A Journey Through Eating Disorders Support & Recovery

You've Seen Eating Disorder Patients Before, Even If You Don't Think You Have. In fact, you may have seen it more recently than you realize. It is estimated that 9% of the population will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime (Harvard STRIPED, Academy for Eating Disorders, Deloitte Access Economics, 2020). One tertiary hospital recently published a study showing…

The word “pica” is Latin for magpie—a bird known for eating almost anything. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Pica can be defined as a feeding or eating disorder that involves eating non-nutritive, non-food substances. These items can include, but are not limited to: Paper Chalk Glass Dirt Clay Hair Paint Soap Who Develops Pica?…

Gender-informed care is close to my heart. When working with clients with an eating disorder, a gender-informed lens is necessary, and allowing space for clients to be seen and feel heard is vital to the recovery process. Doing so allows a provider to open their eyes past the binary and see individuals for who they are. In my work with…

It’s Pride Month and at Walden Behavioral Care, our pride is in our ability to connect from one heart to another. This means that when we work with clients, and each other, our priority is to treat one another as equals, as allies, and respected members of the greater community. We understand that due to a lack of understanding or…

For many, summertime means vacations, long, warm days, and a much-appreciated break from school or work. It is a season of sunshine and recreation. For the millions of people with an eating disorder, however, summer often means something much more difficult than carefree leisure and freedom. As the school year ends and summer approaches, now is the time to plan…

The COVID-19 pandemic added stress to our lives, which affects not only our mental health, but physical health and emotional well-being. Everyday routine stress, stress brought on by life changes (including those caused by a global pandemic), and even traumatic stress affect each of us in different capacities and different severities. Awareness surrounding stress is especially important this year, as…

Disappointment is a part of the recovery process. In fact, it is a BIG part of it. How to handle it when you disappoint yourself, others; when you make a mistake, big or small; when you try something and you fail; when you don’t reach the often stratospherically high standards you set for yourself. We can read blog after blog…

Pregnancy brings new demands and changes to a person’s body – it’s necessary to get the right amount of caloric intake, vitamins, and minerals to remain healthy and ensure the fetus is developing. Prenatal care is highly specialized, and nutritionists have developed detailed eating plans for pregnancy to match these requirements. Unfortunately, many eating disorders bring nutritional imbalances and a…

“It’s a phase.” “They’ll outgrow it.” “If they get hungry enough, they’ll eat.” Parents and caregivers of those who struggle with ARFID know these statements all too well. Unfortunately, these statements do not accurately describe the everyday struggle facing these individuals. Worse, they can lead to misdiagnosis and delay in treatment, which can increase the potential for medical complications. These…

Art therapy is an integrative mental health field that is often used in the treatment of eating disorders. While traditional “talk therapy” treatment approaches typically involve sitting and talking about experiences and feelings, experiential therapies are not limited to verbal processing. Many individuals that struggle with eating disorders can find it difficult to use words to describe how they’re feeling,…