Category: Research

Anorexia Breaking chains and building bridges for all of us

Breaking chains and building bridges for all of us

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At the age of 11, the earliest traces of my eating disorder (ED), specifically anorexia, started to emerge. A significant factor behind this struggle was my family environment. For most of my early life, I grew up with a half-sister, eight years younger than myself, and a single mother who...

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advocacy Sharing our story gives others permission to share their story too

Sharing our story gives others permission to share their story too

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As I ‘came out’ and began to share my story publicly through my memoir, A Girl Called Tim (2011), an amazing thing happened. Shame, stigma, and secrets that had been the bane of my life for decades, were quelled. Rather than remain quiet, my diaries ‘came out’ too. For instance,...

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advocacy A decade of eating disorder stories in The Diary Healer archive

A decade of eating disorder stories in The Diary Healer archive

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An amazing depth of connection, awareness and self-discovery has evolved and blossomed through The Diary Healer blog since 2012. More than 500 first-person stories have been shared on the blog during this time. The archive of Diary Healer blogs has grown into a rich resource for anyone seeking information about...

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advocacy Korea’s first Eating Disorder Awareness Week giving life to small miracles

Korea’s first Eating Disorder Awareness Week giving life to small miracles

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In February this year, I took unpaid leave from work to organize Korea’s first Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW). Afterwards, I went straight back to work, but my employer was restructuring his business. This meant I could take a month’s paid rest before starting a new job. This period felt...

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advocacy The Evolution of my Diary Journey

The Evolution of my Diary Journey

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Have you ever felt ready to reset your priorities? I was feeling this way and now I am excited to share details of an upcoming change with you. The Diary Healer has shared personal stories of hope and awareness about eating disorders with many readers around the world since its...

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Anorexia Voice of experience vital in major update of mental health first aid for eating disorders

Voice of experience vital in major update of mental health first aid for eating disorders

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Do you want to help someone struggling with eating disorder symptoms, but lack confidence to intervene, in case you say the “wrong” thing? The good news is that with mental health first aid guidance you can be confident that you are doing no harm and highly likely are helping to...

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Anorexia Speaking against cliched narratives about eating disorders – Korea’s powerful message

Speaking against cliched narratives about eating disorders – Korea’s powerful message

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Korea’s first Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW) has exposed the serious issue of eating disorders within families and communities. The hard schedule of seven consecutive days to mark this EDAW concluded in front of a small audience in a dimly lit bookshop. People stood and applauded, and the engineer stopped...

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Anorexia Lived experience inspires Korea’s first Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Lived experience inspires Korea’s first Eating Disorders Awareness Week

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Lived experience will feature in Korea’s first Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW), for which I’m responsible. I’ve often been told not to scale up things so hastily, not to put too many irons in the fire, but such cautions seem useless because I’ve developed a simple suggestion from Prof. Youl...

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eating disorders Public survey invites Australians to contribute to national eating disorder strategy

Public survey invites Australians to contribute to national eating disorder strategy

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People from across Australia are being invited to complete a public survey that will help ensure broad input into a National Eating Disorders Strategy 2023-2033. Responses to the public survey, organised by the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC), will help refine key priorities for the National Strategy. As a survey...

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Anorexia The benefits of exploring identity through diary writing practice

The benefits of exploring identity through diary writing practice

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I am like a dinosaur when it comes to diary writing. I have kept a diary since childhood. I’m now 72.  The diary is part of me. Why? Early this week I was conversing with daughter Amanda, 46, about my diary collection, wondering out loud who might take care of...

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