Perfection Does Not Exist

So many people, eating disordered or not, are just so engrossed with the topic of perfection and imperfection. It can really become an obsession, whether it’s body image related, beauty related, achievement related, or beyond. There are so many things you can find to become obsessed about where flaws are concerned… but it takes away [...]

Does my child have an eating disorder? What role does denial play in accepting the fact?

Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Yet, regularly those of us working to bring health and hope to families impacted by these deadly illnesses hear statements like these from parents and doctors: “She/he is at a ‘normal’ weight so we don’t need to pull her/him out of college.” “He/she HAS [...]

The Power of Role Models: A Young Woman’s Lifelong Bond With One of America’s Most Influential Political Figures

When Joslyn Smith told me about her lifelong correspondence with one of America’s most influential political figures … and the resulting chain of events that ensued … I had to film her experience. For so many young people, they believe that there is no way out of their situation — regardless of what it is. [...]

Eating Disorder Recovery – Post by Author Marya Hornbacher

A blast from the past — This guest post is from Love2EatinPA, originally posted in 6/17/2010. Here is a post about recovery from life-threatening eating disorders by the amazing author of “Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia”, Marya Hornbacher.  She has recovered after over 15 years of battling both anorexia and bullimia. I hope you [...]

Cheering on Your Own Greatness

So many people hate themselves. So many people spend hours picking at themselves, looking for things that aren’t up to par, things that are “wrong” or “bad.” It’s a sad way to live, but what’s sadder is that it’s so common. You’ve probably heard the saying “You are your own worst critic” before, but let [...]

Creative Connection in the Recovery Process

Do you ever find that you’re at a loss for words about how to share your experience of the eating disorder with others?  Do you have a hard time figuring out what words to use for this largely ‘untalked’ about illness? You’re not alone if you feel this way from time to time or even [...]

Therapy vs. Therapeutic (Art)

There is a distinct difference between therapy and therapeutic arts. Art can be healing, art can be cathartic, art can deeply reinvigorate a wounded and traumatized spirit, but art cannot single-handedly eliminate trauma or eradicate its scars. That, is the work of treatment, rehabilitation, and help. Therapy can be an artist’s most sacred tool, most [...]

Know Suicide Risk Factors and Warning Signs

Thoughts about dying by suicide are not uncommon among people struggling with EDs, which makes understanding the thoughts important. Research indicates that many people who die by suicide communicate their intent, in some manner, to an average of five people before they commit suicide. This means there may be five opportunities for people to thwart [...]

Eating Disorders Can Flourish on College Campuses

Many young adults head off to college with dreams of academic success, thriving friendship and excitement.  While college life can provide all of these things, it can also deliver feelings of isolation, loneliness, stress, homesickness and more.  Individuals struggling with an existing eating disorder or susceptible to developing an eating disorder can struggle to adapt [...]

Failing Forward

An artist friend of mine used the term failing forward while talking about a student of hers who was making mistakes learning how to paint but was nevertheless progressing. I immediately fell in love with the term. It captured everything I believe about this thing we call failure. Working in the field of drug addiction [...]

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