We live in a world that enforces a message into every aspect of our being that we are not enough. We see it on the television, we read it in magazines, we live amongst stereotypes and have deeply embedded belief systems that strengthen the message. Sometimes the message can be helpful as it pushes us … Read More
It’s been quite a few years since my own personal journey into recovery from an eating disorder (anorexia), although I still clearly remember the days when exercise was a compulsive activity. It was exhausting to push my body hard in the gym on so little energy and it was also mentally draining to constantly feel … Read More
Lately I’ve been preoccupied with wanting to do something adventurous. Move across country, travel, do something totally out of my comfort level. Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in the same city for twenty years, and a lot of my close friends have already gone on adventures or are planning to. It’s interesting the way our … Read More
As parents of a 28 yr. old who has been suffering with Anorexia and Bulimia for over 13 years, my husband and I have done everything possible – emotionally, physically and financially to provide and help our daughter. And it is never enough. Our experiences of helplessness, frustration and ultimately anger fuelled me to want … Read More
I remember the moment I found out I was having a daughter. My mind went to a million places: how am I going to raise a girl, how am I going to keep the boys away, how am I going to afford her? Most of all, I knew she would have to deal with a … Read More
Rising at our seats during Chorus Practice in the elementary school auditorium, a girl whom- for all intents and purposes I considered “popular”- turned to me and said, “Jennifer, do you think you’re pretty?” I paused for a moment and considered her motives- had this been pre-meditated? Was it a trap? Was she mocking me? … Read More
Body image. The elusive positive body image that your treatment team constantly chatters about. Sure it would be nice to love your body, but let’s be real here, the notion of loving your body after spending years hating it is frankly insane. Love my body? That was not in the cards for me unless I … Read More
Recovery isn’t a destination; it is a forever journey. Does this mean it never gets better or you can’t win the fight over your eating disorder? Absolutely not. The struggle against your eating disorder gets easier and you become stronger in recovery, but with an eating disorder there is never a closed chapter or a … Read More
Body image has always been a struggle for me. Even before my eating disorder, I would say awful things to myself about my body. I could never seem to find peace with the way I looked. I was never enough—tall enough, thin enough, pretty enough—for myself. That hatred and discontent led me into my eating … Read More
There once was a time where my life where it was barely a life at all. I struggled through each day, worrying about each calorie that entered my body and if I had overeaten. “ Would I gain weight from this cracker?” Was a question that I asked myself all too often. I had developed … Read More
