we recognize that vegan clients deserve a safe
and welcoming place to begin or continue their recovery journey. For a
client with an eating disorder, a commitment to veganism may precede or
intertwine with eating disorder behaviors. Alsana offers a vegan menu with
balance and variety to fully nourish the body while honoring client beliefs that
transcend eating disorder behaviors and work together to separate and heal those
that do not. In a survey we conducted with hundreds of dietitians who specialize
in eating disorders, we found that 98% of eating disorder dietitians saw clients
who followed a vegan eating style. Of these, 75% of vegan clients realized that
their eating disorder was enmeshed with veganism, while 25% of clients realized
the eating disorder was separate and veganism was a true value in their belief
system. Without a higher level of care option for vegan clients, that 75% didn’t
have a place to learn that veganism is keeping them trapped in the eating
disorder, while the 25% who found it is a true value didn’t have a place to
recover. Spearheaded by Tammy Beasley, our Alsana leadership team worked
tirelessly for over 1.5 years to create a robust program for vegan clients that
integrates our high culinary standards within our in-depth treatment process.
This carefully and lovingly thought-out process has allowed us to confidently
open our doors to clients with eating disorders who are also following a vegan
lifestyle. To learn more, call us today at (855) 915-0213. Florida: Tallahassee, FL: Canopy Cove, Christian-Based Eating
Disorder Treatment for Women and Girls. All major insurances accepted, 30
years’ experience in the field of eating disorders. A boutique program with an
immense focus on individualized treatment. They provide each and every client
with a great deal of attention and care. A beautiful, serene healing environment
located on 55-acres of private land with 7 horses on site. Clinicians on campus
during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends. Warm weather in a beautiful,
home-like setting. They have a high number of clinical staff and small group
sizes. Evidenced Based Treatment. Individualized Treatment Planning. Equine
Therapy. Family-Based Program. 24/7 Supervision. Compassionate and Caring Staff.
CARF Accredited. For further information call 888-245-6555, email
info@canopycove.com or visit
www.canopycove.com. Indiana: Anderson, IN: Selah House is committed to providing
clinically excellent and Christ-centered care for girls and women, ages 12 and
over who struggle with an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge
eating disorder. Selah's program provides medical monitoring, psychiatric
care, individual therapy, family therapy, groups, equine-assisted psychotherapy,
art therapy, nutritional counseling, spiritual counseling, and more. Our levels
of care include inpatient, residential, and a partial hospitalization program.
At Selah House, we also have an Adolescent Program, dedicated to treating
adolescent and teen girls who struggle with an eating disorder. We take pride in
understanding every teen’s academic growth, overall wellbeing, and safety should
be the top priority. Therefore, our teacher on-staff will work with you and your
child’s school to implement a continuing education plan during treatment. The
common thread that runs through all Selah programs is our love for our clients
and their families, and our complete dedication to their healing. We provide a
safe place for clients to explore the truth of who they are and who God is
without feeling pressured to believe a certain way. We value and respect each
person's unique faith. Clients from a variety of faiths and backgrounds have
been through our programs and have felt seen, heard, understood, and comfortable
while participating in our program. Selah House is a stable, loving, and
comfortable environment for healing. Our path together begins with a phone call
to schedule a free assessment through our Intake Coordinator.
www.selahhouse.com Ohio: Toledo, OH: At Toledo Center for Eating Disorders, we
take an innovative approach to guide you on your journey. Backed by
evidence-based outcomes and compassion for each client, Toledo Center meets
clients where they are, with an up-front, honest approach to treatment. We treat
all genders, ages 10 and over, helping them to reclaim their lives, health, and
futures. Our mission is to provide specialized and cost-effective treatment for
those suffering from eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia
nervosa, and ARFID. We follow a well-established therapy model that integrates
individual, group, and family therapy. Since each eating disorder is unique, an
individualized treatment plan is developed and customized for each client.
Treatment plans are tailored to meet client's specific needs, based on the
initial assessment, then applied within the framework of evidence-based
treatment principles, and periodically revised as changes occur during
treatment. Our levels of care include an adolescent residential program and an
adolescent and adult partial hospitalization program. At Toledo Center, we are
dedicated to helping adolescents in our program continue their education while
in treatment. We provide tutoring and coordinate with schools, so clients can
continue their academic growth while in eating disorder treatment. We work
clients and families to set realistic treatment goals and guide them through the
treatment process. Clients learn how to address symptoms and how to identify and
resolve the emotional issues that have contributed to unhealthy coping
behaviors. The Toledo Center is located in a modern, spacious and tranquil
setting in Sylvania, Ohio. www.toledocenter.com Oklahoma: Tulsa, OK: The internationally recognized Laureate Eating Disorders Program
in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is personalized to meet the individual needs of women and
girls from all over the world. With a therapist-to-patient ratio of 1:3,
program participants experience intentionally small milieus, allowing for
meaningful connection with peers and clinicians. Because Laureate philosophy
centers on the healing power of relationships, patients work with the same
physician, therapist and dietitian through acute, residential and partial levels
of care. As a not-for-profit organization, Laureate provides values- and
mission-driven care in a peaceful, nature-focused campus on 47 private acres.
Experienced eating disorder specialists provide evidence-based care and an
experience tailored to your unique needs that includes individual or group
sessions utilizing principles of DBT, CBT, ACT, IPT, EMDR, IFS and
relational-cultural theory. Other group or individual experiences include
exploring spirituality, sexuality, relapse prevention, gratitude, yoga and
movement, art process, body image, cooking, shopping and therapeutic swimming
exposure. Appropriate patients may be eligible to participate in ongoing eating
disorders research studies conducted by the Laureate Institute for Brain
Research, whose teams focus on identifying new, effective treatments for eating
disorders. Current studies include the impact of floatation therapy on body
image. Adult women are eligible to apply for Magnolia House, Laureate’s group
home focusing on independent living for women in recovery from eating disorders.
The first thirty days of Magnolia House are provided at no cost to residents. To
learn more about Laureate Eating Disorders Program, call 800-322-5173 or visit
saintfrancis.com/laureate/eating-disorders-program/. Continuing Education and
Other Resources: New online graduate options: Plymouth State
University offers the nation’s only master’s program with a 15-credit focus on
eating disorders as well as the premier eating disorders certificate program of
its type, and both options are now offered totally online. The University’s
Eating Disorders Institute courses are approved by the International Association
of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) for its certification exam, and a
120-hour clinical/capstone experience is also required by Plymouth State. The
program, offered since 2003, may be completed as a standalone 15-credit graduate
certificate or as an MEd degree, and completed by either taking courses online
and on-campus (hybrid) in seven months or in approximately 11–12 months by
online only. A 33-credit graduate degree in health education with an Eating
Disorders Institute specialization can be completed in as little as 18 months.
Apply by February 28 for the next class starting in May 2020. For more
information contact Program Director Dr. Mardie Burckes-Miller, CEDS, FAED,
margaret@plymouth.edu; (603)
381-4802.
https://www.plymouth.edu/academics/graduate-academic-programs/certificates/eating-disorders/ Online: Register Now ~ The Renfrew Centers 2020 Webinar Series
for Professionals. Join us online for The Renfrew Center Foundation’s FREE
Professional Webinars, hosted by Renfrew’s eating disorder experts. Wednesday,
April 1st Creating Connection: Establishing Informed, Valuable Support Systems
in Eating Disorder Treatment. Presented by Jillian Hartman, LMHC, Site Director,
The Renfrew Center of New York. Wednesday, May 13th Navigating Higher Levels of
Care: Tools for Treatment Transitions. Presented by Megan McIntire, MS, LCMHC,
Professional Relations Representative, The Renfrew Center of Massachusetts.
Wednesday, June 10th Enhancing Positive Body Image in Adolescent Clients:
Providing Effective Care in Today’s Image-Focused Culture. Presented by Chelsea
Woodard, LPC-MHSP, Site Director, The Renfrew Center of Nashville. All webinars
are from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (EST/EDT). For more information or to register,
please call 1-800-RENFREW (736-3739) or visit
www.renfrewcenter.com.
Live/Online Course: (27 CEs) Neuroscience Advances
Eating Disorder Recovery—The Behavior Decoding Method™ (BDM™) for Clinicians:
An evidenced-based system of tools and strategies that quickly reveal the deeper
meaning, messages, and intended positive outcome in a client’s current unwanted
or detrimental, but survival-based behaviors. Clients begin to easily re-wire
neuro-patterning for safety and survival, allowing for new beliefs, behaviors
and identity to form and sustainably replace the disordered ones. A decoding
tool that would uncover how a client may disengage and be resistant to treatment
and how to turn it around. Imagine clients discovering their own unique
solutions that engage and keep them empowered to stay in treatment for full
recovery. Dr. Barbara Birsinger, creator of the BDM™, a 27-CE Program and
Certification for Licensed Professionals, is offering an innovative live/online
course with client video demonstrations and consultations on how to create
T-NLP-informed, brain-based transformation of disordered eating and
weight-related behaviors, across the spectrum, in a Health At Every Size®
context. Dr. Birsinger presents a system of simple yet comprehensive, take-away,
hands-on tools that therapists, nutritionists and treatment teams can implement
with their clients right away. Live Consultation/Q+A sessions with Barbara
Birsinger, ThD, MPH, CEDRD, and special guests Ellyn Herb, PhD, CEDS and Anita
Johnston, PhD, CEDS, and others on: Food Cravings in Emotional/Binge Eating;
Food Restriction/Anxieties; Weight/Size Obsession; Body Judgments; Other’s
Comments on Food and Body (new!); Exercise Resistance; Compulsive Over-Exercise;
and Bulimia. Click here for a Video Demonstration and more details. Contact Dr.
Birsinger: 707-799-2982 or research@BarbaraBirsinger.com. Lenox, MA: Eastover is a 600 acre holistic retreat
center only minutes away from the center of downtown Lenox, ideal for
teachers, groups, organizations and companies to host retreats, workshops, and
group events. It offers spacious studio facilities including yoga studios,
meditation rooms, outdoor spaces, conference meeting rooms, and even a
commercial kitchen for cooking classes. Eastover is eco-friendly with a new
water treatment facility that reclaims every drop of water at the retreat center
without chemicals before its being send to the ground. Eastover is unique in
that it offers three components that create a well-rounded lifestyle and help
achieve optimal mental and physical states of being: (1) Rejuvenating through
healthy food and its innate nutritional energy. (2) Learning the healing powers
of Taichi or Qigong to create a healthy, energetic lifestyle. (3) Healing
through Qi energy and Chinese medicinal treatments. For information visit
http://www.eastover.com/upcoming-retreats.html,
call 866-264-5139 or email events@eastover.com. Online: PESI offers a free 12 hr Telehealth Course (code
TELEFREE). Digital Seminar - Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals:
2-Day Distance Therapy Training. PESI, Inc. is a non-profit that has provided
continuing education services for mental health, rehab, and healthcare
professionals for over 35 years. Note: Tuition includes one free CE Certificate
(participant will be able to print the certificate of completion after
completing and passing the on-line post-test evaluation). Continuing Education
Information: Listed below are the continuing education credit(s) currently
available for this non-interactive self-study package. Please note, your state
licensing board dictates whether self-study is an acceptable form of continuing
education. View this on Pesi at
https://catalog.pesi.com/item/52191/?utm_source=featuredad&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=BH_telehealth_POS055645&fbclid=IwAR0pIiAfFrPwW-spLlIoa8Pc_50Wy5wIcDxKwH2ZoiszphNSfLG1nqGjZI8 Online: In Light Of COVID19
~ Free Remote Support Groups for All
Healthcare Providers. Why Should I Attend? This support group is a safe,
non-judgemental place where providers can gather to express their emotions, ask
questions, get advice, get updates on recent care strategies, collaborate with
others, and to “process” all that is going on in your lives as you strive to
juggle the never ending challenge of work/life balance during the Coronavirus
Pandemic. This group will be beneficial to you because you’ll be connecting with
others (bonus: we’re all like-minded providers!) which is critical to our own
well-being. Our group is a supportive and process-oriented group that will help
us cope, adapt, and respond with the intention of preserving connection and
helping us establish daily lives that still have room for love, self-care and
even joy in our lives and the lives of the people we strive to help. What Topics
Will Be Discussed? Topics will include self-care, balancing
personal/professional dynamics, fears, anxieties, financial implications,
working from home, sharing new information, our family life, approaching
patients and clients who are impacted, and any other relevant topics. When Is
This Group Happening? We have scheduled weekly meetings to go on for the next
seven weeks. If there is a continued need, the groups will continue longer.
These groups will typically last about 75 minutes and are currently scheduled on
Thursday evenings at 8:30 PM EST and Friday evenings at 5:30 PM EST, with more
groups being formed based on need. How Can I Attend? If you’d like to join my
weekly Zoom sessions, please email me at
wendyoliverpyatt@gmail.com so
that I can send you a Zoom meeting link. Project HEAL Updates: Project HEAL is now accepting applications for recovery mentors and
support group facilitators! Are you recovered and looking for a way to
support others in their recovery? Project HEAL has opportunities to give back
from recovered people anywhere in the U.S. Communities of HEALing brings
together a diverse group of individuals to form a community of strength, courage
and perseverance. No prior experience necessary; we provide the training. You
just need the lived experience, a compassionate heart and a minimum of three
available hours a week. For more information on volunteer and paid roles, and to
complete an application, click
here. Books and Book Reviews: Permission to Eat by Libby Parker, MS, RD. Ms.
Parker recovered from “atypical anorexia” and then became a nutritionist and
registered dietitian specializing in college students. In this book, she invites
students and those new to learning about eating disorders to understand what
makes them tick in their relationship with food and how to tweak that
relationship for improved health and well-being. She starts with a charming
dedication: “To all the foods I avoided, but secretly wanted. This is for you.”
And she reminds us that, “The human body is 70% water. So we’re basically
cucumbers with anxiety.” In a friendly style, the author explains why college
can be a significant trigger for eating disorders. For most students, college is
a major life transition especially for the person living away from home for the
first time. In addition, there is the pressure of studies, the fear of the new
autonomy that college offers, and the strain of trying to measure up to other
friends/classmates in body image, popularity, grades, and also, for some, the
stress of competitive sports. Parker helps students realize that bingeing,
purging, starving, and excess exercising can be an attempt to cope with anxiety,
fear, and feelings of inadequacy. She explains why diets don’t work, how to
identify hunger and fullness, and the value of learning intuitive eating. She
recommends keeping a food and feelings journal to heighten awareness of eating
triggers, and she teaches about nutrition and food groups. Other valuable advice
includes how we should all strive for balance with our eating over the week
rather than just focusing on achieving “perfect” days and how counting calories
is a misguided attempt to resolve eating problems. Instead, Ms. Parker helps
readers with techniques on how to manage binge cravings and eliminate purging
behaviors. She recommends that we celebrate each of the small steps of progress
and recovery. Importantly, she discusses the value of psychotherapy and provides
hotline and referral information. Ms. Parker concludes: “Your body wants to be
in harmony with your mind. I’m here to help you find peace with food, and teach
you what I wish I knew back then. I want to give you permission to eat.” This
primer will be especially helpful to students in high school and college as well
as young adults. Book review submitted by Mary Anne Cohen at
www.EmotionalEating.Org. Mary
Anne's two books are available in paperback and Kindle: French Toast for
Breakfast: Declaring Peace with Emotional Eating and Lasagna for Lunch:
Declaring Peace with Emotional Eating. To read the Introductions to both books,
click: http://www.emotionaleating.org/lasagna-sample.html and
http://www.emotionaleating.org/sample.html. These books are available for
continuing education credits for mental health professionals through
https://secure.ce-credit.com/courses. Have Your Book Reviewed - We are actively looking for good
eating disorder books to review. Mary Anne Cohen is the EDReferral.com
professional book reviewer. One book will be reviewed each month. There is a
small fee but the journal insertion is included at no additional cost. If you
want your eating disorder related book reviewed in this journal and for more
details, contact Mary Anne Cohen at the following:
macohen490@aol.com. Find these and other eating disorder-related books here:
EDReferral.com Books Weighing In on
Eating Disorder Issues: Seasons of Change by Joanne Gerr. For people with
eating disorders, the transition from winter into spring can be difficult. As
the weather gets warmer, we may become anxious about our weight and exposing
more of our bodies in lighter clothing. We anticipate upcoming holidays like
Easter and Passover with dread rather than excitement, worrying what to wear and
what people will think of us. It is easy to isolate ourselves—declining social
invitations—only to feel worse about our lives, compared to the fun we imagine
other (more attractive) people are having. To change our thinking, we must
remember that the change of seasons is a transition, and like any transition, it
can be challenging. It’s normal to feel anxiety during the first few days—even
the first few weeks—of increased light. Counter your concerns about body image
by listing each day three things you are grateful for in this season, including
your body. It is important to acknowledge the wonderful ways our bodies are
there for us—the legs that enable us to walk in the park, the nose that enables
us to smell the flowers, and the ears that help us take in the sound of the
waves. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to the perfectionistic worries about our
appearance. While anger turned inward creates depression, anger turned outward
can create empowerment. Let yourself feel your healthy anger about the societal
norms that expect you to look like a magazine cover. Instead focus on the
positives in the season from a strength-based position rather than the need to
constantly self-improve. When we are more engaged in life, we tend to be happier
and more energetic and naturally less preoccupied with food and body image. This
leaves us free to live our lives with joy. Joanne Gerr, LCSW,
www.ny-njeatingdisordertherapy.com, is a psychotherapist in New York and New
Jersey specializing in eating disorders and body image issues. She frequently
lectures to the public and healthcare professionals at a variety of venues
including Canyon Ranch, Celebrity Cruise Lines, and the 92nd Street Y, and at
universities including Harvard and the University of Michigan. EDReferral.com's monthly column is entitled “Weighing In
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