National Eating Disorders Awareness Week: February 20-26, 2011

The coming weeks and months will bring another flood of activities and opportunities for outreach and education. I am excited about NEDAW, which is planned for February 20-26, 2011, throughout the US and perhaps other countries (?)
In my little world, combined with the efforts at The River Centre Clinic, that week will be filled with many activities, which hopefully will be helpful in educating and creating more awareness about these devastating disorders.
Many activities are planned internally at RCC, which we hope will encourage hope and positive motivation.
Our community efforts will include two days at the Westfield Franklin Park Mall, offering educational materials and the opportunity for people to take the EAT-26 self-test, with evaluation. We are also making NEDAW ribbons to hand out to those who want to promote this special week.
The Women's Studies group on the campus at BGSU is hosting a brownbag luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 23, from Noon-1:00pm, where myself and my assistant, Anna, will be speaking about the 'truths' about eating disorders and how one can support others who may be suffering.
We are still finalizing possible plans with UT and Lourdes College, with those activities to be announced.
Plans are also just beginning for the 2011 NEDA Walk, to be held once again at Olander Park in Sylvania. The date this year is Sunday, May 22, 2011, with registration beginning at 9:30am.
More details will be forthcoming very soon.
I am excited to be planning a trip to Miami at the end of April to attend the ICED, which is seen as the 'premier' of all ED Conferences. That remains to be seen, but I am excited to once again, have the opportunity to network and gather additional information about things that are happening in the professional field of eating disorders.
My daily work continues to be busy, with no two days ever alike. My responsibilities also continue to change, as changes are made internally with nursing and clinical needs.
It's apparent to anyone who has followed my Blog, that I simply don't have much time to 'journal' anymore, but I also do not feel the need for that type of writing. My updates here will hopefully assist others in taking action and being involved in these opportunities for networking and increasing awareness about eating disorders. Wishing you all well,
Without apology....♥

If you know what is NOT working....

I can remember years ago while I was still seeing a therapist, I continued to find myself caught up in the wishful thinking, complaining about what wasn't 'good', what I hated about my life, and how tired I was of fighting the eating disorder. I was easily caught up in how awful things still were, and it made it very difficult for me to switch up my thinking and take responsibility for trying some new things...instead of waiting to be forced or until I 'felt' like it. I realized that I might never 'feel' like doing certain things, which was a major part of my problem in the first place. It was never going to be easier or feel better to do things differently, at least not at first.
My therapist pointed out that I had plenty of evidence of what did NOT work. So why did I continue to think that one special day it would...without doing something different?
An eating disorder does not leave your life because YOU wish it away, or because you are aware, day by day, how it is destroying your life.
The only way to leave it behind, to disconnect the eating disorder from your day by day emotions [which we all have], is to take action. Do something different. Follow a meal plan. See a professional. Be proactive in seeking new avenues for your life if that is what you need.
Writing can be a tremendously useful tool to increase self-awareness, but what are you going to do with that awareness?
Each day is a new opportunity to change, to find a new 'tool' that can help you find your way to recovery. Or it can be another day to do nothing, to talk, write and pout about what isn't working and how miserable you are, and how many symptoms you are having as a result.
No one can be expected to be positive and upbeat every day. That is not normal either.
But we all can do something every day towards bettering our life.
What can YOU do differently today to take one more step towards healing and recovery?
Without apology ♥