All Articles by June Alexander

June was delighted to join Dr. Cynthia M. Bulik, principal investigator for the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI), for a Facebook Live recently. June speaks about her story and experience of anorexia nervosa, and how diary writing can help people on their journey to peace and wellbeing.  EDGI Australia: https://edgi.org.au EDGI US: https://edgi.org EDGI..

June was interviewed on 22 September by Daryl Reader on bay 939 Geelong regarding the launch of the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI). Listen to the interview here.

by June Alexander I don’t need to read research papers to know that pets are good for me. For me and many others, animals contribute to feelings of well-being. They teach about love and living in the moment. They are a best buddy in coping with illness, relationship breakups, grief, employment disappointments, and much, much..

Eating disorder conferences — what purpose do they serve? Increasingly, they are becoming a sounding board for stories of recovery and ongoing healing. Right now I am returning home from the 26th international conference on eating disorders, convened by the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED). This year, more than 1400 registrations set a new attendance..

A pamphlet attached to the noticeboard outside the school principal’s office caught my eye. The year was 1967 and I was 16. The words “essay,” “scholarship,” “USA,” drew me in. The American Field Service was offering scholarships to students to study the senior year of school in the United States. To have a chance, I..

Twenty minutes a day is all it takes. Writing in your diary for 20 minutes each day can help you to feel in control of your life. You can write in your diary anywhere, at any time of the day. You can use pen or paper, a tablet or even a cell phone. Regular diary-writing..

“FOOD. I HATE IT. I would like to start being kind to myself. And not punish myself with food anymore. To me food is like a cancer, its tentacles reaching into and clawing at my emotions, my feelings, my thoughts, never giving a moment’s respite. I HATE IT. Every decision I make in my personal..

I was a grandmother when I “came out.” The event, in 2007, was a private girls’ school information night. Until then I had lived a part-life, struggling to appear “normal” to the outside world, while battling a private, inner hell as a captive of an eating disorder. Coming out and revealing my story publicly marked..

by Sarah Cannata It’s our secrets that keep us sick. This line has lingered with me uncomfortably for a long time. Every now and again, it forces its way to the top of my mind until I manage to mentally beat it down, usually by focusing on completing a meaningless task. The cost of silence..

by June Alexander Be the Master of your Ship: Journeying through an Eating Disorder … I am the master of my ship. I am in control. Yet, all too soon, it feels so wrong … … Yet, I can still choose.                            ..

‘Your life is your story. Make it amazing.’  by Ari Snaevarsson Whenever I think of the tools that were instrumental to my recovery, a few always come to mind: accountability through a support system, exercise that emphasized strength and not punishment, and meditation.  But there was one tool that consistently took my hand and walked..

by June Alexander Each New Year’s Day for many years I created a list of resolutions. The lead resolution always was: “Eat three meals and three snacks daily.” Sounds good and easy, but I always shattered this resolution within hours. Making an annual resolution about food when you have an eating disorder, is not a..

by June Alexander My Christmas at age 11 was not happy. If you are dreading this Christmas, hold on to hope for things will get better. My wish for you is that you will seek and follow the well-lit path that provides healing and happiness, self-belief and self-compassion. I searched a long time to find..

Validation that eating disorders are a SERIOUS illness by June Alexander Christmas has arrived early for the estimated one million Australians living with an eating disorder. For the first time access is being provided to a comprehensive treatment plan under Medicare. Patients with severe eating disorders will be able to access up to 40 psychological..

by June Alexander Little did I know at age 11 that a small Christmas gift of a diary would shape my life. This diary immediately became a firm friend. A private relationship evolved between the pages and me. We bonded and faced life together. The process of letting thoughts and feelings tumble onto each new..

 by June Alexander I’m in a coffee shop with a friend. We’re enjoying our usual cake and extra hot large cappuccino.  We belong in the “senior citizens” age bracket. Folks passing by will never guess, looking at us, a bespectacled pair with hair more whitish-grey than fair, that for decades we each were a prisoner of..

by June Alexander The unconditional love and informed support of family members can speed the pace of self-renewal when recovering from an eating disorder or traumatic experience, but if you are alone or not receiving care from your family in the way you need, persevere, for healing is possible for you, too. When verbal communication..

In 2004 the book Life Without Ed boosted my efforts in gaining reconnection with ‘me’. I had been ‘lost’ for 44 years with an eating disorder and, within 12 months of reading this book, I was ‘found’. In 2014, author Jenni Schaefer released a 10th Anniversary update, and I was thrilled because this Life Without Ed is an evergreen. I love..

by June Alexander Knowledge is power in healing from an eating disorder. But when you do not understand that you are sick, the illness may thrive, isolating instead of connecting you with helpful others. At some innate level, you may know your real ‘healthy-self’ is ‘there’, or you may think this is how life is:..

by June Alexander The writing of a life story or memoir requires preparation and planning, and benefits will come in the process as well as delivery. Choosing the time to write is the first of many factors, for your impression today may differ tomorrow. This post is especially for people with lived experience of an..

by June Alexander Forty years ago I told a GP that I feared something was taking over my mind. “You have a flat battery, that’s all,” declared the doctor. “We’ll pop you on medication and you will soon be as good as new.” If only breaking free from an eating disorder was that easy. We..

Regaining healthy relationships from an eating disorder by June Alexander An eating disorder is about more than our relationship with food. When food increasingly dominates our thinking, our relationship with self and with others can disconnect and disintegrate at an alarming rate. Confidence and belonging give way to shame, stigma, fear and rejection. Openness gives..

by June Alexander Engaging in the world beyond an eating disorder (ED) means facing up to things like stigma. The perception or inference by others that ED, or any other mental health challenge, is a personal weakness can be demoralizing and destructive. In this post, drawn from my book, The Diary Healer, diarists discuss how..

By June Alexander Excerpts shared by 70 diarists for my book, Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders—The Diary Healer, told compelling stories of struggle and courage. Each of the diarists, like myself, had experienced an eating disorder. My challenge was to locate leads within the stories, and combine them, through paraphrasing and selected..

By June Alexander Securing of trust is essential when recovering from an eating disorder, and likewise it is essential when we are writing stories about the illness. Today I will describe the ways in which trust was integral to the writing of my book Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders – The Diary..

By June Alexander Life-writing is simply telling a story from our life. Sounds simple, but depending on how deep we dare to plunge into our past, the process can spark a ripple effect that turn into tidal waves of emotion. When we write even a brief account of something we have experienced, for instance a..

By June Alexander If your life balance is out of kilter due to the time you are spending caring for a loved one, Bharati’s workbook is for you. This heartfelt book provides practical and welcome guidance to help you reclaim your balance by staying in the now. When Bharati Lall attended a parent workshop at..

By June Alexander Procrastination is a perennial pop-up when conversation swings to writing our life story. How hard is it to pick up a pen and paper and start writing? I’ve created a new website to help you on your way. Like me, you are likely to know dear family members, friends, and colleagues, who have..

By Masae Yasuda (Japan) “Every day, mature-age people around the world suffer silently with an eating disorder – like Masae, who shares her story here, these people may be working in the very health profession established to treat this illness. Stigma and myths are a big problem. Much research focus is on young people. Of..

by Judy Krasna There are many damaging stigmas surrounding eating disorders, but the one that I am most passionate about removing is parent stigma, aka “blame the mother.” Sadly, some clinicians still subscribe to the outdated and disproven theories of Hilde Bruch (The Golden Cage, 1978) and Salvador Minuchin (Psychosomatic families: Anorexia nervosa in context,..

A special event in Rome at the Italian Ministry of Health has led to development of counter-actions to stem the proliferation of eating disorders.  by Sandra Zodiaco To mark the 3rd Italian Women’s Health Day, on April 21, the Italian Ministry of Health organized an event in Rome to celebrate the protection and promotion of..

by June Alexander Engaging in the world beyond an eating disorder is scary because it means facing up to a double whammy of stigma driven a.) by the public and b.) from within. This post, drawn from Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders—The Diary Healer, digs through the layers to expose this serious..

by June Alexander Many people who have an eating disorder are terrified of others close to them knowing about it. I refer to people who are able to function – that is, go through the motions of attending school or college, going to work, being a parent. Many of us who have an eating disorder pretend, to..

By Matt Dunn I have always loved writing. Though, it goes beyond that. I need writing. The truth is, I have only recently worked out why. I had assumed the reason was about having that end product. In the case of fiction, it’s a world pulled from thin air. On that final page you can..

By June Alexander Your diary can be your friend when you are struggling with an eating disorder or other life crisis. Confusion, pain, anger and sadness may be offloaded into this private refuge.  However, what can you do if this process of private writing perpetuates bad feelings, instead of helping you feel good? One way..

by June Alexander The basic elements of writing as a tool for record keeping, nurturing, healing, reflection, creativity and spiritual discipline have been the essence of diary keeping for centuries. However, special considerations apply for the diarist who has an eating disorder. Historically, diaries have been regarded as a deeply personal, private and confidential document...

By June Alexander To heal from my eating disorder I had to clear my inner self of a minefield of secrets. Facing and fighting an invisible enemy that since childhood had kept my focus “out there” (on food, temptations, diet, exercise) was terrifying. Jennifer was terrified, too. She did not want to worry her family..

by June Alexander “I wish I had written a diary in my youth.” “I wish Mom or Dad (or Grandpa or Grandma had kept a diary.”  I often hear these sentiments. Pictures can tell us a lot, but words add the flesh and bring those pictures to life. If you have not started a diary..

A one-page hand-written letter from a grandson this festive season has a special place in my diary and heart forever. Lachlan, 11, is yet to fully understand the illness that wreaked havoc on my life, that of his great grandparents, grandparents and mother, and extended families, but his insightful letter adds to the evidence on..

Prof. Nick Martin Queensland Institute Medical Research, Prof. Cindy Bulik University North-Carolina and chief investigator and me, June, the survivor advocate. May 2013 ANGI gives hope in understanding genetic links in Anorexia Nervosa By June Alexander “Grandma, you are not growing old, you are maturing.” My eldest grandson, 11, is a kind and insightful lad...

Living on a farm, and developing anorexia nervosa at age 11, an illness neither correctly diagnosed nor treated until I moved to the city 20 years later, has had great impact on my life. The invisible taunts of shame and stigma followed me everywhere, and alienation from family of origin is an ongoing loss. The..

by June Alexander On December 11, when I receive my PhD (Philosophy) at a graduation ceremony, I will walk proudly. Above all, I want my award to signify hope for everyone who has lived with a long-term eating disorder. Hope for everyone, at every age. We can live a full life, and our diary or..

by June Alexander Eating disorders, particularly Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa, can sound like a life sentence. Too often, it is. The Diary Healer (Alexander, 2016) illustrates it is time to listen to the patient and replace “hopeless” attitudes with “hope.” A recovery model of patient-centered care offers hope, respect, and possibilities for people with..

Using a diary as an agent for recovery and change by June Alexander When I began recovery from a long-term eating disorder, my diary became an agent for change – supporting “me” rather than my illness. For example, it became a place to explore and reflect on painful experiences from long ago, that the eating..

Using diary writing as a self-help and therapeutic power tool by June Alexander Strengthening true self through diary-writing My diary has always been a confidante, but it was not always the friend I thought it was. Sometimes it was a confidante for my eating disorder, recording the illness thoughts instead of my “true thoughts.”  At..

by June Alexander “…for years I have been searching, seeking my identity, my purpose, my meaning, in life. Years. I’ve concluded that I am a prisoner to myself… I have had some hard lessons. I know I can live with myself only if I accept that my mistakes, my bad experiences, can be the catalyst,..

by Emily Murray, sharing recovery experience Eating disorder recovery can be daunting around the holiday season. Halloween is centered around mini-chocolate candies and pumpkin-spice everything.  Thanksgiving is centered around food – and way too much of it for most of us.  Christmas is centered around cookies, cookies, and more cookies.  I enjoy all of these..

“It can’t, it cannot happen again to anyone else. My daughter’s death must be a reminder to all those people and families who are living such a tragedy.”  – Mr. Stefano Tavilla, President of Mi Nutro Di Vita (I feed on life) An Italian story of eating disorder activism (Italian translation also below) by Sandra..

A research call by Cate Broomfield, PhD candidate How does an individual experience Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa (SE-AN)? Since beginning my PhD in early 2016, this is a question that has continuously struck me while pouring through the literature. What I have found missing in the collection of research on this topic is a..

by June Alexander ‘Should we ever give up on someone who has severe and enduring anorexia nervosa?’ Treatment teams vex over this life and death question, but I believe we must never give up. We must do better. Much better. We must provide better care for people who have SEAN, and we must improve early..

By Terry Fassihi WARNING: This post is about three things none of us really like to think about _ the trifecta of trauma, eating disorders and substance use disorder. Why refer to this as a trifecta?  Because they so commonly occur together. Trauma, addiction and eating disorders are interrelated and can’t be compartmentalized as separate..

by June Alexander and Holly Curtis Love in all its forms is a vital element in healing. When illness and trauma enter our lives, negative emotions and behaviors can overtake and immobilize us, but love can help us find a way through. Reconnecting with people, places, pets, things and activities, and remembering anyone and anything..

Since early childhood, an eating disorder had prevented Karyn from having fun on her birthday. But, with her 60th approaching, fear gave way to freedom. Read on. By Karyn Braveheart  This is my party. This is my day. This is my chance to say what l want to say in person to people who have..

From the age of 11, the demands of “ED,” the eating disorder “voice” dominated my diary pages. Until I asked for help, my true self was trapped, a prisoner of the illness.* – June Alexander I am thrilled that today therapists are recognizing the importance of listening to their patients, to help unravel the power..

My guess is that whatever you are looking for in the Netflix movie about eating disorders, To The Bone, you will find. If you are looking for eating disorder triggers in this story about a young woman who has anorexia nervosa, you will find them; if you are looking for hope, you will find this,..

Sometimes, sharing a secret with others we have never met, online, can seem easier to do than in a room with someone we have known all of our life. Stories can be shared in many ways: face-to-face, by letter or email, in mainstream media or on the Internet. Some online options allow anonymity while sharing..

Developing a healthy, happy and intimate relationship with myself, let alone someone else, was a challenge when healing from my eating disorder. For many years my pattern was to avoid self-love and to push away people who wanted to love and care for me. Such attention was foreign and made me feel uneasy and suffocated...

Eulogy June Alexander for Anne Edwards I love being part of an eating disorder family, comprising people around the world who have experience of eating disorders and who understand and support each other. Anne Edwards is a member of this family. After a long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis, Anne died this past week. In October..

by June Alexander and Emily Murray What happens when you become engaged and marry while experiencing an eating disorder? To illustrate what can happen, here are two love stories. The first story is mine, which began when I was 16 and fell in love with George, and the second belongs to Emily Murray, who fell..

by June Alexander and Lisa Burns Right now I am on vacation, on a riverboat cruising along the Danube and beautiful waterways, from Budapest to Amsterdam. Until recently, due to an eating disorder, a holiday like this was an impossible dream. Today I am the same person. Authentic, true me. The difference is that I..

By Carolyn Costin MA Med, MFT, FAED, CEDS I have been in the eating disorder field since before it was really a field. I have seen the origin of IAEDP, ANAD, AED, and the EDC, as well as the many other organizations that are devoted to eating disorders. During my 38 years of treating eating..

By Bharati Lall One of the most challenging times in my life was when I had to accept the fact that my daughter had an eating disorder. Despite my instinct telling me something was wrong for weeks before the diagnosis and confirmation by the medical team that she was indeed struggling with an eating disorder,..

Hashtag Diversity: Dialogue in the Eating Disorders Field Through Social Media Engagement Workshop Session 2: Co-presentation with Andrea LaMarre (Canada), Ashley Solomon (USA) and Judy K (Israel). June 9, 2017: 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. For more information: #Hashtage Diversity_Prague 2017  

By Dannielle “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder” – Henry David Thoreau I feel this quote encapsulates my eating disorder as I was forever striving for that..

By Angie Viets We went around the room, one by one answering the question proposed by our graduate school professor in the Counseling Psychology program I’d recently been accepted into: “Once you complete your master’s and doctoral degrees, what do you intend to do?” Perpetually anxious, I hyperventilated as each member of my cohort detailed..

By Judy Krasna The first time I took my daughter to a dietitian in 2008 after she was diagnosed with an eating disorder at age 15, we walked into the office together. The dietitian looked up from behind her desk and said, “mothers wait outside.” My daughter begged for me to remain in the room, but..

  The following story by Karyn Rose Braveheart is the third in a series of Dear Diary posts focusing on relationships and partnerships to commemorate World Eating Disorder Day, June 2, 2017 #WeDoActTogether. Relationships can either tear you apart or turn you into something awesome. They are all based around trust. Healthy relationship trust is a “must,” but..

Relationships can raise fresh challenges for people re-entering mainstream after a long-term eating disorder. Social and interpersonal skills may be lacking, and stigma and shame may be experienced in both community and workplace.  Today, Jenni G, who participated in an ED recovery program in 2016, reflects on adapting to mainstream upon recovering from bulimia nervosa...

  “ED had swept me into a meaningless void. I lost touch with ‘me’ completely, and also with my husband George…. In my mid-30s, ED convinced me that my husband was the cause of my inability to feel at peace. Once this thought took hold, our marriage was destroyed in a matter of weeks. I..

How Kitty channeled grief into creating the Anna Westin Act Guest diarist: Kitty Westin Did it really happen? Was I in the United States Senate Chamber when they overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century Cures Act with the Anna Westin Act included? Was I in the room when President Obama signed the bill into law on..

Do you find poetry a helpful way to express your feelings? Are you one of the many people who find writing verse to be a comforting coping and healing tool? Our first competition on www.thediaryhealer.com invites original poems or prose, exploring this theme. Hurry and submit your entry – four lines or forty, length does..

I live in this state of grief, fear and anxiety from the moment I awake to falling mercifully asleep. But what do you do when terror paralyses your ability to write of these emotions, be it poetry or diary? When all your energy is focused on suppressing and containing the silent, anguished scream strangling your..

Poetry helps many people express how they feel. It may involve jotting down a poem now and then when feeling inspired, keeping a daily journal specifically for expressing ongoing thoughts and feelings in the form of poetry, or interspersing poetry into your regular diary. The benefits start with every word that you put on the..

Security remains elusive, it’s entirely out of reach. My state of being now classified, as a definite safety breach. ‘Security’, Jennifer Marsh 2017 When I met Jennifer Marsh in 2009, we bonded instantly over our long histories with anorexia nervosa and anxiety disorders. Since then, Jennifer’s hard work in healing and reconnecting with her true..

“When I was 11 years old, I developed anorexia nervosa. The same year, I received a diary as a Christmas gift.”     A gift of a diary, in the same year I developed anorexia nervosa at age 11, became an instant friend. The first entry, on January 1, 1963, is crammed with minute details..

Dear Diary welcomes entries from diarists everywhere. This week, guest diarist Yasemin Merwende shares her love of journal writing in relation to National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.  “Journal writing is a voyage to the interior.”  ― Christina Baldwin My first diary was small; it was black with gold trimmed paper and a musical note on the..

Sharing our stories can assist self-validation in surprising and enriching ways. The unlikely hero in this story is a French fry. Diarist friend Karyn was out shopping, browsing in various stores, when a little bird on a small, white wooden plaque caught her eye. It came with a message: Today I will be happier than..

My heart is singing as I write this diary entry to share with you. Today, I will describe my transition from being someone who ‘felt different’ from others and for decades lived much of my life in secrecy and shame, to becoming an advocate in raising awareness of eating disorders. Ten years ago, I publicly..

By June Alexander. Recovering and healing from an eating disorder is an ongoing journey. Like life itself, the process can be as fulfilling and rewarding as we choose to make it. Accordingly, I am delighted to announce the time has come for www.junealexander.com, my website ‘home’ for the past six years, to transition to a..

When our true self is suppressed – for whatever reason – diary-writing skills can assist in reintegrating our mind and body as one. Such a process supports the transitioning of self-harming thoughts and behaviors to self-loving thoughts and behaviors, and hence peace and contentment. Write Your Way with a Mentor A diary can help you..

Based on (and extend upon) June’s most recent book, Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders – The Diary Healer, released this July, this event is a workshop for professionals who currently work with, or wish to learn more about working with, individuals with eating disorders. During the workshop, June will present examples of the..

F.E.A.S.T., as you may  know, is an international, non profit, volunteer run organization governed by a Board of Directors. In addition, however, to the informed guidance of our Board of Directors, F.E.A.S.T. benefits greatly from the consultative expertise of a group of international professionals and allies who sit on our Advisory Panel.  We will, over the..

This week we’re joined by June Alexander, in what we are calling a conversation with June. If you don’t know June, be prepared to hear a story of recovery from someone who battled an eating disorder for decades in Australia, as well as the role writing has played in June’s recovery. Learn more about June..

Fashioning a memoir out of a diary requires threads and themes to be picked up and woven into a story that the writer and publisher believes will appeal to and connect with readers. Many re-writes may occur in selecting raw material, structure and content. Much of the daily repetition and drudgery is deleted during this..

Expressing these things in poetry has brought out the self I really am, apart from ED. My poetry has grown and changed as I have. It has helped me to realize I am not useless and that realization has assisted my healing. Through the process of writing I stopped hating myself. Now my poetry has..

Stop Press: Here’s how to get your copy of My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa as an E-Book: Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Kobo Ebooks.com A Tale of a Kangaroo, a Rhinoceros and a Daughter with Anorexia Animal metaphors help define effective responses Eating disorder symptoms and their consequences may lead family members..

Work Together to get more Mental Health care for kids See my letter ‘Work Together’ Melbourne’s Sunday Age today  – we need united voice to increase mental health budget: Work together I PRESCRIBE a strong dose of collaboration for the psychiatrists, psychologists and patients who accuse Patrick McGorry of self-interest and criticise the federal government’s mental..

STOP PRESS: A Girl Called Tim has left the valley of her childhood. She is airborne, travelling the world in an ebook: Amazon ebooks.com  My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa is also selling as an ebook: Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Kobo Ebooks.com SWAN puts ED on trial Free outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa: the..

2001: In 1931, The Weekly Times newspaper launched a new section dedicated to women’s issues. This became an immediate hit, and the column’s editor, Miranda, became an instant friend to thousands of women struggling to cope with the Depression. This book follows 70 years of the column that became a social institution. I was the seventh..

The right time to write is now. Holding on to the thought ‘I will write a book about this’, can help sustain hope in the down moments of fighting a challenging illness or trauma. Some people want to start writing immediately. Thinking about this, and preparing for it by keeping a journal, can work wonders..

Keanu Reeves and other stars in To the Bone support World Eating Disorders Action Day. See their powerful message. Reeves, and other actors in the upcoming feature film based on one survivor’s true story are joining more than 200 organizations around the globe to unite for the cause on June 2, 2016. This inaugural grassroots campaign is shining a..

Food and feelings: making room for both of these life essentials can be a challenge when you have an eating disorder, and when you are recovering from this very serious illness. In the second of a series on eating disorders, I chat with Lynda Cheldelin Fell, founder of the Grief Diaries Series. Grief Diaries: Through..

I can see that, for many years, since I fell prey to anorexia nervosa, much of my creative energy has been wasted in a negative way, for I have turned it on myself; my own private obsession with food has robbed me of my true self…            Diary excerpt, age 38, in 1989..

Eating Disorders can’t hide any more. Organizations and individuals are uniting across the globe to advocate for change and take action against eating disorders. The focus is our first-ever World Eating Disorders Action Day,to be held on June 2 this year. This inaugural day provides a platform for diverse global populations to share accurate information..

Many adults with disordered eating and body dissatisfaction lack knowledge that they are at risk of a serious mental health condition. Even if they start to realise something is amiss, they often don’t know where to find help and what to do to resolve these problems. The team at the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating..

‘Zoe’ is a music video promoting women’s self love and acceptance. Taking part in this project was fun, watching it makes me feel more happy with who I am; more connected with others, more in love with life. Thank you, Lilac Sheer, for commemorating International Women’s Day, on March 8, in this creative and meaningful way...

If you have an eating disorder, feel no shame and tell your dentist. This is the message from Holly, who is sharing her story to emphasise the importance of dental care when suffering an eating disorder.  For many years, Holly had nothing to smile about. This is Holly’s story: I was parentless and lost everything by age..

What are the top unanswered questions or “uncertainties” in the eating disorders field that are not being addressed by current research? To find out, the Patient/Carer Committee (PCC)  of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) invites your help. The PCC has organised a project to locate the most pressing needs, or gaps, in the research. It only..

Richmond Wellbeing, a not for profit organisation, has been developing the mental health industry and supporting the community in Western Australia for the past 40 years. The WA Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) Conference is coming up on 10-11 March and four of the conference speakers will hail from Richmond Wellbeing, and present on prevalent mental..

Eating disorders rob us of many precious things – including our smile. It’s hard to smile without front teeth – I know. Anorexia affected my teeth, especially my two top front teeth, as an eleven-year-old. I felt self-conscious and tried not to smile. And we need to smile, for smiling allows light and warmth into..

Do you work in an Inpatient Paediatric Eating Disorder Program? or Have you previously spent time as an inpatient in a Paediatric Eating Disorder unit? or Are you the carer of a young person who has been admitted into an inpatient program for Paediatric Eating Disorders? If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of these..

If you binge eat or have bulimia, this new book will help you map your way to freedom: AED Forum Newsletter, Book Review Corner Peter Doyle, AED Book Reviewer Getting Better Bite by Bite: A Survival Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorders (Second Edition) by Ulrike Schmidt, Janet Treasure, and June Alexander (Routledge,..

I am proud to be a member of the Steering Committee for the 1st ANNUAL WORLD EATING DISORDERS ACTION DAY ANNUAL WORLD EATING DISORDERS ACTION DAY JUNE 2, 2016 Members of the eating disorder community, including affected individuals and their families, professionals, researchers and policy makers, have united virtually to increase access to accurate information,..

Getting better from an eating disorder, and re-connecting with your true self, can involve a bite by bite struggle. With bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder, you may find yourself eating too much one minute and too little the next. Without understanding why. The good news is that recovery is possible…. this is especially so when you..

Christmas was a particularly awful time when Anorexia Nervosa ruled my life. Another year was drawing to a close, and I remained a prisoner of the illness. The surrounding bright and bubbly festive gaiety clashed horribly with inner anguish and self-loathing. Not any more. Today ANGI gives me great cause to be hopeful and in a celebratory mood. To..