It’s Eating Disorders Awareness week! This week always holds a very special place in my heart because I feel like our community comes together in a big way to support eating disorder treatment. This year is extra special for me because I’m sharing my own recovery story on Christy Harrison’s Food Psych podcast, Episode #91!
Spearheaded by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness (#NEDAwareness) Week is to shine the spotlight on eating disorders and put life-saving resources into the hands of those in need. This year’s theme is It’s Time to Talk About It and we’re encouraging everyone to get screened. Take a 3 minute screening here offered by NEDA.
In honor of #NEDAawareness week, I want to highlight eating disorder treatment and recovery. Recovery is possible and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without seeing the stories of hope, love, survival, and resilience. I am so proud of all my “recovery warriors” and so honored to be a part of your journey.
Help is available and you are not alone. Here are some ideas to reach out for support.
1. Talk to a parent, friend, family member, or healthcare professional. Reaching out for help and being honest with another person about what’s going on is extremely hard to do. But this is often the start of finding treatment and can be the most important step in getting help.
2. Seek online resources. The NEDA helpline is often the first stop for many people who want to get treatment. Call, email, click to chat, or even text!! to get help that you need. NEDA also provides guides and toolkits for parents, coaches, educators, and medical professionals.
3. Find an Eating Disorders Dietitian. The International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians (IFEDD) community is filled with ED-savvy dietitians who are ready to help heal your relationship with food. Find one by zip code here.
4. Talk to a therapist. Eating disorders are about food and feelings. A therapist can help you navigate the difficult emotions that arise when talking about disordered eating. The best directory for finding a therapist is Psychology Today.
5. If you are local, please reach out to me if you need help finding a professional. Not all healthcare professionals are ED-trained but I know a lot of them in Rockland and surrounding areas!! Please know that I keep all information private and confidential and will honor that to anyone needing help or support.
Hearing stories about eating disorder recovery can be uplifting and positive for anyone going through treatment or in recovery. Here are my favorites!
I was honored to be a guest on Christy Harrison’s podcast Food Psych #91 talking about my own journey and how I ended up as an anti-diet dietitian. I’ve been thinking that I should share my recovery story for so long and it was finally the right time. Back when I first started my private practice Eat With Knowledge, clinicians being so open about themselves wasn’t really a “thing”. But so many people have since “come out” and I think it’s made a huge impact on our profession, the awareness and education of eating disorders, and have impacted clients in such a positive way. So here is my story!!! All the way back to high school, through college and the ups and downs of my recovery, into intuitive eating and then in pregnancy and postpartum. Spoiler alert: I am pregnant again (!!) and talk about how I’m feeling now. In the spirit of being vulnerable I was open and honest about everything. Listen in itunes, your podcast app, or on Christy’s website.
Jennifer is a Registered Dietitian and the owner of Eat With Knowledge in Nyack, NY. She is on a mission to help people heal from diets, and find peace and balance with their food choices. She leads a team of dietitians who support the philosophy, “Feel Fabulous about Food!”