love our bodies, love ourselves

For a decade I suffered from bulimia. During my recovery, I came to know Merryl Bear, the director of the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC). She had heard that I was a dancer with the National Ballet Company of Canada and asked if I would choreograph and perform a dance based on my recovery…More

 I am a good person and I know it. The feeling of never being good enough is the birthplace of eating disorders and it is a sentiment that I know intimately. I suffered from a serious eating disorder years ago which, at its lowest point, resulted in my admittance to a partial-hospitalization program. When I…More

When I was 21, I left eating disorder treatment for the second time. For months I had been shielded from the world - our exposure to the media was limited, we weren't allowed to talk about weight, or calories, or share diet tips. Our food was prepared for us, and portioned out exactly. We were…More

In 2011 I was voluntarily admitted to the Health Sciences Centre Adult Eating Disorders Program in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The day I walked into program I wanted help, but I don’t think I realized until that moment just how much I needed. I hoped that this was the end for me – and by end I…More

My views expressed in this brief article are based on my clinical experience, research and leadership that include supporting health care teams and health agencies. These teams and agencies have helped people with mental illness and particularly eating disorders. My views are also based upon direct individual and group work with persons who have eating…More

I’ve written many things about my past struggles with an eating disorder. Sometimes, it feels as though it was so long ago, and other times the memories are fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. However, one thing is for sure: life without and eating disorder has always been so much better than…More

When I practice therapy with women around issues of food and disordered eating, I often come across the theme of ‘Loss’. Loss is being without someone or something that was loved, familiar, important or desired. Especially for children, a loss may be based on safety, trust, comfort, and familiarity, rather than on what adults speak…More

I am going to be honest and tell you I thought writing this would be easy, that it would flow from within ~ from my heart. I love to write! I enjoy writing and during my daughter's most medically challenging times with anorexia, I did a lot of writing. Writing in the form of journals…More

It was an illness born in the corners of my mind. It paralysed me, affected every aspect of my life but no! it was not a bid for attention. For years, I suffered from a mental illness. It was invisible to the naked eye, and though I hid it really well, its effects were quite…More

Unusual? Unique? Perhaps... and you would be forgiven if you've never heard of using a Drum Circle as a health care intervention with eating disorder patients. In this post, I'll briefly describe what a Drum Circle in a health care setting might look like. Then, drawing from a few of the most common patient comments…More