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# Life Stories Diary

Now is the time to start writing!

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Dear Diary Blog](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/blog/)
- [Farewell message to my eating disorder blog](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/12/11/farewell-message-to-my-eating-disorder-blog/) - As my 75th birthday approaches at the end of December 2025, I find myself standing at a gentle crossroads. It’s time to loosen my grip on one chapter of life...
- [Dare to dream: living a full life despite a debilitating illness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/12/01/dare-to-dream-living-a-full-life-despite-a-debilitating-illness/) - Before my illness, I was happy and healthy. I started to feel unwell in 2016 when I was 13 years old. My cognitive skills deteriorated, my physical health ...
- [Guilty without a crime -- Unlearning guilt: A story of loss, motherhood, and recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/11/17/guilty-without-a-crime-unlearning-guilt-a-story-of-loss-motherhood-and-recovery/) - Guilt is a complicated concept. It is a noun, a verb, and an emotion, usually used to refer to having done something wrong. There is the guilt associated wit...
- [From blog to belonging: the next chapter for Life Stories Diary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/11/10/from-blog-to-belonging-the-next-chapter-for-life-stories-diary/) - If you’ve been with me a while, some of you since 2008, you know Life Stories Diary has grown into a gathering place: for people living with eating disorders...
- [My Kid is Back - After the storm, a mother's view of Eating Disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/11/03/my-kid-is-back-after-the-storm-a-mothers-view-of-eating-disorder-recovery/) - Two years ago, I was driving on the motorway, torrential rain pouring down, making it hard to see anything. Summer and I were on our way home, following a ...
- [The Scientist and the Storyteller](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/10/13/the-scientist-and-the-storyteller/) - There are many kinds of relationships that steady a life: family, friends, cherished companions (including the furry ones). Then there are the few who become...
- [I’m discovering that life, like travel, can mean 'becoming lighter'.](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/10/06/im-discovering-that-life-like-travel-can-mean-becoming-lighter/) - Home sweet home. The suitcase and backpack are back on their shelf; a Japanese cat magnet grins on the fridge. The weeping cherry in the front garden is ...
- [Living my next chapter](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/09/29/living-my-next-chapter/) - I am often asked if I plan to write another book. My answer is, “No, I’m living my next chapter.” Four years have passed since the publication of my memoir, ...
- [Childhood pictures have a story to tell](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/09/22/childhood-pictures-have-a-story-to-tell/) - Recently, I looked through years and years of old family photographs. I'd seen these pictures before, but this time was different. I didn't begin looking at ...
- [My Kid is Back - book launch with June Alexander](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/09/17/my-kid-is-back-book-launch-with-june-alexander/) - I'm delighted to share that in a special event for Australia's National Carers Week, Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) will launch the exciting second edition of My Kid is Back. This well-loved publication has guided many families caring for a loved one with an eating disorder. It is full of stories from people who have been there.
- [When feeling the freedom replaces feeling the fear](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/09/01/when-feeling-the-freedom-replaces-feeling-the-fear/) - For almost 20 years, I have been writing about eating disorders, recovery, and self-discovery. I have drawn on my experience and the voices of many others who..
- [Redefining 'Letting myself go': Embracing life at 70](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/09/08/redefining-letting-myself-go-embracing-life-at-70/) - About six weeks from now, I will be 70 years old. 70! That feels like a big number, signifying that I have been on this planet for seven decades and entering...
- [When Anorexia Nervosa pretends to help](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/08/26/when-anorexia-nervosa-pretends-to-help/) - For many years, anorexia was my protector. For many years, from age 11, I did not know I had an illness called anorexia. I mean, I thought I was me. Period...
- [Living without anorexia nervosa: a dream come true](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/08/18/living-without-anorexia-nervosa-a-dream-come-true/) - For almost 20 years, I have sat down each week to write about eating disorders. I have written about the havoc they cause in minds, bodies, families, and ...
- [Explaining family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/08/11/explaining-family-based-treatment-for-anorexia-nervosa/) - When anorexia nervosa (AN) develops in a child, it impacts the entire family. However, family-based treatment (FBT) offers hope by reinstating fundamental ...
- [Together, we’re building a global community for eating disorder research and hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/08/04/together-were-building-a-global-community-for-eating-disorder-research-and-hope/) - In late 2023, I had a dream: to create a global meeting place for anyone and everyone working toward a better understanding and care for eating disorders...
- [Emerging whole: a life reclaimed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/07/28/emerging-whole-a-life-reclaimed/) - There was a time when I didn’t know who I was. Not really. Not in the way that lets you walk into a room, make a choice, or even sit with your own thoughts...
- [Lived experience must lead change: eating disorders, systemic silence, and a layperson’s resolve](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/07/21/lived-experience-must-lead-change-eating-disorders-systemic-silence-and-a-laypersons-resolve/) - It feels like the eating disorders field is several decades behind compared to the treatment of other mental health issues. Honestly, I don’t even know what to-
- [The addiction of weight loss](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/07/14/the-addiction-of-weight-loss/) - New types of weight loss drugs are being touted as life-changing in the “war” on obesity. Television commercials run consecutively, claiming easy access...
- [Hope, healing and Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/07/07/hope-healing-and-family-based-treatment-for-anorexia-nervosa/) - The most joyful words a parent can say are, "I've got my kid back." With co-author, Professor Daniel Le Grange, I welcome the release of My Kid is Back, Seco...
- [Have you experienced an eating disorder?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/06/30/have-you-experienced-an-eating-disorder/) - EDGI2 is the world’s largest genetics investigation into eating disorder risk factors. It aims to uncover the genetics behind anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating...
- [51% free: The turning point in my eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/06/23/51-free-the-turning-point-in-my-eating-disorder-recovery/) - When I reached 55, after 44 years under the iron grip of anorexia nervosa, something inside me shifted. For the first time, I felt emphatically that I had ...
- [Eating disorder recovery as an older adult](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/06/16/eating-disorder-recovery-as-an-older-adult/) - Growing old isn't a privilege I take for granted, but it isn't easy in today's youth-obsessed world. When I was in my 40s, I heard, The golden years aren't so-
- [Exploring food obsessions and 'a perfect plate'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/06/09/exploring-food-obsessions-and-a-perfect-plate/) - Realising that today’s teenage girls live in a world different from mine—that I’m a complete alien to them—makes me both uneasy and shiver. It aches, too, to...
- [Australia supports world’s largest genetics investigation into eating disorder risk factors](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/06/02/australia-supports-worlds-largest-genetics-investigation-into-eating-disorder-risk-factors/) - My mind is racing. Six months have passed since I was discharged from the hospital. Yes, I had been admitted for a long time. Almost four months. Has my gra...
- [Comorbidities and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/05/26/comorbidities-and-eating-disorders/) - Some people have comorbidities that are interlinked with their eating disorders. The links are often bidirectional and inter-reinforcing, and the comorbidities
- [Males with eating disorders and caregivers need recognition and support too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/05/19/males-with-eating-disorders-and-caregivers-need-recognition-and-support-too/) - Male eating disorder sufferers are underserved due to their gender. Because male eating disorder sufferers do not fit the inappropriate Skinny White Affluen ...
- [More than edible--what is food to you?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/05/12/more-than-edible-what-is-food-to-you/) - I'm unexpectedly underweight again. The 45-year-old me doesn’t want to expose my bare limbs to others’ eyes. This casual and comfy look I’ve long been attach...
- [Becoming an Overcomer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/05/05/becoming-an-overcomer/) - I was born on January 1, 1968, with my feet turned backwards—a physical reminder of a drug that changed the course of thousands of lives - thalidomide.
- [Education is key to filling gaps in eating disorder care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/04/28/education-is-key-to-filling-gaps-in-eating-disorder-care/) - Access to adequate healthcare often depends on a person’s socioeconomic circumstances and where they live, and these two factors are often interlinked...
- [Eating disorder diagnosis failing young and old](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/04/22/eating-disorder-diagnosis-failing-young-and-old/) - In this third post that June Alexander has adapted from Alykhan's Asaria's article on improving eating disorder care for underserved groups, three more under...
- [My Kid is Back!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/04/14/my-kid-is-back/) - With my co-author, Professor Daniel Le Grange, I’m delighted to announce the worldwide release of My Kid is Back, Second Edition. We thank families from...
- [Are you AI wary or a user?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/04/07/are-you-ai-wary-or-a-user/) - Have you become acquainted with Artificial Intelligence (AI) yet, or are you fearful of it? After initial hesitation, I decided to give it a go...
- ["We need permission to live rather than to die"](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/03/31/we-need-permission-to-live-rather-than-to-die/) - Anecdotally, eating disorder sufferers are considered older when they reach their late 20s or early 30s, which is a very low threshold compared with people ....
- [Improving access to and experiences of eating disorder care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/03/17/improving-access-to-eating-disorder-care/) - This article on improving access to eating disorder (ED) care is informed by my lived experiences, independent research, and involvement in the under-appreci...
- [Navigating the vagaries of eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/03/24/navigating-the-vagaries-of-eating-disorder-recovery/) - Living with an eating disorder is hard, and recovery is everything but linear. Summer has been bravely battling anorexia nervosa since the fall of 2023...
- [The system won’t save us: Reflections from Korea’s EDAW 2025](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/03/10/the-system-wont-save-us-reflections-from-koreas-edaw-2025/) - Korea’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW) 2025 was a whirlwind. I lived like a ghost, confined to my room packed with boxed props. My resignation letter...
- [CoRe-ED: a global collaboration for eating disorders research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/03/03/core-ed-a-global-collaboration-for-eating-disorders-research/) - A recent article published on this blog (Imagine a Global Board for Eating Disorders) proposed an international governing body to bring together experts, voices
- [On being a peer mentor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/02/17/on-being-a-peer-mentor/) - Recovering from an eating disorder can be a lonely experience. Even if a supportive team of professionals and loved ones is rallying around, feelings of isol...
- [When the dark times become a gift](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/02/10/when-the-dark-times-become-a-gift/) - An eating disorder gave me fresh purpose: using my pen as a sword, I began writing books to raise awareness and inspire others. Life is not fair. Don’t expec...
- [Imagine a Global Board for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/02/03/imagine-a-global-board-for-eating-disorders/) - Imagine a Global Board that listens to “everyone” in the eating disorder field. What a difference it could make to lives everywhere! The vision for a Global ...
- [Reunion with a cherished pet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/01/29/reunion-with-a-cherished-pet/) - I had a lovely surprise mid-morning. I unexpectedly heard a knock at my front door, and when I went to answer the knock, I was momentarily nonplussed. A bear...
- [June speaks with Dr. Cynthia M. Bulik - Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/11/09/june-speaks-with-dr-cynthia-m-bulik-eating-disorders-genetics-initiative/) - June was delighted to join Dr. Cynthia M. Bulik, principal investigator for the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI), for a Facebook Live recently. June speaks about her story and experience of anorexia nervosa, and how diary writing can help people on their journey to peace and wellbeing.  EDGI Australia: https://edgi.org.au EDGI US: https://edgi.org EDGI
- [When compliments are kryptonite](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/01/20/when-compliments-are-kryptonite/) - Compliments are generally seen as a good thing. Everyone likes to be complimented on appearance, intelligence, and accomplishments, to name a few. A sincere...
- [When a private diary collection becomes public](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/01/13/when-a-private-diary-collection-becomes-public/) - I am surrounded by 10 family members inside the National Library of Australia, Canberra. We are in a private reading room to visit my diary ‘family’, the ...
- [When first impressions are false](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2025/01/06/when-first-impressions-are-false/) - I don’t remember at what age I discovered Impressionism, an art movement in the 19th Century. Van Gogh, Monet and Degas, among others, created works of art ...
- [Gifts of human kindness on a Christmas Day train ride](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/12/27/gifts-of-human-kindness-on-a-christmas-day-train-ride/) - I travelled by train instead of car on Christmas Day 2024. Instead of the usual two-and-a-half hour drive to the home of my children’s dad, George, in Melbou...
- [Bringing together Korea's eating disorder researchers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/12/16/bringing-together-koreas-eating-disorder-researchers/) - As the sole host of Korea’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW), I am researching the themes and issues to be covered in the seven sessions of our third...
- [When mother has an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/11/18/when-mother-has-an-eating-disorder-2/) - I reached for the phone. I was ready to accept the guidance of my minister and psychiatrist so I could become a person with normal behavioural habits..
- [Tug of war with an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/11/11/tug-of-war-with-an-eating-disorder/) - Family Based Treatment is the best, evidence-based approach for most children and adolescents to get their life back on track when they develop an eating dis...
- [Being a loser at weight loss makes you a winner – or does it?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/11/04/being-a-loser-at-weight-loss-makes-you-a-winner-or-does-it/) - Nobody likes being told, "You're a loser." The word "loser" immediately conjures up feelings of inadequacy, failure, and shame. The only place I can think of...
- [Straddling the literature and eating disorder divide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/10/28/straddling-the-literature-and-eating-disorder-divide/) - It’s funny when we realise that we have feet in two worlds that barely speak to each other. I have one foot in the world of eating disorder (ED) research and...
- [It's time to redefine the Body Mass Index (BMI)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/10/21/its-time-to-redefine-the-body-mass-index-bmi/) - BMI or Body Mass Index is a term used frequently when discussing the health and weight management of humans. It appears in medical charts, insurance statistics
- [Anorexia nervosa takes the fun out of exercise](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/10/14/anorexia-nervosa-takes-the-fun-out-of-exercise/) - Exercise is good, but excessive or compulsive exercise can be dangerous.At age 13, Kristen embraced the outdoors and enjoyed cross-country running at school...
- [In diet culture, 'gain' is feared and despised](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/10/07/in-diet-culture-gain-is-feared-and-despised/) - Gain is not a four-letter word—at least not in the bad way fostered in diet culture. Diet culture taught me to fear and hate that word for decades...
- [An ice cream is a ‘win’ when holidaying with an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/09/30/an-ice-cream-is-a-win-when-holidaying-with-an-eating-disorder/) - Almost a year has passed since Summer was diagnosed with her eating disorder (ED). I glimpse signs of recovery more often, but sometimes, we get thrown back ...
- [Goodbye calories! Hello, energy!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/09/16/goodbye-calories-hello-energy/) - Calorie is a word laden with myriad connotations imposed by diet culture, a word that can be so insidious that I’ve hesitated to write about it...
- [An eating disorder recovery coach in a box](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/09/09/an-eating-disorder-recovery-coach-in-a-box/) - Anorexia very nearly stole my life. After 15 years in what can only be described as a living hell, I was told I had only a few weeks to live; my dear body...
- [Tragic outcome for psychiatric patient seeking help for diet pill addiction](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/09/02/tragic-outcome-for-psychiatric-patient-seeking-help-for-diet-pill-addiction/) - When the news broke, I couldn’t ignore it. The deceased young woman was reportedly at the Korean hospital for treatment of a weight loss drug addiction. News portals showed CCTV (closed circuit TV) footage of the woman, where she was forcibly restrained on a bed by hospital staff whose large bodies seemed to engulf her
- [No room for secrets in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/08/26/no-room-for-secrets-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - “Why does eating disorder recovery have so many curve balls?” A middle-aged woman asked this today. An eating disorder trigger was tempting her, and she was...
- [Outsmarting the eating disorder triggers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/08/19/outsmarting-the-eating-disorder-triggers/) - Anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder (ED) is familiar with the words trigger or triggered, and I am no different. Even though I am in the space of recovery, situations that could trigger eating disorder thoughts and behaviours are everywhere. Living in this diet culture/weight-biased world, there is no way to escape the
- [How do I differentiate between Autistic rigidity and anorexia nervosa?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/08/12/how-do-i-differentiate-between-autistic-rigidity-and-anorexia-nervosa/) - I am not anorexic. I never was anorexic. I am in recovery from anorexia, which is a parasitic, all-consuming mental condition that sucked the joy out of every..
- [Don't settle for a part-life with an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/08/05/dont-settle-for-a-part-life-with-an-eating-disorder/) - Living a part-life with an eating disorder (ED) is like spending half your life in prison - without committing a crime. The picture that accompanies this...
- [Selective apathy and the eating disorder connection](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/07/30/selective-apathy-and-the-eating-disorder-connection/) - I’ve always considered apathy to be negative. The dictionary defines apathy as a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. Conducting a little research about...
- [The private diary: from life coping tool to research resource](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/07/22/the-private-diary-from-life-coping-tool-to-research-resource/) - Until a few months ago, my diaries and I had been inseparable for more than 60 years. Despite moving house more than 24 times, we had stuck together...
- [When the eating disorder is all you can hear](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/07/15/when-the-eating-disorder-is-all-you-can-hear/) - I have suffered from an eating disorder (ED) for 18 years, and I don’t know how to break free … I would like you to share strategies for those times when ED...
- [Family diets were the norm when Faith was a child](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/07/08/family-diets-were-the-norm-when-faith-was-a-child/) - I usually say it all started in 2020 when I was 14, but I don’t know if that’s true. I mean, yeah, that’s when I began to lose weight, but I hated myself...
- [Autism and anorexia - the difference a diagnosis makes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/07/01/autism-and-anorexia-the-difference-a-diagnosis-makes/) - Autism explained all the quirks Hannah loathed herself for, and why she felt she didn't fit in no matter how hard she tried.
- [Writing your life story with a memoir mentor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/06/24/writing-your-life-story-with-a-memoir-mentor/) - As a life-writing mentor, I offer guidance in transforming your life experiences into a tangible memoir. You write your truth, crafting your story in your un...
- [Unsung heroes: the role of sibling carers in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/06/17/unsung-heroes-the-role-of-sibling-carers-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - Alisha was 21 when she became a carer for her sister who had an eating disorder. Today Alisha is a counsellor with EDFA. Caring for a loved one with an eating -
- [Can people experiencing mental illness teach? Absolutely](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/06/10/can-people-experiencing-mental-illness-teach-absolutely/) - At noon on April 22, the small car stopped in front of the nursing school building, a structure of standardised windows and no excess. “We’re here,” said Professor...
- [“Write soon! Love always.” The benefits of friendships formed through letter writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/05/27/write-soon-love-always-the-benefits-of-friendships-formed-through-letter-writing/) - I thought everybody felt the same excitement as me when checking the letterbox for mail. But to my surprise, I discovered that many people feel stressed when...
- [My body wanted me to be its friend](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/05/20/my-body-wanted-me-to-be-its-friend/) - Sometimes, I dislike my body even though I consider myself in recovery from an eating disorder. If I were to wait until I felt at peace with every part of my...
- [Exploring the roots of fear that feed an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/05/13/exploring-the-roots-of-fear-that-feed-an-eating-disorder/) - Tanya declares she and anorexia are irrevocably entwined. Fear is ever-present. Here, Tanya explores the roots of her fears...
- [Listen to us: women with lived experience of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/04/29/listen-to-us-women-with-lived-experience-of-severe-and-enduring-anorexia-nervosa/) - Improved outcomes for adults with eating disorders are possible! Karen, Tanya and Anne could be forgiven for feeling down-hearted after struggling for decad)...
- [Eating disorders are family disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/04/22/eating-disorders-are-family-disorders/) - Keynote speaker at the 2013 National Eating Disorder Association conference, Dr Thomas Insel, was speaking from the heart when he said, "Eating disorders are...
- [Moments of normalcy bring hope in the daily chaos of eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/04/15/moments-of-normalcy-bring-hope-in-the-daily-chaos-of-eating-disorder-recovery/) - Our life in survival mode continues. My daughter Summer and I have returned from another hospital admission and, like previously, are struggling to get back...
- [Facing the fear of losing 'control'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/04/08/facing-the-fear-of-losing-control/) - I hate admitting this, but I’m a fearful person. The list of what I’m afraid of is long and detailed. Some fears are fairly typical and global, like the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected many people. Before the pandemic, I was not much of a germaphobe, but that’s near the top of my list these days.
- [Eating disorders are no match for memoirist Betsy Brenner](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/03/25/eating-disorders-are-no-match-for-memoirist-betsy-brenner/) - A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-2021, was the gift of time to embark on the incredible journey of writing my memoir The Longest Match: Rallying...
- [My diaries have a new home in the National Library of Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/03/11/my-diaries-have-a-new-home-in-the-national-library-of-australia/) - My eating disorder has gone to Canberra, Australia's national capital. The eating disorder has travelled there within the pages of my diary collection, acquired by the National Library of Australia (NLA). There, the eating disorder will be open to public scrutiny. Canberra is an eight-hour road journey from where I live. My diaries and I
- [The ups and downs of a single mother caring for a child with anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/03/04/the-ups-and-downs-of-a-single-mother-caring-for-a-child-with-anorexia/) - Our journey in the terrifying world of anorexia nervosa continues. We have roller-coasted over the past few months, and my daughter, Summer, has turned 11...
- [Love and shame: exploring my most difficult emotions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/02/26/love-and-shame-exploring-my-most-difficult-emotions/) - A decade ago, when I was about 40 years old, a four-year-old asked why I was so fat. It was one of those moments when something shifted. If someone were to...
- [Korea’s EDAW 2024 puts epistemic justice on the table](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/02/19/koreas-edaw-2024-puts-epistemic-justice-on-the-table/) - So, I quit my job again at the end of January. The healthcare company I worked for was one of those doctor-owned ventures not uncommon in Seoul, South Korea...
- [A pebble for your thoughts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/02/12/a-pebble-for-your-thoughts/) - My father believed in magic. He forever chased bigger and better, shouting his ideas from the rooftops so the world would look his way. My mother was, and ...
- [From post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/02/05/from-post-traumatic-stress-to-post-traumatic-growth/) - My son Joe developed anorexia at the age of 12 in 2002. He lost 25 per cent of his body weight in 12 weeks. Since that torrid time, I have known that caring ...
- [Slip, slide, but hope got me over the line](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/01/29/slip-slide-but-hope-got-me-over-the-line-2/) - I’m 40 years old. The next day I regress further. I’m out of control. I am. All I can do for the rest of today, is fix tea, go to bed and read a book to help...
- [The personal trainer said, ‘You have body trust issues’](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/01/22/the-personal-trainer-said-you-have-body-trust-issues/) - A decade ago, my husband and I purchased an elliptical machine from a store that specialized in exercise equipment. The purchase price included a complementary session with a personal trainer. We took advantage of this offer, mostly to get some valuable pointers on how to use the machine and all its bells and whistles. The
- [When a child develops anorexia, their family is plunged into the eating disorder world](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/01/15/when-a-child-develops-anorexia-their-family-is-plunged-into-the-eating-disorder-world/) - My 10-year-old (soon to be 11-year-old) daughter developed anorexia over the past year. Although she had probably already realised something was different...
- [A reminder that one day the diary that is my life serial will end](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/01/08/a-reminder-that-one-day-the-diary-that-is-my-life-serial-will-end/) - The first clue that something was wrong was when my sight became blurry. Within seconds I could not see and felt I was being drawn into a hole like one feels...
- [Epistemic Justice in Understanding Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2024/01/01/epistemic-justice-in-understanding-eating-disorders/) - Epistemic injustice is a concept I explore in my memoir, Swallowing Practice, and which I've pondered for a long time. Lately, in Korea, I have observed a noticeable...
- [My diary today is an open book - for years it was strictly private](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/12/22/my-diary-today-is-an-open-book-for-years-it-was-strictly-private/) - My plans at the start of this year were to work less, play more, stay upright (that is, don’t fall over) and stay well. My diary reveals I have ticked most of..
- [From struggle to strength: Surviving anorexia and the transformative power of family support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/12/18/from-struggle-to-strength-surviving-anorexia-and-the-transformative-power-of-family-support/) - Being a child with an eating disorder is no fun. I survived a 15-year-long battle with anorexia, the deadliest psychiatric illness. My childhood was shadowed by ruminating on my body’s appearance, constantly exploring new ways of secretly hiding uneaten food, and exercising intensely. During short periods of adolescence when I experienced a relief in my
- [Family stories expose the reality of Family Based Treatment today](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/12/11/family-stories-expose-the-reality-of-family-based-treatment-today/) - Early responses to the call for family stories about experience with Family Based Treatment (FBT) for treatment of anorexia nervosa have been a revelation. I posted the call on my blog in October to invite first-person stories for the Second Edition of My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Treat Anorexia Nervosa. I am
- [Turning 80 can mark exciting opportunities for fresh starts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/12/15/turning-80-can-mark-exciting-opportunities-for-fresh-starts/) - When I turned 80, I felt that my life was almost over. Deciding I needed some social connection and a new challenge, I joined June’s local community writing group. A year later, I have published my first book. Rather than stay at home and feel sorry for myself, I went in search of a new
- [Take a self-discovery tour - write your story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/12/04/take-a-self-discovery-tour-write-your-story/) - My memoir, A Girl Called Tim, is about my life with an eating disorder from age 11 to 55. As I entered adulthood I became known as the problem" in my family....
- [Lived experience counsellors take support into the family home](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/11/27/lived-experience-counsellors-take-support-into-the-family-home/) - Eating Disorders Families Australia’s (EDFA) new Fill The Gap counselling service is specifically designed to support eating disorder carers during the long...
- [Write and everything will be all right](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/11/20/write-and-everything-will-be-all-right-2/) - … i got your book A Girl Called Tim out of the library and i literally read the whole thing in one day because i just couldnt put it down … it was the first book i have ever read that describes exactly how i feel ... i wish that every doctor would read your
- [A glimpse of life beyond a long-term eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/11/13/a-glimpse-of-life-beyond-a-long-term-eating-disorder/) - I have been struggling with my eating disorder for a very long time and in the past two and a half years, quite badly. The act of taking sick leave for a long..
- [Diary of an eating disorder – how Hayley is rebuilding her life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/11/10/diary-of-an-eating-disorder-how-hayley-is-rebuilding-her-life/) - It all started when I was in primary school. I was bullied being called “fat, bitch, loser” and more. I had a hard time with this because the same boy who assaulted me was also bullying my family. I made some genuine friends and some fake friends. My eating habits were affected by the bullying.
- [Eating Disorder Families Australia launches free counselling for carers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/11/06/eating-disorder-families-australia-launches-free-counselling-for-carers/) - Recovery from an eating disorder is an incredibly challenging journey not only for the person experiencing the eating disorder, but also for those who are ...
- [Share your story and help parents get their kid back](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/30/share-your-story-and-help-parents-get-their-kid-back/) - The book My Kid is Back means a lot to me because my parents did not see their kid come back. When I developed anorexia nervosa (AN) at age 11 (shortly after this picture was taken) there was no help for my parents or me. I wish my parents had been able to access Family
- [My first pregnancy was going beautifully…until it wasn’t](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/27/my-first-pregnancy-was-going-beautifullyuntil-it-wasnt/) - We were doing things in the traditional order: we married, bought our first house and, after nearly a year of trying, were expecting our first child...
- [My Kid is Back: Calling families with experience of an eating disorder and family-based treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/23/my-kid-is-back-calling-families-with-experience-of-an-eating-disorder-and-family-based-treatment/) - Exciting news! Professor Daniel Le Grange and I are writing an update to the first edition of My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa. Families who have participated in Family-Based Treatment (FBT) for a child with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) are warmly invited to share their stories in this new edition. This
- [Where do I start? Everyone has their own childhood story to untangle](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/21/where-do-i-start-everyone-has-their-own-childhood-story-to-untangle/) - I had a very, very weird childhood. Some people have the religious trauma, some have the undiagnosed neurodiversity factors, some have the abusive father factor, some have the poverty angle...
- [From LOST in anorexia nervosa to FOUND in family](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/16/from-lost-in-anorexia-nervosa-to-found-in-family/) - Anorexia Nervosa has no map. The pathways are not linear. For years, my eating disorder has kept me adrift – no destination, boundaries, or directions. My anorexic mind trapped me in a web of twisted roads, confusing my sense of logic and damaging my navigational skills. The route teemed with cul-de-sacs and roadworks at every
- [Why I write - the Sunshine Girl](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/13/why-i-write-the-sunshine-girl/) - We have progressed a long way in mental health recognition since the 1940s. My message is that our mental health is something to embrace and speak openly about, rather than hide in shame. The Spot Cafe in Portland, a coastal town in Victoria, Australia, was bustling with people, mainly locals. It was a cool evening
- [Millie the Eating Disorders librarian needs a job](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/09/millie-the-eating-disorders-librarian-needs-a-job/) - I am very grateful to June for allowing me to write this post, and I will be grateful to any of you who can assist me in finding a new job within the eating disorders field. Many of you know me from my work as the eating disorders librarian, but not how I got here.
- [What path did your adult life take?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/06/what-path-did-your-adult-life-take/) - When I reflect on my adult life’s path, I’m reminded of a cartoon that appeared in the daily newspaper when I was a child. Every day, a sweet or humorous scene depicting life in the family was illustrated, which always made me smile. One recurring scene was of the route one child took to get
- [The enigma called ‘High-Functioning Anorexia’](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/10/02/the-enigma-called-high-functioning-anorexia/) - In the late summer of 2017, when I unknowingly plunged back into anorexia, I was trying to live as a freelance translator. I'd just left the publishing...
- [Why I write](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/09/25/why-i-write/) - The point about writing is the belief that I have something to say that might help others see an issue more clearly, understand something in greater depth, and bring comfort to the broken and bereft. In my years of journalism, a cynical way of looking at what writing does is not entirely as Rebecca West
- [Breaking chains and building bridges for all of us](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/09/18/breaking-chains-and-building-bridges-for-all-of-us/) - 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 was psychologically abusive, a behavior
- [The importance of reframing ‘terminal anorexia nervosa’ as end-of-life care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/09/11/the-importance-of-reframing-terminal-anorexia-nervosa-as-end-of-life-care/) - Whether or not to define ‘terminal anorexia nervosa’ is being vigorously debated in the eating disorders field. In an article published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, August 25, 2023 edition, Andrea Phillipou writes: Although I disagree with the terminology of ‘terminal AN’ and believe that establishing criteria has the potential to cause harm, I
- [Story-sharing in a safe and supportive place fosters self-growth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/09/02/story-sharing-in-a-safe-and-supportive-place-fosters-self-growth/) - Writing my story and sharing it with anyone feels a bit risky and involves a certain amount of bravery. I imagine others feel the same about sharing a narrative hitherto private. Life Stories Diary seems like the perfect place to take this risk. The private Self-Paced Life Stories Course within Life Stories Diary feels like
- [Write your story with self-paced memoir mentoring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/23/write-your-story-with-self-paced-memoir-mentoring/) - Postscript: I apologise if you have received a "Demo!"newsletter - sigh, I'm still getting used to the new functionality available on this wonderful new website. Writing a memoir is rather like running a marathon. Success requires time, dedication, preparation, planning, and perseverance. Between us, I think that holding your own printed story in your hands
- [The story behind this website](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/07/the-story-behind-this-website/) - The story behind this website began when I was 11 years’ old in 1962. Early that year, I developed an eating disorder but a gift of a diary at Christmas seemed to offer a reprieve and give me comfort and hope. Writing helped me to feel better. Words were like good friends – they were
- [Sharing our story gives others permission to share their story too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/07/sharing-our-story-gives-others-permission-to-share-their-story-too/) - 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, besides providing the main data source
- [Welcome to Life Stories Diary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/09/welcome/) - The Diary Healer has transitioned to this new site with a new aim and a new name. Building on The Diary Healer’s accomplishments, lifestoriesdiary.com is here to encourage story-sharing and help you write your story. Are you one of the many people who say, ‘I will write my story one day,’ but never quite get
- [Look, listen and write - there are stories in everyday life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/14/look-listen-and-write-there-are-stories-in-everyday-life/) - Supermarkets are more than a place to purchase groceries. They are also a place to gather stories. And the extra good news is that these stories, which nourish our soul, are free. The stories won’t be found on shelves. They will be found in the aisles, in many shapes and forms, just like you and
- [Shine a light on memories stored in the attic of your mind](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/23/shine-a-light-on-memories-stored-in-the-attic-of-your-mind/) - Can you remember when you first thought, “I want to write my story”? What was the motivating factor that led to this thought? Or did a close friend or family member convince you that writing your memoir must go on your list of things to do? A memoir can take many forms, and you can
- [An environment of trust in the private Memoir Hub](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/23/an-environment-of-trust-in-the-private-memoir-hub/) - Welcome to the Private Memoir Hub. This hub is a gathering place for people like you, who want to write their memoir. Above all else, this hub is a place where you can feel safe and secure, and free to share innermost thoughts and feelings. Writing a memoir requires opening a door to your hitherto
- [Online memoir writing classes provide benefits for all](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/07/online-memoir-writing-classes-provide-benefits-for-all/) - Writing about one’s life is like walking along a gravelled country road, picking up a dusty stone, and giving it a good rub to reveal the gem within. Often all that’s needed is a bit of a dust-off, a sprinkling of self-belief and encouragement, and away we go. Especially when we have a writing mentor
- [How my diaries led to a memoir and finding Me](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/07/how-diary-writing-led-to-a-memoir-and-to-finding-me/) - When I mentor clients in memoir writing, I explain this can be a three-stage process, depending on their goal. Stage One involves writing the first version of your story for yourself. This is the time to put everything on the table. Don’t hold back. Maybe there are repressed experiences that have shaped and influenced your
- [A decade of eating disorder stories in The Diary Healer archive](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/08/07/a-decade-of-eating-disorder-stories-in-the-diary-healer-archive/) - 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 eating disorders and body image.
- [Maintaining eating disorder recovery through first year of college and beyond](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/04/24/maintaining-eating-disorder-recovery-through-first-year-of-college-and-other-challenges/) - The scariest part of having an eating disorder is the next step. This next step may be any major life shift. For me, it was university. I did not attend school during my junior year of high school because I was in treatment. While my friends were touring colleges, I was in hospital. My senior year
- [The day my eating disorder could no longer hide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/05/01/the-day-my-eating-disorder-could-no-longer-hide/) - Lying on the scanning table, my mind wanders, mentally running through tasks to complete before heading home. After comfortably (obliviously) shielding myself with denial, my default for 21 years, lying on this table is a mundane task. Blood tests, ultrasounds, MRIs, X-rays, and computed tomography (CT) scans are routine procedures that hold no fear, just
- [A Bright story of life beyond an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/05/09/a-bright-story-of-life-beyond-an-eating-disorder/) - I am writing from Bright, a town as beautiful as its name in north-east Victoria, Australia. I am on a three-day getaway with my English Staffordshire Terrier, Maisie. The two of us. We are staying in a delightful studio apartment beside the crystal-clear Ovens River that borders the town. There are bush tracks everywhere. Bliss.
- [Autism and eating disorders: a journey of acceptance and awareness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/05/15/autism-and-eating-disorders-a-journey-of-acceptance-and-awareness/) - Today is what I’ve come to call a disorder day—an unpleasant, often unpredictable, pill-popping, anxiety-ridden, hold fast to whatever sane or stable thing that you can, just want to get through it kinda day. For anyone immune to these dis-orderly durations of agitation and agony—congrats, you are living a great life. As for the rest
- [Exploring identity after an eating disorder - who am I?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/06/15/exploring-identity-after-an-eating-disorder-who-am-i/) - Hi Grandma, How’s your Darwin trip so far? This message from granddaughter Olivia, 13, comes when I'm in the Top End, Australia's Northern Territory, about 4000kms from home in country Victoria. Olivia was born just prior to my memoir being published (see letter to Olivia in A Girl Called Tim) in 2010 and, along with
- [My prize in eating disorder recovery is the opportunity to move forward](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/06/05/my-prize-in-eating-disorder-recovery-is-the-opportunity-to-move-forward/) - When I began to recover from an eating disorder, I often found myself in close company with anger. I felt I was thrown into a pool with no instructions on how to swim. There were many moving pieces around me, yet I had little information. Upon reflection I realize this was mainly because, at the
- [Athleticism, anorexia and addiction: endurance for eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/05/30/athleticism-anorexia-and-addiction-endurance-for-eating-disorder-recovery/) - It’s a common nightmare; one you may experience upon reviewing your physical training and racing schedule.... You’re in a race or being chased — swimming from a big fish, fleeing from a big bear or sprinting towards a big finish. You know how to run, remember what it feels like to run, and sure as
- [Things I learned from my eating disorder ](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/05/22/things-i-learned-from-my-eating-disorder/) - Almost three years have passed since I began to recover from anorexia nervosa. In July 2020, my 65th birthday was coming up and I could not remember a time without eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. Eating disorders are devious and sneaky; mine defied discovery for decades. Now I know better, and I'm sharing my hard-won
- [Mirror, mirror … you are an eating disorder trigger no more](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/06/26/mirror-mirror-you-are-an-eating-disorder-trigger-no-more/) - Mirrors have been part of my life since puberty, when I started getting acne and wearing makeup. Mirrors didn’t rate before then. What a wonderful time that must have been! In my early 20s, a friend suggested I get a fun house mirror that made me look thinner (I frequently asked, "Do I look fat?"
- [The Evolution of my Diary Journey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/07/17/the-evolution-of-my-diary-journey/) - 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 inception in January 2017. Over
- [Korea’s first Eating Disorder Awareness Week giving life to small miracles](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/07/24/koreas-first-eating-disorder-awareness-week-giving-life-to-small-miracles/) - 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 strange and surreal, like a
- [Beyond my eating disorder - simple pleasures are mine to hold again](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/07/31/beyond-my-eating-disorder-simple-pleasures-are-mine-to-hold-again/) - There is something beautiful about simply existing. For a long time, I let myself forgo that; thinking of existence as something I had to earn. Or maybe it was not the fact of earning, but of proving my existence was more impactful than those around me. In my mind, it seemed inexplicable how happiness was
- [What does real RECOVERY look like?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2011/05/25/what-does-real-recovery-look-like/) - The National Eating Disorders Association and the PBS program This Emotional Life have co-produced a webinar on eating disorder recovery. The webinar, which runs for 60 minutes, is hosted by NEDA CEO Lynn Grefe and features helpful discussion with both males and females with eating disorder experience, together with professionals, on the definition of RECOVERY.
- [Making waves on radio](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2011/05/25/making-waves-on-radio/) - Listen to Paula Konetjl and Hayden Miller, The Morning Crew on Geelong BayFM 93.9, interview June about eating disorders and the important messages in My Kid Is Back and A Girl Called Tim. Geelong 93.9BayFM — Making waves in the fight against eating disorders Your browser does not support the audio element. Genevieve Jacobs on 666 ABC Canberra in
- [June Alexander's videos](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2011/05/25/june-alexanders-videos/) - Three-part series June filmed as part of a CQU course: Part 1: https://vimeo.com/353048239 Part 2: https://vimeo.com/353179922 Part 3: https://vimeo.com/355776283 An interview with June for the Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED), featured on the website reachoutandrecover.com.au: https://vimeo.com/193842893 An introductory video for lifestoriesdiary.com: https://vimeo.com/255478614 An anecdote about a workshop conducted by June: https://vimeo.com/255505911 A look
- [The surprising prevalence of eating disorders among older people](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2011/05/27/the-surprising-prevalence-of-eating-disorders-among-older-people/) - Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are often thought of as diseases that affect young people. However there's growing evidence that thousands of older Australians are also suffering silently. Older women are particularly susceptible, especially when their bodies are going changes like menopause or after pregnancy. Aired on 7.30 Report, click here to watch.
- [Podcast: A Girl Called Tim: Escape from an Eating Disorder Hell](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/02/05/podcast-a-girl-called-tim-escape-from-an-eating-disorder-hell/) - Hello – I’m June Alexander, and I’m going to speak to you today about my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape from an Eating Disorder Hell. I’m going to read from my memoir, and first of all I’m going to read the introduction. Click here to access the podcast.
- [Interview with June Alexander - OCR FM (Geelong)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/07/09/interview-with-june-alexander-ocr-fm-geelong/) - June was interviewed recently by Edwina and Greg McHenry on Community Connect. Listen via iTunes or OCR FM podcasts.
- [Routledge 'Experts on Mental Health' hub](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/08/22/routledge-experts-on-mental-health-hub/) - June was thrilled to be invited to contribute to the Routledge Experts on Mental Health hub. You can access the hub via this link - look for June's video at the top of the list: How can diary writing help as a survival tool in eating disorders?
- [Interview: Mamamia's podcast 'The Quicky'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/03/24/interview-mamamias-podcast-the-quicky/) - We thank Mamamia and The Quicky for helping to raise awareness about eating disorders (ED) and in particular, EDs impacting adult women. June was delighted to share her story and the message that recovery is possible at every age. Click here to listen or search 'The Quicky' in your podcast app.
- [What does an eating disorder look like to you?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/12/20/what-does-an-eating-disorder-look-like-to-you/) - Do you think you can tell a person has an eating disorder just by their appearance? Do you think a person with an eating disorder looks a certain way? Do you think they are either very fat or very thin, depending on the type of eating disorder? Wrong, wrong, wrong. This Christmas, millions of people
- [June Alexander in podcast with Karin Lewis on eating disorder recovery and the diary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/03/21/june-alexander-in-podcast-with-karin-lewis-on-eating-disorder-recovery-and-the-diary/) - A podcast with eating disorder therapist Karin Lewis tells of how a love of writing and family helped me to forge a life of my own, beyond a 44-year battle with anorexia nervosa. As background to the podcast interview, Karin invited me to address the following questions: Recovery questions Do you believe recovery is possible for everyone regardless
- [How diary writing helps in moving on](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/16/how-diary-writing-helps-in-moving-on/) - By June Alexander … I am the master of my ship. I am in control. Yet, all too soon, it feels so wrong … … Yet, I can still choose. I grab a hold. [Anne] Even when you know that clinging, however ferociously or desperately, to thoughts or behaviors that do not reflect "true you",
- [Leaving home with a suitcase – anything can happen](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/18/leaving-home-with-a-suitcase-anything-can-happen/) - Jasmine Evans “I'm coming Allie, sorry I forgot my travel pouch.” Screaming as I race down three flights of stairs, I miss my footing at the bottom step, and stumble into the arms of my “boss” who is laughing at me…. “Well, Jasmine, please wait until we get to France before drinking!” Both giggling, we give
- [Sparrow learns about trust](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/26/sparrow-learns-about-trust/) - Tanya Motiani It was a cold, misty morning when Sparrow emerged from his egg. The air twitched with Fog as a diluted sun tried hastily to make its ascent beyond the clouds. For weeks Sparrow had been protected by the shell of his little egg, snug beneath Mother Bird’s feathers. But now it was time
- [50 Diary of a Middle-Aged Woman](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/12/17/50-diary-of-a-middle-aged-woman/) - By Anonymous As I approached my 50th birthday I found myself thinking more and more about ageing. I would look in the mirror in the morning and increasingly see wrinkles and sagging where before there used to be bright eyes and smooth skin. I saw hollows emerging, skin creasing, blemishes that were permanent features as
- [From young child with dreams to old man with wisdom](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/06/22/from-young-child-with-dreams-to-old-man-with-wisdom/) - Imagine you are very old, and you are travelling back in time, as a child, as an adult, and as a senior -- Frank Upfill, octogenarian and member of June's Writing Clan, takes us on a ride: “How did you go at golf today?” Before I can answer, my friend Annette adds, “You are almost 90
- [The secret to overcoming writer's block](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/02/15/the-secret-to-overcoming-writers-block/) - By Karyn Braveheart She saw the advertisement in the local paper. It looked genuine at first, but then she started to have a few doubts. “Best I ring,” she said to herself, so she decided it might be a good idea to jot down a few things she needed to say. She pretended she was
- [Self-publishing a memoir to industry standard - my story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/06/09/self-publishing-a-memoir-to-industry-standard-my-story/) - Regina Meyer When I finished the first draft of my manuscript, I felt chuffed and excited. ‘My book is just around the corner,’ I thought, swept up in my initial euphoria. Of course, I had heard reports of accomplished authors who had submitted their work to countless publishers before succeeding in their quest. I swiftly
- [Feeling heard -- the benefits of story-sharing during eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/04/17/feeling-heard-the-benefits-of-story-sharing-during-eating-disorder-recovery/) - I love to participate in online eating disorder surveys, especially those inviting ‘lived experience’ to be shared. I haven't always felt this way about sharing my illness story, so what has changed? Firstly, I have been with narrative mentor, Dr June Alexander, as a client for more than three years now, using writing as a
- [Shifting beliefs around diet culture and anti-fat bias](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/04/09/shifting-beliefs-around-diet-culture-and-anti-fat-bias/) - Utopia: a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) In sixth grade, my class was asked to write a paper entitled Utopia. The year was 1966-67, when the United States was embroiled in the Vietnam war, peace protests and race riots. My class was studying World War II, so
- [Losing compassion for my eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/04/03/losing-compassion-for-my-eating-disorder/) - I never thought that at 16 years old I would forget who I was. I want to emphasize the word ‘forget’ because I did not choose to transform into someone I could not recognize. I did not choose to have my brain so thickly clouded that I could not remember what it felt like to
- [An inside story about the hard slog of eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/03/27/why-eating-disorder-recovery-is-about-healing-from-the-inside-out/) - My eating disorder (ED) stipulated that isolating myself was essential for survival. I had no capacity left in my mind or body to function as me. Until I could master self-compassion and self-care, any progress would be skin deep. To trust myself and become part of my treatment team required connection with the darkest layers within, where
- [Voice of experience vital in major update of mental health first aid for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/03/20/voice-of-experience-vital-in-major-update-of-mental-health-first-aid-for-eating-disorders/) - 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 save a life. The secret
- [Speaking against cliched narratives about eating disorders - Korea's powerful message](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/03/13/speaking-against-cliched-narratives-about-eating-disorders-koreas-powerful-message/) - 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 YouTube live streaming. My flu-ridden
- [Using journaling to unite brain with body in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/03/06/using-journaling-to-unite-brain-with-body-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - The start of a new year traditionally comes with resolutions and promises to improve or do better in some way. Before I was deeply entrenched in an eating disorder (ED), my go-to resolution was to lose weight. This was the popular thing to do, and still is, according to the weight loss advertisements that litter
- [The moment I ceased denial and served anorexia notice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/02/20/the-moment-i-ceased-denial-and-served-anorexia-notice/) - I don’t remember how many others were there. Between 10 and 15, maybe. All with years of experience of being around horses. A part of me was reprimanding me for being there. ‘You know nothing about horses’, she seethed. ‘You’re going to make a complete fool of yourself, and everyone will see you for the
- [Lived experience inspires Korea’s first Eating Disorders Awareness Week](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/02/06/lived-experience-inspires-koreas-first-eating-disorders-awareness-week/) - 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 Ri Kim into this unexpectedly
- [If only … a letter to younger self about dieting and an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/01/30/if-only-a-letter-to-younger-self-on-effect-of-dieting-and-eating-disorders/) - Dear Friend, I’ve been wanting to write this letter for a long time, to explain how an eating disorder (ED) managed to weave itself through all my life stages, without me realizing it. That’s one of the most disturbing things about eating disorders — you think what you’re feeling is “normal,” that everybody feels the
- [Using writing to assist healing from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/01/23/using-writing-to-assist-healing-from-an-eating-disorder/) - Imagine writing a self-healing, feel-good book to document your goals and progress this year. What will your chapters comprise? Lotta, who has anorexia nervosa, writes: It is the time of the year when there is space to look on the traces of the last months. It may be the time to let go. To get
- [Public survey invites Australians to contribute to national eating disorder strategy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/01/13/public-survey-invites-australians-to-contribute-to-national-eating-disorder-strategy/) - 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 respondent, you will be asked
- [The benefits of exploring identity through diary writing practice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2023/01/09/the-benefits-of-exploring-identity-through-diary-writing-practice/) - 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 it when “I’m gone”. Amanda
- [An epiphany at 72 – it is never too late to be fully you](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/12/28/an-epiphany-at-72-it-is-never-too-late-to-be-fully-you/) - My birthdays have often been a non-event. However, an epiphany has marked my latest milestone. Yesterday, surrounded by five grandchildren and their parents lustily singing Happy Birthday, I felt overwhelmed by a sudden, deeper freedom to experience the moment. I thought, my goodness, I’m going to burst into tears. Tears of gratitude. Tears of gratitude
- [Eating Disorders as Metaphors – it’s time for change](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/12/19/eating-disorders-as-metaphors-its-time-for-change/) - It’s time to change our perspectives so we can think about eating disorders more clearly. That is, it's time to move away from current interpretations of eating disorders that are largely contaminated with “metaphors”. I am not referring to the therapeutic metaphors discussed in this article on The Diary Healer. Rather I refer to metaphors
- [Parenting with an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/12/12/parenting-with-an-eating-disorder/) - I am a mom with an eating disorder. Those were once difficult words for me to say out loud. There is a myth that anorexia nervosa (AN) is only an adolescent disorder. The truth is, 13 per cent of American women 50 or older experience eating disorder symptoms. I am one of them. My secret
- [Aging and Eating Disorders - recovery is worthwhile at every age](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/12/05/aging-and-eating-disorders-recovery-is-worthwhile-at-any-age/) - For 55 of my 67 years, I have struggled with an eating disorder, namely anorexia nervosa. I wasn’t formally diagnosed until age 65, about which I can only say, "Better late than never." Because I didn’t shrink my body enough to cause alarm, I was able to fly under the radar for years. I wonder
- [Sometimes a metaphor can aid recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/11/28/sometimes-a-metaphor-can-aid-recovery/) - There’s nothing easy about recovery. Challenges come up every day. Skills develop over time. Insights are often slow and murky. As a therapist who specialized in the treatment of individuals diagnosed with eating disorders, I learned that people find their way to recovery via their unique and often obstacle-filled path. Sometimes a metaphor can aid
- [An inside story about eating disorders in South Korea](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/11/21/an-inside-story-about-eating-disorders-in-south-korea/) - I was a fixture at all students' writing contests and didn't expect to be congratulated with just mundane prizes, but from second grade in high school, I was unable to write. I could write only self-pitying, crappy things, bleak, fragmented poems and, above all, things the judges of student writing contests would dislike for sure.
- [Researchers call on people with eating disorder experience for answers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/11/14/researchers-call-on-people-with-eating-disorder-experience-for-answers/) - A team of Australian researchers believe that listening to stories from people who have eating disorder experience is the best way forward in finding new ways to treat the illness. The Western Sydney University research team, led by Dr Janet Conti and Professor Phillipa Hay in collaboration with Laura Kiely and Yive Yang, wants to
- [Why an eating disorder should not be the main character of a life’s story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/10/31/why-an-eating-disorder-should-not-be-the-main-character-of-a-lifes-story/) - Isn‘t a story something with a beginning, a main part and a hopefully happy ending? I am not sure I can structure those past years of my life in such a way. Especially with the focus on my eating disorder. Thinking of its starting point, there are only assumptions to draw on. Was the trigger my
- [Redirecting eating disorder experience into advocacy helps to maintain recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/10/20/redirecting-eating-disorder-experience-into-advocacy-helps-to-maintain-recovery/) - For years I said, 'I won't know who I am, without my eating disorder.' I was fearful of recovery because the eating disorder dominated my identity. If you feel this same way, I've good news. I recovered from anorexia nervosa 17 years ago, but the illness has been allowed to stay. Rather than pretend it
- [Rebuilding relationships is part of eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/10/10/rebuilding-relationships-is-part-of-eating-disorder-recovery/) - There is no wrong time to begin recovery from an eating disorder but embarking on that journey during a global pandemic was not ideal. My appointments with a physician’s assistant had to occur in person, but therapist and dietician sessions were held remotely. Thankfully these video visits didn’t hamper recovery and I felt an instant connection with
- [Why eating disorder recovery requires a village of care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/09/26/this-is-why-eating-disorder-recovery-requires-village-of-care/) - A client recently reflected that her confidence in her ability to recover has come from the trust she places in her treating team. And that before we collaboratively created a supportive, multidisciplinary treating team for her, she wasn’t sure she was capable of recovery. That made a lot of sense to me. Individuals living with
- [An eating disorder fuels a toxic relationship with self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/09/19/an-eating-disorder-fuels-a-toxic-relationship-with-self/) - As human beings and social creatures, relationships are an integral part of a healthy, happy life. For most of us, our first relationships are with our parents and siblings and gradually that circle expands to include friends, classmates, teachers, and so on. Some people have many relationships and others may have only a few. I’ve
- [Understanding the healing power and teaching potential of daily diary-writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/09/05/understanding-the-healing-power-and-teaching-potential-of-daily-diary-writing/) - Six months after developing anorexia nervosa, at age 11, I received a diary as a Christmas gift. The diary and I became inseparable. Nobody told me to write or gave guidance in what to write. I just did. More than 60 years later, my diaries fill a bookcase. These books document decades of mental health
- [Grandmother's diaries inspire a novel eating disorder story about childhood and hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/08/22/grandmothers-diaries-inspire-a-novel-eating-disorder-story-about-childhood-and-hope/) - In August 2020, as the world became immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic, I began a journey to recover from an eating disorder. This was a journey I never expected to be on; I assumed that at age 64, my life was meant to be consumed with an obsession with the scale and a pathological fear
- [Here's to being imperfectly perfect and perfectly imperfect](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/08/15/heres-to-being-imperfectly-perfect-and-perfectly-imperfect/) - 'Perfectionism' is a common trait among people who develop an eating disorder. Karyn and Tanya explore the impact of perfectionism and why imperfection is important to them today. Karyn - to banish imperfection is to destroy expression I was a normal child wanting to be accepted and loved. Acceptance and love were not there from those who
- [Australia's peak eating disorder body steps up focus on prevention and access to care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/08/08/australias-peak-eating-disorder-body-steps-up-focus-on-prevention-and-access-to-care/) - Amazing things can happen when one breaks free from an eating disorder (ED) and channels the illness negativity into positive pursuits. For instance, you can find a new 'family' in the eating disorder field. In 2007, 44 years after developing anorexia nervosa, I publicly shared my inner story for the first time. My hope was that
- [Sense of self and body image in anorexia nervosa: Call for participants](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/08/01/sense-of-self-and-body-image-in-anorexia-nervosa-call-for-participants/) - My story with eating disorders began at my first full-time job. I was two years out of university when offered a position with the Eating Disorders Service at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. I felt a thrill to be starting in a new, challenging role as a research coordinator, but the nerves hit with the
- [The healing power of children in adult eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/07/25/the-healing-power-of-children-in-adult-eating-disorder-recovery/) - My five grandchildren are aged 10 to 15. At their age, I was in the grips of anorexia nervosa (AN). Today I am eagle-eyed and constantly alert, ready to pounce on any sign of an eating disorder symptom covertly infiltrating their young lives. I am determined that the illness that stole so much from me, will
- ['I’m so glad I found you!' How story-sharing helps recovery from eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/07/18/im-so-glad-i-found-you-how-story-sharing-helps-recovery-from-eating-disorders/) - Email from Nancy (USA): I have been listening to your interview on the End Eating Disorders podcast and had to write. What a beautiful and inspirational message you share! There is so much in your story to which I can relate. I have kept saying, Yes! Yes! every few minutes. You are amazing! Nancy, whose
- [Using a writing mentor to support recovery from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/07/05/using-a-writing-mentor-to-support-recovery-from-an-eating-disorder/) - Writing with the guidance of a writing mentor can assist the healing process by enabling self-discoveries. Tanya Motiani, who has severe anorexia nervosa, shares how writing is helping her to discover 'potential for contentment': Since starting to work with a writing mentor two years ago, I have made discoveries about myself, both simple and more complex.
- [Rule-defiant poetry cuts to the core of an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/06/27/rule-defiant-poetry-cuts-to-the-core-of-an-eating-disorder/) - Depending on where we are on our eating disorder (ED) recovery journey, we will respond differently to the poems or stories that we read. When our ED is loud and raging, we will be drawn to, and love, everything that paints ED as the powerful one. Such is the magnetism of ED, we will read,
- [Poetry writing as a self-help tool when recovering from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/06/20/poetry-writing-as-a-self-help-tool-when-recovering-from-an-eating-disorder/) - If you really want to know me, read my poems, because this is my soul. _ Anne Poetry is an art form that helps many people to express how they feel. It may involve jotting down a poem now and then when feeling inspired, keeping a daily journal specifically for expressing ongoing thoughts and feelings in
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite - in English, German, Korean and now, a Polish translation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/06/14/getting-better-bite-by-bite-in-english-german-korean-and-now-a-polish-translation/) - I’m excited today to hold a copy of a new translation of Getting Better Bite by Bite -- this time, in Polish. Getting Better Bite by Bite is a survival kit/self-help book, written for people experiencing symptoms of binge eating and bulimia eating disorders. It has been an honour to write the new version of this classic book
- [Climbing the mountain in my mind to see who I can be (without an eating disorder)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/06/03/climbing-the-mountain-in-my-mind-to-see-who-i-can-be-without-an-eating-disorder/) - I stand at the kitchen bench and look at the dishes to wash. I see the shopping list out of the corner of my eye. I know that piles of washing are waiting to be folded. Instead of starting to do any of these mundane yet necessary tasks, I turn to the backdoor. With the
- [My journey as a performing artist with anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/05/02/my-journey-as-a-performing-artist-with-anorexia-nervosa/) - Using the stage to face fear head-on When most unwell with anorexia nervosa (AN) I’ve been so intensely gripped by fear that I’ve wanted only to hide. To hide in my home, under layers of warm clothes, by running so fast I am a blur, by following the same route to study and work to
- [When grief, dissociation, keeping busy, addiction and a farewell collide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/04/18/when-grief-dissociation-keeping-busy-addiction-and-a-farewell-collide/) - Dissociation serves a logical purpose, in that it allows me to separate myself and disconnect from the world, escape, and float away. However, I don’t really understand why this happens, apart from the need to detach from reality or situation in order to feel safe and protected. There are many reasons why this happens, but I
- [New book describes how narrative family therapy helps parents and children struggling with complex psychiatric problems](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/04/11/new-book-describes-how-narrative-family-therapy-helps-parents-and-children-struggling-with-complex-psychiatric-problems/) - A note from The Diary Healer editor, June Alexander: I wish Narrative Psychiatry and Family Collaborations had been around when I was a child, struggling with anorexia nervosa. A premise for this treatment approach is that when a child struggles with a psychiatric illness, their family struggles, too. Therefore, the whole family deserves help together. Unfortunately, mine
- [Eating disorder recovery fight inspires researcher to develop parent education course](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/04/04/eating-disorder-recovery-fight-inspires-researcher-to-develop-parent-education-course/) - Eating disorder. Those words were not foreign. After a year researching this mental health issue, I could explain female athlete triad syndrome, binge eating disorder, atypical anorexia, hypothalamic amenorrhea, and anorexia nervosa. As a college junior in Family and Human Services, intending to later become an eating disorder dietitian, I looked forward to stepping into
- [Rebuilding an identity is part of eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/03/28/rebuilding-an-identity-is-part-of-eating-disorder-recovery/) - Eating disorder recovery involves more than establishing a healthy relationship with food. I found I also needed to break old habits and learn new skills to cope with the ups and downs of adult life. Facing such challenges takes courage, commitment and patience. Most significantly, it takes a strong commitment to rediscover oneself. Like others
- [In the waiting room, there was a horse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/03/14/in-the-waiting-room-there-was-a-horse/) - At the age of 14, in my first attempt to reclaim my life from the grips of undiagnosed Anorexia Nervosa (AN), I was incredibly driven and intrinsically motivated. Today, at age 37, I am proud of that young woman who knew nothing of the thing that within months would violently tear through her life –
- [Cold caller triggers childhood memories of domestic violence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/03/03/cold-caller-triggers-childhood-memories-of-domestic-violence/) - Unknown number comes up on my phone. I hesitate to answer but decide it might be important. There is a woman’s voice on the other end of the line. She begins to ramble on to me. Repeat words jump out at me, words like, “Domestic violence!” “Children in need…what a difference it will make to
- [Confronting fears on the path to freedom from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/02/15/confronting-fears-on-the-path-to-freedom-from-an-eating-disorder/) - Sarah’s fears are so intense that she rarely leaves her bedroom. Can you relate to this? My experience is that suppressing fears never helps. We need to look them in the eye (in the mirror), deal with them, and keep going. This is how we empower ourselves and grow stronger. Read Sarah's compelling story. The
- [Recovery, healing and growth are compromised when addictive behaviours shield an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/02/07/recovery-healing-and-growth-are-compromised-when-addictive-behaviours-shield-an-eating-disorder/) - “Recovery” is a treacherous word that is spoken about freely by people who have admitted they live with an addiction. From drugs to alcohol, eating disorders, workaholism, depression, anxiety, control, overthinking, self-harm or perfectionism, none of us are perfect yet many of us find a way to hold our pain at bay. For me this
- [Into the Great Wide Open: Family Risk and the Prevention of Eating Disorders (part 2)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/01/31/into-the-great-wide-open-family-risk-and-the-prevention-of-eating-disorders-part-2/) - In last month’s column, I communicated my surprise that there are no published studies of prevention of disordered eating (DE) and EDs in high-risk (HR) families. This situation exists despite evidence demonstrating genetic risk factors for eating disorders and the value of including families in the treatment of child/adolescent eating disorders (EDs). Here is one way
- [Sixty years on, my diary has evolved from a private survival tool to an open family record](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/01/24/sixty-years-on-my-diary-has-evolved-from-a-private-survival-tool-to-an-open-family-record/) - In 1962, when undiagnosed anorexia nervosa ravaged my 11-year-old mind and body, a small miracle occurred. A Christmas gift of a diary sparked a lifelong passion. A bond of trust and friendship was forged immediately with that little diary. I began writing in it that very day. Sixty years on, in 2022, I continue to
- [Supporting and involving families will help recovery and cut ED treatment costs](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/01/17/supporting-and-involving-families-will-help-recovery-and-cut-ed-treatment-costs/) - Families do not cause an eating disorder (ED). However, the family’s role in treatment and recovery is crucial. This is because the best place to heal from an ED is in the home. However, for this to happen, we need greater support in the home, to enable carers to practise self-care as well as care
- [Everyday lessons in building resilience through the pandemic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2022/01/08/everyday-lessons-in-building-resilience-through-the-pandemic/) - "I have a great idea. I'm going to write and photograph a book documenting life throughout the pandemic of 2020. —My diary, New Year’s Eve 2020 Just like that, I leapt headfirst into the new and lengthy process of writing a book. To this day, I still feel the strong sense of determination, belief and
- [Into the Great Wide Open: Family Risk and the Prevention of Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/12/13/into-the-great-wide-open-family-risk-and-the-prevention-of-eating-disorders/) - Consider six propositions strongly supported by research: 1. Eating disorders (EDs) are serious, sometimes chronic mental illnesses. 2. There will never be enough qualified therapists and other professionals to treat the number of patients with EDs, especially since mood disorders and substance use disorders are more prevalent. 3. EDs are frequently difficult to treat effectively, and a substantial
- [Encouraging our senior citizens to pick up their pens and reveal their gems](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/12/07/encouraging-our-senior-citizens-to-pick-up-their-pens-and-reveal-their-gems/) - Writing about one’s life is like picking up a stone on a dusty gravel road and giving it a good rub to reveal the gem within. Besides writing books about eating disorders, I enjoy helping people discover their own special gem. My love of the written word began when I was three. An early memory
- [The power of story-telling and why your story counts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/12/01/the-power-of-story-telling-and-why-your-story-counts/) - Feeling misunderstood is one of the most difficult and emotionally painful aspects when experiencing an eating disorder. My parents and sister, after decades of witnessing behaviours driven by my illness, gave up trying to understand me. Do I blame them? No. I accept that they did not understand my illness. In fact, because I looked
- [Finding a family in eating disorder advocacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/22/finding-a-family-in-eating-disorder-advocacy/) - Often, during recovery, I never wanted to hear the term “eating disorder” again. Why then, have I embraced the term and become involved in eating disorder advocacy? Why not shut out the eating disorder experience and pretend the big gap that the illness ate in my life never happened? Maybe this would have been possible
- [Picture this: a creative solution to managing eating disorder recovery and surviving the pandemic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/14/picture-this-a-creative-solution-to-managing-eating-disorder-recovery-and-surviving-the-pandemic/) - Sam Tench was recovering from a major life challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. She had just hit upon writing and photography as a way of cultivating connection with her healthy self after years in the clutches of a long-term eating disorder. Only a month or two before the pandemic spread, Sam
- [Unexpected life lesson on The Ghan](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/11/unexpected-life-lesson-on-the-ghan/) - Frank Upfill It was sunny and warm as I boarded The Ghan train from Adelaide Railway Terminus. The year was 1969 and I was ready for an adventure. My cousin and his wife saw me off and waved as the train slowly moved off towards Alice Springs and the Red Centre of Australia. The train
- [Living with autism and anorexia nervosa - exposing cracks in care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/08/living-with-autism-and-anorexia-nervosa-exposing-cracks-in-care/) - 5:53am. I watch the morning sun become brighter through the cracks in my window, just as I watch the sun fade into darkness at night. Nights are lonely. My anxiety rises as the sun drops lower. Time does not stop. The incessant ticking inside my head is a perpetual reminder of the numbers that exist.
- [Everything’s going to be alright – thanks to Mary Poppins](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/07/everythings-going-to-be-alright-thanks-to-mary-poppins/) - By Karyn Baltestch It’s all perfectly clear now. Through the fog, the hail stones, the wind and the rain. I can see clearly what l need to do. I can see the crossroads are not just saying one way. How did this come about after weeks of confusion and turmoil within? I will tell you
- [The cost when 'eating healthy' becomes an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/11/01/the-cost-when-eating-healthy-becomes-an-eating-disorder/) - My eating disorder started when I was 15 and in Year 10. My illness was probably triggered by multiple factors, but the one I remember most was having to weigh myself in the physical education class as part of our fitness testing. I noticed that I was gaining weight but not getting any taller and,
- [When an eating disorder provides a way to cope with grief](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/10/25/when-an-eating-disorder-provides-a-way-to-cope-with-grief/) - When Dad died, an eating disorder helped me to get through each day. This imaginary podcast describes the impact on my grief: Transcript from the Good Grief Conversations podcast, Episode 126, October 25, 2021: INTERVIEWER: Good morning. I’m your host, Susannah Johns. Today we talk about grief with Tanya Motiani, who lost her father in December
- [The healing power in writing your memoir](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/10/18/the-healing-power-in-writing-your-memoir/) - So you want to write your memoir? A memoir is a story about part of your life. Memoir-writing can also be a great self-healer. As a mentor for memoir-writing, I explain the creation of your story can be a three-stage process, depending on your goal. Memoir-writing is about letting your inside story out; it is an
- [The Role of a Support Person in Eating Disorder Treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/10/11/the-role-of-a-support-person-in-eating-disorder-treatment/) - The most important thing you can do when assisting someone with an eating disorder is to prepare by educating yourself as much as possible about eating disorders. You will need to constantly remind yourself that behind this illness is the person you are trying to reach and care for. The eating disorder can be very
- [Carried on the Wings of Poems](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/10/04/carried-on-the-wings-of-poems/) - Speaking to Dr Daniela Araujo about what to write in this blog post, I asked what she thought was special about the exchange of poems that have flown back and forth around the world between Chile, Brazil, and now Australia. The conversation went something like the following. Dani paused for a moment before saying, with
- [SBS call-out for Australian stories about eating disorders in adulthood](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/09/27/sbs-call-out-for-australian-stories-about-eating-disorders-in-adulthood/) - This is a call-out to Australians who have experienced or are experiencing an eating disorder for the first time in adulthood. Anushri Sood, a producer/journalist for SBS, is working on an article about eating disorders and would like to speak with you. Stories of eating disorder experience help to increase understanding and dispel misconceptions about this
- [Home is where eating disorder healing will happen](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/09/20/home-is-where-eating-disorder-healing-will-happen/) - To eat and be placed in a holding yard is neither helpful, effective nor holistic when trying to recover from an eating disorder (ED). While hospital is useful and often necessary, our health system is like a bucket full of water. One that has so many holes that it is too easy to quietly slip
- [More than a diagnosis: how finding my identity helped me find recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/09/14/more-than-a-diagnosis-how-finding-my-identity-helped-me-find-recovery/) - As a little girl, I was a wine glass, round and full of sweet red purple liquid. I didn’t know it was rotten until you put my rim to your lips and raised me into a champagne flute but you thinned me out too much and the liquid you lit inside me was sparkly bitter
- [Clarity on anorexia nervosa: from childhood through motherhood](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/09/06/clarity-on-anorexia-nervosa-from-childhood-through-motherhood/) - Jessica turned 38 years old on the day that her story was posted on The Diary Healer. After reading her insightful account and seeing the photo of her carefully cradling her newborn child, flanked by her two daughters, I asked myself, “Is this the same person you treated for restrictive anorexia nervosa a quarter-century ago?
- [Recovery memoir pre-publication study: inviting participants](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/08/30/recovery-memoir-pre-publication-study-inviting-participants/) - Help shape the future of an unpublished book about recovery from anorexia A new study run by Oxford University researchers is investigating the effects of reading a memoir about recovery from anorexia prior to publication. Key points: Existing findings on bibliotherapy for eating disorders suggest potential for significant help and harm. Participants are invited for
- [I’m a psychiatrist and my daughter has anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/08/22/im-a-psychiatrist-and-my-daughter-has-anorexia/) - I saw anorexia nervosa (AN) coming. It did not strike me suddenly. I had developed AN as a girl, and the thing I feared most about becoming a mother was that it could return in my life, harming one of my children. So, when my daughter Arianna (Ary) started to fixate about weight, to restrict
- [Motherhood brought clarity to my childhood anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/08/15/motherhood-brought-clarity-to-my-childhood-anorexia/) - I sit here, at almost 38 years old, reflecting on the years that have shaped who I am. Have you read Steven Levonkron’s book, The Best Little Girl in the World? That was me. Parts of me still have that inner child, but I can now speak from a more mature, seasoned soul who has
- [How anorexia strikes fear into food and causes life to crumble](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/08/08/how-anorexia-strikes-fear-into-food-and-causes-life-to-crumble/) - When anorexia nervosa (AN) dominated my mind, I behaved in some really crazy and sometimes dangerous ways. I would not dream of behaving like that today, because AN no longer bullies or manipulates my thoughts. But during my most vulnerable moments, I lived life on the edge. Even a cookie could spark a traumatic event. Living
- [Let's ride through COVID-19 lockdowns](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/08/06/lets-ride-through-covid-19-lockdowns/) - By Amelia, age nine Do you want to be fit in COVID? I have a solution for you. Horse riding is the perfect way to keep fit and healthy during COVID. But in order for that, horse riding needs to stay open during COVID lockdowns. Here are the reasons why: it keeps you fit, horses
- [The role of hope in recovery and wellbeing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/07/31/the-role-of-hope-in-recovery-and-wellbeing/) - Whatever mess we find ourselves in, hope is our most powerful get-well tool. When we experience illness or trauma, our recovery becomes a journey and a destination. Along the way, hope provides a lantern when shadows surround us. Our wellbeing aligns with recovery and this has many parts – our spirit and soul; friends and
- [The Niggle – when Anorexia and Anxiety are Partners](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/07/17/the-niggle-when-anorexia-and-anxiety-are-partners/) - Is anxiety related to the later onset of anorexia? Is anxiety related to the maintenance of anorexia? A reader shares her experience ahead of a FEAST webinar that will explore this issue. I feel it in my bones. I feel it deep, deep inside me, like every cell is made up of it, like it’s
- [Departing a rudderless sea to save myself](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/07/12/departing-a-rudderless-sea-in-search-of-self/) - When young, I never imagined the world had a plan of its own. I was only aware of my existence and those close to me, never questioning there was choice between how, where, what or why anything may happen and how I was expected to manage the external world when it started to penetrate my
- [Australian families unite to address gaps in eating disorder support system](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/07/10/australian-families-unite-to-address-gaps-in-eating-disorder-support-system/) - A parent-based organisation is calling for more support for families affected by a loved one living with an eating disorder. In only four years, Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) has fast become a vocal and respected advocate for raising awareness and gaining more support for families. Eating disorders are serious and potentially life-threatening mental illnesses that
- [Changing the chatter on body image with ‘KIT’ the Chatbot](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/07/04/changing-the-chatter-on-body-image-with-kit-the-chatbot/) - The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on people struggling with body image issues and eating disorders. A new world-first chatbot, launched in collaboration with the Butterfly Foundation, is providing much needed support to these people and their loved ones. The chatbox is providing hope to the one in three young people in Australia are concerned
- [An Open Letter to my Anxiety (Mr A)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/06/27/an-open-letter-to-my-anxiety-mr-a/) - Dear Mr A. (Mr Anxiety), Firstly, I acknowledge you for what you are. You are mysterious, unpredictable, and unfathomable; you have every quality required to throw my life out of balance. I first felt your presence several years ago, during a deeply significant family event. I did not know what was happening at the time.
- [Supporting Someone with an Eating Disorder During COVID-19](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/06/19/supporting-someone-with-an-eating-disorder-during-covid-19/) - A COVID-19 has led to a surge in the number of people struggling with an eating disorder. Secondary care specialist eating disorder teams are stretched beyond their capacity and waiting lists continue to grow. GPs are growing increasingly anxious how best to manage these high-risk patients, and families are feeling desperate when asking for help.
- [Detachment writing and how it helped me to reclaim my voice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/06/13/detachment-writing-and-how-it-helped-me-to-reclaim-my-voice/) - I recently wrote a short story about a little girl. I wrote about her pain and confusion. I wrote about her loneliness and, also, about glimmers of hope and happiness she carried in her heart. I wrote about her amazing sense of intuition, intelligence, compassion, responsibility and her incredible inner strength and courage. I was
- [Learning from lived experience: rating items for body image questionnaire](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/06/07/learning-from-lived-experience-rating-items-for-body-image-questionnaire/) - People with lived experience of an eating disorder are being called on to help researchers understand and measure core body image disturbance in the illness. Body image as a concept is much more nuanced than typically considered, and several aspects of body image disturbance could contribute to eating disorder onset and maintenance. Body dissatisfaction is
- [Emberlyn](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/06/01/emberlyn/) - Fairy tales can offer hope of release from uncomfortable situations – they can allow us to escape a difficult present and imagine fresh possibilities. Join Tanya Motiani as she follows Emberlyn on a riveting journey. -- June Alexander If the chilled chanting is not enough to terrify you, the putrid smoke that gropes the
- [The Longest Match: defeating an eating disorder in midlife](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/05/31/the-longest-match-defeating-an-eating-disorder-in-midlife/) - “Eating disorders.” Most of us instantly picture a teenaged or college aged girl when we see those words. After all, doesn’t age immunize women from the body image, weight concerns and eating disorders that plague the younger years? Truth is that, more than 15 per cent of women at midlife and beyond suffer from eating
- [The dark side of fitness culture](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/05/24/the-dark-side-of-fitness-culture/) - Many fitness narratives on social media feature people purporting to be role models by seeking to inspire us to live a healthier life. They do this by presenting what they consider a desired physique, through sharing images and footage on their platforms. They focus on mirror selfies, muscle growth, defined and toned bodies as well
- [Revisiting my childhood relationship with food](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/05/17/revisiting-my-childhood-relationship-with-food/) - Jennifer Hamer When poring through old photographs I stumbled across some pictures of my childhood. In one picture, I am walking along the beach with my nan. I’m holding a doughnut, and am enjoying the yumminess of the sweet dough as I take bite after bite. This image got me thinking about my relationship with
- [Turning eating disorder thoughts into visual works of art](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/05/17/turning-eating-disorder-thoughts-into-visual-works-of-art/) - Eating disorders (ED) are one of the deadliest mental illnesses that continue to be severely underestimated and under resourced. Too often, people living with an eating disorder continue to be brushed aside. Since my discharge from The Geelong Clinic in 2019, I’ve struggled to find my way along an unfamiliar path towards the brighter and
- [Diaries a lens for eating disorder memoir](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/05/10/diaries-a-lens-for-eating-disorder-memoir/) - From eating disorder shame to ‘an open book’ A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic was the gift of time to embark on the incredible journey of writing my memoir. A project of this magnitude always seemed too daunting but as soon as I began pouring through my old diaries, I thought that writing my
- [When Mother’s Day hurts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/05/03/when-mothers-day-hurts/) - Mother’s Day is often a bittersweet holiday for the many of us who struggle with mother loss. And mother loss wears many hats. Just recently, 36-year-old Lara came into my office in tears. “I went to buy a card for my mother,” Lara said, and proceeded to describe her frustration. After 20 minutes of browsing
- [Luna](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/26/luna/) - The fairy tale Luna features an interplay of autobiography and fiction. The use of a narrator is paramount in the tale’s ability to act therapeutically for the author and the reader. The main message embedded in this tale is that grief can be dispelled and life can become more readily accepted with the passage of time,
- [Labelled a waste of resources and incurable – where else can an adult with an eating disorder go?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/26/labelled-a-waste-of-resources-and-incurable-where-else-can-an-adult-with-an-eating-disorder-go/) - What would you say if you learned a chronic illness was spreading silently through the population, affecting some of the country’s best and brightest people? Hospital beds are scarce, waiting lists are growing longer, and people are getting sicker. Some people are dying while they wait. Would you consider this acceptable? Or would you call
- [Waiting… for doctors to listen or for my heart to stop](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/19/waiting-for-doctors-to-listen-or-for-my-heart-to-stop/) - Ask me no questions, I will tell you no lies. I am honest, trustworthy, loyal and fair. However, a part of me lurks in the shadows. A part of me that I try not to release and remain terrified that if seen will expose the ugliness within. This part of me is present and omnipotent
- [Lost and Found in the Forest of the Mind](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/18/lost-and-found-in-the-forest-of-the-mind/) - We crave to be loved, to be connected to our family and to feel at peace at home. When an eating disorder (ED) separates our mind from our body, “home” is no longer comfortable, and the disconnection drives us to meet our needs elsewhere. But this is never enough. By choosing to courageously listen to
- [Look for me in a fairy tale](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/12/look-for-me-in-a-fairy-tale/) - Fairy tales, like poetry, are an art form that can enable the expression of repressed feelings. A revelation in sourcing diary excerpts for The Diary Healer was the popularity of poetry as a form of narrative expression in the recovery process. Fairy tales, through the creative use of metaphors, also provide a way to release
- [Fictional life story helps self-healing from eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/12/fictional-life-story-helps-self-healing-from-eating-disorder/) - “Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength.” Sigmund Freud A series of events inspired me to write A Dangerous Daughter. Firstly, in 2015, I was invited to take part in an international study on eating disorders, the Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative. The results of the study were ground-breaking: scientists found eight genetic markers for
- [When your child says “I hate you” remember that’s their eating disorder voice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/04/05/when-your-child-says-i-hate-you-remember-thats-their-eating-disorder-voice/) - You are a “good enough” parent. Remember this. Twelve years after launching a blog to raise awareness of eating disorders, your stories continue to shine brightly on the dark crevices where the eating disorder hides. Your stories help us to help each other. Recently, a mother emailed from Europe. She had read a 2019 post on
- [This Girl Rising: online self-help eating disorder program fills gap](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/03/29/this-girl-rising-online-self-help-eating-disorder-program-fills-gap/) - By Michelle Southern and Jennifer Hamer Two Australian-based women, Michelle and Jennifer, have created an online self-help eating disorder program to help address gaps in accessible and adequate treatment and care. Michelle and Jennifer bring first-hand understanding to the fore — their lives, studies and careers have been shaped through their experience with an eating
- [Dying but not sick enough to have a hospital bed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/03/22/dying-but-not-sick-enough-to-have-a-hospital-bed/) - If only an eating disorder (ED) could show up on a scan. What a disgrace our public health sector is in Australia. I say “our” as it could be you, your mother, sister, or friend instead of me. My mother always said, “Do not air your dirty laundry to others,” but now I am ignoring
- [Chatbot KIT is helping to improve body image one chat at a time](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/03/01/chatbot-kit-is-helping-to-improve-body-image-one-chat-at-a-time/) - Our next generation of young people are highly concerned about their body image. In fact, one in three 15-19-year-olds in Australia are “very” or “extremely concerned” (Tiller et al., 2020). Body image concerns are the major risk factor for the development of eating disorders (Culbert et al., 2015), which impact more than one in five
- [What not to say to someone with an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/02/22/what-not-to-say-to-someone-with-an-eating-disorder/) - “You are looking well today.” My aunt’s words became frozen in time. As a 13-year-old with anorexia nervosa, my brain sprang to high alert. Thoughts raged: “I’m fat. I look horrible. I must eat less.” Recovery roared in reverse. That incident happened decades ago, and I have forgiven my ignorant aunt, but the same well-meaning
- [Diary writing reveals eating disorder stigma and ignorance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/02/15/diary-writing-reveals-eating-disorder-stigma-and-ignorance/) - Too often, our words and behaviours become lost in translation and the eating disorder (ED) wins every time. Our diary provides a place to record our truth when no-one will listen. The Hidden Face of Anorexia ... This illness has cost me so much, for so long And I still don’t understand Why am I
- [The perfect body illusion](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/02/08/the-perfect-body-illusion/) - Do you wish to look like the girl in the magazine? I will let you in on a secret… the girl in the magazine doesn’t even look like that. I know: I have been that girl. Representations of the ‘perfect’ female body are pervasive throughout modern society, consolidated and perpetuated by an omnipresent mass media.
- [Hospitals must treat people with eating disorders with respect](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/02/01/hospitals-must-treat-people-with-eating-disorders-with-respect/) - Flaws in our public health system* are creating havoc in the lives of people with eating disorders (EDs). I am a mentor for Shelley**, who is in her 40s, and lives in a country town in Australia. Shelley has diagnoses of severe depression and severe and enduring anorexia nervosa (SEAN). She has a husband and
- [Studying the impact of personality traits in people with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2021/01/11/studying-the-impact-of-personality-traits-in-people-with-eating-disorders/) - From a clinical and research perspective, Eating Disorders (EDs) are interesting, almost unique, in that despite not wanting to have an ED, many people continue to engage in behaviour that can be dangerous and even deadly. More concerning is that people with an ED can often have a poor prognosis, with limited evidence of effective
- [Writing our way through 2021](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/12/31/writing-our-way-through-2021/) - I hope you have a new diary ready for 2021. I have three. I chose one, and two are gifts. 2021 is shaping up to be my most prolific diary-writing year yet! I look forward to becoming acquainted with these diaries. I know they will each develop into a loyal, inspirational, ever-present confidante and friend
- [Hanging up the bikini: why I quit fitness competitions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/12/14/hanging-up-the-bikini-why-i-quit-fitness-competitions/) - In October 2014, at age 31, I achieved the award that marked the pinnacle of my fitness competition career: the coveted Bikini Athlete Pro Card. Standing onstage in a Hertfordshire theatre, smiling for the winner’s photographs, I appeared the epitome of health and fitness. But, in reality, I was suffering from serious physical and mental
- [How I found identity and freedom by feeding my soul](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/12/07/how-i-found-identity-and-freedom-by-feeding-my-soul/) - I am a survivor of childhood physical and emotional abuse, childhood emotional neglect, and anorexia/purging type (severe). I am also a beloved child of God that strayed off the path I believe He set before me. I am 56-years-old and wore the cloak of anorexia from the age of 14 until my early thirties when
- [Here’s why: a story to remember, connect and inspire](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/11/22/heres-why-a-story-to-remember-connect-and-inspire/) - By Regina Meyer When I decided to pitch my first memoir to potential agents or publishing houses in Australia, one of the most persistent questions that came up was: WHY? Why precisely was I compelled to write my story and why did I wish to share it with an audience? Why is my story important to me
- [Mistakes are valuable lessons in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/10/26/mistakes-are-valuable-lessons-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - I became a champion mistake-maker when healing from my eating disorder (ED). This trial and error period occurred during a complete, internal makeover. I was exploring a new frontier, a whole new set of challenges that would lead me to me. Forty-four years as ED’s prisoner had left me devoid of self. With no idea
- [The Role of Faith in Recovery: A Personal Journey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/10/19/the-role-of-faith-in-recovery-a-personal-journey/) - Theodicy. The word flashed across my mind as I sat motionless among my fellow clients at my first eating disorder treatment center. Three years prior, I had written my final college essay on this term, seeking to answer the universal question, “Where is God in suffering?” My thoughts actively searched for the “why” of my
- [How motherhood inspired this dancer to heal from her eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/10/12/how-motherhood-inspired-this-dancer-to-heal-from-her-eating-disorder/) - “I HAD an eating disorder.” This sentence has left my mouth frequently over the past two decades. I was 19-years-old when diagnosed with an eating disorder (ED). At the time, I had no idea that cutting out refined sugar and carbohydrates as a method to get in shape would spiral into the painful and all-consuming
- [Is gaining weight the worst outcome for me during a global pandemic?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/10/05/is-gaining-weight-the-worst-outcome-for-me-during-a-global-pandemic/) - I have pondered this question repeatedly for the past few months. Sometimes it has kept me awake at night, because what if ‘it’ happens while I am not paying attention? What if the weight creeps in unannounced and I can't do anything to stop it? I panic. “I can't let that happen to me”, I
- [Boomer blooms after beating bulimia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/09/28/boomer-blooms-after-beating-bulimia/) - I was bulimic for 46 years. My eating disorder (ED) first came to court me in 1966 when I was an out-of-state transfer student 1000 miles from my mom and dad for the very first time. My high school boyfriend had just broken up with me. I was unsure about a major field of study.
- [June interviewed by bay 939 Geelong](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/09/23/june-interviewed-by-bay-939-geelong/) - June was interviewed on 22 September by Daryl Reader on bay 939 Geelong regarding the launch of the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI). Listen to the interview here.
- [Swapping one obsession for another- the dangers of obsessive exercise in recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/09/21/swapping-one-obsession-for-another-the-dangers-of-obsessive-exercise-in-recovery/) - ‘I swapped one form of control for another, exercise became my way to suppress emotions, to sculpt my body, it prevented me from reaching full recovery.’ If you scroll through social media, or read recovery stories about anorexia online, you might see a storyline like this: ‘I chose to recover, I found freedom by focusing
- [Finding that one person: the key to hope and inspiration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/09/14/finding-that-one-person-the-key-to-hope-and-inspiration/) - You could call it a case of accidental fate! That’s the best way I can describe how I stumbled across the name ‘June Alexander’ in an online search in 2018. I was having just another average day, my mind filled with an endless influx of eating disorder (ED) thoughts: “What more can I do? How
- [Metamorphosis: the transformative work of therapy in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/09/07/metamorphosis-the-transformative-work-of-therapy-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - A counselor once shared with me, “What a caterpillar calls death, a wise man calls a butterfly.” Throughout my ongoing war against my eating disorder, therapy has been the catalyst that has pushed me into my own metamorphosis—a transformation that required deep pain and loss to achieve much deeper fullness and joy. My experiences throughout
- [Anorexia Nervosa – common traits but incredibly personal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/08/31/anorexia-nervosa-common-traits-but-incredibly-personal/) - My story is not that different from most people who have experienced an eating disorder. My struggle with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) fits the textbook definition** and the similarities between my story and others are uncanny. However, for myself, as with others, the illness experience itself was incredibly personal. Most importantly, my journey to recovery has
- [When you help the family, you help the patient](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/08/24/when-you-help-the-family-you-help-the-patient/) - F.E.A.S.T. has been a leader in peer support for parents since 2007 when we were founded. In fact, our origins as an organization were in a peer support community online called “Around The Dinner Table.” Over that time, we have developed a moderator pool and a set of principles around peer support for parents and
- [Benefits and risks in writing and publicly sharing your eating disorder story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/08/17/benefits-and-risks-in-writing-and-publicly-sharing-your-eating-disorder-story/) - Choosing when to write your eating disorder story with a view to sharing it with the world, requires careful consideration. Writing about your experience, with or without a diary, requires threads and themes to be picked up and woven into an account that will appeal to and connect with readers. Many re-writes may take place
- [Adult experts by experience stories call for improved care for chronic eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/08/10/adult-experts-by-experience-stories-call-for-improved-care-for-chronic-eating-disorders/) - Living with an eating disorder for 20 or more years can severely impact life quality. Some people with a long-term eating disorder can be high functioning on a tiny partial self, while others are trapped in a perpetual revolving door scenario, going from home to hospital, and hospital to home. Always, the struggle not to
- [Through sharing our stories, we can help beat eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/08/03/through-sharing-our-stories-we-can-help-beat-eating-disorders/) - In 2015, I almost lost my life to anorexia, and now I want to be an eating disorder and mental health campaigner. I want to help prevent others from having to go through the same struggle. The day I decided to commit to recovery, I made a promise to myself to one day be brave
- [How research into eating disorders has changed my life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/07/27/how-research-into-eating-disorders-has-changed-my-life/) - One thing that springs to mind when I think of researchers and scientists is their love of a good acronym. As a woman in her thirties, two acronyms in particular hold a deep meaning for me: the Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI) and the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI). Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI) DNA
- [Writing allowed me to turn my recovery into an art](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/07/20/writing-allowed-me-to-turn-my-recovery-into-an-art/) - His voice curled around my waistline And tickled every toe, Breathing out security from his lips and his nose. My knight in shining armor, My king upon his throne. My medicine My beekeeper My lover… And my home. He Who
- [Bulimia experience inspires Brighter Bite App to aid recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/07/13/bulimia-experience-inspires-brighter-bite-app-to-aid-recovery/) - Here, for the first time, I am sharing my eating disorder story publicly. Since my recovery, I have turned the negative energy of the illness into a positive, by creating an app to help people navigate, track, and recover from eating disorders. This mobile application is called Brighter Bite. I was diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa
- [Sharing your story - is now a good time?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/07/06/sharing-your-story-is-now-a-good-time/) - Sometimes, sharing a secret with others we have never met, online, can seem easier to do than in a room with someone we have known all of our life. Stories can be shared in many ways: face-to-face, by letter or email, in mainstream media or on the Internet. Some online options allow anonymity while sharing
- [Writing connects caregivers and creates a channel for healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/06/29/writing-connects-caregivers-and-creates-a-channel-for-healing/) - A guided workbook for parents and caregivers of loved ones suffering from an eating disorder offers a way to cope through the pandemic and beyond. For the past 10 weeks I have been working from home. I know, through my own experiences, that writing is a way for me to center myself when feeling
- [Therapeutic writing for disordered eating: Naming the nameless](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/06/22/therapeutic-writing-for-disordered-eating-naming-the-nameless/) - These women blew me away. The (mainly) women in the inpatient psychotherapy groups for clients recovering from anorexia that I led for several years were strong and fierce, determined, with visions and dreams. After all – anyone who can consistently deprive themselves of the sustenance their body is calling for, must have a spine of
- [Surviving Anorexia Nervosa and COVID-19](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/06/15/surviving-anorexia-nervosa-and-covid-19/) - I knew before the doctor spoke, but that didn’t stop the fear coursing through my body that was curled in a ball on the blanket-laden hospital bed. “Oh ‘shoot’,” I said through tears. “Yes,” he said. I knew this diagnosis was “not good,” but I didn’t realize having Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and now newly diagnosed
- [The evolution of a diary into a self-healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/06/08/the-evolution-of-a-diary-into-a-self-healer/) - My first diary was a Christmas gift in 1962, the same year I developed anorexia nervosa. I was 11 years old. The diary and I bonded immediately and diary-writing has been part of my life every day since. The entry for January 1, 1963, is crammed with details of food consumed, exercise taken, the time
- [Write 1000 words a day and your book will happen](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/05/27/write-1000-words-a-day-and-your-book-will-happen/) - By Regina Meyer When I was a little girl, maybe nine years old, I started reading almost obsessively. The library was my personal treasure trove, giving me access to new worlds and ideas that came alive in the books I borrowed. At home, I would sit and calculate the time until the library would close and
- [How Crises Can Re-Ignite Eating Disorder Thoughts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/05/13/how-crises-can-re-ignite-eating-disorder-thoughts/) - Dr Richard Kreipe and a former patient Audry Mattle collaborate in this article to give hope to others who may have experienced a resurfacing or amplification of eating disorder thinking patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you, Dr Kreipe and Audry for sharing your wisdom for the benefit of people with eating disorder experience, caregivers
- [Using ED recovery skills to cope with COVID-19 isolation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/05/03/using-ed-recovery-skills-to-cope-with-covid-19-isolation/) - How are you coping with your eating disorder (ED) during the COVID-19 pandemic? Even if, like me, you have been in recovery or recovered from the illness for some years, the social and physical isolation restrictions enforced by our health providers and governments to fight the virus spread, have probably triggered memories of the loneliness
- [Morningside Chats in the Living Room: Virtual Support with Leaders in the Field of Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/04/27/morningside-chats-in-the-living-room-virtual-support-with-leaders-in-the-field-of-eating-disorders/) - Scroll back two months. Many of us were scheduled to meet in Australia, for the Academy for Eating Disorders annual conference in June, when our world spun out of control. Suddenly, we could not fly, shake hands, meet our patients in person and even worse, here in New York, we all knew people who were
- [Isolation, loneliness and disconnection: the next pandemic-in-waiting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/04/14/isolation-loneliness-and-disconnection-the-next-pandemic-in-waiting/) - COVID-19 is proving to be a challenge for everyone, not only for people who catch the virus and their loved ones. The effects may have deeper repercussions than the virus itself. This is particularly so for those of us who have the extra challenge of an eating disorder or another mental health problem. We must
- [Having the “vision, influence and strong leadership skills to achieve success”](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/04/08/having-the-vision-influence-and-strong-leadership-skills-to-achieve-success/) - By Maree Wallace I first met Mary Salce when I became involved in the Women Who Mean Business (WWMB) project in 2004. We bonded immediately and have been friends since. Mary is warm and friendly to everyone but also very persuasive and focused. With Mary’s encouragement, I participated in the Warragul workshops conducted by Rural
- [Tips to help you to self-care at home](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/04/06/tips-to-help-you-to-self-care-at-home/) - We are facing a new level of uncertainty that can cause anxieties to increase. People around the world are being greatly impacted in many ways by the current health crisis. One thing we know for sure among this uncertainty is that this pandemic will pass. Meanwhile, what can we do to get through this? We
- [The many wonderful sides to Mary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/04/01/the-many-wonderful-sides-to-mary/) - By Di Deppeler Where and when did you meet? 1996 at the East Gippsland Art Gallery, Bairnsdale. What struck you about Mary? I just liked her from first meeting. Very direct, straight forward, honest and real. How did you get involved in her dreams for rural women? I was employed as coordinator for the Uniting Our
- [Gone viral - Love will get us Through](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/03/23/gone-viral-love-will-get-us-through/) - Together, we will get through this challenging time with COVID-19. I have found comfort in this poem and illustration by Karyn, and hope you do, too. To share your poem or story, write to june@junealexander.com By Karyn Braveheart This is a bit of a viral picture but like COVID-19 itself, l didn’t know when to
- [‘What can I do?’ the COVID-19 pandemic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/03/16/what-can-i-do-the-covid-19-pandemic/) - By June Alexander Our world is facing a health challenge unprecedented in most of our lifetimes. COVID-19, which developed late last year in China, is now reaching all corners of the world with far reaching impact, and scientists and researchers are scrambling to understand this new form of coronavirus and create a vaccine to guard
- [‘What can I do?’ the COVID-19 pandemic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/03/16/what-can-i-do-the-covid-19-pandemic-2/) - Our world is facing a health challenge unprecedented in most of our lifetimes. COVID-19, which developed late last year in China, is now reaching all corners of the world with far reaching impact, and scientists and researchers are scrambling to understand this new form of coronavirus and create a vaccine to guard against it. For
- [There is something special about Mary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/03/11/there-is-something-special-about-mary/) - By Catherine Noy I first met Mary Salce in 1993 when preparing for the Inaugural International Agricultural Women’s Conference, which was showcased in Melbourne, Victoria, in July 1994. At this time, I had recently finished working for the Victorian Government’s Department of Agriculture and was home-based, operating a freelancing administration support business to various organisations
- [Positive outcomes flow when rural women unite in art to battle hard times](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/03/04/positive-outcomes-flow-when-rural-women-unite-in-art-to-battle-hard-times/) - By Mary Salce AO Some things in life you want to forget and some you want to share in order to make a better place for women and families, and at the same time connect people in their communities. Some people in rural communities are often happy to do their own thing, others are unable
- [Keep Quiet and Carry On: Life with PCOS](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/03/02/keep-quiet-and-carry-on-life-with-pcos/) - Eating disorder symptoms can vary, and sometimes they can be symptoms of other illnesses – read Min Dean’s courageous story… It’s 1995 and 14-year-old me cannot take the acne anymore. I’ve tried all the usual teenage skincare routines, but nothing’s worked. Self-esteem is low. At a loss, Mum takes me to our GP, and he
- [Picturing a world without my eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/02/15/picturing-a-world-without-my-eating-disorder/) - Like most things in life, there are many types of photography. Landscape, portrait, wildlife, aerial, macro, abstract, the list goes on. Each form of photography requires a slightly different set of knowledge and skillsets, for example, the way you set up a camera, choose a lens and structure your composition is different when taking landscapes
- [Protecting Our Kids from Diet Culture](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/02/10/protecting-our-kids-from-diet-culture/) - From the moment we’re born, we are exposed to this constant idea that thin is good, and fat is bad. In an increasingly health conscious society, we’re pounded with messages about the health dangers of the “obesity epidemic”, and simultaneously exposed to images of the “thin ideal” in our media. This is diet culture, and
- [On all calculations, Mary’s story about a community art project will endure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/02/05/on-all-calculations-marys-story-about-a-community-art-project-will-endure/) - Drum roll for Mary Randall, completing a PhD based on Gippsland. By Mary Randall I like calculating. I find it relaxes me when I’m lying in bed in the early hours of the morning. So, this morning I found myself calculating where I’d spent the years of my life. It turned out that I’d spent
- [Friendships, teamwork and hidden talents emerge in community art project](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/29/friendships-teamwork-and-hidden-talents-emerge-in-community-art-project/) - By Jenni Frendo Where, when were you born? Where did you grow up? I was born in Colac in 1957, the second daughter of three. Mum and Dad built their first house in Colac under difficult conditions. Supplies for tiles and other building materials were still in short supply after World War II – progress
- [Recovery IS Possible Across the Lifespan](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/27/recovery-is-possible-across-the-lifespan/) - Eating disorders don’t only affect children and teenagers. They affect people across their lifespan. If you are an adult experiencing eating disorder symptoms, the good news is that recovery is possible. For 44 years, from age 11 to 55, an eating disorder locked me in a cell in my mind. Finding the key to escape
- [Finding your inner poet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/22/finding-your-inner-poet/) - By Karyn Braveheart Words without a tune, paper without a picture Nights without the moon, lessons without a Lecture Love without a heart, years without a season Hold onto your poetry, it’s within you for a reason... l encourage everyone to share their own inner poet. Poetry is a way of getting a message across
- [An eating disorder relapse in mid-life is an opportunity for self-growth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/20/an-eating-disorder-relapse-in-mid-life-is-an-opportunity-for-self-growth/) - In my mid-50s, I am still working on an important task, figuring out who I am without my eating disorder…I am excited, and ready! I have learned directly that recovery from an eating disorder is not all sunshine and rainbows. Ideally, in recovery one learns to use healthy coping skills to deal with life’s stresses
- [When disaster re-ignites past trauma, reach out](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/17/when-disaster-re-ignites-past-trauma-reach-out/) - Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes the cause is visible and sometimes it is not. The bushfires blazing over much of eastern Australia, including my beloved childhood region of East Gippsland, are sparking trauma for many people. The losses mount. Lives lost. Possessions lost. Livelihoods lost. Essential services and infrastructure lost. Small rural
- [When a feminist educator visits a country town, awakenings occur](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/15/when-a-feminist-educator-visits-a-country-town-awakenings-occur/) - My writing encompasses seemingly diverse genres of academic writing on rural policy, regional development and transformative community engagement and personal poems. I write to develop an authentic mother tongue connecting people and the landscapes they inhabit. My focus is rural lifestyle and the interdependence of urban and rural communities. Publications include poems in rural women’s
- [Retire? This farmer and teacher refired instead and went to Mongolia to share felt-making skills](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/08/retire-this-farmer-and-teacher-refired-instead-and-went-to-mongolia-to-share-felt-making-skills/) - Vivienne is a felt maker, and refired (not retired) wool grower. She now lives in Orbost in East Gippsland with no sheep but lots of wool to play with. Vivienne loves the fibre and continues to spin, knit, dye and felt with it. Felting took her to Mongolia for three years to teach the basic
- [Being true to yourself and others through writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/06/being-true-to-yourself-and-others-through-writing/) - I think it’s time my past was made public. I’ve always felt ashamed of it, I suppose, though I realize now I shouldn’t feel this way. I haven’t done anything wrong; I’ve just had an illness. From my memoir A Girl Called Tim Whether you are seven or 70, writing a diary is a great
- [When disaster re-ignites past trauma, reach out](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/05/when-disaster-re-ignites-past-trauma-reach-out-2/) - Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes the cause is visible and sometimes it is not. The bushfires blazing over much of eastern Australia, including my beloved childhood region of East Gippsland, are sparking trauma for many people. The losses mount. Lives lost. Possessions lost. Livelihoods lost. Essential services and infrastructure lost. Small rural
- [Being true to yourself and others through writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2020/01/01/being-true-to-yourself-and-others-through-writing-2/) - I think it’s time my past was made public. I’ve always felt ashamed of it, I suppose, though I realize now I shouldn’t feel this way. I haven’t done anything wrong; I’ve just had an illness. From my memoir A Girl Called Tim Whether you are seven or 70, writing a diary is a great
- [Christmas message from The Diary Healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/12/19/christmas-message-from-the-diary-healer/) - Dear Friends, As we ‘mature’ the years seem to go faster, and time becomes more precious. Not knowing how much time we have we want to use it in the most meaningful way possible. I hope 2019 has been all you have wanted it to be. Goodness, I will be 70 next year and am
- [‘Go big, go wild, go imagination, all can be done’ attitude creates fulfilling life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/12/18/go-big-go-wild-go-imagination-all-can-be-done-attitude-creates-fulfilling-life/) - Jenny was born in Melbourne but has lived rurally for much of her life. Art was an early experience, and Jenny has used it to communicate, explore, enrich and bring joy to others and herself. Applications have ranged fromexhibitions to working as an Artist in Residence with culturally diverse groups in both small and large
- [Poetry explores Famine in the Family through an eating disorder lens](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/12/16/poetry-explores-famine-in-the-family-through-an-eating-disorder-lens/) - Food, food, lots of it – at Thanksgiving, Christmas – so why aren’t you eating? This Thanksgiving (and probably the Christmas to come) was (and will be) a reminder. A reminder of what? My eating disorder. Why? Why, you ask? Well, there’s food, yes. Plenty of food involved. And the body can often feel like
- [How a community garden project sowed the seeds of friendship for newcomer, Hilda](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/12/10/how-a-community-garden-project-sowed-the-seeds-of-friendship-for-newcomer-hilda/) - I was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1951. My background is working class but in 1971, I graduated from Glasgow University with a BSc in maths and computer science. Leaving Scotland, I started work as a computer programmer in London. In 1973, I met my future husband and we travelled to America to work. I
- [Research calls for Australian parents and adolescents with eating disorder experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/12/09/research-calls-for-australian-parents-and-adolescents-with-eating-disorder-experience/) - Recognition is growing that answers for successful treatments for eating disorders are found through listening to patients and their families. Therefore, I hasten to provide details of two research projects at Flinders University, Australia, which offer fresh opportunity for people with experience to share their stories. If you have eating disorder experience, either as
- [Women Who Mean Business](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/12/03/women-who-mean-business/) - Born in England in 1955, Sue came to Australia with her immediate family, but not her grandmother. Sue missed having a relationship with her grandmother and this gave her an understanding of internal conflict, loss and displacement She has collected and practised a myriad of self-soothing and anxiety management strategies over the years and absolutely
- [A talk on body confidence in children hits home with mother](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/11/27/a-talk-on-body-confidence-in-children-hits-home-with-mother/) - It was like receiving a great big slap in the face. Sitting with my friend Lisa in an auditorium surrounded by a bunch of strangers, my mind was wondering, ‘Do they all know about me?’, ‘I wonder if any of them have an eating disorder?’ Instantly, my insecurities set in; I felt like a big neon sign was astride my head, flashing ‘Eating disorder right here, treat carefully’. Listening
- [Art project gave young mother confidence to pursue creative endeavours](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/11/27/art-project-gave-young-mother-confidence-to-pursue-creative-endeavours/) - Natalie Evans grew up in a creative family, moving locations and schools many times. Participation in a women’s leadership project in Orbost in 1997, gave her an amazing opportunity to grow and share skills. It also taught her business and project management, and instilled confidence to pursue creating her own endeavours. The project gave Natalie
- [A bollard helped this young mother blossom with a career in the arts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/11/20/a-bollard-helped-this-young-mother-blossom-with-a-career-in-the-arts/) - Jessie McLennan is a West Gippsland-based figurative sculptor, arts advocate and passionate gardener and has four children aged from five to 24. Jessie was born in 1973. She had a creative upbringing, being home-schooled on Gippsland’s Ninety Mile Beach until age seven, then finishing her schooling in Bellingen NSW. In 1994 Jessie was awarded a Bachelor
- [A country teaching position set this city girl on a fulfilling life path](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/11/13/a-country-teaching-position-set-this-city-girl-on-a-fulfilling-life-path/) - After 42 years living at nearby Riverslea on a dairy farm, Trish Vardy resides in Maffra. Sadly, her husband died shortly after they had moved, but Trish keeps busy with family and community activities. She is in regular contact with her three adult children, their spouses and her five delightful grandchildren. Maffra is a close
- [Enduring friendships a rich legacy of community art project](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/11/06/enduring-friendships-a-rich-legacy-of-community-art-project/) - Maya Fraser has coloured her life and that of many others, with art, and her accomplishments reflect this. Maya lives in Morwell, Latrobe Valley, with her husband and four children. An only child of Frans and Johanna Fikke, she began life far from Gippsland, in Western Australia, in 1967. Maya has a Bachelor of Arts
- [Stepping out with stories to educate eating disorder clinicians](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/11/05/stepping-out-with-stories-to-educate-eating-disorder-clinicians/) - Today, I pushed another hole in the prison wall that an eating disorder erected in my brain at age 11. That wall effectively disconnected my healthy self from my body until I was 55. Thirteen years on, eating three meals and three snacks a day without guilt, shame and self-loathing is a daily joy. But
- [How a community art project opened Jean’s eyes to the world](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/10/30/how-a-community-art-project-opened-jeans-eyes-to-the-world/) - If you ask Jean Downs what she has done with her life, she will probably say ‘not much’, because Jean is a quiet-living woman going about her daily life. Jean, who lives in the dairy town of Maffra, in East Gippsland, left school at age 15 to start work. Years later, her involvement in the
- [More Medicare support for Australians with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/10/22/more-medicare-support-for-australians-with-eating-disorders/) - By Dr. Anthea Fursland Australians with an eating disorder are about to gain greater access to Medicare reimbursed evidence-based treatment. This is an enormous step forward and will benefit many people with eating disorders. A huge amount of work has gone into this change, and we have to thank the National Eating Disorders Collaboration and
- [The story-gathering process in documenting social history](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/10/18/the-story-gathering-process-in-documenting-social-history/) - So, you want to record stories about participating in a group or moment in time; you have decided the topic and have created a database of people who are willing to share their story. What next? A group-writing social history exercise requires respect, trust, sharing, regular communication with everyone on the same page, and collaboration.
- [Documenting a group’s social history – where to start](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/10/11/documenting-a-groups-social-history-where-to-start/) - Where do you start when you want to preserve the story of a group that has helped to shape and influence your life, and that of your community? The group may have existed for a short time, or a long time. The length of time does not matter. What matters are the people’s stories of
- [‘A difficult daughter’ finds healing through writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/09/24/a-difficult-daughter-finds-healing-through-writing/) - In the early 1950s, at age 15, Dina was sent thousands of miles from her family to stay with relatives on the other side of Australia, because she was ‘difficult’ and ill. This is Dina’s story: At the time my illness struck, I was in my early teens, living in Newcastle, New South Wales (NSW),
- [Transforming lived-experience into peer support – an innovation in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/08/21/transforming-lived-experience-into-peer-support-an-innovation-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - People who recover from an eating disorder represent a great repository of untapped potential in helping others to heal from this complex illness. This Friday, August 23, together with Olivia Soho and Carly Harris, I will present a workshop that explores peer support and mentoring as an innovative approach in eating disorder treatment and recovery.
- [‘To run you have to eat’ – how self-determination set Audry free from anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/08/14/to-run-you-have-to-eat-how-self-determination-set-audry-free-from-anorexia/) - The second article in a “patient and doctor” series on understanding eating disorders Dr. Richard Kreipe’s recollection of treating Audry After more than five years of treatment for restrictive anorexia nervosa in various inpatient and outpatient settings in which she was unable to achieve or maintain a minimal healthy body weight, Audry was branded as
- [Focus eating disorder recovery on regaining identity, not the scale](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/08/08/focus-eating-disorder-recovery-on-regaining-identity-not-the-scale/) - The first article in a “patient and doctor” series on understanding eating disorders Audry Mattle, diagnosed with an eating disorder at age 13, was told that she was The Problem. She was manipulative, a hopeless case. Being a “good Audry” or “bad Audry” became defined by weight. Audry felt reduced to nothing but a number
- [Call for compassionate care in treating eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/07/31/call-for-compassionate-care-in-treating-eating-disorders/) - By Juliana Winik When I was 14, I was admitted to the paediatric ward at our local hospital with the eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa. My body had begun shutting down. My physical decline from well to severely ill happened rapidly. The morning I was admitted to the hospital was the first time I had heard
- [Astronauts, ice-cream and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/07/24/astronauts-ice-cream-and-eating-disorders/) - Fifty years ago, Man landed on the Moon. As an 18-year-old exchange student studying in the United States at the time, my memory is vivid of this historic moment. My memory is not so much of the grey, grainy, ghostlike outline of men in white spacesuits stepping gingerly out to a lunar landing, but of
- [Astronauts, ice cream and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/07/23/astronauts-ice-cream-and-eating-disorders-2/) - Fifty years ago, Man landed on the Moon. As an 18-year-old exchange student studying in the United States at the time, my memory is vivid of this historic moment. My memory is not so much of the grey, grainy, ghostlike outline of men in white spacesuits stepping gingerly out to a lunar landing, but of
- [Researchers identify first genes linked to anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/07/17/researchers-identify-first-genes-linked-to-anorexia-nervosa/) - I feel deeply emotional about this week’s announcement on genetic discovery. For a start, contributing a DNA sample to this ground-breaking research led by Professor Cynthia Bulik has helped me and thousands of others to feel that our lives and illness experience count. We want to ease suffering of others. Participating in this research helps
- [Euthanasia and Eating Disorders   ](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/07/09/euthanasia-and-eating-disorders/) - Euthanasia, or voluntary assisted dying laws, must not be considered a solution for a person with an eating disorder. I will proceed to explain my position on this life and death issue. Instead of death as a solution for people with eating disorders, I urge us all to focus on hope, faith, trust, life quality,
- [Traumatic treatment for people with eating disorders must stop](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/07/01/traumatic-treatment-for-people-with-eating-disorders-must-stop/) - Imagine being told: ‘You are naughty and a burden on your family’. Survivor voices are gaining momentum in calling on health professionals to treat their patients with care and respect. Hospitals are rarely known for their warmth, colour or homely touches; not to be confused with hospitality. They are often characterised by their clinical and
- [Using the narrative to resist and break the chains of Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/25/using-the-narrative-to-resist-and-break-the-chains-of-anorexia-nervosa/) - H: How do I put on weight? DE: How do you put on your PERSON? H: As I am putting on weight, I am putting on my person. DE: Maybe you put on your person and the weight follows… June Alexander Narrative therapy works by separating people from their problems. Developed by David Epston and Michael
- [Using two-way written narrative to escape the anorexia prison](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/18/using-two-way-written-narrative-to-escape-the-anorexia-prison/) - DE: What is Anorexia calling out to you at the moment, Helen? What is it saying to you as you struggle towards the Anti-Anorexic side? What is it calling out to you? HW: Punish yourself! Starve yourself! Writing was both a survival tool and a recovery tool during my incarceration with the eating disorder, anorexia
- [Using two-way written narrative to unlock the anorexia prison](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/18/using-two-way-written-narrative-to-unlock-the-anorexia-prison/) - DE: What is Anorexia calling out to you at the moment, Helen? What is it saying to you as you struggle towards the Anti-Anorexic side? What is it calling out to you? HW: Punish yourself! Starve yourself! Writing was both a survival tool and a recovery tool during my incarceration with the eating disorder, anorexia
- [IBS is not BS - recovery really can be a pain in the guts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/10/ibs-is-not-bs-recovery-really-can-be-a-pain-in-the-guts/) - “I don’t want to live like this anymore.” This sentence has surfaced during almost every phase of my eating disorder journey. When sitting on the floor in my bedroom, holding my head in my hands in desperation, with the carpet burning against my skin, feeling the fear that comes with seeing that scale creep higher
- [Family and a village of care are vital for eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/04/family-and-a-village-of-care-are-vital-for-eating-disorder-recovery/) - “Life is not fair,” my psychiatrist said rather bluntly some years ago, when I was bemoaning relationship losses. The losses – my parents, sister and extended family members – were ongoing casualties of my eating disorder and I was feeling sad. I felt very indignant and offended at first, at my psychiatrist’s dismissive phrase and
- [Men and boys get eating disorders too – Sam wants you to know](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/02/men-and-boys-get-eating-disorders-too-sam-wants-you-to-know/) - “Men Get Eating Disorders Too” was my mantra for 11 years. It’s not simple words, but is a statement. That has meaning. I was one of those men with an eating disorder. There’s no denying the impact it had. Or feeling like I was the “only one”. My story begins when I was 13 years
- [Starving for Eating Disorder answers:  Why We Can’t Afford to Wait](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/02/starving-for-eating-disorder-answers-why-we-cant-afford-to-wait/) - Nobody can afford to wait for treatment for an Eating Disorder. On World Eating Disorders Action Day 2019, Amy Cunningham and June Alexander, together with Kathy and Michael Cortese, explain why, and what we can all do about it. Today. A parent accessing a reputable online eating disorders support site for families and caregivers will
- [Eating disorders are serious and we need to keep spreading this message](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/06/01/eating-disorders-are-serious-and-we-need-to-keep-spreading-this-message/) - There is an urgency to understand the social, psychological, and biological influences on eating disorders: how they develop and what keeps them going. Clinician Anthea Fursland explains why. It is nearly 40 years since my first professional encounter with eating disorders. The year was 1980 and the place was the Atkinson Morley Clinic at St
- [Can’t afford to wait: Tips to control and overcome your binge eating](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/31/cant-afford-to-wait-binge-eating/) - Binge eating is generally caused by negative mood states. For example Dr Jake Linardon says it is not uncommon for people to binge after getting into an argument with a partner, or when feeling lonely. Dr Linardon offers some healthy strategies to replace those of that are illness-driven. Binge eating is a common behaviour experienced
- [Destigmatization of Eating Disorders Can’t Wait](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/31/destigmatization-of-eating-disorders-cant-wait/) - Looking ‘healthy’ on the outside, Ziba Redif blamed herself for the way she felt. She took decades to understand that she was struggling with the eating disorder, bulimia nervosa. Ziba is adamant that nobody with an eating disorder should have to face suicide to realise they have a problem. Living with an eating disorder can
- [Raising the alarm on eating disorders: carers need care, too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/30/raising-the-alarm-on-eating-disorders-carers-need-care-too/) - … for many carers, the experience of caring has changed their lives irrevocably and highlights the need for adequate and tailored support services for carers. - Butterfly Report Raising the Alarm: Carers Need Care Too, 2019 Australian research has revealed a critical need for support for not only people with eating disorders, but also their carers.
- [Eating disorder documentary on four-year search for peace will inspire](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/27/documentary-of-four-year-eating-disorder-recovery-bid-to-inspire-hope/) - After 20 years with an eating disorder, Kylie van der Veer was desperate to find peace. On World Eating Disorder Action Day, June 2, a documentary of her recovery journey, titled A Peace of Nourishment, will premiere on Australian television. “… we desperately need to bring this illness into the mainstream so that people feel
- [Providing hope and healing for people with an eating disorder in Japan](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/27/providing-hope-and-healing-for-people-with-an-eating-disorder-in-japan/) - Working across two different countries and cultures has taught Japanese-born Masae that eating disorders speak the same language, regardless of a person’s mother tongue or environment. Based in the USA, Masae has an ambitious vision to ease suffering in her home country. Read her story. Eating disorders don’t discriminate. They affect people of all genders,
- [The tragic cost when Dad has an eating disorder and his child does too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/26/the-tragic-cost-when-dad-has-an-eating-disorder-and-his-child-does-too/) - Immersion in the skewed messages of diet culture makes children vulnerable to eating disorders. From childhood, for more than 44 years, Ruth did “what Dad did”. She fasted, and severely restricted some foods. The cost was great. Read Ruth’s story. Prior to my father’s death in August 2013, I was 52 years old, and at
- [Ardent health professionals promote eating disorder care in São Paulo](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/25/ardent-health-professionals-promote-eating-disorder-care-in-sao-paulo/) - A group of 120 health care professionals are uniting to promote the World Eating Disorders Action Day in São Paulo, Brazil. The health care professionals comprise physicians, psychiatrists, nutritionists, psychologists, physical educators, physiotherapists, nurses and social workers who volunteer, offering free treatment within the public health system. They are members of the Brazilian Association
- [Lived experience stories to boost understanding of eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/24/lived-experience-stories-to-boost-understanding-of-eating-disorders/) - People with eating disorders can’t afford to wait – so what can be done to overcome misconceptions about this illness? The team at Body Brave and Canada’s National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED) is arranging an event where people with limited knowledge of eating disorders can gain an understanding. The value of lived experience When I was
- [Families and clinicians must form a shield against eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/23/families-and-clinicians-must-form-a-shield-against-eating-disorders/) - If we as professionals and parents do not start changing and protecting our youngsters, who will do it? Dr. Eva Trujillo explains why we (the world) cannot afford to wait in addressing eating disorders. When my friend June Alexander asked me to write for the World Eating Disorders Action Day on why we can’t wait
- [One Family: Learning from the Substance Use Disorder Community](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/21/one-family-learning-from-the-substance-use-disorder-community/) - I would not be alive today if I hadn’t found peer support for both my eating disorder as well as PTSD. - Jenni Schaefer Light from a bonfire broke through the dark of night. Thunder loomed in the distance as a young man approached a microphone standing in an open Texas field where hundreds of people
- [Therapist in eating disorder recovery: Stop stereotypes, start healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/20/therapist-in-eating-disorder-recovery-stop-stereotypes-start-healing/) - Many people with an eating disorder suffer alone, sometimes until it’s too late to survive, let alone thrive. Therapist Jacki LaRusso explains why we can’t afford to wait in recognizing symptom diversity. Young, thin, white, female, and afraid to gain weight. I fitted this image of eating disorders portrayed in the media. Luckily I was
- [The deadly cost of diversity in accessing Eating Disorder treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/19/the-deadly-cost-of-diversity-in-accessing-eating-disorder-treatment/) - I was labeled the Anorexic in room #5. I have a name and it’s NOT Anorexia. I have passions, dreams, and a purpose and I am NOT defined by a diagnosis. Read Carey Cronin-Guevara’s story in support of World Eating Disorder Action Day, June 2. Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric
- [AED president calls for more training for frontline medical providers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/17/aed-president-calls-for-more-training-for-frontline-medical-providers/) - We can dedicate our careers to developing all manner of effective treatments, but if at the end of the day they are not reaching the vast majority of people who need them, what impact have we had? - AED President, S. Bryn Austin, FAED Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) President, Bryn Austin, has urged her members
- [The Israeli mom who cannot wait patiently for eating disorder change](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/15/the-israeli-mom-who-cannot-wait-patiently-for-eating-disorder-change/) - Watching a daughter suffer daily with an eating disorder spurred Israel mom, Judy Krasna, to channel her anxiety into global advocacy, helping others however she can. After years of parent blaming culture and the use of non-evidence-based treatment for eating disorders, the winds of change are blowing in Israel. Part of me is extraordinarily grateful,
- [Parents can’t afford to wait: the price is incalculable](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/13/parents-cant-afford-to-wait-the-price-is-incalculable/) - We can’t afford delay, apathy, pats on the head, and empty promises. We can’t afford infighting and turfs. The price of losing one more person, destroying one more family, wasting one more opportunity to relieve a human suffering from an eating disorder is too high. – Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh “I’m so scared.” Is the first thing
- [Mothers, daughters and eating disorders – stories to divide or conquer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/12/mothers-daughters-and-eating-disorders-stories-to-divide-or-conquer/) - By June Alexander Mothers, daughters, and eating disorders - the combination can be constructive or destructive. On Mother’s Day, 2019, I share thoughts on how facing an eating disorder together can be a beneficial release for both mother and daughter. I developed Anorexia Nervosa (AN) in 1962 at age 11 and went on to develop
- [The power of committed citizens in addressing eating disorder problems](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/06/the-power-of-committed-citizens-in-addressing-eating-disorder-problems/) - “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Thought One This statement by famed anthropologist Margaret Mead was always the tag line to my friend Dr. Lori Irving’s emails. A recovered person, Lori was deeply involved in preventing eating disorders. Along
- [The story of how a river helps to write about the ebb and flow of life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/05/05/the-story-of-how-a-river-helps-to-write-about-the-ebb-and-flow-of-life/) - By June Alexander Water helps me feel good. Besides quenching physical thirst, it comforts my soul, helps me to be resilient and go with the flow, and to be eternally hopeful. In the 1950s, the world through my eyes comprised a small, beautiful valley adjoining the Mitchell River National Park, in Victoria, Australia. I lived
- [The decline over time: why eating disorders can’t afford to wait](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/30/the-decline-over-time-why-eating-disorders-cant-afford-to-wait/) - Your story counts: Rachel Egan (UK) shares her personal experience in addressing the World Eating Disorders Action Day theme “Eating Disorders: We Can’t Afford to Wait”. We know that speedy access to eating disorder treatment offers the best chance of a full and long-lasting recovery. We know an eating disorder has a devastating effect on
- [Writing in a journal for 20 minutes a day provides a mentor for myself](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/28/writing-in-a-journal-for-20-minutes-a-day-provides-a-mentor-for-myself/) - 9.19am, writing desk: I’ve been sitting here for four minutes, ruminating. Hugging Benji Cat and reflecting on why I did not write an entry in my online journal yesterday. Usually if I miss a day, which is rare, I am either hiding from myself or am outrageously busy, but yesterday did not fall into either
- [Gut issues and eating disorders are a painful but treatable pair](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/24/gut-issues-and-eating-disorders-are-a-painful-but-treatable-pair/) - Gut issues and eating disorders are like a chicken and egg scenario. It is common to have both illnesses at the same time. More than 90 per cent of people with an eating disorder will meet diagnostic criteria for gut issues, and symptoms can present a significant barrier in recovery. Responding to readers’ questions on
- [It’s time to be visible, be loud, be a nuisance about eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/23/its-time-to-be-visible-be-loud-be-a-nuisance-about-eating-disorders/) - To mark the fourth annual World Eating Disorders Action Day on June 2, this story is the first in a series on the 2019 theme, “Eating Disorders: We Can’t Afford to Wait”. By Susan Ringwood We’ve been waiting for a long time. Anorexia Nervosa was first formally described by Sir William Gull, physician to Queen
- [How two turtles and a parrot are teaching me to love my life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/15/two-turtles-parrot-life/) - I have exciting news. My 19-year-old parrot, Pearl, has become an official Emotional Support Animal (ESA). He has the certificate, the badge, the letter from my doctor – he is the whole real deal. ESAs have been getting a bad rap in mainstream media in recent years, especially if they happen to be accompanying high-profile
- [Pets make great life story mentors and this is why](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/08/pets-make-great-life-story-mentors-and-this-is-why/) - By June Alexander I don’t need to read research papers to know that pets are great mentors for me. For me and many others, animals contribute to feelings of wellbeing. They teach about love and living in the moment. They are a best buddy in coping with illness, relationship breakups, grief, employment disappointments, and much,
- [How animals help us to heal and find meaning and purpose in life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/07/how-animals-help-us-to-heal-and-find-meaning-and-purpose-in-life/) - by June Alexander I don’t need to read research papers to know that pets are good for me. For me and many others, animals contribute to feelings of well-being. They teach about love and living in the moment. They are a best buddy in coping with illness, relationship breakups, grief, employment disappointments, and much, much
- [Researchers seek parents’ help to understand eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/04/02/researchers-seek-parents-help-to-understand-eating-disorder-recovery/) - "Looking at the data we have so far, we honestly have GOLD. Parents have some really interesting qualitative responses" – researcher, Erin Accurso Parents know their kids best! Understanding this, researchers believe that parents hold valuable information about their children with eating disorders that will help us better understand eating disorder recovery and improve
- [Putting fire in the belly of eating disorder recovery services](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/26/putting-fire-in-the-belly-of-eating-disorder-recovery-services/) - Lived experience, from people who have experienced an eating disorder, and people who have been caregivers, is finding a place in the heart of treatment strategies. Eating disorder support services are under-developed. A lot of people with an eating disorder have suffered and continue to suffer under current treatment systems. Polarizing views on how eating
- [Stories have a role in evidence-based science](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/20/stories-have-a-role-in-evidence-based-science/) - By June Alexander Increasingly, stories have a role in science. For instance scientific eating conferences are becoming a sounding board for stories of recovery and ongoing healing. This month I attended the 26thinternational conference on eating disorders, convened by the Academy for Eating Disorders(AED). This year, more than 1400 registrations set a new attendance record
- [Recognition that ‘experience’ experts can help ED recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/19/recognition-that-experience-experts-can-help-ed-recovery/) - Eating disorder conferences -- what purpose do they serve? Increasingly, they are becoming a sounding board for stories of recovery and ongoing healing. Right now I am returning home from the 26th international conference on eating disorders, convened by the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED). This year, more than 1400 registrations set a new attendance
- [A foreign exchange student story 50 years on](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/13/a-foreign-exchange-student-story-50-years-on/) - By June Alexander A pamphlet attached to the noticeboard outside the school principal’s office caught my eye. The year was 1967 and I was 16. The words ‘essay’, ‘scholarship’, ‘USA’, drew me in. The American Field Service was offering scholarships to students to study the senior year of school in the United States. To have
- [A story of love and acceptance, and a foreign exchange](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/12/a-story-of-love-and-acceptance-and-a-foreign-exchange/) - A pamphlet attached to the noticeboard outside the school principal’s office caught my eye. The year was 1967 and I was 16. The words "essay," "scholarship," "USA," drew me in. The American Field Service was offering scholarships to students to study the senior year of school in the United States. To have a chance, I
- [Finding self-direction through daily writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/05/finding-self-direction-through-daily-writing/) - By June Alexander Twenty minutes a day is all it takes. Writing in your diary for 20 minutes each day can help you to feel in control of your life. You can write in your diary anywhere, at any time of the day. You can use pen or paper, a tablet or even a cell
- [Using diary-writing as a self-help tool to connect and heal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/03/05/using-diary-writing-as-a-self-help-tool-to-connect-and-heal/) - Twenty minutes a day is all it takes. Writing in your diary for 20 minutes each day can help you to feel in control of your life. You can write in your diary anywhere, at any time of the day. You can use pen or paper, a tablet or even a cell phone. Regular diary-writing
- [Eating disorder recovery involves eating properly: Add a dash of feelings, faith, family and friends to meal time](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/02/25/eating-disorder-recovery-involves-eating-properly-add-a-dash-of-feelings-faith-family-and-friends-to-meal-time/) - "FOOD. I HATE IT. I would like to start being kind to myself. And not punish myself with food anymore. To me food is like a cancer, its tentacles reaching into and clawing at my emotions, my feelings, my thoughts, never giving a moment’s respite. I HATE IT. Every decision I make in my personal
- [Lessons from a little boy who cannot speak - yet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/02/19/lessons-from-a-little-boy-who-cannot-speak-yet/) - Our life is often shaped by challenges that occur beyond our control. How we respond to these challenges determines the outcome. Story-writing is an effective way to promote self-healing and make our life experience count. The catalyst for writing a story can come from unexpected sources. For Loretta, it was a reading with a psychic.
- [Lessons from a little boy who cannot speak - yet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/02/19/lessons-from-a-little-boy-who-cannot-speak-yet-2/) - Our life is often shaped by challenges that occur beyond our control. How we respond to these challenges determines the outcome. Story-writing is an effective way to promote self-healing and make our life experience count. The catalyst for writing a story can come from unexpected sources. For Loretta, it was a reading with a psychic.
- [Sharing stories from inside out gives ED nowhere to hide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/02/12/sharing-stories-from-inside-out-gives-ed-nowhere-to-hide/) - I was a grandmother when I “came out.” The event, in 2007, was a private girls’ school information night. Until then I had lived a part-life, struggling to appear “normal” to the outside world, while battling a private, inner hell as a captive of an eating disorder. Coming out and revealing my story publicly marked
- [Supporting friends and family with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/02/05/helping-families-with-eating-disorders/) - Many individuals recovering from eating disorders, and families assisting their children and teens through recovery, receive little support and outreach during this difficult process. People tend to shy away from those with eating disorders and other mental illnesses because there isn’t a solid understanding of what the illnesses are and how seriously they can impact
- [A reflection on the journey of choosing to believe in hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/29/a-reflection-on-the-journey-of-choosing-to-believe-in-hope/) - As a teenager, Alyssa encouraged a friend to seek help for her eating disorder. Today, as a young woman, she has entered a career to help others experiencing this illness. Well I made it. I have achieved a goal, a job I had dreamed of for about eight years. I started this new job
- [Moving on from an eating disorder with help from diary writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/15/moving-on-from-an-eating-disorder-with-help-from-diary-writing/) - by June Alexander Be the Master of your Ship: Journeying through an Eating Disorder … I am the master of my ship. I am in control. Yet, all too soon, it feels so wrong … … Yet, I can still choose.
- ['Your life is your story. Make it amazing.'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/10/your-life-is-your-story-make-it-amazing/) - Binge-writing: The role of narrative in my eating disorder recovery By Ari Snaevarsson, guest blogger Whenever I think of the tools that were instrumental to my recovery, a few always come to mind: accountability through a support system, exercise that emphasized strength and not punishment, and meditation. But there was one tool that consistently took my
- [Binge-writing: The role of narrative in my eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/08/binge-writing-the-role-of-narrative-in-my-eating-disorder-recovery/) - ‘Your life is your story. Make it amazing.’ by Ari Snaevarsson Whenever I think of the tools that were instrumental to my recovery, a few always come to mind: accountability through a support system, exercise that emphasized strength and not punishment, and meditation. But there was one tool that consistently took my hand and walked
- [Writing your way to self-care and self-freedom in 2019](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/01/writing-your-way-to-self-care-and-self-freedom-in-2019/) - June Alexander Each New Year’s Day for many years I created a list of resolutions. The lead resolution always was: “Eat three meals and three snacks daily”. Sounds good and easy but I always shattered this resolution within hours. Making an annual resolution about food when you have an eating disorder, is not a good
- [Writing your way to self-care and self-freedom in 2019](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2019/01/01/writing-your-way-to-self-care-and-self-freedom-in-2019-2/) - by June Alexander Each New Year’s Day for many years I created a list of resolutions. The lead resolution always was: “Eat three meals and three snacks daily.” Sounds good and easy, but I always shattered this resolution within hours. Making an annual resolution about food when you have an eating disorder, is not a
- [A holiday message of hope for those with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/12/25/a-holiday-message-of-hope-for-those-with-eating-disorders-and-mental-illness/) - by June Alexander My Christmas at age 11 was not happy. If you are dreading this Christmas, hold on to hope for things will get better. My wish for you is that you will seek and follow the well-lit path that provides healing and happiness, self-belief and self-compassion. I searched a long time to find
- [Perceived utility of genetic counseling for individuals with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/12/18/perceived-utility-of-genetic-counseling-for-individuals-with-eating-disorders/) - Opportunity to participate in research by Julianne Elizabeth Streukens Eating disorders are complex in how they are caused, developing from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However, they are frequently perceived as being under the control of those individuals with them, resulting in public blame, dislike, and anger towards individuals with eating disorders
- [Australians celebrate: Eating disorders become a Medicare item](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/12/11/australians-celebrate-eating-disorders-become-a-medicare-item/) - Validation that eating disorders are a SERIOUS illness by June Alexander Christmas has arrived early for the estimated one million Australians living with an eating disorder. For the first time access is being provided to a comprehensive treatment plan under Medicare. Patients with severe eating disorders will be able to access up to 40 psychological
- [Using diary records, what kind of story will you write?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/12/05/using-diary-records-what-kind-of-story-will-you-write/) - By June Alexander Little did I know at age 11 that a small Christmas gift of a diary would shape my life. This diary immediately became a firm friend. A private relationship evolved between the pages and me. We bonded and faced life together. The process of letting thoughts and feelings tumble onto each new
- [The value of diary writing goes far beyond personal use](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/12/04/the-value-of-diary-writing-goes-far-beyond-personal-use/) - by June Alexander Little did I know at age 11 that a small Christmas gift of a diary would shape my life. This diary immediately became a firm friend. A private relationship evolved between the pages and me. We bonded and faced life together. The process of letting thoughts and feelings tumble onto each new
- [Writing today to heal a lost yesterday](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/28/writing-today-to-heal-a-lost-yesterday/) - We grasp our lives in a narrative. In order to have a sense of who we are, we have to have a notion of how we have become, and of where we are going.” Charles Taylor (1989) June Alexander I am sitting in a coffee shop with an elderly life-writing client, who is discussing his
- [Why self-care is my number one job](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/27/why-self-care-is-my-number-one-job/) - by June Alexander I’m in a coffee shop with a friend. We’re enjoying our usual cake and extra hot large cappuccino. We belong in the “senior citizens” age bracket. Folks passing by will never guess, looking at us, a bespectacled pair with hair more whitish-grey than fair, that for decades we each were a prisoner of
- [Turning letter-writing into a self-calming conversation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/20/turning-letter-writing-into-a-self-calming-conversation/) - by June Alexander The unconditional love and informed support of family members can speed the pace of self-renewal when recovering from an eating disorder or traumatic experience, but if you are alone or not receiving care from your family in the way you need, persevere, for healing is possible for you, too. When verbal communication
- [Turning letter-writing into a self-calming conversation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/19/turning-letter-writing-into-a-self-calming-conversation-2/) - By June Alexander Unconditional love and informed support of family members can speed the pace of self-renewal when recovering from an eating disorder or traumatic experience, but if you are alone or not receiving care from your family in the way you need, persevere, for healing is possible for you, too. When verbal communication attempts
- [Use life writing to reclaim your voice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/14/use-life-writing-to-reclaim-your-voice/) - By June Alexander Knowledge is power in healing from a serious illness or changed life circumstance over which you may or may not have control. But when you lack the capacity to understand the context or implications of changes that have occurred, anxiety may set in, and you might experience isolation at a time when
- [Healing goes on and on with ‘Life Without Ed’](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/14/healing-goes-on-and-on-with-life-without-ed-2/) - In 2004 the book Life Without Ed boosted my efforts in gaining reconnection with ‘me’. I had been ‘lost’ for 44 years with an eating disorder and, within 12 months of reading this book, I was ‘found’. In 2014, author Jenni Schaefer released a 10th Anniversary update, and I was thrilled because this Life Without Ed is an evergreen. I love
- [Using journaling to recognize self-harming behaviors and reclaim your own voice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/13/using-journaling-to-recognize-self-harming-behaviors-and-reclaim-your-own-voice/) - by June Alexander Knowledge is power in healing from an eating disorder. But when you do not understand that you are sick, the illness may thrive, isolating instead of connecting you with helpful others. At some innate level, you may know your real ‘healthy-self’ is ‘there’, or you may think this is how life is:
- [Chloe adopts a lot of animals - a story by Olivia, age eight](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/07/chloe-adopts-a-lot-of-animals-a-story-by-olivia-age-eight/) - Everyone, at every age, can write a story, and you are never too young or old to start. My granddaughter Olivia, who lives in the city, loves animals and she reads and writes about them at every opportunity. Recently Olivia and her sister accompanied me to a local animal shelter to choose a new kitten
- [Cultivating compassion for oneself through letter-writing: A helpful and welcome strategy for people with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/06/cultivating-compassion-for-oneself-through-letter-writing-a-helpful-and-welcome-strategy-for-people-with-eating-disorders/) - When feeling upset, I write until I no longer feel upset. I write to people to thank them for helping me, and I write to myself in my diary. I write. A lot. In return, I receive beautiful letters, like the one shared here, from Lauren Jade. I'm excited that research is attesting to the
- [Cultivating compassion for oneself through letter-writing: A welcome and helpful strategy for people with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/11/06/cultivating-compassion-for-oneself-through-letter-writing-a-welcome-and-helpful-strategy-for-people-with-eating-disorders/) - by Allison C. Kelly, Ph.D. and Sydney Waring, M.A. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Canada Many people with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and other eating disorders do not seek formal treatment. Some reasons for not seeking help are external to the individual – for example, a lack of available and accessible treatments – whereas others
- [Is anorexia planning its revenge? The reality of recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/30/is-anorexia-planning-its-revenge-the-reality-of-recovery/) - I’m afraid of ruined teeth, bent back, and not able to have a child by Špela Kranjec I had anorexia nervosa. It’s no longer a secret. Even though I was ashamed and hid my condition for nine years, I can speak openly about it today. I even wrote a book about my experience. Initially because
- [Feed, love and heal – the role for parents when their child develops an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/23/feed-love-and-heal-the-role-for-parents-when-their-child-develops-an-eating-disorder/) - What to do When Your Teen Has An Eating Disorder by Lauren Muhlheim (Introduction by June Alexander) I wish my parents had access to Dr Lauren Muhlheim’s new book When Your Teen Has An Eating Disorder when I was a kid. Lauren takes family-based treatment by the hand into the family home, providing guidance and
- [When a food binge can be helpful](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/16/when-a-food-binge-can-be-helpful/) - “… bringing on, deliberately, what you fear most is an excellent way to increase self-belief” by June Alexander “I’ve been on a binge.” What does a binge mean to you? Is it something you carefully plan and prepare for, or does your bingeing “just happen?” Do you make a list of food that you plan
- [Getting ready to write your story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/12/getting-ready-to-write-your-story/) - By June Alexander Choosing the time to write your story is the first of many factors, for your impression, today, may differ tomorrow. The writing of a life story or memoir requires preparation and planning, and you will find that benefits come in the process as well as the delivery. You can choose any major
- [Factors to consider when you feel ready to write your story ](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/09/factors-to-consider-when-you-feel-ready-to-write-your-story/) - by June Alexander The writing of a life story or memoir requires preparation and planning, and benefits will come in the process as well as delivery. Choosing the time to write is the first of many factors, for your impression today may differ tomorrow. This post is especially for people with lived experience of an
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite – in English, German and Korean                                   How story-telling is helping to meet the need for universal eating disorder recovery guidance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/04/getting-better-bite-by-bite-in-english-german-and-korean-how-story-telling-is-helping-to-meet-the-need-for-universal-eating-disorder-recovery-guidance/) - Getting Better Bite by Bite is full of clues on how to avoid the traps of self-defeating thought patterns. It contains the tools you need to travel safely along the road to recovery from bulimia and binge eating disorder.
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite – in English, German and now Korean](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/10/02/getting-better-bite-by-bite-in-english-german-and-now-korean/) - Meeting the need for universal eating disorder recovery guidance by June Alexander My granddaughters, aged eight and six, excitedly helped to unwrap a book that arrived this week. I was already excited, because I could see the book was from Seoul, Korea. The sender, Professor Youl-Ri Kim, has translated the Getting Better Bite by Bite,
- [Using writing to uncover secrets and set the truth and you free](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/28/using-writing-to-uncover-secrets-and-set-the-truth-and-you-free/) - Focusing on “now” is good advice, but not when something deep within needs attention. I seemed to have a hole in my soul that I could not fill. It would not allow me to feel settled or safe. I was constantly restless, in search of something but did not know what, or where or how to find it.
- [Secrets are an eating disorder’s best friend](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/25/secrets-are-an-eating-disorders-best-friend/) - There is no such thing as a good secret by June Alexander How do you cope with secrets in your family and within your own self? When you become aware of a secret, do you set about dismantling it, or do you ignore it, and pretend you “know nothing?” Secrets deeply shaped my early life.
- [When writing leads to freedom and gaining weight in the fullness of life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/19/when-writing-leads-to-freedom-and-gaining-weight-in-the-fullness-of-life/) - Imagine embracing the mainstream after decades of incarceration in anorexia nervosa and trauma. For years, Karyn’s eating disorder would not allow her to speak above a whisper, if at all. Fear and stigma silenced her. Working with her treatment team, writing became a safe way to communicate and paved the way as a survival, coping
- [Forget the scales, gaining weight as a person is the real marker in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/17/forget-the-scales-gaining-weight-as-a-person-is-the-real-marker-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - ‘Gaining weight in my life is giving me life’ By Karyn Braveheart Gaining weight is something l have struggled to do for a very long time. Now, after a lot of hard work and many hospital admissions, I am experiencing the positives in gaining weight. For sure, my everyday fear remains of clothing not fitting
- [When injustice occurs, let the written word be your sword](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/13/when-injustice-occurs-let-the-written-word-be-your-sword/) - June Alexander Fifty-five years ago when I developed an eating disorder, there was no help. My little journal was my sole confidant. Thankfully, we know a lot more now, especially for treating children, but for adults, there are fresh challenges, making today’s recovery path possibly more difficult than the path I faced all those years
- [Beware of the challenges of the Internet for adults with eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/12/beware-of-the-challenges-of-the-internet-for-adults-with-eating-disorders/) - by June Alexander Forty years ago I told a GP that I feared something was taking over my mind. “You have a flat battery, that’s all,” declared the doctor. “We’ll pop you on medication and you will soon be as good as new.” If only breaking free from an eating disorder was that easy. We
- [How writing helped me to find my home within](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/06/how-writing-helped-me-to-find-my-home-within/) - By June Alexander For many years, however, feeling "settled" was just a dream. I moved house more than 20 times. Many years passed before discovering that the home that really matters is the one I carry “within.” All that was needed to feel safe, secure and at peace, was within me. I just had to find
- [The home that really matters is the one I carry within](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/09/04/the-home-that-really-matters-is-the-one-i-carry-within/) - by June Alexander Feeling at home with self is the most important thing. Feeling this way enables us to feel at home anywhere. Wherever I am these days, I feel at home. For many years, however, feeling "settled" was impossible. I moved house more than 20 times. Eventually, I learned through self-healing that the home
- [When feeling ‘stuck’ in a situation, try writing your way out](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/30/when-feeling-stuck-in-a-situation-try-writing-your-way-out/) - Have you felt stuck in a situation and not known how to get out? Not known who to call on for help? Have you felt desperate for a solution, but too fearful or ashamed to reach out? Your pen can help you find your way. Sometimes I am stuck in a line of shoppers waiting
- [Is food the problem? How Chanty turned her experience with binge eating disorder into a book to help others](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/21/is-food-the-problem-how-chanty-turned-her-experience-with-binge-eating-disorder-into-a-book-to-help-others/) - Knowing how to support someone with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) when you have no experience can be challenging. Chanty Weedon says this was the first hurdle that her family faced even before her diagnosis with this serious illness. They did not know what to do or say to help. Chanty was very private about her
- [Is food the problem? How to support someone with Binge Eating Disorder (BED)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/21/is-food-the-problem-how-to-support-someone-with-binge-eating-disorder/) - by Chanty Weedon Understanding how to support someone with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) when you have no experience can be challenging. This is the first hurdle that my family faced even before my diagnosis. They did not know what to do or say to help. I was very private about my BED and, even though
- ["I'm sorry you're going through that, but you know you're not alone?"](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/17/im-sorry-youre-going-through-that-but-you-know-youre-not-alone/) - Regaining healthy relationships after illness By June Alexander Sometimes when we are ill, especially with a mental health challenge, our relationship with self and with others can disconnect and disintegrate at an alarming rate. Confidence and belonging give way to shame, stigma, fear, and rejection. Openness may give way to avoidance, and confidence can morph
- ["I'm sorry you're going through that, but you know you're not alone?"](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/14/im-sorry-youre-going-through-that-but-you-know-youre-not-alone-2/) - Regaining healthy relationships from an eating disorder by June Alexander An eating disorder is about more than our relationship with food. When food increasingly dominates our thinking, our relationship with self and with others can disconnect and disintegrate at an alarming rate. Confidence and belonging give way to shame, stigma, fear and rejection. Openness gives
- [Aunt June, you are the problem in our family - using the journal to dispel stigma, inside and out](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/08/aunt-june-you-are-the-problem-in-our-family-using-the-journal-to-dispel-stigma-inside-and-out/) - by June Alexander Engaging in the world beyond an eating disorder (ED) means facing up to things like a stigma. The perception or inference by others that ED, or any other mental health challenge, is a personal weakness can be demoralizing and destructive. In this post, drawn from my book, The Diary Healer, diarists discuss
- ["Aunt June, you are the problem in our family:" Using the journal to dispel stigma, inside and out](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/07/aunt-june-you-are-the-problem-in-our-family-using-the-journal-to-dispel-stigma-inside-and-out-2/) - by June Alexander Engaging in the world beyond an eating disorder (ED) means facing up to things like stigma. The perception or inference by others that ED, or any other mental health challenge, is a personal weakness can be demoralizing and destructive. In this post, drawn from my book, The Diary Healer, diarists discuss how
- [How diary excerpts can be used to create a book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/08/02/how-diary-excerpts-can-be-used-to-create-a-book-2/) - A diary or journal is a deeply personal document. It’s a safe place where we can off-load our most private feelings and thoughts. This makes the diary a valuable literary resource and when inspired to share excerpts with others, amazing revelations can occur. A powerful voice of experience can be created. Excerpts shared by 70
- [How diary excerpts became the voice in a book about eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/07/30/how-diary-excerpts-became-the-voice-in-a-book-about-eating-disorders/) - By June Alexander Excerpts shared by 70 diarists for my book, Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders—The Diary Healer, told compelling stories of struggle and courage. Each of the diarists, like myself, had experienced an eating disorder. My challenge was to locate leads within the stories, and combine them, through paraphrasing and selected
- [Securing trust when writing a non-fiction story – feeling safe enough to share innermost thoughts and feelings](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/07/26/securing-trust-when-writing-a-non-fiction-story-feeling-safe-enough-to-share-innermost-thoughts-and-feelings/) - Securing of trust is essential when recovering from any sort of traumatic experience, and likewise, it is essential when writing a story about the ordeal. Today I will describe the ways in which trust was integral to the writing of my book Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders - The Diary Healer. My
- [Securing trust when writing a non-fiction story – feeling safe enough to share innermost thoughts and feelings](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/07/24/securing-trust-when-writing-a-non-fiction-story-feeling-safe-enough-to-share-innermost-thoughts-and-feelings-2/) - By June Alexander Securing of trust is essential when recovering from an eating disorder, and likewise it is essential when we are writing stories about the illness. Today I will describe the ways in which trust was integral to the writing of my book Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders - The Diary
- [Mapping the tides of our life through story-telling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/07/17/mapping-the-tides-of-our-life-through-story-telling/) - By June Alexander Life-writing is simply telling a story from our life. Sounds simple, but depending on how deep we dare to plunge into our past, the process can spark a ripple effect that turn into tidal waves of emotion. When we write even a brief account of something we have experienced, for instance a
- [How caring for a sick child inspired a mother to write her first book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/07/10/how-caring-for-a-sick-child-inspired-a-mother-to-write-her-first-book/) - By June Alexander If your life balance is out of kilter due to the time you are spending caring for a loved one, Bharati’s workbook is for you. This heartfelt book provides practical and welcome guidance to help you reclaim your balance by staying in the now. When Bharati Lall attended a parent workshop at
- [So you intend to write your life story “One day”?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/07/01/so-you-intend-to-write-your-life-story-one-day/) - By June Alexander Procrastination is a perennial pop-up when conversation swings to writing our life story. How hard is it to pick up a pen and paper and start writing? I've created a new website to help you on your way. Like me, you are likely to know dear family members, friends, and colleagues, who have
- [The innovative “Plate-by-Plate Approach” offers guidance for parents nourishing their child through an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/26/the-innovative-plate-by-plate-approach-offers-guidance-for-parents-nourishing-their-child-through-an-eating-disorder/) - By Wendy Sterling, MS, RD, CSSD and Casey Crosbie, RD, CSSD I wish this meal-time guidance provided by Wendy and Casey had been available when I was age 11 and an eating disorder was raging and embedding in my brain. Together with the support of Family-based Treatment, my parents would have felt confident and empowered
- [Getting real with ghostwriting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/23/getting-real-with-ghostwriting/) - The term “ghostwriter” sounds rather eerie but it is appropriate in describing what the term and task entails. Basically, as the writer, I am invisible. Readers will see the writing but no sign of the writer. Your name, as commissioner of the work, will appear on the manuscript or book cover. Unless you want my
- [A ghostwriter can create a cherished keepsake for you](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/a-ghostwriter-can-make-your-story-a-reality/) - A ghostwriter is someone whose job it is to write material for someone else who is the named author. Does this sound confusing? As a ghostwriter of your story, I step metaphorically inside your shoes and relate your story, in your words, with you doing the talking and directing and me doing the gathering and
- [Write, when talking is too difficult](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/write-when-talking-is-too-difficult/) - Sometimes there is no quick fix in healing from challenges that can occur at any age or stage of life. Tests and trials happen to us all, and to some more than others. Sometimes things are pretty well decided before we are born. We might be genetically vulnerable to developing a condition and then, hey
- [Strengthening healthy self through diary-writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/strengthening-healthy-self-through-diary-writing/) - My diary has always been a confidante, but it was not always the friend I thought it was. Sometimes it was a confidante for my eating disorder, recording the illness thoughts instead of my “true thoughts.” At such times, it became a place where rules were made to try and get through each day, and
- [About secrets, food, shame and letting go through writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/about-secrets-food-shame-and-letting-go/) - Do you love eating food? Today, I love food. For 40 years, however, every meal was an ordeal, sandwiched between layers of anxiety and guilt. My diaries are a testimony to this difficult, hellish time. Year after year, diary after diary became full to overflowing with copious rules and contracts, on what to eat and
- [How my diary transitioned from a survival and coping tool to a self-healing tool](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/how-my-diary-transitioned-from-a-survival-and-coping-tool-to-a-self-healing-tool/) - “…for years I have been searching, seeking my identity, my purpose, my meaning, in life. Years. I’ve concluded that I am a prisoner to myself… I have had some hard lessons. I know I can live with myself only if I accept that my mistakes, my bad experiences, can be the catalyst, the seed,
- [Using the power of writing to create hope beyond a mental health challenge](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/facilitating-recovery-with-a-mental-health-challenge/) - Life-writing workshops can shine a light on hope for people with mental health challenges. For example, the cognitive and linguistic processing of life-events through narrative writing may help a person re-story problems or painful experiences into a manageable way that sets them free to engage fully in the present. With an understanding writing mentor, the
- [Turning a would-be sad story into a story of happy possibilities](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/22/turning-a-would-be-sad-story-into-a-happy-outcome/) - The other day I collected my young grandchildren when school was out, and after inviting them to each share their news, I shared my own and said: “Today’s date marks a special anniversary in my life, and every year on this date I give thanks and celebrate life.” The day looked perfectly plain and
- [A mentor can help you to not only write to survive but also to heal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/21/a-mentor-can-help-you-to-not-only-write-to-survive-but-also-to-heal/) - In London, Janet Frame finally discovered the truth: she had never had schizophrenia. A psychiatrist advised her: 'I think you need to write to survive. First write the story of your years in hospital [Faces in the Water], then keep on writing'.* Frame reflects, 'There had never been any question of my not being able
- [Looking after our wellbeing through story-telling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/21/looking-after-our-wellbeing-through-story-telling/) - Stories play a major role in healthcare and wellbeing in many ways. Stories about our life help us to increase our self-knowledge and help others to understand and respect us. My workshops are designed to help people to write about their lives in a way that can enhance social and family networks and improve self-esteem,
- [Telling our stories helps us to map the contours of our life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/21/we-take-our-memories-with-us-2/) - Life-writing is simply telling a story from our life. Sounds simple, but depending on how deep we dare to dig, the process of reflection can spark a ripple effect that can turn into tidal waves of emotion. When we write even a brief account of something we have experienced, we are catching our waves, creating
- [So you intend to write your life story "One day"?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/21/how-to-organise-a-life-writing-workshop/) - Procrastination is a perennial pop-up when conversation swings to writing our life story. How hard is it to pick up a pen and paper and start writing? I’ve created a new website to help you on your way. Like me, you are likely to know dear family members, friends, and colleagues, who have led inspiring lives
- [We take our memories with us](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/21/we-take-our-memories-with-us/) - So let’s record our stories I recently discovered that one of my great-great-grandfathers was sent from England to Tasmania as a convict. His crime had been to take some bottles of wine to exchange for some rabbits. I want to know more. Did he steal because his family was hungry? What was daily life as
- [Short life stories and a magic carpet ride](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/21/short-life-stories-and-a-magic-carpet-ride/) - I was glad to have a vacant seat beside me on the long Qantas flight to New York. It gave more room to spread myself out. Other passengers were absorbed in watching movies on the little screens in front of them, but I had work to do – a feast of short stories to read.
- [My brother in Croatia has an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/19/my-brother-in-croatia-has-an-eating-disorder/) - By Hrvoje Petrovic * My brother is suffering from a long term eating disorder. Helping to care for him has affected my own health. For instance, witnessing my brother’s suffering led me to experience an episode of severe depression with appetite loss. However, now I am grateful for this, because I have greater empathy and understanding of
- [Going about the daily business of reducing eating disorder shame](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/19/going-about-the-daily-business-of-reducing-eating-disorder-shame/) - As we close on this year’s third annual World Eating Disorders Day, it provides us with time to reflect on those affected by an eating disorder, their families, and the medical and health professionals who support them. Although having a day dedicated to raising awareness is a grandiose initiative, it’s not a battle with
- [Preserving your life story made easy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/14/the-journey-begins/) - Start with a workshop Life writing workshops contribute to our emotional health and social connections, help us to re-connect with our families and communities, and see that our lives have been, and continue to be, worthwhile. My workshops are designed to help improve feelings of wellness and empower participants to feel acknowledged and comfortable in
- [Explanation of normal and binge eating in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/05/explanation-of-normal-and-binge-eating-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - This explanation is drawn from Chapter 13, Confronting the Eating Challenge, in Anorexia Nervosa: A Recovery Guide for Sufferers, Families and Friends. Janet Treasure and June Alexander. 2nd edition: Routledge (London) 2013. FOOD COMES FIRST The journey towards a normal, healthy diet is best taken a step at a time. For the sufferer, reducing their
- [Confronting binge eating in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/06/05/confronting-binge-eating-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - by Diana Beaudet and June Alexander Shame and stigma can debilitate people experiencing an eating disorder, as the following exchange reveals: Dear June, I'm trying to look after myself, but I’ve been struggling in this last week and I don't know why. After traveling with my family, I came back feeling really positive about recovery
- [Intersectionality and eating disorders: Recognizing the impact on the LGBTQIA* community](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/30/intersectionality-and-eating-disorders-recognizing-the-impact-on-the-lgbtqia-community/) - by Sarah Wirth Eating disorders, like all mental illnesses, are intersectional. They affect people of all ethnicities, ages, sexualities and gender identities. Despite this, the historically based idea that eating disorders predominantly affect affluent, white, heterosexual women persists today. This sectional understanding of eating disorders is highly problematic. It results in the eating disorder experiences
- [Stigma in eating disorders is a serious social justice issue](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/30/stigma-in-eating-disorders-is-a-serious-social-justice-issue/) - By Anna Scelzo, iaedp International Chapter Chair of Italy When we look up the meaning of the word stigma we read: “A mark of disgrace associated with particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Oxford Dictionary). And also: “A mark or spot on the skin.” Whatever we can find around the concept of stigma however, it is
- [Listening to the many voices of experience and digging deep within holds key to reducing stigma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/30/listening-to-the-many-voices-of-experience-and-digging-deep-within-holds-key-to-reducing-stigma/) - By Andrea LaMarre There is still significant stigma around eating disorders; they are framed as disorders of the young, white, vain, rich, and thin. But you have heard about that stereotype before. We repeat it time and again, and yet… very little is changing. We cry from the rooftops: “eating disorders can happen to anyone!”
- [As a health professional, I felt ashamed and thought I was not sick enough to have an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/29/as-a-health-professional-i-felt-ashamed-and-thought-i-was-not-sick-enough-to-have-an-eating-disorder/) - By Masae Yasuda (Japan) "Every day, mature-age people around the world suffer silently with an eating disorder - like Masae, who shares her story here, these people may be working in the very health profession established to treat this illness. Stigma and myths are a big problem. Much research focus is on young people. Of
- [Breaking eating disorder stigma starts at home – let’s start by addressing the stereotypes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/28/breaking-eating-disorder-stigma-starts-at-home-lets-start-by-addressing-the-stereotypes/) - By Kelly Boaz One day, a man asked me what I do for a living. When I said I was a nutritionist specializing in eating disorders, he snorted and responded, “Well that’s easy. Just tell those girls to get over themselves and eat!” While this response was infuriating and wildly inaccurate, it wasn’t surprising. To
- [Can you really have an eating disorder if you look healthy?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/25/can-you-really-have-an-eating-disorder-if-you-look-healthy/) - By Dr. Rosanna Mauro de Maya, MS, RD, CEDRD The Eating Disorder Truth #1 states ”many people with eating disorders look healthy, yet may be extremely ill.” This cornerstone statement makes us reflect on the fact that any person, regardless of their figure, shape or weight, could develop an eating disorder. Traditionally it was believed
- [Breaking the eating disorder stigma: What’s white and skinny got to do with it?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/22/breaking-the-eating-disorder-stigma-whats-white-and-skinny-got-to-do-it/) - by Merle (The Netherlands) Many people have an idea of what a person with an eating disorder looks like. Commonly they imagine this person is a skinny white girl who is starving herself and wants to be ultra-thin so she can be a model or ballerina. I have been that skinny white girl, but I
- [NEDIC Article April 2018](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/17/nedic-article-april-2018/)
- [Research call for voices of experience to forge patient-led recovery model for eating disorders in Victoria, Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/15/research-call-for-voices-of-experience-to-forge-patient-led-recovery-model-for-eating-disorders-in-victoria-australia/) - By Rachel King, PhD candidate, Deakin University As a clinician working in the field of eating disorders, I’m often struck by how committed, dedicated and passionate many health professionals are to supporting people with eating disorders and their families. However, I’m also struck by how people with eating disorders are often unjustly excluded from mental health
- [Obliterating parent stigma in eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/15/obliterating-parent-stigma-in-eating-disorders/) - by Judy Krasna There are many damaging stigmas surrounding eating disorders, but the one that I am most passionate about removing is parent stigma, aka “blame the mother.” Sadly, some clinicians still subscribe to the outdated and disproven theories of Hilde Bruch (The Golden Cage, 1978) and Salvador Minuchin (Psychosomatic families: Anorexia nervosa in context,
- [Five key actions to curb eating disorders in Italy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/08/five-key-actions-to-curb-eating-disorders-in-italy/) - A special event in Rome at the Italian Ministry of Health has led to development of counter-actions to stem the proliferation of eating disorders. by Sandra Zodiaco To mark the 3rd Italian Women's Health Day, on April 21, the Italian Ministry of Health organized an event in Rome to celebrate the protection and promotion of
- [Dealing with an eating disorder’s double dose of stigma - from public and self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/05/01/dealing-with-an-eating-disorders-double-dose-of-stigma-from-public-and-self/) - by June Alexander Engaging in the world beyond an eating disorder is scary because it means facing up to a double whammy of stigma driven a.) by the public and b.) from within. This post, drawn from Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders—The Diary Healer, digs through the layers to expose this serious
- [The cost of hiding an eating disorder and pretending you are okay](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/04/23/the-cost-of-hiding-an-eating-disorder-and-pretending-you-are-okay/) - by June Alexander Many people who have an eating disorder are terrified of others close to them knowing about it. I refer to people who are able to function – that is, go through the motions of attending school or college, going to work, being a parent. Many of us who have an eating disorder pretend, to
- [How writing a fictional story is helping Matt kick goals in real life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/04/08/how-writing-a-fictional-story-is-helping-matt-kick-goals-in-real-life/) - By Matt Dunn I have always loved writing. Though, it goes beyond that. I need writing. The truth is, I have only recently worked out why. I had assumed the reason was about having that end product. In the case of fiction, it’s a world pulled from thin air. On that final page you can
- [Making your diary your personal advocate](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/04/08/making-your-diary-your-personal-advocate/) - By June Alexander Your diary can be your friend when you are struggling with an eating disorder or other life crisis. Confusion, pain, anger and sadness may be offloaded into this private refuge. However, what can you do if this process of private writing perpetuates bad feelings, instead of helping you feel good? One way
- [Is your diary your friend or foe?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/04/02/is-your-diary-your-friend-or-foe/) - by June Alexander The basic elements of writing as a tool for record keeping, nurturing, healing, reflection, creativity and spiritual discipline have been the essence of diary keeping for centuries. However, special considerations apply for the diarist who has an eating disorder. Historically, diaries have been regarded as a deeply personal, private and confidential document.
- [Sharing our story can be a powerful antidote to shame and insecurity](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/03/27/sharing-our-story-can-be-a-powerful-antidote-to-shame-and-insecurity/) - by Emily Johnson I believe in the healing power of sharing your story, especially when sitting with feelings of shame and insecurity. Throughout my journey with an eating disorder, I have found that feelings of shame, guilt and instability are the drivers behind most of my unhealthful behaviors. When I really dig deep, and am willing to see why I reacted a particular way or spiraled into
- [How a diary can become your best friend when healing from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/03/20/how-a-diary-can-become-your-best-friend-when-healing-from-an-eating-disorder/) - by Jane Cook Keeping a journal can be mentally healthy, but it can also heal physical wounds. In a fascinating study by the University of Auckland in New Zealand, a group of participants were asked to write about traumatic events they’d experienced, for 20 minutes a day, delving deeply into their real feelings and thoughts. A second
- [The cycle of abuse and how I found my way out of it](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/03/13/the-cycle-of-abuse-and-how-i-found-my-way-out-of-it/) - by Amanda Englishby I am here to tell you that a survivor of abuse can live a happy life and have a strong and loving relationship with themselves and others. I am proof. Here I am at the innocent age of three. Full of fun and energy with a cheeky grin to warm anyone’s heart.
- [The dark, dark secret that makes an eating disorder so hard to beat, and treat](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/03/06/the-dark-dark-secret-that-makes-an-eating-disorder-so-hard-to-beat-and-treat/) - By June Alexander To heal from my eating disorder I had to clear my inner self of a minefield of secrets. Facing and fighting an invisible enemy that since childhood had kept my focus “out there” (on food, temptations, diet, exercise) was terrifying. Jennifer was terrified, too. She did not want to worry her family
- [What being diagnosed with an "old woman" disease taught me about my eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/02/27/what-being-diagnosed-with-an-old-woman-disease-taught-me-about-my-eating-disorder/) - by a "Healthy" Young Woman (Anon) You're young, you'll be fine. Your lab work is perfectly normal. You're a healthy young woman. You're not underweight. Are you sure it's that bad? You don't look "anorexic." I'm not sick enough for treatment, it's not like I'm on a feeding tube. Do these comments bring to mind
- [Finding my "healthy me" voice: A story of hope and recovery from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/02/19/finding-my-healthy-me-voice-a-story-of-hope-and-recovery-from-an-eating-disorder/) - by Amanda Englishby (Part Two) So here I am, my first meeting with the Eating Disorder group. Sitting in the waiting room I look around at the posters for help/support on the walls, and the display of inspirational quotes, and roll my eyes a little. I feel guilty for wasting their time. To me, I
- [So you feel normal and in control? Beware of the mask of an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/02/13/so-you-feel-normal-and-in-control-beware-of-the-mask-of-an-eating-disorder/) - By Amanda Englishby My normality. Yes I had a challenging background, though who hasn’t? I would pride myself on the fact that I had not let my adversities change me into a bitter person or stop me from living my dreams. At the age of 22 I had managed to gain decent grades in education,
- [Why self-care must come first when caring for a person with an eating disorder – and how writing can help](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/02/06/why-self-care-must-come-first-when-caring-for-a-person-with-an-eating-disorder-and-how-writing-can-help/) - by Bharati Lall “You are depleted,” my therapist said “and you are no use to anyone in the condition you are in.” I did not know whether to walk out of the therapy session right then or surrender to the realization that the therapist was speaking the truth and I desperately needed to find ways
- [Inside Family Based Treatment for eating disorders: One mother’s experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/01/30/inside-family-based-treatment-for-eating-disorders-one-mothers-experience/) - By Diana Beaudet I’ve written before about my own eating disorder experience – realizing in mid-life that I had spent decades living with anorexia, confronting the realities of recovery as a working mother, and pushing away my feelings of shame by slowly sharing my story with family, friends, and a wider eating disorder community found
- [How I wrote my way out of ED’s darkness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/01/23/how-i-wrote-my-way-ouf-of-eds-darkness/) - Dear ED, …We’ve never officially met and the reason we haven’t is because you lose your power when you try to take down someone who has strength that is from a higher power. You’re a bully who picks on someone you know will struggle to fight back. You search the world for someone just right
- [The tale of two mothers and the illness that starves children and families](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/01/16/the-tale-of-two-mothers-and-the-illness-that-starves-children-and-families/) - "With mental health I’m so worried for my daughter’s future … I feel we are all drowning in rough seas in the dark with no idea where land is or which way to go for a life jacket." - Mother of young adult woman with anorexia by June Alexander Mothers Ann and Judy, from Australia
- [Why write a diary?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/01/09/why-write-a-diary/) - by June Alexander "I wish I had written a diary in my youth." "I wish Mom or Dad (or Grandpa or Grandma had kept a diary." I often hear these sentiments. Pictures can tell us a lot, but words add the flesh and bring those pictures to life. If you have not started a diary
- [A grandson’s letter: Breaking the inter-generational power of an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2018/01/03/a-grandsons-letter-breaking-the-inter-generational-power-of-an-eating-disorder/) - A one-page hand-written letter from a grandson this festive season has a special place in my diary and heart forever. Lachlan, 11, is yet to fully understand the illness that wreaked havoc on my life, that of his great grandparents, grandparents and mother, and extended families, but his insightful letter adds to the evidence on
- [My Christmas wish: Freedom from eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/12/22/my-christmas-wish-freedom-from-eating-disorders/) - Prof. Nick Martin Queensland Institute Medical Research, Prof. Cindy Bulik University North-Carolina and chief investigator and me, June, the survivor advocate. May 2013 ANGI gives hope in understanding genetic links in Anorexia Nervosa By June Alexander “Grandma, you are not growing old, you are maturing.” My eldest grandson, 11, is a kind and insightful lad.
- [Our lives have many stories…which can give hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/12/12/our-lives-have-many-storieswhich-can-give-hope/) - By Kristina Lainson, PhD candidate We know that living with anorexia can be really hard. What we know less about, is how people cope in that situation. This is the question posed by my PhD research project. I am asking how adults living with anorexia over a number of years cope. What do people do
- [Writing as therapy for eating disorders: A self-help tool for your child and yourself](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/12/10/writing-as-therapy-for-eating-disorders-a-self-help-tool-for-your-child-and-yourself/) - Reflection: “Your daughter may die.” When my daughter’s eating disorder specialist said these words, a sense of hopelessness engulfed me. I felt dizzy. I didn’t want to hear those words, no matter how much compassion was behind them. I wanted to remain in denial about how serious my daughter’s eating disorder and accompanying behaviors were,
- [From inside the farm gate: Rural women’s stories of thriving and surviving](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/12/05/from-inside-the-farm-gate-rural-womens-stories-of-thriving-and-surviving/) - Living on a farm, and developing anorexia nervosa at age 11, an illness neither correctly diagnosed nor treated until I moved to the city 20 years later, has had great impact on my life. The invisible taunts of shame and stigma followed me everywhere, and alienation from family of origin is an ongoing loss. The
- [Can journaling help you heal from your eating disorder?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/11/28/can-journaling-help-you-heal-from-your-eating-disorder/) - by June Alexander On December 11, when I receive my PhD (Philosophy) at a graduation ceremony, I will walk proudly. Above all, I want my award to signify hope for everyone who has lived with a long-term eating disorder. Hope for everyone, at every age. We can live a full life, and our diary or
- [Listening to the patient’s narrative can turn “hopeless” into “hope”](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/11/21/listening-to-the-patients-narrative-can-turn-hopeless-into-hope/) - by June Alexander Eating disorders, particularly Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa, can sound like a life sentence. Too often, it is. The Diary Healer (Alexander, 2016) illustrates it is time to listen to the patient and replace “hopeless” attitudes with “hope.” A recovery model of patient-centered care offers hope, respect, and possibilities for people with
- [My friend the diary (part 3): Using your diary as a "get to know me" power tool](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/11/14/my-friend-the-diary-part-3-using-your-diary-as-a-get-to-know-me-power-tool/) - Using a diary as an agent for recovery and change by June Alexander When I began recovery from a long-term eating disorder, my diary became an agent for change – supporting "me" rather than my illness. For example, it became a place to explore and reflect on painful experiences from long ago, that the eating
- [Hope Night at New Zealand Eating Disorders Clinic - Thursday, December 12, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/11/07/hope-night-at-new-zealand-eating-disorders-clinic-thursday-december-12-2017/) - New Zealand Eating Disorders Clinic (NZEDC) Presents: Hope Night Inspiring Hope and Advocating that Recovery is Possible NZEDC is hosting a ‘Hope Night’ for people who are struggling with eating disorders and their families. The purpose of the night is to ‘inspire hope and advocate that recovery is possible.’ It is an opportunity for
- [My friend the diary (part 2)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/11/07/my-friend-the-diary-part-2/) - Using diary writing as a self-help and therapeutic power tool by June Alexander Strengthening true self through diary-writing My diary has always been a confidante, but it was not always the friend I thought it was. Sometimes it was a confidante for my eating disorder, recording the illness thoughts instead of my “true thoughts.” At
- [My friend the diary (part 1)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/10/31/my-friend-the-diary-part-1/) - by June Alexander "…for years I have been searching, seeking my identity, my purpose, my meaning, in life. Years. I’ve concluded that I am a prisoner to myself... I have had some hard lessons. I know I can live with myself only if I accept that my mistakes, my bad experiences, can be the catalyst,
- [New research in exercise and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/10/24/new-research-in-exercise-and-eating-disorders/) - by Alanah Dobinson, Accredited Exercise Physiologist Exercise serves a different purpose for everyone. What is your purpose when you exercise? Some of us use exercise to de-stress; some of us use it to improve our health. However, some people utilize exercise for punishment, or are reliant on it to regulate their emotions. Others continue to
- [Seven tips to help you navigate family gatherings this holiday season](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/10/17/seven-tips-to-help-you-navigate-family-gatherings-this-holiday-eason/) - by Emily Murray, sharing recovery experience Eating disorder recovery can be daunting around the holiday season. Halloween is centered around mini-chocolate candies and pumpkin-spice everything. Thanksgiving is centered around food - and way too much of it for most of us. Christmas is centered around cookies, cookies, and more cookies. I enjoy all of these
- [Toxic training: How to recognize the signs of an athlete in trouble](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/10/10/toxic-training-how-to-recognize-the-signs-of-an-athlete-in-trouble/) - How to know when ‘healthy’ becomes dangerous by Kim Travis, Healthcare Advocate Rachael Steil was a cross country and track runner who found a small correlation between losing weight and running faster. She took that discovery and ran with it: "I went from eating normal, regular, healthy meals to very regimented, restricted meals that left
- [The story behind the lilac ribbon: How a father’s courage has inspired a national campaign for better eating disorder care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/10/03/the-story-behind-the-lilac-ribbon-how-a-fathers-courage-has-inspired-a-national-campaign-for-better-eating-disorder-care/) - "It can't, it cannot happen again to anyone else. My daughter's death must be a reminder to all those people and families who are living such a tragedy." - Mr. Stefano Tavilla, President of Mi Nutro Di Vita (I feed on life) An Italian story of eating disorder activism (Italian translation also below) by Sandra
- [Listening: The next step in understanding Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/09/26/listening-the-next-step-in-understanding-severe-and-enduring-anorexia-nervosa/) - A research call by Cate Broomfield, PhD candidate How does an individual experience Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa (SE-AN)? Since beginning my PhD in early 2016, this is a question that has continuously struck me while pouring through the literature. What I have found missing in the collection of research on this topic is a
- [Research into Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/09/26/research-into-severe-and-enduring-anorexia-nervosa/) - Research seeking participants who are at least 18 years of age and have experienced Anorexia Nervosa for a period of seven years or more. This project is investigating the experience of severe and enduring anorexia nervosa, and will involve participants photographing 10 images that capture their experience with the eating disorder and discussing this in
- [When personal loss opens the door to an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/09/19/when-personal-loss-opens-the-door-to-an-eating-disorder/) - A recovery story by Diana Beaudet The tipping point for the onset or relapse of an eating disorder is not always evident. Sometimes, the experience of personal loss can be the trigger. Whether it is the loss of family or friend, the loss of or disconnection from self at pivotal stages in life (adolescence, marriage, parenthood,
- [Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa – should we ever give up?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/09/12/severe-and-enduring-anorexia-nervosa-should-we-ever-give-up/) - by June Alexander ‘Should we ever give up on someone who has severe and enduring anorexia nervosa?’ Treatment teams vex over this life and death question, but I believe we must never give up. We must do better. Much better. We must provide better care for people who have SEAN, and we must improve early
- [Treating the trifecta – trauma, eating disorders and substance use disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/09/05/treating-the-trifecta-trauma-eating-disorders-and-substance-use-disorder/) - By Terry Fassihi WARNING: This post is about three things none of us really like to think about _ the trifecta of trauma, eating disorders and substance use disorder. Why refer to this as a trifecta? Because they so commonly occur together. Trauma, addiction and eating disorders are interrelated and can’t be compartmentalized as separate
- [Love knows no boundaries in recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/08/29/love-knows-no-boundaries-in-recovery/) - by June Alexander and Holly Curtis Love in all its forms is a vital element in healing. When illness and trauma enter our lives, negative emotions and behaviors can overtake and immobilize us, but love can help us find a way through. Reconnecting with people, places, pets, things and activities, and remembering anyone and anything
- [NARRATIVE WORKSHOP SERIES: Using the diary as a self-help power tool](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/08/26/narrative-workshop-series-using-the-diary-as-a-self-help-power-tool/) - October 9-10, 2017 in Perth, Australia This is a separate workshop series provided to patients, caregivers, and health practitioners. Detailed information: June Alexander Workshops (002) Also, for more information about June's workshops, including testimonials from organizer's of recent presentations, please visit our Workshops & Courses page.
- [It’s my party and I’ll be who I want to](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/08/21/its-my-party-and-ill-be-who-i-want-to/) - Since early childhood, an eating disorder had prevented Karyn from having fun on her birthday. But, with her 60th approaching, fear gave way to freedom. Read on. By Karyn Braveheart This is my party. This is my day. This is my chance to say what l want to say in person to people who have
- [Bringing the voice of eating disorder experience to the clinicians’ table](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/08/15/bringing-the-voice-of-eating-disorder-experience-to-the-clinicians-table/) - By June Alexander, Shannon Calvert, and Dr. Anthea Fursland "I took a deep breath and hit 'send.' I had promised myself that in recovery I would choose courage every day of my life, for my life." - Shannon Calvert In the past, Shannon felt ready to die from her eating disorder. Today, she serves as
- [Family conflict in eating disorders and recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/08/08/family-conflict-in-eating-disorders-and-recovery/) - By Diana Beaudet and Heather T, Ph.D., FAED For some of us, an eating disorder emerges after family conflict, while for others it can be the cause of conflict – either way resolution can be challenging yet healing. But for many, reaching a place of resolution with their family or family member may be impossible
- [Silencing the voice of an eating disorder: Listening to my true self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/08/01/silencing-the-voice-of-an-eating-disorder-listening-to-my-true-self/) - From the age of 11, the demands of "ED," the eating disorder "voice" dominated my diary pages. Until I asked for help, my true self was trapped, a prisoner of the illness.* - June Alexander I am thrilled that today therapists are recognizing the importance of listening to their patients, to help unravel the power
- [Recovery from SEAN - Video of Lecture by Dr. Rachel Bachner-Melman (with Hebrew subtitles)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/07/26/recovery-from-sean-video-of-lecture-by-dr-rachel-bachner-melman-with-hebrew-subtitles/) - In June 2017, Clinical psychologist Dr. Rachel Bachner-Melman, from the Ruppin Academic Center and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, concluded a keynote lecture to Israeli eating disorder professionals on Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa (SEAN) with this three minute video in which June Alexander describes her story in brief, and what aspects of therapy she found useful in her healing and recovery process
- [To The Bone – What are you really looking for?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/07/25/to-the-bone-what-are-you-really-looking-for/) - My guess is that whatever you are looking for in the Netflix movie about eating disorders, To The Bone, you will find. If you are looking for eating disorder triggers in this story about a young woman who has anorexia nervosa, you will find them; if you are looking for hope, you will find this,
- [Do you feel ready to share your eating disorder story with others?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/07/18/do-you-feel-ready-to-share-your-eating-disorder-story-with-others/) - Sometimes, sharing a secret with others we have never met, online, can seem easier to do than in a room with someone we have known all of our life. Stories can be shared in many ways: face-to-face, by letter or email, in mainstream media or on the Internet. Some online options allow anonymity while sharing
- [Climbing the mountain to freedom of self: I had to believe I deserved better](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/07/11/climbing-the-mountain-to-freedom-of-self-i-had-to-believe-i-deserved-better/) - Developing a healthy, happy and intimate relationship with myself, let alone someone else, was a challenge when healing from my eating disorder. For many years my pattern was to avoid self-love and to push away people who wanted to love and care for me. Such attention was foreign and made me feel uneasy and suffocated.
- [No matter how I look, inside I am still Annie, a beautiful orange butterfly!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/07/03/no-matter-how-i-look-inside-i-am-still-annie-a-beautiful-orange-butterfly/) - Eulogy June Alexander for Anne Edwards I love being part of an eating disorder family, comprising people around the world who have experience of eating disorders and who understand and support each other. Anne Edwards is a member of this family. After a long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis, Anne died this past week. In October
- [Breaking the engagement with ED, the secretive, obsessive lover](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/27/breaking-the-engagement-with-ed-the-secretive-obsessive-lover/) - by June Alexander and Emily Murray What happens when you become engaged and marry while experiencing an eating disorder? To illustrate what can happen, here are two love stories. The first story is mine, which began when I was 16 and fell in love with George, and the second belongs to Emily Murray, who fell
- [Workshop Presentations in Bournemouth, UK - June 28, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/27/workshop-presentations-in-bournemouth-uk-june-28-2017/) - "The chatter today has been about how good your workshop was and how we can make use of the diary and the skills… so you have left us all with good memories and lots of tools to support our work people who use the service. And, some weeks later I discovered that one of our patient
- [Victory over Ed: All eating disorder patients deserve treatment, support and hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/20/victory-over-ed-all-eating-disorder-patients-deserve-treatment-support-and-hope/) - by June Alexander and Lisa Burns Right now I am on vacation, on a riverboat cruising along the Danube and beautiful waterways, from Budapest to Amsterdam. Until recently, due to an eating disorder, a holiday like this was an impossible dream. Today I am the same person. Authentic, true me. The difference is that I
- [Tried And True, Old Yet New](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/13/tried-and-true-old-yet-new/) - By Carolyn Costin MA Med, MFT, FAED, CEDS I have been in the eating disorder field since before it was really a field. I have seen the origin of IAEDP, ANAD, AED, and the EDC, as well as the many other organizations that are devoted to eating disorders. During my 38 years of treating eating
- [When a parent accepts that their child has an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/06/when-a-parent-accepts-that-their-child-has-an-eating-disorder/) - By Bharati Lall One of the most challenging times in my life was when I had to accept the fact that my daughter had an eating disorder. Despite my instinct telling me something was wrong for weeks before the diagnosis and confirmation by the medical team that she was indeed struggling with an eating disorder,
- [Workshop presentation at AED ICED in Prague, Czech Republic June 8-10, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/05/hashtag-diversity-dialogue-eating-disorders-field-social-media-engagement/) - Hashtag Diversity: Dialogue in the Eating Disorders Field Through Social Media Engagement Workshop Session 2: Co-presentation with Andrea LaMarre (Canada), Ashley Solomon (USA) and Judy K (Israel). June 9, 2017: 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. For more information: #Hashtage Diversity_Prague 2017
- [In honor of World Eating Disorders Day June 2, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/02/in-honor-of-world-eating-disorders-day-june-2-2017/) - We proudly celebrate and advocate World Eating Disorders Day today! To commemorate this important mission, we have posted a seven week series of Dear Diary posts focused on this year's World Eating Disorders Day relationships theme. In addition, June participated in an special interview June Alexander: My Diary and Me, with Routledge Mental Health in
- [June Alexander: My Diary and Me](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/06/02/june-alexander-my-diary-and-me/) - In honor of World Eating Disorders Action Day, Routledge Mental Health asked June Alexander how her diary has helped with her recovery from an eating disorder. Read her inspiring article, My Diary and Me: A Writing Partnership that Fought ED and Won. June also participated in a full interview, Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating
- [Eating disorder recovery: Finding happiness in relationships](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/30/eating-disorder-recovery-finding-happiness/) - By Dannielle “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder” – Henry David Thoreau I feel this quote encapsulates my eating disorder as I was forever striving for that
- [Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa – What are our goals and should we ever give up?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/26/anzead-2017-conference-workshop-presentation/) - ANZAED 2017 Conference Workshop Presentation by Anthea Fursland, Stephen Touyz, and June Alexander This workshop will attempt to address some extremely difficult, challenging and important questions, such as: What are the criteria for Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa (SEAN)? Should we tailor treatments for SEAN? Should we give up on full recovery and aim for
- [The Diary is Gaining Recognition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/26/the-diary-is-gaining-recognition/) - June Alexander’s submission, Using Diary Writing as a Power Tool to Reveal Fresh Perspectives and Achieve Shared Goals, has been accepted for a 15 minute oral presentation at the 2017 Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED) Creating Connections Harboring Knowledge Conference taking place in Sydney on 1-2 September. More information can be found at the
- [Leaning into yourself: Abandoning fear and embracing your soul's calling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/23/leaning-into-yourself-abandoning-fear-and-embracing-your-souls-calling/) - By Angie Viets We went around the room, one by one answering the question proposed by our graduate school professor in the Counseling Psychology program I’d recently been accepted into: “Once you complete your master’s and doctoral degrees, what do you intend to do?” Perpetually anxious, I hyperventilated as each member of my cohort detailed
- [Why this Mom is championing World Eating Disorder Healthcare Rights](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/16/why-this-mom-is-championing-world-eating-disorder-healthcare-rights/) - By Judy Krasna The first time I took my daughter to a dietitian in 2008 after she was diagnosed with an eating disorder at age 15, we walked into the office together. The dietitian looked up from behind her desk and said, “mothers wait outside.” My daughter begged for me to remain in the room, but
- [Sharing my eating disorder story with my children](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/09/sharing-my-eating-disorder-story-with-my-children/) - After realizing that many years of what felt like ‘normal’ behavior was really a life deeply rooted in an eating disorder, the realities of the disorder and recovery started to quickly take shape. Initially, I was extremely secretive of my eating disorder and recovery. Shame, guilt, and fear of judgment and misconception were all consuming,
- [When trust is shattered in childhood: A message about the healing power of friendship](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/05/02/when-trust-is-shattered-in-childhood-a-message-about-the-healing-power-of-friendship/) - The following story by Karyn Rose Braveheart is the third in a series of Dear Diary posts focusing on relationships and partnerships to commemorate World Eating Disorder Day, June 2, 2017 #WeDoActTogether. Relationships can either tear you apart or turn you into something awesome. They are all based around trust. Healthy relationship trust is a “must,” but
- [Entering mainstream: Building a relationship with self and others after 'Ed'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/25/entering-mainstream-building-a-relationship-with-self-and-others-after-ed/) - Relationships can raise fresh challenges for people re-entering mainstream after a long-term eating disorder. Social and interpersonal skills may be lacking, and stigma and shame may be experienced in both community and workplace. Today, Jenni G, who participated in an ED recovery program in 2016, reflects on adapting to mainstream upon recovering from bulimia nervosa.
- [World Eating Disorder Day June 2, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/20/world-eating-disorder-day-june-2-2017/) - This year’s theme #WeDoActTogether is about the important partnerships that move the field forward; affected people, carers, clinicians, and researchers are all vital to this process. This year we want to recognize and drive those important engagements and we need your help to do it. Please follow us on our social media platforms: Website: World Eating Disorders
- [Connecting the Dots: Making Sense of Eating Disorders May 19-20, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/20/connecting-the-dots-making-sense-of-eating-disorders-may-19-20-2017/) - An event for carers, people with lived experience, and professionals Institute of Management, Wembley, Perth WA In Conference Presentations and Workshops on: The role of Neuroscience in Eatng Disorders New Therapies for Eatng Disorders including MANTRA and Multple Family Therapy Groups Collaboratve Care Giving and Carer Skills Self Help and Online Resources Helping Siblings and
- [When an eating disorder makes three in a relationship: the impact](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/18/when-an-eating-disorder-makes-three-in-a-relationship-the-impact/) - "ED had swept me into a meaningless void. I lost touch with ‘me’ completely, and also with my husband George…. In my mid-30s, ED convinced me that my husband was the cause of my inability to feel at peace. Once this thought took hold, our marriage was destroyed in a matter of weeks. I
- [Wellness & Wellbeing Workshop April 9, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/12/wellness-wellbeing-workshop-april-9-2017/) - June Alexander was the lead presenter at the University of Rochester Medical Center/Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders Wellness & Wellbeing Workshop for caregivers, focused on diary writing as a tool for eating disorder therapy and recovery. More information about workshop presentations for caregivers and patients can be found here. "I am
- [The powerful role of advocacy and community in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/11/the-powerful-role-of-advocacy-and-community-in-eating-disorder-recover/) - At age 41, I discovered that I had an eating disorder. I was a wife and mother, active in our community, with a demanding career and yet, somehow, I had no idea that most of my life had been consumed in a struggle with anorexia nervosa. Why didn’t I notice the symptoms sooner? Eating
- [The power of advocacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/04/04/the-power-of-advocacy/) - How Kitty channeled grief into creating the Anna Westin Act Guest diarist: Kitty Westin Did it really happen? Was I in the United States Senate Chamber when they overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century Cures Act with the Anna Westin Act included? Was I in the room when President Obama signed the bill into law on
- [Finding strength in sharing feelings in verse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/30/finding-strength-in-sharing-feelings-in-verse/) - Do you find poetry a helpful way to express your feelings? Are you one of the many people who find writing verse to be a comforting coping and healing tool? Our first competition on www.lifestoriesdiary.com invites original poems or prose, exploring this theme. Hurry and submit your entry – four lines or forty, length does
- [Providing care 'around the table'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/28/providing-care-around-the-table/) - Today I am thanking my dear friend, June Alexander, for her passionate advocacy and generous invitation to share my current work in her diary. Late last year I started something new, something energizing, and something I hope will be helpful to our common cause of better outcomes for eating disorder sufferers: my new company, Circum
- [Look for Me in poetry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/21/look-for-me-in-poetry/) - I live in this state of grief, fear and anxiety from the moment I awake to falling mercifully asleep. But what do you do when terror paralyses your ability to write of these emotions, be it poetry or diary? When all your energy is focused on suppressing and containing the silent, anguished scream strangling your
- [Poetry Competition: Win a Book!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/21/competition-win-a-book/) - Poetry helps many people express how they feel. It may involve jotting down a poem now and then when feeling inspired, keeping a daily journal specifically for expressing ongoing thoughts and feelings in the form of poetry, or interspersing poetry into your regular diary. The benefits start with every word that you put on the
- [What do you do when feeling deeply anxious? Jennifer writes verse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/14/what-do-you-do-when-feeling-deeply-anxious-jennifer-writes-verse/) - Security remains elusive, it's entirely out of reach. My state of being now classified, as a definite safety breach. ‘Security’, Jennifer Marsh 2017 When I met Jennifer Marsh in 2009, we bonded instantly over our long histories with anorexia nervosa and anxiety disorders. Since then, Jennifer’s hard work in healing and reconnecting with her true
- [How diary writing helped me to survive and heal from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/07/how-diary-writing-helped-me-to-survive-and-heal-from-an-eating-disorder/) - "When I was 11 years old, I developed anorexia nervosa. The same year, I received a diary as a Christmas gift." A gift of a diary, in the same year I developed anorexia nervosa at age 11, became an instant friend. The first entry, on January 1, 1963, is crammed with minute details
- [Listen to June Alexander speak about writing on the Creating Space Project podcast](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/03/07/listen-to-june-alexander-speak-about-writing-on-the-creating-space-project-podcast/) - To hear how diary writing has helped June to heal from an eating disorder, listen here as she speaks to Ruth Nelson on the Creating Space Project podcast series. In this podcast series, Ruth interviews women and asks them for a personal story. By exploring this way of using her skills as a psychologist to help reduce prejudice in the community,
- [It's time to talk about -- why I love my diary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/02/28/its-time-to-talk-about-why-i-love-my-diary-a-post-by-yasemin-merwede/) - Dear Diary welcomes entries from diarists everywhere. This week, guest diarist Yasemin Merwende shares her love of journal writing in relation to National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. “Journal writing is a voyage to the interior.” ― Christina Baldwin My first diary was small; it was black with gold trimmed paper and a musical note on the
- [Sock It to Eating Disorders - March 3, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/02/22/sock-it-to-eating-disorders/) - On Friday 3 March, join thousands of supporters across the UK and don your silly socks, take a #SockItSelfie, and raise vital funds for Beat. Wear your silliest socks to school, work and university and donate to Beat. Every donation, big or small, and every silly sock worn, will help more people to access Beat’s helplines and online
- [NEDA Awareness Week, February 26-March 4, 2017](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/02/17/neda-awareness-week-february-26-march-4-2017/) - Spearheaded by the National Eating Disorders Association, the goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness (#NEDAwareness) Week is to shine the spotlight on eating disorders and put life-saving resources into the hands of those in need. This year’s theme is It’s Time to Talk About It and we’re encouraging everyone to get screened. It’s time we
- [Never under-estimate the story-telling power of a French fry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/02/16/never-under-estimate-the-story-telling-power-of-a-french-fry/) - Sharing our stories can assist self-validation in surprising and enriching ways. The unlikely hero in this story is a French fry. Diarist friend Karyn was out shopping, browsing in various stores, when a little bird on a small, white wooden plaque caught her eye. It came with a message: Today I will be happier than
- [Discovering liberation and healing through story-sharing and advocacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/02/10/discovering-liberation-and-healing-through-story-sharing-and-advocacy/) - My heart is singing as I write this diary entry to share with you. Today, I will describe my transition from being someone who ‘felt different’ from others and for decades lived much of my life in secrecy and shame, to becoming an advocate in raising awareness of eating disorders. Ten years ago, I publicly
- [Dear Diary, I’m moving to www.lifestoriesdiary.com](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/01/31/dear-diary-im-moving-to-www-thediaryhealer-com/) - Recovering and healing from an eating disorder is an ongoing journey. Like life itself, the process can be as fulfilling and rewarding as we choose to make it. Accordingly, I am delighted to announce the time has come for lifestoriesmentor.com.au, my website ‘home’ for the past six years, to transition to a new site, www.lifestoriesdiary.com.
- [Creating a New Home in lifestoriesdiary.com](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/01/28/creating-new-home-thediaryhealer-com/) - By June Alexander. Recovering and healing from an eating disorder is an ongoing journey. Like life itself, the process can be as fulfilling and rewarding as we choose to make it. Accordingly, I am delighted to announce the time has come for www.junealexander.com, my website ‘home’ for the past six years, to transition to a
- [Getting You Back](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2017/01/23/getting-you-back/) - When our true self is suppressed – for whatever reason – diary-writing skills can assist in reintegrating our mind and body as one. Such a process supports the transitioning of self-harming thoughts and behaviors to self-loving thoughts and behaviors, and hence peace and contentment. Write Your Way with a Mentor A diary can help you
- [Therapeutic Writing for Eating Disorders: A Workshop for Professional Care Givers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/21/therapeutic-writing-eating-disorders-june-alexander/) - Based on (and extend upon) June's most recent book, Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders – The Diary Healer, released this July, this event is a workshop for professionals who currently work with, or wish to learn more about working with, individuals with eating disorders. During the workshop, June will present examples of the
- [A Word About Eating Disorders Advocacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/21/introducing-f-e-s-t-advisory-panel-june-alexander/) - F.E.A.S.T., as you may know, is an international, non profit, volunteer run organization governed by a Board of Directors. In addition, however, to the informed guidance of our Board of Directors, F.E.A.S.T. benefits greatly from the consultative expertise of a group of international professionals and allies who sit on our Advisory Panel. We will, over the
- [A Conversation with June, Podcast by Gurze-Salucore Eating Disorders Resource Catalogue](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/21/11-june-alexander-conversation-june/) - This week we’re joined by June Alexander, in what we are calling a conversation with June. If you don’t know June, be prepared to hear a story of recovery from someone who battled an eating disorder for decades in Australia, as well as the role writing has played in June’s recovery. Learn more about June
- [Writing a memoir through drawing on personal diaries and other keepsakes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/21/writing-a-memoir-through-drawing-on-personal-diaries-and-other-keepsakes/) - Fashioning a memoir out of a diary requires threads and themes to be picked up and woven into a story that the writer and publisher believes will appeal to and connect with readers. Many re-writes may occur in selecting raw material, structure and content. Much of the daily repetition and drudgery is deleted during this
- [Exploring the narrative: poetry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/21/exploring-the-narrative-poetry/) - Expressing these things in poetry has brought out the self I really am, apart from ED. My poetry has grown and changed as I have. It has helped me to realize I am not useless and that realization has assisted my healing. Through the process of writing I stopped hating myself. Now my poetry has
- [Our blood counts - 3000 Aussies give blood to help find cure for anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/13/our-blood-counts-3000-aussies-give-blood-to-help-find-cure-for-anorexia-nervosa/) - Blood donations from 3000 Australians and New Zealanders are assisting the journey to find the causes of anorexia nervosa. Well done, Australia and New Zealand! As an ardent supporter of this amazing research led by Professor Cynthia Bulik and her team and was excited today to receive the following letter from leading Australian researcher in the project, Professor Nick Martin:
- [A conversation on why listening to the patient's story counts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/12/06/a-conversation-on-why-listening-to-the-patients-story-counts/) - The patient's story counts. Growing recognition of this truth, that the narrative has an important role to play in illness recovery, is heartening. This is particularly so in the field of eating disorders where many mysteries remain. Listening to the patient can provide the researcher, the clinician, the therapist, the family caregivers, and the patients
- [Workshop on the diary as a therapeutic tool for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/18/workshop-on-the-diary-as-a-therapeutic-tool-for-eating-disorders/) - A memorable 'double premiere' occurred in Brisbane, Australia, yesterday...the young, highly motivated team at the Centre for Integrative Health held their first workshop and I was honoured to be the presenter, with The Diary Healer as the focus. Thank you, Dr Kiera Buchanan, Kate Pollard, Marita Cooper and Alanah Robinson from CFIH and also I
- [Journaling your way to self-renewal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/16/journaling-your-way-to-self-renewal/) - http://www.jennischaefer.com/blog/eating-and-body-image/pages-beckoned-write/ Jenni Schaefer lights up my world with her love of writing, and passion for helping others to embrace a full life. Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders _ The Diary Healer contains many pearls of wisdom from Jenni and other diarists who have used their pen to help gain freedom from an eating
- [Opinion Articles – Sharing Stories of Hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/07/opinion-articles-sharing-stories-of-hope/) - Stop Press: Here’s how to get your copy of My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa as an E-Book: Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Kobo Ebooks.com A Tale of a Kangaroo, a Rhinoceros and a Daughter with Anorexia Animal metaphors help define effective responses Eating disorder symptoms and their consequences may lead family members
- [Media](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/07/media/) - Work Together to get more Mental Health care for kids See my letter ‘Work Together’ Melbourne’s Sunday Age today – we need united voice to increase mental health budget: Work together I PRESCRIBE a strong dose of collaboration for the psychiatrists, psychologists and patients who accuse Patrick McGorry of self-interest and criticise the federal government’s mental
- [News Items](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/07/news-items/) - STOP PRESS: A Girl Called Tim has left the valley of her childhood. She is airborne, travelling the world in an ebook: Amazon ebooks.com My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa is also selling as an ebook: Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks Kobo Ebooks.com SWAN puts ED on trial Free outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa: the
- [Reviews for A Girl Named Tim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/06/reviews-for-a-girl-named-tim/) - A Girl Called Tim is a treasure from the heart to the hearts and minds of others as it invites a compassionate understanding of these painful illnesses. June Alexander’s ability and willingness to create such a memoir is a gift. Lynn GrefePresident and C.E.O. National Eating Disorders Association http://www.NationalEatingDisorders.org March 2012, from “A”, South Australia:
- [About A Girl Called Tim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/06/about-a-girl-called-tim/) - I waited until I was almost 60 (a grandmother!) before I wrote my memoir, A Girl Called Tim. I had wanted to write my story for more than 30 years and suddenly the time was right. The answer as to why I waited so long is found in my childhood. I developed anorexia nervosa shortly
- [Life writing and social history](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/06/life-writing-and-social-history/) - 2001: In 1931, The Weekly Times newspaper launched a new section dedicated to women’s issues. This became an immediate hit, and the column’s editor, Miranda, became an instant friend to thousands of women struggling to cope with the Depression. This book follows 70 years of the column that became a social institution. I was the seventh
- [The right time to write](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/11/06/the-right-time-to-write/) - The right time to write is now. Holding on to the thought ‘I will write a book about this’, can help sustain hope in the down moments of fighting a challenging illness or trauma. Some people want to start writing immediately. Thinking about this, and preparing for it by keeping a journal, can work wonders
- [Did my recovery experience have to be so tortuous? Could the diary help?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/09/17/recovery-experience-tortuous-diary-help/) - Did my recovery experience have to be so tortuous? Could the diary have provided a more pro-active role in healing? I wanted to find out. Above all, the catalyst for my book The Diary Healer was a desire to explore and reveal the potential of diary writing as a therapeutic tool in self-renewal and healing. The story behind
- [Did my recovery experience have to be so tortuous? Could the diary help?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/09/17/did-my-recovery-experience-have-to-be-so-tortuous-could-the-diary-help/) - Did my recovery experience have to be so tortuous? Could the diary have provided a more pro-active role in healing? I wanted to find out. Above all, the catalyst for my book The Diary Healer was a desire to explore and reveal the potential of diary writing as a therapeutic tool in self-renewal and healing. The story behind
- [An Enduring Relationship: the Patient and the Therapist Who Does Not Give Up](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/08/26/an-enduring-relationship-the-patient-and-the-therapist-who-does-not-give-up/) - I was thirty-two, suicidal, and trapped in a self-destruction spiral when I met the psychiatrist who would save my life. I had developed anorexia nervosa at age eleven and the illness was embedded in my brain. ‘Prof’, as I called him, won my trust, saved my life. My therapy had no name. What mattered was
- [An Enduring Relationship: the Patient and the Therapist Who Does Not Give Up](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/08/26/enduring-relationship-patient-therapist-not-give/) - I was thirty-two, suicidal, and trapped in a self-destruction spiral when I met the psychiatrist who would save my life. I had developed anorexia nervosa at age eleven and the illness was embedded in my brain. ‘Prof’, as I called him, won my trust, saved my life. My therapy had no name. What mattered was
- [Diaries, grief and healing – through the eyes of a new book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/07/30/diaries-grief-healing-eyes-new-book/) - A vital element in healing from a mental health challenge is to know we are not alone. This is particularly so when experiencing an eating disorder, an illness which by its very nature encourages secrecy and promotes isolation. In seeking to heal from an eating disorder, it helps to know that others have felt like we
- [Diaries, grief and healing - through the eyes of a new book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/07/30/diaries-grief-and-healing-through-the-eyes-of-a-new-book/) - A vital element in healing from a mental health challenge is to know we are not alone. This is particularly so when experiencing an eating disorder, an illness which by its very nature encourages secrecy and promotes isolation. In seeking to heal from an eating disorder, it helps to know that others have felt like we
- [Announcing: the birth of The Diary Healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/07/26/announcing-the-birth-of-the-diary-healer/) - I am delighted and excited to announce the birth of my book affectionately known as The Diary Healer… I am deeply grateful for the many generous contributions, together with ongoing assistance, guidance and encouragement in the creation of this book, a three-year journey which has led to many friendships being formed, and in the process, the
- [Announcing: the birth of The Diary Healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/07/26/announcing-birth-diary-healer/) - I am delighted and excited to announce the birth of my book affectionately known as The Diary Healer… I am deeply grateful for the many generous contributions, together with ongoing assistance, guidance and encouragement in the creation of this book, a three-year journey which has led to many friendships being formed, and in the process, the
- [Wanted: 100 research participants to compare anorexia nervosa types](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/20/wanted-100-research-participants-to-compare-anorexia-nervosa-types/) - Young UK researcher, Katie Linden, needs your help, fast! She wants to gather 100 participants before the end of July to assist her investigation on whether people who have experienced anorexia without body dysmorphia show the same local processing bias as people with more 'typical' anorexia. Here is the link. To help interest you in taking part, Katie answers
- [Wanted: 100 research participants to compare anorexia nervosa types](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/20/wanted-100-research-participants-compare-anorexia-nervosa-types/) - Young UK researcher, Katie Linden, needs your help, fast! She wants to gather 100 participants before the end of July to assist her investigation on whether people who have experienced anorexia without body dysmorphia show the same local processing bias as people with more ‘typical’ anorexia. Here is the link. To help interest you in taking part, Katie answers
- [Give blood to help crack genetic code of anorexia - researchers' call to United States and Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/09/give-blood-to-help-crack-genetic-code-of-anorexia-researchers-call-to-united-states-and-australia/) - 'Grandma, when you were in hospital last year, were you really sick?' My eldest grandson, aged nine, and I are walking home from the local shops, enjoying a little 'us' time, when he pops this question, out of the blue. I pause in my step. Almost drop my bundle. This little scenario is one big reason
- [Give blood to help crack genetic code of anorexia – researchers’ call to United States and Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/09/give-blood-help-crack-genetic-code-anorexia-researchers-call-united-states-australia/) - ‘Grandma, when you were in hospital last year, were you really sick?’ My eldest grandson, aged nine, and I are walking home from the local shops, enjoying a little ‘us’ time, when he pops this question, out of the blue. I pause in my step. Almost drop my bundle. This little scenario is one big reason
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite _ German translation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/08/getting-better-bite-bite-_-german-translation/) - Getting Better Bite by Bite around the world – I’m totally excited today to hold a copy of the new German translation of Getting Better Bite by Bite. This survival kit/self-help book is written for people experiencing symptoms of binge eating and bulimia eating disorders. It has been an honour to write the new version
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite _ German translation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/08/getting-better-bite-by-bite-_-german-translation/) - Getting Better Bite by Bite around the world - I'm totally excited today to hold a copy of the new German translation of Getting Better Bite by Bite. This survival kit/self-help book is written for people experiencing symptoms of binge eating and bulimia eating disorders. It has been an honour to write the new version
- [Poetry and song help healing and keep advocacy wheels turning](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/03/poetry-song-help-healing-keep-advocacy-wheels-turning/) - Often we might wonder if what we do, really matters. Working on World Eating Disorders Action Day has mattered, and will continue to matter…because we, and others who come on board for however long on this journey, will make it matter. Being a member of the steering committee for this amazing, first-ever, World Eating Disorders Day
- [Poetry and song help healing and keep advocacy wheels turning](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/03/poetry-and-song-help-healing-and-keep-advocacy-wheels-turning/) - Often we might wonder if what we do, really matters. Working on World Eating Disorders Action Day has mattered, and will continue to matter...because we, and others who come on board for however long on this journey, will make it matter. Being a member of the steering committee for this amazing, first-ever, World Eating Disorders Day
- [Join Keanu Reeves in supporting World Eating Disorders Action Day_June 2](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/01/join-keanu-reeves-supporting-world-eating-disorders-action-day_june-2/) - Keanu Reeves and other stars in To the Bone support World Eating Disorders Action Day. See their powerful message. Reeves, and other actors in the upcoming feature film based on one survivor’s true story are joining more than 200 organizations around the globe to unite for the cause on June 2, 2016. This inaugural grassroots campaign is shining a
- [Join Keanu Reeves in supporting World Eating Disorders Action Day_June 2](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/06/01/join-keanu-reeves-in-supporting-world-eating-disorders-action-day_june-2/) - Keanu Reeves and other stars in To the Bone support World Eating Disorders Action Day. See their powerful message. Reeves, and other actors in the upcoming feature film based on one survivor’s true story are joining more than 200 organizations around the globe to unite for the cause on June 2, 2016. This inaugural grassroots campaign is shining a
- [Achieving global change starts at home - so sign the pledge on Ed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/29/achieving-global-change-starts-at-home-so-sign-the-pledge-on-ed/) - From around the world to home town, eating disorder activists and advocates are chirping and tweeting like a massive flock of beautiful birds. We are flexing our wings, beginning to venture forth from our nests. We are preparing to fly around our homes and around the world with the message that eating disorders are treatable illnesses
- [Achieving global change starts at home – so sign the pledge on Ed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/29/achieving-global-change-starts-home-sign-pledge-ed/) - From around the world to home town, eating disorder activists and advocates are chirping and tweeting like a massive flock of beautiful birds. We are flexing our wings, beginning to venture forth from our nests. We are preparing to fly around our homes and around the world with the message that eating disorders are treatable illnesses
- [In sharing stories we can help others and our self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/27/sharing-stories-can-help-others-self/) - Learning I was not the only one in the world with my difficult, painful, bossy thoughts, was a revelation in realising I had a mental illness and could heal from it. This revelation came about through reading the stories of others. Sharing our stories provides a vital function in letting others know they are not
- [In sharing stories we can help others and our self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/27/in-sharing-stories-we-can-help-others-and-our-self/) - Learning I was not the only one in the world with my difficult, painful, bossy thoughts, was a revelation in realising I had a mental illness and could heal from it. This revelation came about through reading the stories of others. Sharing our stories provides a vital function in letting others know they are not
- [Help researchers understand ED recovery process – share your story in survey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/23/help-researchers-understand-ed-recovery-process-share-story-survey/) - Through collaboration, solutions will be found to the eating disorder mystery. We can all help. Including you. Your experience counts! In many, many important ways. For instance, Kelly Romano, a student in Florida State University’s Mental Health Counseling M.S./Ed.S program, is completing a masters-level thesis on the eating disorder recovery process and seeks your help. By participating in
- [Help researchers understand ED recovery process - share your story in survey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/23/help-researchers-understand-ed-recovery-process-share-your-story-in-survey/) - Through collaboration, solutions will be found to the eating disorder mystery. We can all help. Including you. Your experience counts! In many, many important ways. For instance, Kelly Romano, a student in Florida State University's Mental Health Counseling M.S./Ed.S program, is completing a masters-level thesis on the eating disorder recovery process and seeks your help. By participating in
- [Olivia Rose, why I am glad I did not give up](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/17/olivia-rose-glad-not-give/) - Today, I sat in class with Olivia Rose at grandparents’ day at her school. My story could have been so, so different. Olivia Rose, I am glad I did not give up, that I reached out and found help to beat my illness, because I am here to enjoy you and our beautiful family… Letter to
- [Olivia Rose, why I am glad I did not give up](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/17/olivia-rose-why-i-am-glad-i-did-not-give-up/) - Today, I sat in class with Olivia Rose at grandparents' day at her school. My story could have been so, so different. Olivia Rose, I am glad I did not give up, that I reached out and found help to beat my illness, because I am here to enjoy you and our beautiful family... Letter to
- [Join the cicadas chorusing loudly to advocate about eating disorders around the world](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/11/join-cicadas-chorusing-loudly-advocate-eating-disorders-around-world/) - I liken my life to that of a cicada, an insect that lives underground in the dark for many years, before emerging into the light for a brief and noisy appearance. Upon receiving the Meehan/Hartley Award for Public Service and Advocacy, at the Academy of Eating Disorders ICED, I was allowed two minutes in
- [Join the cicadas chorusing loudly to advocate about eating disorders around the world](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/11/join-the-cicadas-chorusing-loudly-to-spread-advocacy-about-eating-disorders-around-the-world/) - I liken my life to that of a cicada, an insect that lives underground in the dark for many years, before emerging into the light for a brief and noisy appearance. Upon receiving the Meehan/Hartley Award for Public Service and Advocacy, at the Academy of Eating Disorders ICED, I was allowed two minutes in the
- [My Life is My Message (Mohandas Gandhi) sets scene for ED conference and beyond](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/03/life-message-mohandas-gandhi-sets-scene-ed-conference-beyond/) - “My Life is My Message” — Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948). Five words say it all. To come across Mr Gandhi’s statue on my first walkabout upon arriving in San Francisco today, for the 2016 AED ICED, was ever so meaningful (together with the gorgeous sunshine, fresh sea breeze, that dealt with jet lag fast). Together with
- [My Life is My Message (Mohandas Gandhi) sets scene for ED conference and beyond](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/05/03/my-life-is-my-message-mohandas-gandhi-sets-scene-for-ed-conference/) - "My Life is My Message" -- Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948). Five words say it all. To come across Mr Gandhi's statue on my first walkabout upon arriving in San Francisco today, for the 2016 AED ICED, was ever so meaningful (together with the gorgeous sunshine, fresh sea breeze, that dealt with jet lag fast). Together with
- [Caring starts young; let’s act like Amelia and care for our young](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/28/caring-starts-young-lets-act-like-amelia-care-young/) - Carers come in all shapes and sizes, my youngest being four-year-old grand-daughter Amelia. Amelia provides light relief and perfect balance to my writing passion for raising awareness of eating disorders. This week on a grandma visit, Amelia got busy looking through my kitchen drawers to find a plastic shopping bag. She then asked for a pair
- [Caring starts young; let's act like Amelia and care for our young](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/28/caring-starts-young-lets-act-like-amelia-and-care-for-our-young/) - Carers come in all shapes and sizes, my youngest being four-year-old grand-daughter Amelia. Amelia provides light relief and perfect balance to my writing passion for raising awareness of eating disorders. This week on a grandma visit, Amelia got busy looking through my kitchen drawers to find a plastic shopping bag. She then asked for a pair
- [When Grandma Found her Voice: It’s Never Too Late to Recover from an Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/18/grandma-found-voice-never-late-recover-eating-disorder/) - To go from suffering silently, feeling alienated and misunderstood as a child, to be helping to organise the first World Eating Disorders Action Day on June 2, is a pinnacle moment in my life. This is my story. To be working with others, around the world, who share a passion to do what it takes for eating
- [When Grandma Found her Voice: It's Never Too Late to Recover from an Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/18/when-grandma-found-her-voice-its-never-too-late-to-recover-from-an-eating-disorder/) - To go from suffering silently, feeling alienated and misunderstood as a child, to be helping to organise the first World Eating Disorders Action Day on June 2, is a pinnacle moment in my life. This is my story. To be working with others, around the world, who share a passion to do what it takes for eating
- [Carers of eating disorder patients face dual challenge _ they need care too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/14/carers-eating-disorder-patients-face-dual-challenge-_-need-care/) - Caring for somebody who has a mental illness is challenging, exhausting, worrying and life changing in equal measures; but when you care for a loved one suffering an eating disorder you must rise to the dual challenges of meeting the physical and emotional needs of a sick loved one. Louise Sezgin of Plymouth Eating Disorders Support Group,
- [Carers of eating disorder patients face dual challenge _ they need care too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/14/14/) - Caring for somebody who has a mental illness is challenging, exhausting, worrying and life changing in equal measures; but when you care for a loved one suffering an eating disorder you must rise to the dual challenges of meeting the physical and emotional needs of a sick loved one. Louise Sezgin of Plymouth Eating Disorders Support Group,
- [Korean people get eating disorders too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/11/korean-people-get-eating-disorders/) - The buildup to World Eating Disorder Action Day on June 2 is gathering pace like a beautiful breeze heralding goodwill to all. From a ground force swell, support for this historic event is reaching into all corners of the globe. Including Korea. For eating disorders do not discriminate. They affect people all ages and all races.
- [Korean people get eating disorders too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/11/korean-people-get-eating-disorders-too/) - The buildup to World Eating Disorder Action Day on June 2 is gathering pace like a beautiful breeze heralding goodwill to all. From a ground force swell, support for this historic event is reaching into all corners of the globe. Including Korea. For eating disorders do not discriminate. They affect people all ages and all races.
- [Call for co-scientists in multi family therapy group research for adults](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/03/call-co-scientists-multi-family-therapy-group-research-adults/) - Starting treatment for Anorexia Nervosa in my 30s, after developing the illness as a child, made for a tough recovery path. Illness effects linger, especially with interpersonal relationships. I understand why Professor Mary Tantillo calls eating disorders the ‘diseases of disconnection’. Some relationships can be saved and even enriched but others, especially when the eating disorder has had
- [Call for co-scientists in multi family therapy group research for adults](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/03/call-for-co-scientists-in-multi-family-therapy-group-research-for-adults/) - Starting treatment for Anorexia Nervosa in my 30s, after developing the illness as a child, made for a tough recovery path. Illness effects linger, especially with interpersonal relationships. I understand why Professor Mary Tantillo calls eating disorders the 'diseases of disconnection'. Some relationships can be saved and even enriched but others, especially when the eating disorder has had
- [Professional woman in her forties, starving – what can her best friend do? Act](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/02/professional-woman-forties-starving-can-best-friend-act/) - Watching a dear friend descend into the hell of an eating disorder can cause feelings of utter helplessness – what to do, how to help? When her friend developed anorexia nervosa more than 12 months ago, Judy Baulch was feeling ‘absolutely powerless’. “Helplessness was accompanied by frustration and disbelief as the cracks my friend had fallen through in the
- [Professional woman in her forties, starving - what can her best friend do? Act](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/04/02/professional-woman-in-her-forties-starving-what-can-her-best-friend-do-act/) - Watching a dear friend descend into the hell of an eating disorder can cause feelings of utter helplessness - what to do, how to help? When her friend developed anorexia nervosa more than 12 months ago, Judy Baulch was feeling 'absolutely powerless'. "Helplessness was accompanied by frustration and disbelief as the cracks my friend had fallen through in the
- [Finding room for food and feelings](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/20/finding-room-food-feelings/) - Food and feelings: making room for both of these life essentials can be a challenge when you have an eating disorder, and when you are recovering from this very serious illness. In the second of a series on eating disorders, I chat with Lynda Cheldelin Fell, founder of the Grief Diaries Series. Grief Diaries: Through
- [Finding room for food and feelings](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/20/finding-room-for-food-and-feelings/) - Food and feelings: making room for both of these life essentials can be a challenge when you have an eating disorder, and when you are recovering from this very serious illness. In the second of a series on eating disorders, I chat with Lynda Cheldelin Fell, founder of the Grief Diaries Series. Grief Diaries: Through
- [Global eating disorder day a catalyst for hope and action](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/17/global-eating-disorder-day-catalyst-hope-action/) - I can see that, for many years, since I fell prey to anorexia nervosa, much of my creative energy has been wasted in a negative way, for I have turned it on myself; my own private obsession with food has robbed me of my true self… Diary excerpt, age 38, in 1989
- [Global eating disorder day a catalyst for hope and action](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/17/global-eating-disorder-day-a-catalyst-for-hope-and-action/) - I can see that, for many years, since I fell prey to anorexia nervosa, much of my creative energy has been wasted in a negative way, for I have turned it on myself; my own private obsession with food has robbed me of my true self... Diary excerpt, age 38, in 1989
- [Get on board with World Eating Disorders Action Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/15/get-board-world-eating-disorders-action-day/) - Eating Disorders can’t hide any more. Organizations and individuals are uniting across the globe to advocate for change and take action against eating disorders. The focus is our first-ever World Eating Disorders Action Day,to be held on June 2 this year. This inaugural day provides a platform for diverse global populations to share accurate information
- [Get on board with World Eating Disorders Action Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/15/get-on-board-with-world-eating-disorders-action-day/) - Eating Disorders can't hide any more. Organizations and individuals are uniting across the globe to advocate for change and take action against eating disorders. The focus is our first-ever World Eating Disorders Action Day, to be held on June 2 this year. This inaugural day provides a platform for diverse global populations to share accurate
- [Early intervention for adults with disordered eating – CEED seeks your help in developing a resource](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/08/early-intervention-adults-disordered-eating-ceed-seeks-help-developing-resource/) - Many adults with disordered eating and body dissatisfaction lack knowledge that they are at risk of a serious mental health condition. Even if they start to realise something is amiss, they often don’t know where to find help and what to do to resolve these problems. The team at the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating
- [Early intervention for adults with disordered eating - CEED seeks your help in developing a resource](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/08/early-intervention-for-adults-ceed-seeks-your-help-in-developing-a-resource/) - Many adults with disordered eating and body dissatisfaction lack knowledge that they are at risk of a serious mental health condition. Even if they start to realise something is amiss, they often don't know where to find help and what to do to resolve these problems. The team at the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating
- [Hear our Voice on World Eating Disorders Action Day, June 2](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/05/hear-voice-world-eating-disorders-action-day-june-2/) - Arising sleepy-eyed at 5.am. for an international teleconference with wide-awake women in the northern hemisphere is part of the fun of helping to arrange our world’s first ever Eating Disorders Action Day. I love it. The first World Eating Disorders Action Day will take place on June 2, 2016 and generate information virtually around the globe.
- [Hear our Voice on World Eating Disorders Action Day, June 2](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/05/hear-our-voice-on-world-eating-disorders-action-day-june-2/) - Arising sleepy-eyed at 5.am. for an international teleconference with wide-awake women in the northern hemisphere is part of the fun of helping to arrange our world's first ever Eating Disorders Action Day. I love it. The first World Eating Disorders Action Day will take place on June 2, 2016 and generate information virtually around the globe.
- [Women, let’s love our imperfections and celebrate being woman](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/03/women-lets-love-imperfections-celebrate-woman/) - ‘Zoe’ is a music video promoting women’s self love and acceptance. Taking part in this project was fun, watching it makes me feel more happy with who I am; more connected with others, more in love with life. Thank you, Lilac Sheer, for commemorating International Women’s Day, on March 8, in this creative and meaningful way.
- [Women, let's love our imperfections and celebrate being woman](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/03/03/women-lets-love-our-imperfections-and-celebrate-being-woman/) - 'Zoe' is a music video promoting women's self love and acceptance. Taking part in this project was fun, watching it makes me feel more happy with who I am; more connected with others, more in love with life. Thank you, Lilac Sheer, for commemorating International Women's Day, on March 8, in this creative and meaningful way.
- [Teeth literally crumbled out of my mouth: how ED can cause a dental debacle](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/26/teeth-literally-crumbled-mouth-ed-can-cause-dental-debacle/) - If you have an eating disorder, feel no shame and tell your dentist. This is the message from Holly, who is sharing her story to emphasise the importance of dental care when suffering an eating disorder. For many years, Holly had nothing to smile about. This is Holly’s story: I was parentless and lost everything by age
- [Teeth literally crumbled out of my mouth: how ED can cause a dental debacle](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/26/teeth-literally-crumbled-out-of-my-mouth-how-ed-can-cause-a-dental-debacle/) - If you have an eating disorder, feel no shame and tell your dentist. This is the message from Holly, who is sharing her story to emphasise the importance of dental care when suffering an eating disorder. For many years, Holly had nothing to smile about. This is Holly's story: I was parentless and lost everything by age
- [Your chance to direct eating disorder research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/25/chance-direct-eating-disorder-research/) - What are the top unanswered questions or “uncertainties” in the eating disorders field that are not being addressed by current research? To find out, the Patient/Carer Committee (PCC) of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) invites your help. The PCC has organised a project to locate the most pressing needs, or gaps, in the research. It only
- [Your chance to direct eating disorder research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/25/your-chance-to-direct-eating-disorder-research/) - What are the top unanswered questions or "uncertainties" in the eating disorders field that are not being addressed by current research? To find out, the Patient/Carer Committee (PCC) of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) invites your help. The PCC has organised a project to locate the most pressing needs, or gaps, in the research. It only
- [What do you like or dislike about you?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/24/what-do-you-like-or-dislike-about-you-2/) - Would you like to contribute to the creation of an inspirational video for International Women’s Day on March 8? If so, Lilac Sheer, who has Ana on the run, has a message via me for you. Lilac writes: I’m creating a really cool women’s empowerment video for women’s day. The song talks about the days we
- [Holistic, person-centred approach to mental health a focus in Western Australia – conference](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/24/holistic-person-centred-approach-mental-health-focus-western-australia-conference/) - Richmond Wellbeing, a not for profit organisation, has been developing the mental health industry and supporting the community in Western Australia for the past 40 years. The WA Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) Conference is coming up on 10-11 March and four of the conference speakers will hail from Richmond Wellbeing, and present on prevalent mental
- [Holistic, person-centred approach to mental health a focus in Western Australia - conference](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/24/holistic-person-centred-approach-to-mental-health-a-focus-in-western-australia-conference/) - Richmond Wellbeing, a not for profit organisation, has been developing the mental health industry and supporting the community in Western Australia for the past 40 years. The WA Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) Conference is coming up on 10-11 March and four of the conference speakers will hail from Richmond Wellbeing, and present on prevalent mental
- [What do you like or dislike about you?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/24/what-do-you-like-or-dislike-about-you/) - Would you like to contribute to the creation of an inspirational video for International Women's Day on March 8? If so, Lilac Sheer, who has Ana on the run, has a message via me for you. Lilac writes: I'm creating a really cool women's empowerment video for women's day. The song talks about the days we
- [Music video puts Ana on the run](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/20/music-video-puts-ana-run/) - ... And I refuse to run & hide Yes I know you from inside, And I won’t live this lonely life anymore These are the closing lines in ‘Ana‘, a music video created to promote awareness for eating disorders. I wish this video had been around when I was a kid. It would have helped me
- [Music video puts Ana on the run](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/20/music-video-puts-ana-on-the-run/) - ... And I refuse to run & hide Yes I know you from inside, And I won’t live this lonely life anymore These are the closing lines in 'Ana', a music video created to promote awareness for eating disorders. I wish this video had been around when I was a kid. It would have helped me
- [No front teeth, so hard to smile — getting the drill on ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/16/no-front-teeth-hard-smile-getting-drill-ed/) - Eating disorders rob us of many precious things – including our smile. It’s hard to smile without front teeth – I know. Anorexia affected my teeth, especially my two top front teeth, as an eleven-year-old. I felt self-conscious and tried not to smile. And we need to smile, for smiling allows light and warmth into
- [No front teeth, so hard to smile -- getting the drill on ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/02/16/no-front-teeth-so-hard-to-smile-dentistry-getting-the-drill-on-ed/) - Eating disorders rob us of many precious things – including our smile. It’s hard to smile without front teeth – I know. Anorexia affected my teeth, especially my two top front teeth, as an eleven-year-old. I felt self-conscious and tried not to smile. And we need to smile, for smiling allows light and warmth into
- [The patient’s story holds a lesson for all](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/30/patients-story-holds-lesson/) - When I tentatively ‘came out’, after 40-plus years confined to a prison in the mind, I discovered many benefits in sharing my story in supportive and safe environments. The biggest reward was self-belief…a life essential that had been quashed by my eating disorder, and by the stigma and shame that goes with it. It has led to seven books, candidature in
- [Research call for clinicians, clients and carers with experience of inpatient care eating disorder services](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/29/research-call-clinicians-clients-carers-experience-inpatient-care-eating-disorder-services/) - Do you work in an Inpatient Paediatric Eating Disorder Program? or Have you previously spent time as an inpatient in a Paediatric Eating Disorder unit? or Are you the carer of a young person who has been admitted into an inpatient program for Paediatric Eating Disorders? If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of these
- [The patient's story holds a lesson for all](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/30/the-patients-story-holds-a-lesson-for-all/) - When I tentatively 'came out', after 40-plus years confined to a prison in the mind, I discovered many benefits in sharing my story in supportive and safe environments. The biggest reward was self-belief...a life essential that had been quashed by my eating disorder, and by the stigma and shame that goes with it. It has led to seven books, candidature in
- [Research call for clinicians, clients and carers with experience of inpatient care eating disorder services](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/29/research-call-for-clinicians-clients-and-carers-with-experience-of-inpatient-care-eating-disorder-services/) - Do you work in an Inpatient Paediatric Eating Disorder Program? or Have you previously spent time as an inpatient in a Paediatric Eating Disorder unit? or Are you the carer of a young person who has been admitted into an inpatient program for Paediatric Eating Disorders? If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of these
- [Binge eat? A self-help guide for sufferers and carers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/16/binge-eat-self-help-guide-sufferers-carers/) - If you binge eat or have bulimia, this new book will help you map your way to freedom: AED Forum Newsletter, Book Review Corner Peter Doyle, AED Book Reviewer Getting Better Bite by Bite: A Survival Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorders (Second Edition) by Ulrike Schmidt, Janet Treasure, and June Alexander (Routledge,
- [Binge eat? A self-help guide for sufferers and carers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/16/binge-eat-a-self-help-guide-for-sufferers-and-carers/) - If you binge eat or have bulimia, this new book will help you map your way to freedom: AED Forum Newsletter, Book Review Corner Peter Doyle, AED Book Reviewer Getting Better Bite by Bite: A Survival Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorders (Second Edition) by Ulrike Schmidt, Janet Treasure, and June Alexander (Routledge,
- [Join World Eating Disorder Action Day: June 2](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/14/join-world-eating-disorder-action-day-june-2-2/) - I am proud to be a member of the Steering Committee for the 1st ANNUAL WORLD EATING DISORDERS ACTION DAY ANNUAL WORLD EATING DISORDERS ACTION DAY JUNE 2, 2016 Members of the eating disorder community, including affected individuals and their families, professionals, researchers and policy makers, have united virtually to increase access to accurate information,
- [Tribute to my bestest friend who stuck by me…when others walked away](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/14/tribute-bestest-friend-stuck-mewhen-others-walked-away/) - This story is about friendship, a bond that knows no bounds. Helen created the word ‘bestest’. It sums up our friendship perfectly. We met at the Lindenow district primary school sports day in 1962. Two shy sixth grade girls, from separate one-room schools, Fernbank and Woodglen. We exchanged names and found we would both attend
- [Tribute to my bestest friend who stuck by me...when others walked away](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/14/tribute-to-my-bestest-friend-who-stuck-by-me-when-others-walked-away/) - This story is about friendship, a bond that knows no bounds. Helen created the word ‘bestest’. It sums up our friendship perfectly. We met at the Lindenow district primary school sports day in 1962. Two shy sixth grade girls, from separate one-room schools, Fernbank and Woodglen. We exchanged names and found we would both attend
- [Join World Eating Disorder Action Day: June 2](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/14/join-world-eating-disorder-action-day-june-2/) - I am proud to be a member of the Steering Committee for the 1st ANNUAL WORLD EATING DISORDERS ACTION DAY ANNUAL WORLD EATING DISORDERS ACTION DAY JUNE 2, 2016 Members of the eating disorder community, including affected individuals and their families, professionals, researchers and policy makers, have united virtually to increase access to accurate information,
- [Survival kit for Getting Better Bite by Bite – a book for sufferers of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/06/survival-kit-getting-better-bite-bite-book-sufferers-bulimia-nervosa-binge-eating-disorders/) - Getting better from an eating disorder, and re-connecting with your true self, can involve a bite by bite struggle. With bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder, you may find yourself eating too much one minute and too little the next. Without understanding why. The good news is that recovery is possible…. this is especially so when you
- [Survival kit for Getting Better Bite by Bite - a book for sufferers of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2016/01/06/survival-kit-for-getting-better-bite-by-bite-a-book-for-sufferers-of-bulimia-nervosa-and-binge-eating-disorders/) - Getting better from an eating disorder, and re-connecting with your true self, can involve a bite by bite struggle. With bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder, you may find yourself eating too much one minute and too little the next. Without understanding why. The good news is that recovery is possible.... this is especially so when you
- [ANGI is giving hope this Christmas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/12/21/angi-giving-hope-christmas/) - Christmas was a particularly awful time when Anorexia Nervosa ruled my life. Another year was drawing to a close, and I remained a prisoner of the illness. The surrounding bright and bubbly festive gaiety clashed horribly with inner anguish and self-loathing. Not any more. Today ANGI gives me great cause to be hopeful and in a celebratory mood. To
- [ANGI is giving hope this Christmas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/12/21/angi-is-giving-hope-this-christmas/) - Christmas was a particularly awful time when Anorexia Nervosa ruled my life. Another year was drawing to a close, and I remained a prisoner of the illness. The surrounding bright and bubbly festive gaiety clashed horribly with inner anguish and self-loathing. Not any more. Today ANGI gives me great cause to be hopeful and in a celebratory mood. To
- [Family, friends, health and peace _ giving thanks this Christmas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/12/16/family-friends-health-and-peace-_-giving-thanks-this-christmas/) - The joy and meaning of Christmas, and gratefulness for family, friends and supportive health system, makes my heart sing loudly this year. Four months in hospital, due to spinal cord and kidney ailments, gave me plenty of time to think about life, and how precious it is. I extend appreciation to my children, grand children,
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite - Give Yourself a Gift](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/12/10/getting-better-bite-by-bite-give-yourself-a-gift/) - Are you feeling less than excited about Christmas? Does thinking about ‘all that festive food’ turn you off? When you have an eating disorder like bulimia nervosa or binge eating, anxiety can build into a crescendo. Fearful thoughts may cram your brain, like: “How can I appear ‘normal’ and eat happily like everyone else?” Here is
- [The Diary - patriot or traitor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/11/30/the-diary-patriot-or-traitor/) - Diary writing may seem a simple self-help tool, requiring only pen, paper and time. However, the unwary diarist may become entrapped in self-defeating thoughts and anxieties, and be swept away in a sea of self-sabotage and self-doubt. Certainly, I did. For years. And years. My 'Self' became lost in the ocean that was the eating disorder. Regimented lists
- [Families and friends, like rings on a tree, are part of me](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/11/01/families-and-friends-like-rings-on-a-tree-are-part-of-me/) - Families and friends, where does one start and the other end? For me, there is no beginning and no end. I reflect and marvel at how, at any age, new growth can bud. Family and friends encircle me. Their many elements form a priceless ring of love and support. When I waver, I am encouraged back on track; I'm told 'you can 'do it', 'try
- [Thanks, Doctor, for 'not beating about the bush'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/10/18/thanks-doctor-for-not-beating-about-the-bush/) - I admire people who don't 'beat about the bush'. If something difficult has to be said, they tell it straight. Two days ago, two doctors, one male and one female, came into my room at a Melbourne rehabilitation hospital, deftly took up positions either side of my bed and, before I had scarcely noticed their presence, the
- [Grandma, can I ride on your chariot?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/10/09/grandma-can-i-ride-on-your-chariot/) - For three months, visits with my five grand children have been hospital-based. When three years old, and five years old, the attention span is about one minute in this environment, and when you are a nine-year-old boy, you feel just plain awkward. But my chariot is saving the day. That, and a few other things besides. For instance, I don't
- [Grandma's great hospital escapade _ have chariot will travel](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/10/02/grandmas-great-hospital-escapade-_-have-chariot-will-travel/) - Today, I admit to being a rebellious Grandma. My soul was wilting. After six weeks in hospital without feeling the sun's warmth upon my face, implosion was nigh. An escapade with my chariot (four-wheeled walker) has avoided a full-blown meltdown. My medical team kindly granted day leave, 'providing you have a carer', due to Melbourne having a public holiday*. I sent text
- [Healing: a never-ending process of self-discovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/09/26/healing-a-never-ending-process-of-self-discovery/) - I am writing from ‘a room with a view’ from a hospital in Melbourne…sigh, third admission in eight weeks…this time I have a lovely, lovely view…my eighth floor room is looking over part of Melbourne CBD and you can see a tram and beyond in the distance a small patch of blue which is Port Phillip
- [Healing goes on and on with 'Life Without Ed'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/09/17/healing-goes-on-and-on-with-life-without-ed/) - In 2004 the book Life Without Ed, boosted my efforts in gaining reconnection with 'me'. I had been 'lost' for 44 years with an eating disorder and, within 12 months of reading this book, I was 'found'. Author Jenni Schaefer has released a 10th Anniversary update, and I am thrilled. Of course, more than one book was required to help me
- [Putting mental ill health on the table in Australia - yes, your voice counts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/09/09/putting-mental-ill-health-on-the-table-in-australia-yes-your-voice-counts/) - Symptoms of an eating disorder are often misdiagnosed, thereby prolonging the suffering of both the patient and their family. Often, the ED is accompanied by other mental health challenges...for instance, I experienced chronic anxiety and depression, in addition to anorexia nervosa. I am dedicated to help raise awareness of this reality and therefore with great
- [Research call for eating disorder caregivers - how the extended family can help](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/07/22/research-call-for-eating-disorder-caregivers-how-the-extended-family-can-help/) - Caring for someone with an eating disorder can be a challenging experience for parents and caregivers. If you have experience as a caregiver, no matter where in the world you live, a team of Australian researchers would like to hear from you. The researchers, from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Queensland Health, are
- [Coming out proud to shoo away stigma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/06/11/coming-out-proud-to-shoo-away-stigma/) - We can all do something to help erase stigma that affects way too many lives. Coming out, writing about it, talking about experiences, can help break down walls of misconception, help truth reign. I feel honoured to be a contributor in Patrick Corrigan's new book 'Coming Out Proud to Erase the Sigma of Mental Illness:
- [Bite Sized: a mother's story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/06/07/bite-sized-a-mothers-story/) - Bite Sized is a mother's perspective on her daughter's eating disorder. The first page reads: One day our daughter got anorexia The second page is equally sparse: Of course, it wasn't that simple When a child has a serious illness, like an eating disorder, the parents-cum-caregivers need to heal, too. Healing comes in
- [Dear Olivia Rose, why I'm glad you love rainbows](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/06/02/dear-olivia-rose-why-im-glad-you-love-rainbows/) - This article is available here on DebriefDaily.com Dear Olivia Rose, When you were several days old, in 2010, I wrote my first letter to you, as the epilogue in my memoir, A Girl Called Tim, explaining why there is no room for ED in our family. Now you are five, and I am writing again.
- [Rainbow shows the way in eating disorders - aim high, aim for the sky](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/06/02/rainbow-shows-the-way-in-eating-disorders-aim-high-aim-for-the-sky/) - IMG_2576 Rainbow treat: This link is for everyone who loves rainbows like my grand daughter, Olivia Rose, age five, who adores them. I felt like a five-year-old myself. I stopped the car on busy road this afternoon to soak up the beauty of Nature. How blessed are we! My first attempt at a video, such is
- [Living: carers and caring, friends and sharing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/05/28/living-carers-and-caring-friends-and-sharing/) - Magical Day Out: maneuvered various modes of transport & arrived at national carer conference on time for diary workshop ... Carers (the mums and dads, and nurses) were totally inspiring and time literally flew. I feel humbled and honored to opportunity to share with them and to hear their stories of courage. From one big
- [Take note: Morning rush is all part of taking care of your self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/05/27/take-note-morning-rush-is-all-part-of-taking-care-of-your-self/) - Tomorrow (Thursday), I will be up before sunrise, 4am, to drive, take a train, catch a tram, to Melbourne for our 2nd national carer conference. If you hear of someone causing a traffic jam, you will know that's me, especially if the report describes a grandmother pulling a suitcase full of books...on eating disorders (of
- [Taking Care of Your Self - 'This Is Your Story' Workshop](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/05/12/taking-care-of-your-self-this-is-your-story-workshop/) - Caring for your self is a vital part of helping a child, patient or partner recover from an eating disorder. In fact, science tells us that self-care is imperative for supporting carers in their efforts to cope with caregiving and help with their loved one’s recovery**. The diary is an excellent tool to help you
- [Holding on to hope and taking a new path leads to Boston](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/04/26/holding-on-to-hope-and-taking-a-new-path-leads-to-boston/) - During the 40 years that 'ED' dominated my mind, and interrupted my life, little did I think that one dayI would stand on the stage at an Academy for Eating Disorders Conference, (ICED, Boston 2015) and receive an award, together with Joan Riederer, Judy and Laura Collins...for happily doing what I feel is my life mission.
- ['Hello, you don't know me' -- it helps to know you are not alone with ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/04/19/hello-you-dont-know-me-it-helps-to-know-you-are-not-alone-with-ed/) - This week I will be Boston for the AED ICED. This letter sums up why: "Hello, you don't know me, but i feel as though I know you from reading your book 'A Girl Called Tim' my name is Kat and I'm from North Wales. I became glued to the book within the first few pages and many
- [Fiction and eating disorders - exploring connections in story-telling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/04/18/fiction-and-eating-disorders-exploring-connections-in-story-telling/) - Connections between fiction-reading and mental health are being explored by UK charity Beat and a University of Oxford research fellow. The first phase of the project involved an online survey. Bodies, Minds, and Words: A New Collaboration Dr Emily Troscianko invites your help in discovering how fiction can help people manage or recover from their
- [Dear Mother, the eating disorder took so much from us](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/04/02/dear-mother-the-eating-disorder-took-so-much-from-us/) - Dear Mum, I hope the Internet reaches to Heaven, because this post is especially for you. I wish we had had the chance to know each other better. The eating disorder took so much from us. Love always, June Thank you, www.mamamia.com for helping to raise awareness that sufferers of anorexia can make their experience
- [Throwing starfish across the sea - a message for you and me](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/03/28/throwing-starfish-across-the-sea-a-message-for-you-and-me/) - Strolling in the gorgeous, lazy hazy autumn sunshine along the pier at Portarlington this afternoon, my thoughts turned to "Throwing Starfish Across the Sea", a book by Charlotte Bevan and Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh, for parents of patients with an eating disorder. Charlotte, your indomitable spirit lives on, and Laura, looking forward to seeing you soon.
- [Eating Disorders - guidance for family members](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/03/27/eating-disorders-guidance-for-family-members/) - Laura Chapman, a writer and editor specializing in articles on mental health and well-being, has gathered helpful information for families who suspect, or maybe don't suspect, that an eating disorder has developed in their midst: Most parents think that they could easily detect if their child were to develop an eating disorder yet all too often, a
- [Socking it to ED_take a look](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/03/25/socking-it-to-ed_take-a-look/) - Sometimes the darkest moment can be a catalyst for light. At the 2010 AED Salzburg ICED four members of the AED Patient-Carer Committee – Kitty Westin, Laura Collins, Carrie Arnold and myself -- were eating lunch outside at a sidewalk café when news came through that Erin, the daughter of fellow PCC member Joan Riederer, had died
- [Fear no more: get fierce at Australia's At Home with Eating Disorders Conference](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/03/02/fear-no-more-get-fierce-at-australias-at-home-with-eating-disorders-conference/) - Move over Eating Disorders, you undercover bully, invisible master of disguise. Your secret is out. You don't scare us any more. Vacate, right now. You have been warned. Note this in your diary: Melbourne, May 29-30, 2015. D-Day. Our message is loud, and clear: We no longer live alone, in fear of you. We stand united. We are
- [Grandparents can gain freedom from eating disorders too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/02/28/grandparents-can-gain-freedom-from-eating-disorders-too/) - Eating disorders occur at every age. Scientists don't know the specific cause, but latest research suggests genetics plays a sizeable hand...around 50 per cent influence or more. It's almost enough to say 'well, it's in the family; there is nothing I can do'. Ah, but there is plenty you can do! Today I had the
- [You did not cause the eating disorder but you can help the healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/02/26/you-did-not-cause-the-eating-disorder-but-you-can-help-the-healing/) - An eating disorder can be confusing for not only the person with the illness, but for their family and friends. If unaware, family members can get caught up in the eating disorder behaviours, and inadvertently support the eating disorder rather than their loved one. Knowledge is power, for often the person with the eating disorder
- [Seventeen stories of eating disorder survival](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/02/25/seventeen-stories-of-eating-disorder-survival/) - No two stories of recovery from an eating disorder are the same. 'Recovery', what this means, also may differ from one person to another. That's okay. That's good. Because no two people are the same. You are an individual in your own right. What matters is that you find a way to regain your self
- [Paper Cuts is the story about Jess - a film exposing mental health issues](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/01/27/paper-cuts-is-the-story-about-jess-a-film-exposing-mental-health-issues/) - Patrick McSherry, a producer on an independent feature film called "Paper Cuts", has attracted my attention. "Paper Cuts" is the story of Jess, a young woman who returns to her childhood home to find her struggles with depression, eating disorders, and self-harm resurfacing, and must face the personal demons that she thought she left behind.
- [1000 and counting - trailblazing research in fight against ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2015/01/21/1000-and-counting-trailblazing-research-in-fight-against-ed/) - We are very heartened by the continued response to the ANGI project**. We have collected over 1000 blood samples in Australia and nearly 7000 from all four countries! - wonderful wonderful news shared today by ANGI project coordinator in Australia, Richard Parker*. Richard writes: Thank you sincerely for help - we couldn’t have come so far
- [Reflection a tool for self-discovery and renewal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/12/28/reflection-a-tool-for-self-discovery-and-renewal/) - In several days, 2015 will begin. This small pocket of time, between Christmas and New Year, is a grand opportunity to pause and reflect -- like inserting a dot between finishing one chapter of life and starting another. Such time provides a chance to attend to items requiring closure, to repackage wayward thoughts, beliefs and
- [Get in the know with ED 101 video](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/12/05/get-in-the-know-with-ed-101-video/) - I'm excited to share the link for “Eating Disorders 101”. This 90-second animated video hits home core facts about eating disorders, dispels misconceptions and encourages help seeking. The National Eating Disorders Collaboration, on which I serve as a 'voice' for patients and carers, has created this simple, powerful message. Greater understanding about mental health and
- [From patient to researcher - sharing the journey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/11/23/from-patient-to-researcher-sharing-the-journey/) - A walk along the seashore at home this morning provided a moment to absorb the relief of completing PhD Confirmation of Candidature at CQUniversity, Noosa, Queensland, this past week. The PhD, in Creative Writing, focuses on the use of diary writing in recovering from an eating disorder. Thanks to two great supervisors, this journey from
- [When the patient becomes the researcher](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/11/14/when-the-patient-becomes-the-researcher/) - I entered the world of academia in June, this year, as a researcher, in a bid to make the experience of the eating disorder patient count in science. The opportunity to draw on the experience of living with an eating disorder, and that of others (see this link), in contributing the voice of the patient to science, is nothing short of magical.
- [Mobile health app helping ANGI to crack genetic code of Anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/08/04/mobile-health-app-helping-angi-to-crack-genetic-code-of-anorexia/) - Recovery Record, the world’s largest mobile eating disorder community for practitioners and patients, is supporting a hallmark study seeking a cure for the eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa. Outsmarting the Anorexia Nervosa (AN) bully is hard work, 24/7. While recovery is possible at every age, the process of recovery will be much, much easier when scientists understand WHY
- [Grandmothers can beat eating disorders too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/07/19/grandmothers-can-beat-eating-disorders-too/) - Grandmothers have eating disorders too. Yes, they do. Often they have suffered since childhood. The eating disorder has denied these women a full life. Left unchallenged the illness becomes entrenched with each passing year. Having cruelly sabotaged childhood, it proceeds to rob women of the freedom to fully embrace being a mother, and a grandmother. When I wrote my memoir, A
- [Research call for Queensland eating disorder caregivers - how the extended family can help](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/06/12/research-call-for-queensland-eating-disorder-caregivers-how-the-extended-family-can-help/) - Caring for someone with chronic Anorexia Nervosa is very challenging. Now, an Australian study is looking at how the extended family members can provide much needed support. Often, extended family members want to help, but don't know how. A team of researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Queensland Health are together looking
- [Advocacy: Helping others is a great way to help our own Self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/06/09/advocacy-helping-others-is-a-great-way-to-help-our-own-self/) - In 2007 I publicly shared my inner story, with the hope that if I helped one eating disorder sufferer know that they had an illness from which they could recover, this would make my own suffering worthwhile. So began the most fulfilling, contented, purposeful period of my life. I became an advocate in raising awareness of
- [The Diary Healer - bridging the gap between science and the sufferer - sharing a PhD journey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/06/04/the-diary-healer-bridging-the-gap-between-science-and-the-sufferer-sharing-a-phd-journey/) - I am a PhD candidate. I pinch myself. Is this real? Since regaining my true Self from the effects of Anorexia Nervosa in 2006, life has been amazing. Yes. But a PhD? How did this happen? I remain incredulous. I share my story because, if your life is being kept on hold by an eating
- [The cost of hiding an eating disorder, pretending you are okay](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/05/27/the-cost-of-hiding-an-eating-disorder-pretending-you-are-okay/) - Many people who have an eating disorder are terrified of others close to them knowing about it. I refer to people who are able to attend school, attend college, go to work, be a parent. People who have an eating disorder and pretend, to their outside world at least, that they are okay. The cost is
- [How a chocolate fish came to cross the ocean blue in bid for Anorexia cure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/05/15/how-a-chocolate-fish-came-to-cross-the-ocean-blue-in-bid-for-anorexia-cure/) - There was a package to collect at the post office. Curiosity mounted as the postmaster handed a small, well-padded package over the counter. The sender's address: UNC Center of Excellence of Eating Disorders. I got as far as my car before excitement got too much - I opened the package and … released a beautiful chocolate fish!
- [A feast for the soul, a magic carpet for the mind - that's life writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/05/13/a-feast-for-the-soul-a-magic-carpet-for-the-mind-thats-life-writing/) - The vacant seat beside me on a recent flight to New York meant I had room to spread out. This was a bonus. Other passengers were absorbed in watching movies on the little screens in front of them, or were snoozing, but I had work to do – a feast of short stories to read.
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite - how you can help with 2nd edition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/05/07/getting-better-bite-by-bite-how-you-can-help-with-2nd-edition/) - Having been 'embedded and submerged' in the content of Getting Better Bit(e) by Bite(e) for the past month or more, I want to say, what a great book this is. Professors Ulrike Schmidt and Janet Treasure wrote 'Bite by Bite' as a self-help book for sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa, and binge eating disorders, in 1993.
- [Can stories of survival help others?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/05/03/can-stories-of-survival-help-others/) - Do you find survival stories helpful, inspiring? Psychologist and PhD candidate at The University of Sydney, Lisa Dawson, is leading research into how the personal accounts of those who survive Anorexia Nervosa can help others. See story (left) published by The Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sydney, this week. Sydney Daily Telegraph-April 29-2014 Lisa's previous research, in which I
- [Farewell Ginger and Dora - carers supreme](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/04/09/farewell-ginger-and-dora-carers-supreme/) - Ginger and Dora are at rest under the apple tree in my backyard. They lie beside my dog Titan, who passed away six years ago. They were all great mates. Together they were an incredibly important part of my eating disorder recovery team. Three of my grand children are visiting today and their visit is
- [Finding support in an online family and community - share your story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/04/03/finding-support-in-an-online-family-and-community-share-your-story/) - Have you found online support helpful in coping with the challenges of diagnosing, treating and recovering from an eating disorder? Either for yourself, or someone you care for? If so, I would love to hear from you. The second half of my upcoming book, Using Writing as a Resource to Treat Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer, explores
- [Let's all dance, and dance and dance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/03/30/lets-all-dance-and-dance-and-dance/) - Keep that music going, the music with the rhythm, you know, the music with the beat that says 'yes, we can', 'yes, we can'. Let's all dance to this music, let's find a partner and dance and dance. Get lost, ED. We don't want to dance with you. Go. Get lost. We don't like you.
- [Thank you to Laura - the eating disorder advocate extraordinaire](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/03/29/thank-you-to-laura-the-eating-disorder-advocate-extraordinaire/) - Laura Collins has a lot to do with the fact that I have been able to write six books on eating disorders in the past six years, and am writing another three. The reason is this: Laura believes in me. After recovering from a four-decades-long eating disorder in 2007, I began to write my memoir
- [Oh for when treating eating disorders is as easy as a walk in the park](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/03/27/oh-for-when-treating-eating-disorders-is-as-easy-as-a-walk-in-the-park/) - Hello from New York City. Today has been a get-over-the-jetlag-day. Tomorrow the 2014 International Conference on Eating Disorders of the Academy of Eating Disorders begins. Hundreds of people involved in the field of eating disorders are gathering here to learn and be inspired in finding answers and improving treatments of this challenging and serious illness. Already
- [Rolling up our sleeves to help ANGI find a cure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/03/18/rolling-up-our-sleeves-to-help-angi-find-a-cure/) - People like me who experience the illness, Anorexia Nervosa, want to make our life count; we want to do something so that others do not suffer like us. And we can do something, something really special. We can roll up our sleeves for science. Already, in Australia, 600 of us have participated in ANGI,
- [Yes, I have a dream: the sock as a universal symbol of hope in stomping out ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/03/01/my-awareness-dream-the-sock-as-a-universal-symbol-of-hope-in-stomping-out-ed/) - This story begins in 1962 when I developed Anorexia Nervosa. Back then there was no Eating Disorder Awareness Week, or anything at all, to help my family understand the illness that had developed in my mind. For more than 40 years, the bully eating disorder kept me prisoner, destroyed relationships, almost took my life. Luckily
- [Let's get REAL about eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/02/26/lets-get-real-about-eating-disorders/) - We-all-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do to get the right message out about eating disorders. Like, sift the truth from the crap. Here are a few truths to share: Parents do NOT cause eating disorders to develop in their children; children do NOT choose to develop an eating disorder; you do not need to be THIN to have an eating
- [A Girl Called Tim – An Eating Disorder Memoir By June Alexander](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/02/19/a-girl-called-tim-escape-from-an-eating-disorder-by-june-alexander-memoir/) - I developed Anorexia Nervosa at age 11. So began a journey of more than 40 years with two eating disorders. A Girl Called Tim is about an unrelenting quest to reclaim identity, grab hold of the hand of that little girl lost, and set out on new adventures to rebuild and explore true sense of
- [A call to poets - for poems about eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/02/16/a-call-to-poets-for-poems-about-eating-disorders/) - Firstly, a heart-felt thank you to the many people responding to the call for diary and journal writers with experience of an eating disorder. Your enthusiasm is amazing and already, wonderful contributions for Using Writing as a Resource to Treat Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer are landing cheerily in my Inbox. This post contains a special message
- [Listen: the voice of the nurse in eating disorder care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/02/13/listen-the-voice-of-the-nurse-in-eating-disorder-care/) - We learn what an eating disorder is like by listening to sufferers and families. But the picture is incomplete: to improve eating disorder care, the voices of nurses and clinicians must be heard too. Gill Todd was clinical nurse leader for eating disorders at the UK’s South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust when she retired in
- [Calling diary and journal writers with experience of an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/02/10/calling-diary-and-journal-writers-with-experience-of-an-eating-disorder/) - Hop on board a new literary adventure by sharing excerpts of your diary writing in a book to be called The Diary Healer. In this book I am setting out to demonstrate how writing a diary or journal can help us understand, inspire, heal and liberate our self and at the same time provide a tool to educate others
- [Taking issue with 'non-compliant' in eating disorder care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/01/28/taking-issue-with-non-compliant-in-eating-disorder-care/) - “J” has been sent home from hospital as ‘non-compliant’. We have nowhere to turn; every hospital and clinic in our State has given up on "J". She is 29 and has had Anorexia since she was 14; we are frightened we will lose her. "J" has lost everything, financially ruined, her car was repossessed, she
- [Friendship is a treasure to love and cherish, forever](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/01/19/friendship-is-a-treasure-to-love-and-cherish-forever/) - 'What is "knowing" someone?' my dear friend, Laura, asks. I awoke this Sunday morning, in the south-east corner of Australia, far from the USA and England, and began reading Laura's heartfelt tribute to Charlotte before I was even half-dressed and have been thinking about her words ever since. Such is the beauty and power of
- [ANGI on track for 25,000 blood samples to detect Anorexia gene](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/01/13/angi-on-track-for-25000-blood-samples-to-detect-anorexia-gene/) - Roll up, roll up, roll up your sleeve for science! Thousands of people who have experienced Anorexia Nervosa are doing just this. There is a great feeling of excitement and accomplishment in knowing that with every test tube filled, we each are contributing in a small but vitally important way to understanding and treating this
- [Meet my friend, the diary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2014/01/10/3477/) - When I was 13 years old, I physically attacked a city cousin who was twice as big as me. I was outdoors, helping on the farm, when another cousin disclosed rather flippantly that her brother was reading the diary that I kept under my pillow. I raced to the farmhouse, knocked my intruder cousin to
- [Trust in your true self and your path becomes clear](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/12/23/trust-in-your-true-self-and-your-path-becomes-clear/) - I can hardly believe I am the same person who lived in the darkness of an eating disorder for four decades, but I know I am, and this makes life more beautiful Two events have made 2013 very special for me – Australia’s first national conference for families and carers on eating disorders, held at
- [Turn the page on ED with an empowering gift this Christmas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/12/18/this-christmas-focus-on-relationships-and-let-food-take-care-of-itself/) - Christmas Day, December 25, is a deeply meaningful time for many of us. However, some of the typically warm and cosy aspects of this annual Christian event revolve around food and family, and can fill some of us with dread. If you are feeling bleak and anxious about how you will cope when the family
- [The journal - an ally in eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/12/17/the-journal-an-ally-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - A Christmas gift of a journal when I was 11 years old began a lifetime love of journaling. We bonded immediately and the journal became my best friend. Writing a journal helped me to not only survive but also to recover from my eating disorder. So it is, that every December, I feel excited at
- [Diary writing - a tool for healing and self-renewal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/12/05/diary-writing-a-tool-for-healing-and-self-renewal/) - The Christmas gift of a small, pale green, soft-covered, day-to-a-page diary was the best thing that happened to me in 1962. Early that year I had developed Anorexia Nervosa. I developed Anorexia at age 11, at a time when mental illness was an embarrassment and family-based therapy and multi-family based therapy were unheard of. The
- [Online study about stigma - share your experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/11/14/online-study-about-stigma-share-your-experience/) - Stigmatisation of eating disorders is damaging in that it discourages people from seeking treatment for otherwise treatable conditions. Definitely stigma had a huge impact on my adolescence and young adulthood in seeking help for my eating disorder. My story is told in A Girl Called Tim. Excitingly, researchers at the University of Sydney are seeking
- [Defusing the bully – DVD shows how to help someone recover from an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/11/04/defusing-the-bully-dvd-shows-how-to-help-someone-recover-from-an-eating-disorder/) - Helping someone recover from an eating disorder can be hard work. Irrational and unpredictable responses from the person you love can have you feeling like you are afraid to speak in your own home. If what you are doing works, keep doing it, if not perhaps a new DVD, How to Care for Someone with
- [Eating disorders are family disorders - NIMH director speaks from the heart](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/10/29/eating-disorders-are-family-disorders-nimh-director-speaks-from-the-heart/) - Eating disorders are family disorders. Keynote speaker at this year’s National Eating Disorder Conference, Dr Thomas Insel, was speaking from the heart. The Federal government shutdown meant he could not speak as director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) so Dr Insel, the father of two children born in the late 1970s, spoke
- [A day out with 'ED' - lobbying in Washington DC](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/10/11/a-day-out-with-ed-lobbying-in-washington-dc/) - The US Government was in shutdown mode over budget indecision, the rain was falling, but none of this dampened the spirit of participants in the NEDC annual lobby day today in Washington DC. I joined the wonderful Maudsley Parents team of Harret and Rina, and Cheryl, and we met with three congressmen and the staff of
- [No shut down on eating disorders in Washington DC](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/10/10/no-shunt-down-on-eating-disorders-in-washington-dc/) - Hello Everyone, from Washington DC! I am here in Washington until early Sunday, for the NEDC conference which starts tomorrow with a Lobby Day, on Capitol Hill, to raise awareness of eating disorders with the nation's decision-makers. Sadly the planning for this event is affected by the government shutdown (hope this is resolved by tomorrow,
- [Multi-family therapy - providing strength and support for families](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/10/07/multi-family-therapy-providing-strength-and-support-for-families/) - The more I listen to families share their stories - mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters - about how they have helped their child, or brother or sister, recover from Anorexia Nervosa through multi-family therapy, the more I want this treatment, together with family based therapy, to be available everywhere, in every country. The sufferers of this
- [Lunch at Covent Garden and feeling understood - boo to you, Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/10/05/lunch-at-covent-garden-and-feeling-understood-boo-to-you-anorexia-nervosa/) - Pooky and I met at London Victoria Station in London today. From there we caught the 'tube', with Pooky leading the way, to Covent Garden, to find a nice quiet restaurant in which to have a long lunch - like about four hours:-). So much to share, making the most of the moment. We laughed
- ['The struggle is my life' - and this is what makes it worthwhile](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/10/02/the-struggle-is-my-life-and-this-is-what-makes-it-worthwhile/) - Today, on the way to a lunch-time meeting with the senior editor at Routledge who looks after my little stable of books on eating disorders, I came across Nelson Mandela. His bust, anyway. It stands on London's South Bank, beside the Royal Festival Hall. I stood for several minutes and gazed at the bust of
- [Punting on the River Cam - this is living](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/30/punting-on-the-river-cam-this-is-living/) - The wonders of recovering from an eating disorder never cease. Yesterday, I had a go at punting on the River Cam in beautiful Cambridge, England. Here I am, a grandmother, having the time of my life. Yes, My Life. Freedom from an eating disorder means exactly this - the freedom to do what I want to do.
- [App-ily building bridges in eating disorder care and recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/26/the-app-is-building-bridges-in-eating-disorder-recovery/) - The Internet is fast filling gaps in eating disorder prevention, treatment and recovery. Recovery Record and Proud2Bme will be the subject of a concurrent session ‘Building Bridges Not Walls’ at this year’s NEDA Conference. Both are outstanding examples of how technology is helping people everywhere to connect and improve their lives with online support. Presenters Jenna Tregarthen,
- [Tonight a literary dinner with my friend Pooky and others](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/24/tonight-a-literary-dinner-with-my-friend-pooky-and-others/) - Writing books about eating disorders brings me into touch with amazing people around the world. I am very excited today (I am excited every day but especially today) because in London this evening I will meet dear friend and writing colleague, Pooky Hesmondhaigh for the first time. Pooky has contributed to several of my books,
- [Why Laura is giving her birthday away this year](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/24/why-laura-is-giving-her-birthday-away-this-year/) - Friends are like gems. And when friendships are formed in the process of advocating for a life-saving cause, that of finding the cause of Anorexia Nervosa, their beauty and strength makes them priceless. This letter from my dear friend, Laura, about her dear friend, Charlotte, says it all: Dear Friend, My birthday is next week.
- [Catching the NEDA 'Bug' - you'll find it in Washington DC](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/20/catching-the-neda-bug-youll-find-it-in-washington-dc/) - When I attended the NEDA Conference in Minneapolis in 2009 I did not know anyone. I was nervous and excited. Communication online had led to this point – and now suddenly there I was, about to meet people in real life, in person. This was scary. A warm welcome swept all doubts aside as soon
- [In a queue at Madame Tussauds, talking about eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/16/in-a-queue-at-madame-tussauds-talking-about-eating-disorders/) - Standing in a long, slow-moving queue to visit the amazing Madame Tussauds exhibition in London on an otherwise grey, wet September day, offered opportunity to chat to others. The young couple next in line announced they had come from Birmingham for the weekend. ‘What brings you here?’ the young woman asked. ‘Writing a book,” I said.
- [Up and away on seven-week book research trip to unravel the mystery of ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/12/up-and-away-on-seven-week-book-research-trip-to-unravel-the-mystery-of-ed/) - After 18 months of planning, here I am in the Qantas Club lounge at Melbourne Airport. In one hour I will be in the air on the way to London, via Dubai. During the next seven weeks I will meet many people, in the UK, USA and Canada. The purpose of this trip is to
- [Getting out of BED - a guide for clinicians](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/09/getting-out-of-bed-a-guide-for-clinicians/) - "That's me!" my GP exclaimed when I mentioned A Clinician's Guide to Binge Eating Disorder was my next book. I'd been seeing my GP for 20 years and had no idea she had an eating disorder. Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge-eating episodes during which a person feels a loss of control over his or her eating.
- [Hear this: healing requires a team effort](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/09/05/hear-this-healing-requires-a-team-effort/) - Next week, I depart Australia on a seven-week book research trip to the UK, USA and Canada. The many special people I will meet include Prof. Janet Treasure, Prof. Ivan Eisler, families and sufferers of eating disorders. Every one of us has an important role in finding how to treat eating disorders successfully. One thing
- [Body image and eating disorders - on the same track?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/08/25/body-image-and-eating-disorders-on-the-same-track/) - A keynote speech on body image at the annual conference of Australia’s peak body for eating disorder professionals left me wondering, ‘are we on the right track?’ If we are, which deserves most focus, the body image or the eating disorder? No offence to the vibrant speaker, UK psychoanalyst Dr Susie Orbach, who describes herself
- [Donating blood to find a cure for Anorexia Nervosa - makes my life count](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/08/19/donating-blood-to-find-a-cure-for-anorexia-nervosa-makes-my-life-count/) - It's positively heartwarming to watch how motivated people with histories of anorexia are to contribute to this study and help us crack the code of this devastating disorder. So many people are saying they will do anything to help prevent others from going through the living hell that anorexia put them through. We are so
- [Breaking Free from the Illness that Hides](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/08/15/breaking-free-from-the-illness-that-hides/) - I sat in the doctor’s consulting room, not knowing where to start sharing my problems of the past 18 years. The spectacled, middle-aged male MD gazed across his desk. At age 29, I was at the lowest of lows. Rock bottom. I could not see any way out of this dark hole. I had tried,
- [It's not like you have cancer or any life threatening illness - family doctor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/08/10/its-not-like-you-have-cancer-or-any-life-threatening-illness-family-doctor/) - "It's not like you have cancer or any life threatening illness .... See you in four weeks." - GP in Australian town, August 2013 This is 2013 and here is a family doctor who does not understand the seriousness of Anorexia Nervosa. This doctor is not alone in his ignorance (surely it must be ignorance).
- [Life-writing is candy for my soul](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/08/05/life-writing-is-candy-for-my-soul/) - My friendship with the written word began as soon as I could hold a pen. By the time I was 11 years old, and developing Anorexia Nervosa, I had started to keep a diary. Fifty years later, I continue to keep a diary. Taking 10 to 20 minutes each day to sit and write about
- [You look lovely in that dress - does a trigger go off?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/08/02/3188/) - ‘You look lovely in that dress – it highlights your tiny waist.’ Do you respond: ‘Thank you, this dress is one of my favorites. As for my waist, I can thank my genes for that.’ And think nothing more of it. Hopefully. But if you have an eating disorder, the internal dialogue may be: 'See,
- [Opportunity to be a recovery mentor - it helps you, too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/07/31/opportunity-to-be-a-recovery-mentor-it-helps-you-too/) - One of the many delights upon regaining one's life from an eating disorder is the opportunity of using our recovery experience to help others. I have found that through helping others, I also help myself, for I feel fulfilled and purposeful. So mentoring is very much a win-all for everyone in our fight against eating
- [Assessing a new clinical resource for Anorexia Nervosa: Stories of recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/07/21/assessing-a-new-clinical-resource-for-anorexia-nervosa-stories-of-recovery/) - Do you find stories about recovery from Anorexia Nervosa helpful? Certainly, when I was recovering from the illness, I found several memoirs very inspiring and they spurred me on the way to freedom. The most exciting revelations that gave me hope and to which I clung were that, hey, I was not alone (there were
- [Carers needed for peer support research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/07/17/carers-needed-for-peer-support-research/) - Opportunity to share wisdom from first hand experience is always to be welcomed. I believe that carers and consumers (sufferers) are a largely untapped resource in building evidence-based research in the eating disorder field. Hence my excitement at this call which comes via my dear friend and fantastic researcher, Dr Hunna Watson in Western Australia.
- [Now you can be At Home with Eating Disorders - free video access](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/07/13/now-you-can-be-at-home-with-eating-disorders-free-video-access/) - If you are at home, feeling you don’t know which way to turn because an eating disorder is causing havoc in your life, read on! Are you caring for a son, a daughter or partner who has an eating disorder? Or perhaps you have an eating disorder, as I did, and are trying to care
- [A stitch in time - and in the moment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/07/11/a-stitch-in-time-and-in-the-moment/) - Yay, I've knitted my first-ever cowl, a gift for my daughter - just had to try it on soon as I finished it while watching the Footy Show tonight. My paternal grandmother, who I loved very much, taught me to knit when I was a little girl - she must have had great patience as
- [Memoirs on eating disorders - what did you find helpful?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/07/02/memoirs-on-eating-disorders-what-did-you-find-helpful/) - Readers are invited to share their favourite quotes/excerpts from helpful memoirs on eating disorders - I am co-authoring a research paper on the usefulness of memoirs in educating mental health nurses. I am particularly interested in short passages, even one-liners, that you have found particularly helpful, and why this resonated and connected so strongly with
- [Aussies ready to roll up their sleeves for ANGI - C'mon!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/21/aussies-ready-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-for-angi-cmon/) - A jingle in Australia goes like this: C'mon Aussie, c'mon c'com, c'mon Aussie, c'mon. Its origin stems from our love of the summer game of cricket, of yelling as we watch balls being bowled and hit over the fence 'for six'. It's about doing our best. This national call is appropriate in bowling ED
- [The tipping point in recovery from enduring AN - understanding that magical moment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/18/the-tipping-point-in-recovery-from-enduring-an-understanding-that-magical-moment/) - What is that magical moment that changes in the brain, when someone who has been sick with Anorexia Nervosa for more than 7 years, begins to recover? Why is that person suddenly able to start getting better? How do they make the switch from being captive to their eating disorder thoughts, to being able to focus
- [A lesson for teachers in addressing the eating disorder bully](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/13/a-lesson-for-teachers-in-addressing-the-eating-disorder-bully/) - Teachers are in a prime position to be among the first people to notice a child is developing symptoms of an eating disorder. As someone whose anorexia was triggered at school, I cannot emphasise this enough. Sometimes, friends of the child will notice the symptoms, and confide in the teacher. How the teacher responds – how
- [Conference sparks hope, fresh focus on connections and skills for eating disorder sufferers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/12/conference-sparks-hope-fresh-focus-on-connections-and-skills-for-eating-disorder-sufferers/) - I developed Anorexia Nervosa more than 50 years ago, when the illness was scarcely understood or recognized. For decades, throughout a long and lonely battle to recover and regain my life, I yearned to see eating disorders brought into the light, to be acknowledged and challenged. For me, the At Home with Eating Disorders conference
- [Meet Bulimia - the eating disorder bully you cannot see](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/09/meet-bulimia-the-eating-disorder-bully-you-cannot-see/) - High five for Out of Sight - a documentary about invisible eating disorders, one of which is Bulimia. If this video had been around when I was younger it would have helped me realise that I had an illness - not a weakness; and my parents and sister would have understood the challenges that whirled in my mind. Knowledge
- [Feeling isolated and need support? Call Butterfly's national helpline](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/06/feeling-isolated-and-need-support-call-butterflys-national-helpline/) - Many people who could not get to Australian's much-needed At Home with Eating Disorders' conference for families and carers are eager, and desperate, for information. Be assured, it is coming soon! The conference committee is deciding the best way to make recordings of the sessions by world leading researchers available and what, if any, cost will be involved.
- [A hug reminds a researcher of why his work matters](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/05/a-hug-reminds-a-researcher-of-why-his-work-matters/) - Professor Stephen Touyz, of the University of Sydney, has been attending international conferences on eating disorders for more than 30 years in Europe, North America and Australia. But until last week in Brisbane, he had not attended a conference with a focus on carers and families. You could say that this conference has 'made all
- [Tools and hope inspire all in quest to oust ‘Ed’](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/06/03/tools-and-hope-inspire-all-in-quest-to-oust-ed/) - The catalyst for Australia’s first eating disorder conference for families and carers occurred in November, 2011, when three Australians (June Alexander, Bridget and Tim Bonnin) attended the first FEAST Symposium in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. Inspired and determined, the Aussies returned home and began making calls. Within a month, Elaine Painter, leader of the Eating Disorder
- [Binge Eating Disorder out of the closet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/29/binge-eating-disorder-out-of-the-closet/) - I suffered anorexia as a child, and transitioned to bulimia before the illness was given a name (by British psychiatrist Gerald Russell in 1979). But if I had developed Binge Eating Disorder (this month listed as a recognized illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – called the DSM-5) the recovery challenge
- [Families and carers the greatest motivators](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/29/families-and-carers-the-greatest-motivators/) - They are out of the shadows. They are silent no more. They are connecting and sharing on the Internet. They are packing their bags and attending conferences. They are not feeling shamed, or blamed or failures. They are feeling empowered, hopeful and engaged. They are families and carers of people with eating disorders. They are
- [Rolling up our sleeves for science](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/24/rolling-up-our-sleeves-for-science/) - The At Home with Eating Disorders Conference in Brisbane is, in one word, amazing. The conference opened this morning. A dream come true. From small things, big things can grow. In this instance, a widening awareness of the serious need to provide improved treatment and support for sufferers of eating disorders. The Brisbane conference is
- [Cat purrs and hugs - ready for Aussie 'first' in Brisbane](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/22/cat-purrs-and-hugs-ready-for-aussie-first-in-brisbane/) - Dora Cat saw the suitcase come out of the cupboard, watched as it was placed on the floor. 'I know, June is off to another eating disorder conference! I want to go too. See, I don't take up much room, and you know I am very, very good.' (And remember, I've been purring encouragement to
- [Roll up your sleeve for science! I can hardly wait](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/20/roll-up-your-sleeve-for-science-i-can-hardly-wait/) - Calling all sufferers of anorexia – help researchers find a cure If you have suffered anorexia nervosa at any point in your life, researchers want to hear from you. Why? Because you are in the hot seat to help find find the cause and a cure. Researchers in the United States, Sweden, Australia, and Denmark
- [Parents of children with eating disorders – it’s not your fault](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/20/parents-of-children-with-eating-disorders-its-not-your-fault/) - The 2013 ‘At Home with Eating Disorders’ conference, Australia’s first gathering of carers for people with eating disorders, will end the blame game that has held parents responsible for their children’s illnesses. The carer’s conference, held in Brisbane from 23rd to 25th of May, will bring together national and international experts to recast the role of
- [Writing our own life canvas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/15/writing-our-own-life-canvas/) - As a diary-writer since age 12 (goodness, that’s 50 years of diary-writing!), I appreciate the importance of narrative – of writing as a survival and coping tool, as a form of self-expression, as a safe place in which to explore who we are and strive to make sense of our life. Pouring out thoughts and
- [Chronic anorexia - new treatment focus offers hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/13/chronic-anorexia-new-treatment-focus-offers-hope/) - As someone who suffered a chronic eating disorder for many years, I was considered by many to be too difficult to treat, and to have little hope of recovery. To hear people speak in such pessimistic terms was soul-crushing. Debilitating, awful. To recover, we need people to believe in us and this includes the treatment
- [Meet the mum behind The Boy Who Loved Apples](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/10/meet-the-mum-behind-the-boy-who-loved-apples/) - When people noticed Riche, the 11-year-old son of Australian Amanda Webster, was not only too skinny but dangerously ill, they were surprised and somewhat in disbelief. Do boys get anorexia? they asked. And then: How did he get it? That was the question Australian mother, Amanda, asked herself, too. She had trained as a doctor; she knew
- [Hope and trust - a winning duo against anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/08/hope-and-trust-a-winning-duo-against-anorexia/) - Is recovery from chronic anorexia nervosa possible? Throughout my long illness, I clung to a thread of hope that despite my late start in seeking help - I was in my late 20s - I could regain my life and break free from the eating disorder's debilitating effects. Somehow, thanks to wonderfully patient health professionals
- [Kate's pedal power to help Beat the stigma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/06/kates-pedal-power-to-help-beat-the-stigma/) - Recovery from an eating disorder requires the sufferer, in many ways, to become their own chief therapist. Recovery involves learning skills that enables the rebuilding of a true sense of self and re-engaging in life, while defusing, deflecting and eliminating the illness thoughts. Learning to recognise and delete the bully thoughts, and replace them with
- [As a mother, I see Ed clearly from both sides now](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/05/03/as-a-mother-i-see-ed-clearly-from-both-sides-now/) - My mother began having trouble with me shortly after my 11th birthday. Suddenly her life-loving, sweet, compliant, eager-to-please little girl faded away. I became withdrawn, refused to eat or sit still. To see me running up and down the country roads, refusing to stop, even in the rain, and refusing to eat my favourite foods, even when
- [Why I love my body and I do really care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/30/why-i-love-my-body-and-i-do-really-care/) - I love my body and respect it as a vehicle for doing what I want in life. Carrie Arnold’s blog inspired me to reflect. When I was 20, 30 and 40, I did not love my body. It bothered me greatly. I did not feel at home in it. The eating disorder illness that
- [Write about your life and make it count](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/29/write-about-your-life-and-make-it-count/) - Writing your story is important - whether to fulfil your personal dreams, share with family or publish for all to read - you are the only one who can really write about your life. I love to share my love of writing with people of every age and skill. In June this year, I am offering classes
- [Turn the page on ED - meet the authors in Brisbane](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/24/turn-the-page-on-ed-meet-the-authors-in-brisbane/) - There will be tears, for sure, at our At Home with Eating Disorders conference, but laughter, too. Lots of it. Laughter is good medicine; together with love, I firmly believe it is the best antidote to 'Ed'. To help you make the most of this inaugural event, we have organised two evening social dates for
- [Aussies crack 200 for Brisbane - look out, Ed!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/22/aussies-crack-200-for-brisbane-look-out-ed/) - Australian families are showing 'Ed' the door. Parents and carers from every state and territory will head for Brisbane next month, to attend our nation's first eating disorder conference for carers. The conference, titled At Home with Eating Disorders, will be held in Brisbane, Queensland, on May 24th and 25th. With one month to go,
- [To beat 'Ed', we need to come out and shout!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/19/to-beat-ed-we-need-to-come-out-and-shout/) - I kept my eating disorder a secret for decades, fearing stigma and shame if people knew about it. I feared this re-action among family, friends and in the work place. Everywhere! But keeping the illness under wrap prolonged my suffering. 'Ed' thrives on secrecy and does all it can to persuade us to keep quiet.
- [It’s time for the Eating Disorder conference world to welcome sufferers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/18/its-time-for-the-eating-disorder-conference-world-to-welcome-ufferers/) - Hot on the heels of Sufferers - an untapped resource in the field of eating disorders comes this insightful and stirring post from Shannon Cutts, Executive Director, MentorCONNECT: Thank you for inviting me to weigh in on what may be one of the most difficult issues remaining in the eating disorders field. It has long been my dream
- [Sufferers – an untapped resource in the field of eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/09/sufferers-an-untapped-resource-in-the-field-of-eating-disorders/) - I come from the 'sufferer' or 'person with the eating disorder' background, and over recent years I have started to wonder why more people 'like me' are not at eating disorder conferences – which I always find helpful and nurturing. I reached out to others in the ED field, and discussion has led to this article: Sufferers –
- [Rowing Oxford to London to Beat eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/06/rowing-oxford-to-london-to-beat-eating-disorders/) - ‘We will push our bodies to the limits to stop eating disorder sufferers from doing the same.’ Rowers' motto Blisters on the palms of hands, early morning training, pushing the pain barrier – this was part of everyday life for my daughter, a rower with Melbourne University Boat Club. The physical, mental and emotional exertion
- [Midlife Eating Disorders - yes, they do happen](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/03/midlife-eating-disorders-yes-they-do-happen/) - As a wife and mother suffering bulimia in the 1970s, the same tussle of thoughts preceded every meal – the mere thought of eating three meals in one day triggered debilitating anxiety. I was as yet unaware of the importance of eating three meals and three snacks a day in recovering from an eating disorder
- [Seeing the unseen: young males get eating disorders too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/02/young-males-get-eating-disorders-too/) - Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses. While they are often portrayed as disorders that only affect females, one in 10 people diagnosed with an eating disorder are male. However, the under-diagnosis and the cultural stigma boys and men face means that the actual proportion of males with eating disorders could be much higher. Nadia Micali,
- ['Coming out' with an eating disorder - so glad I did](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/04/01/coming-out-with-an-eating-disorder-so-glad-i-did/) - Fifty-one years ago, in 1962, I developed anorexia. I was 11 years old. An eating disorder is like a bully in the brain. It sabotages thoughts and feelings, and manipulates behaviour. It draws you away from loving relationships, and discourages the sharing of fears and uncertainties. The eating disorder pretends to be your friend –
- [Eating a cup cake at Easter](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/31/eating-a-cup-cake-at-easter/) - Fear about food is a wall of nothing through which you can pass. If you have an eating disorder, you may have been told that this illness is ‘not about the food’. Which is true in a way – because it is about much more than food. Even when you are eating three meals and
- [Eating disorders are NOT rare - obesity v. eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/25/eating-disorders-are-not-rare-obesity-v-eating-disorders/) - “Concerns about disordered eating in children and adolescents should not preclude appropriate action on childhood obesity.” Extract from Medical Journal of Australia I share the concerns of eating disorder advocate, Chevese Turner, about an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia. The article is titled: Childhood obesity in Australia remains a widespread health concern that warrants
- [Recovery guide for sufferers - focus of Janet Treasure's new book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/23/recovery-guide-for-sufferers-focus-of-janet-treasures-new-book/) - Professor Janet Treasure wrote the highly respected and widely known book, Anorexia Nervosa: A Survival Guide for Families, Friends and Sufferers, in 1997. I have had the pleasure of co-authoring the long-awaited update, released this month. The new edition builds on the work of the first book, providing essential new and updated research outcomes on anorexia
- [Mum, I want you out of my life - a turning point for recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/20/mum-i-want-you-out-of-my-life-a-turning-point-for-recovery/) - I felt absolutely devastated when I found my daughter had bulimia. She was about 18 and suffered from quantities of depression. My heart plummeted. Someone had told me this illness lasted for years. - a mother shares her wisdom as a carer in this extract from Ed says U said: My daughter certainly was depressed, holed
- [Chewing and spitting harmful for teeth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/14/chewing-and-spitting-harmful-for-teeth/) - For 17 years I have had severely restricting Anorexia and a lot of chewing and spitting (CHSP), with resultant major dental problems...but no purging. It's funny how these little terms, like CHSP, come along, isn't it … an attempt to encompass such heavy, emotionally-laden, guilty, secretive behaviors into tiny acronyms that sound really clinical and matter-of-fact. _ "A" Dentists want to
- [Red book a teacher for carers - ED specialist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/14/red-book-a-teacher-for-carers-ed-specialist/) - Just want to say what a fab book this is, June … Ed says U said has filled the difficult gap in my carer groups. It was always difficult to get the carers go fully understand the ED voice, but this will make it much clearer... thank you…. Mark Taylor - Specialist Practitioner (Eating Disorders) www.marktaylornorthants.co.uk People who
- [Eating Disorders in Mid Life – Learning to feed me instead of Ed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/10/eating-disorders-in-mid-life-learning-to-feed-me-instead-of-ed/) - As a wife and mother suffering bulimia in the 1970s, the same tussle of thoughts preceded every meal – the mere thought of eating three meals in one day triggered debilitating anxiety. I was as yet unaware of the importance of eating three meals and three snacks a day in recovering from an eating disorder
- [A smile: the untold cost of an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/08/a-smile-the-untold-cost-of-an-eating-disorder/) - I’ve been self conscious of my smile all my life. During most of my childhood this feeling had nothing to do with my teeth – I was convinced there was something wrong with my face and that I looked stupid when I smiled. There isn’t anything wrong – it’s simply that my mouth is a
- [No front teeth, so hard to smile](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/06/no-front-teeth-so-hard-to-smile/) - 'When I left home at the age of 19 to attend University I put off finding a dentist as the bulimia deepened ... fear of being found out was too strong.' Eating disorders rob us of many precious things - including our smile. It's hard to smile without front teeth - I know. And we
- [Who is The Biggest Loser? We are, if we don't take a stand](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/05/who-is-the-biggest-loser-we-are-if-we-dont-take-a-stand/) - I join with Eating Disorders Victoria in encouraging you to email this Biggest Loser Letter, together with your own extra comments, to info@shineaustralia.com Dear Biggest Loser Producers, I am horrified to learn that the 2013 series of The Biggest Loser on Australian TV station, Channel Ten, will be open to contestants over the age of 15 years, as part of
- [Midlife eating disorders - hear Professor Bulik in Brisbane](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/03/04/midlife-eating-disorders-hear-professor-bulik-in-brisbane/) - As a young mother in my twenties and thirties I encouraged my four children in many pursuits – swimming, ballet, brownies, cubs, tennis, horse riding lessons and more. But I never once jumped in the swimming pool and played with them. Or went to a dance rehearsal, or to a hockey match or gymkhana, or
- [Educating dentists about 'Ed' - share your story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/28/educating-dentists-about-ed-share-your-story/) - Smile, and the world smiles with you. But smiling can be difficult when teeth suffer from an eating disorder. Despite growing up on a dairy farm - plenty of fresh milk - my teeth suffered greatly when anorexia developed at age 11. I felt so embarrassed, I did not want to smile. Fast forward to
- [Exercising during AN recovery - good or bad? Research call for survivors to share experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/26/exercising-during-an-recovery-good-or-bad-research-call-for-survivors-to-share-experience/) - Exercise is a feel-good activity for many people who suffer anorexia nervosa. I know – as a survivor, now in my seventh blissful year of recovery, I continue to enjoy exercise – these days usually in the form of walking, pulling weeds and planting seedlings in the vegetable garden, or playing at the park with
- [Recovery is brilliant - come to Brisbane and find out](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/23/recovery-is-brilliant-come-to-brisbane-and-find-out/) - We all love a good recovery story; we love to see those who have been down, get up and go on to lead happy, productive lives. Pop stars and entertainers inspire us when they get their life back on track, but there are quiet achievers everywhere – in the suburbs, down town, in our rural
- [Ed says U said - a book for U](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/18/ed-says-u-said-a-book-for-u/) - Even if you think you don’t know anyone with an eating disorder, read this book – chances are that you do Shocking statistics in Australia (replicated throughout the world): 1828 Australians died from eating-related disorders in 2012 – 50% more than our national road toll. One in 20 Australians has an eating disorder. More
- [Roses are red, there's life after Ed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/15/roses-are-red-theres-life-after-ed/) - Happy Valentine's Day to you and your loved ones:-) I had the happiest Valentine's Day ever – my partner George arrived late afternoon with a big bunch of red roses and bottle of champagne. I felt overwhelmed. This was our first Valentine's Day together. Six years into freedom from my eating disorder, and life gets
- [Bye bye to bully 'ED'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/12/bye-bye-to-bully-ed/) - I'm excited. A dream is coming true. On May 24 and 25, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, eating disorders will be put on our map for all to see. Eating disorders will be put on notice. Yep, 'ED', your time is up. No more hiding, pretending, manipulating or bullying your prey. We are on to you.
- [B an early bird for Brisbane](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/07/b-an-early-bird-for-brisbane/) - I am sooo excited. Every day is one day closer to our first national conference on eating disorders in Australia - our first national conference, that is, for families, carers and eating disorder sufferers. A dream coming true! Be an early bird - register by February 28. Read the latest news on our conference preparations
- [Karen's life had 'only just begun'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/02/04/karens-life-had-only-just-begun/) - Karen Carpenter died 30 years ago today, at age 32. Her life had only just begun when an eating disorder took it away. I did not know Karen personally but felt a great affinity with her. We were born in the same year, 1950, and we both developed the eating disorder illness, anorexia nervosa. Sadly,
- [Translating Ed's talk](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/27/translating-eds-talk/) - Feel misunderstood? Ed Says U Said – Eating Disorder Translator can help you understand why. Even if you think you don’t know anyone with an eating disorder, chances are that you do. Ed Says U Said provides insights and clues on how to beat a deadly illness at its game. Eating disorders are about much more than food. They are
- [Sock it to ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/23/sock-it-to-ed/) - Sometimes the darkest moment can be a catalyst for light. At the 2010 Academy of Eating Disorders Salzburg ICED, I was eating lunch and enjoying a chat with fellow advocates, Kitty Westin, Laura Collins and Carrie Arnold. We were sitting around a small table outside at a sidewalk café when news came through from
- [Aussies kick ED for six](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/22/aussies-kick-ed-for-six/) - Families, carers and sufferers of eating disorders - this is for you At Home with Eating Disorders - Australia's first national conference for families and carers, and people who suffer an eating disorder. Brisbane, May 23-25, 2013. See you there! Are you caring for someone with an eating disorder, or do you have an eating
- [Getting out of BED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/22/getting-out-of-bed/) - Living in a culture of intense body image focus is not easy. Especially if you have an eating disorder. It is a fallacy that eating disorders are visible. Get this fact: they are a biologically-based illness in the mind, in the brain. Some symptoms may become physically visible but most are not. Myths abound about
- [Seeing red with Ed says U said](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/14/seeing-red-with-ed-says-u-said/) - RED means STOP. Ed says U said - Eating Disorder Translator shouts this message for all to read and hear. This new book with the red cover puts the eating disorder 'Ed' on notice. Turn the glaring red cover to unearth the lowdown on this grossly misunderstood illness. Turn the pages to understand the language of
- [Soaring - beyond ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/08/soaring-beyond-ed/) - Eating disorders. They are a pain. They sabotage the brains of beautiful people and play havoc with their lives and those of their families. I know, for I was a prisoner of anorexia and bulimia for more than 40 years, from age 11. But I am lucky. I survived and, with much help, rebuilt and
- [OBE for Janet Treasure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2013/01/03/obe-for-janet-treasure/) - Great news to start 2013! I am absolutely delighted, 'over the moon', with the news that eating disorder researcher, Janet Treasure, has been recognised with an OBE for her work. Around the world, many carers, families and sufferers of eating disorders will join with me in applauding this news. Professor Treasure has a knack of
- [Helping the helpers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/12/21/helping-the-helpers/) - My sister often said to me: you are really good at helping others, but hopeless at helping your self. Alas, she was right. I had an eating disorder and had no idea how to help myself. Helping others seemed a good diversion, taking my mind off inner struggles and torment, for at least a little
- [At Home with Eating Disorders – book now!](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/12/07/at-home-with-eating-disorders-book-now/) - Great news! Dreams DO come true! Registrations are open for Australia’s first national conference on eating disorders for families, carers and sufferers. Yes, families, carers and sufferers – this conference is for YOU! Come and listen to, learn from, world-leading researchers presenters - including Professors Daniel Le Grange, Janet Treasure, Cynthia Bulik and Stephen Touyz.
- [Australian conference to show eating disorders the door](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/10/29/australian-conference-to-show-eating-disorders-the-door/) - Many people in our community are affected by an eating disorder. Nobody chooses to have this illness, and parents are not to blame. The illnesses - anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and eating disorders not otherwise specified - cause havoc and pain in the most stable of families and everyone is affected. Most people don't
- [Aussies At Home with Eating Disorder Care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/09/21/aussies-at-home-with-eating-disorder-care/) - Professor Janet Treasure and Professor Daniel Le Grange will deliver keynote speeches at Australia’s first conference for carers of people with eating disorders. Titled At Home with Eating Disorders, the conference will take place on 24th and 25th May, 2013 in Brisbane, Queensland. (See flyer). Professor Treasure is noted for her amazing work on the ‘New
- [Eating disorders - what helps?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/09/18/eating-disorders-what-helps/) - Mental health is as important as physical health. I am constantly amazed that some people think that it is okay to have a physical illness, but to have something wrong with one's mind is unacceptable --a sure sign of weakness, no less. Strange, because our mind is part of our body, no less! Eating disorders
- [Icing on my cake of life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/09/17/icing-on-my-cake-of-life/) - My blog has been dormant for a few months, for several exciting reasons. Firstly, I have been co-authoring and editing three books this year. I am deeply appreciative to everyone who has contributed to each of these titles. The books will be released in the first half of 2013 and each has great potential to
- [When FBT fails - research call to parents](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/09/12/when-fbt-fails-research-call-to-parents/) - For many good reasons, Family-Based Treatment is the frontline option for children and adolescents who are diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. But this treatment does not work for everyone. The good news is that researchers are working to find out why, so that they can further improve the treatment outcomes. And the researchers need your help.
- [Why we need a 24-hour eating disorder support line](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/31/why-we-need-a-24-hour-eating-disorder-support-line/) - A 24-hour support line for eating disorder sufferers will save lives. It will save relationships. It will save thousands of taxpayer dollars in health care. This is why I started a petition to raise awareness. To sign the petition, click here. This year marks 50 years since I developed anorexia. It’s an illness that continues
- [Hindsight - a book by parents for parents](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/29/hindsight-a-book-by-parents-for-parents/) - The love and care of parents for children who develop an eating disorder knows no bounds. For some, like Lyn and Chris Ellis, helping their child recover is not enough. They want their experience to ease and speed the way through the darkness of the eating disorder for other parents who find themselves confronting this
- [1500 signatures - revealing the cost of silent suffering](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/11/1500-signatures-revealing-the-cost-of-silent-suffering/) - I am overwhelmed by the strength of the response to this petition. More than 1500 signatures, and now we are aiming for 2500. And I am sure this is just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands of people are affected by an eating disorder and in need of a 24-hour support line. Minister for Mental
- [ED behaviours and weight concerns common in women over 50](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/10/ed-behaviours-and-weight-concerns-common-in-women-over-50/) - Let's bust a myth: Eating disorders are NOT a fad, they are not the domain of the young. They most often develop when we are young - true - and unrestrained can hitch a ride into adulthood and even grandparenthood, causing havoc at every life stage. On behalf of older women everywhere, a big thank
- [500 call for 24-hour support line](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/08/500-call-for-24-hour-support-line/) - We have more than 500 signatures on our petition: Minister for Mental Health: Fund a life saving 24-hour Support Line for Eating Disorders sufferers. This is an enormous accomplishment and I want to thank you so much making a stand for change. Our petition will remain open until Oct 04, 2012, allowing you and your supporters to
- [Relapse - a phone call can defuse the trigger](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/06/relapse-a-phone-call-can-defuse-the-trigger/) - More than 200 people have signed the petition calling for a 24-hour support line for eating disorder sufferers in Australia. If you have yet to sign, do so here. Let's help make a difference. Share with your friends, families, colleagues - everybody on your contact list! We need to make a noise at the highest
- [Sign petition for 24-hour help line](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/05/sign-petition-for-24-hour-help-line/) - Please help sufferers of eating disorders in our big wide country of Australia by signing this petition. It is crazy but true, that at the moment the only help line available for eating disorder care operates in business hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). Hilarious, if not so serious. You can help stop ED's
- [Message from Andrea - now it's hospital at home](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/07/04/message-from-andrea-now-its-hospital-at-home/) - Andrea, who suffers anorexia, was on death's bed but could not get a hospital bed to receive specialised eating disorder treatment, due to living in the wrong postcode area. Eventually she was placed in a hospital bed to be medically stabilised; now she writes with an update: 'Andrea' here:) I just wanted to send you
- [Stop fearmongering anti-obesity campaign](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/26/stop-fearmongering-anti-obesity-campaign/) - I just signed a petition (see below) addressed to: WA Government, Heart Foundation and Cancer Council. As Paul Rhodes notes, much better to 'promote dignity, lifestyle, the joys of getting out there', than make people feel guilty and worse about themselves. The petition has been given life by Lydia Jade Turner. Lydia explains: The anti-obesity ad
- [To exercise or not - new study on anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/20/to-exercise-or-not-new-study-on-anorexia/) - Many people – children and adults both – bemoan the severe restrictions placed on exercise by their treatment teams during the early stages of recovery from anorexia. Does being confined to bed help? A new study at the University of Sydney is addressing a scarcity of research in regards to targeted treatment interventions and the
- [Where there is life, there is hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/18/where-there-is-life-there-is-hope/) - Friend Pooky in the UK has emailed about a 32 year old woman with anorexia who wants to be left to die but a judge has ruled must forcibly kept alive. 'I'd be interested to know your thoughts on this,' Pooky said. My response: Here is another woman, in her 30s, with anorexia. Compare her
- [A bed for Andrea but too many waiting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/14/a-bed-for-andrea-but-too-many-waiting/) - A hospital bed has been found for Andrea. Potentially due to the activism by readers of this post and Andrea's community, her desperate medical situation has been recognised and a medical bed offered at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Amazingly, this location is out of Andrea's postcode area. I understand that Andrea will remain
- [A plea for Andrea - a bed before she is dead](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/05/a-plea-for-andrea-a-bed-before-she-is-dead/) - If there is one thing that makes me mad, it is when people-who-should-know-better talk about and treat people living with a mental illness as though they are objects. For an object is how Sydney mother of four, 'Andrea', is being treated by people who hold the key to her life. Almost two weeks ago, I
- [Jenny Craig call has nourishing outcome](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/05/jenny-craig-call-has-nourishing-outcome/) - The call to 'Stop Jenny Craig's CEO from presenting at Girls' Schools conference' continues to make ripples. Many of you joined the public outcry by signing the petition - and the good news is that your voice has been heard. Yes, every vote does count. Petition organiser, Lydia Jade Turner, provides an update: Hi Everyone,
- [Faith and love the most powerful tonics of all](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/06/01/faith-and-love-the-most-powerful-tonics-of-all/) - Recovery from an eating disorder requires help from many quarters. Boundless love of family and unwavering faith in God provided gave me strength to fight for freedom. Challenge, The Good News Paper, based in Perth, Western Australia, publishes this story in their June edition: June Alexander, who finally recovered from her eating disorders at age 55
- [Arms full of books and head full of ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/27/arms-full-of-books-and-head-full-of-ed/) - Everyday when I pick Nellie up from school I see all her old friends walking out in a group laughing and smiling and walking freely and then about 100 metres away there is Nellie – tiny little Nellie with her arms full of books and her head full of ED. I grieve for her lost youth.
- [No bed for mother critically ill with anorexia – wrong postcode](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/25/no-bed-for-mother-critically-ill-with-anorexia-wrong-postcode/) - A New South Wales mother of four children, aged six to 13, is being denied a hospital bed for treatment of her chronic anorexia nervosa because she has the wrong postcode. The woman’s plight, which has been taken up by her treating clinical psychologist, reveals a gaping hole in health care services for people with
- [Unchecked, ED has no use-by date](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/24/unchecked-ed-has-no-use-by-date/) - 'ED' of Eating Disorder notoriety, has no 'Use By' date. Without evidence-based treatment intervention, 'ED' doesn't just 'go away'. It thrives on torturing innocent minds and sending families into a spin. Band-aid treatment - a few weeks of therapy here and there - simply won't work. It is like taking a cake out of the
- [At Home with Eating Disorders - a conference for Aussies](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/23/at-home-with-eating-disorders-a-conference-for-aussies/) - I’m delighted to share wonderful, wonderful news. At Home with Eating Disorders, the first Australian eating disorder conference for families, carers and sufferers, has got the green light to proceed. This conference will take place in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, on May 23-25, 2013. The venue will be the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Our
- [Children show us that living in the moment is what counts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/14/children-show-us-that-living-in-the-moment-is-what-counts/) - "Choose whatever you like, Mum'. I looked at the menu and chose pancakes with maple syrup. Yum. Like many mothers around the world, I celebrated 'Mother's Day' this past Sunday. I felt completely blessed, invited to brunch with all four children, and all five grand children. We sat in a lovely restaurant and I was
- [Write and everything will be all right](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/08/write-and-everything-will-be-all-right/) - ... i got your book A Girl Called Tim out of the library last week and i literally read the whole thing in one day because i just couldnt put it down ... it was the first book i have ever read that describes exactly how i feel its fantastic and im defiantly (sic.) going to
- [No diets in my house](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/06/no-diets-in-my-house/) - My little Myne Cottage will be 'bursting at the seams' tonight when my family comes to dinner. There will be seventeen of us - my four children and their families; their dad, George, and his partner; the lovely Sri Lankan parents of one of my daughters-in-law, and - me. I am pretending my dining-living area
- [I've got an eating disorder - what do you say?](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/05/03/ive-got-an-eating-disorder-what-do-you-say/) - The doctor told me today I have an eating disorder… If your child, or friend, or partner, or parent, or colleague, says this to you, what will you say in response? Or maybe you are the person with the eating disorder - if so, what did people say, how did they re-act, when they learnt
- [An illness in the brain](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/30/an-illness-in-the-brain/) - I'm taking a break from book-writing to comment on Laura's Soap Box: Good will hunting. Laura, thank you for this post, which relates very closely to matters within my heart and soul. For more than 20 years, from age 11 to in my 30s, I struggled with an illness which was considered by all around
- [When mother has an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/27/when-mother-has-an-eating-disorder/) - I reached for the phone. I was ready to accept the guidance of my minister and psychiatrist so I could become a person with normal behavioural habits. ‘I will go to the mental health hospital this Sunday,’ I vowed. ‘If I don’t go I will defer my recovery. I want to be free.’ But on
- [Understanding why we cling to ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/23/understanding-why-we-cling-to-ed/) - ED says U said - Understanding the Language of Eating Disorders is filling up fast with hundreds of dialogues contributed by carers and people with eating disorder experience from around the world. Thank you! Of course, I want more! One conversation that has popped up time and time again runs like this: "Why is
- [Bin the diet, feed the soul](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/23/bin-the-diet-feed-the-soul/) - For years I felt my soul was literally in tatters, like those bits of seaweed you see washed up on the seashore. My eating disorder had devoured it, squeezed all sense of self out of it. Left it vulnerable and exposed to the forces of the outside world. Left me with no safe haven, living
- [Weighing up online support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/21/weighing-up-online-support/) - I regained me before 'coming out of the closet', so to speak, to share my experience of an eating disorder. I have been exploring 'online' for about five years. That's all. I have met many people online in this time and cherish the many friendships that have evolved from communicating in this way. Although I
- [Turning the pages on a Continuous Appetite](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/19/turning-the-pages-on-a-continuous-appetite/) - Have you ever found yourself eating and eating and eating and, even though you know that you won’t be happy with this choice later, you’re unable to stop? This is the disordered path that Sophie Skover walked for years. Eleven years ago, Sophie had bulimia nervosa (BN) and repeatedly found herself living in this destructive eating pattern.
- [Beware of 'ED' the marriage gatecrasher](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/17/beware-of-ed-the-marriage-gatecrasher/) - I fainted on the morning of my wedding day in 1971. Not from nerves, but from hunger. Bang! When I 'came around', I found myself lying on my parents' bed, with my mother fussing over me; I didn't know what day it was. I was 20 years old and had been suffering anorexia and bulimia
- [Mentoring - a gem in the recovery toolbag](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/13/mentoring-a-gem-in-the-recovery-toolbag/) - Mentoring is one of the most under-valued skills and gifts around. The dictionary describes a mentor as 'an experienced and trusted adviser'. Shannon Cutts is this and much more. I met Shannon at the 2009 NEDA conference in Minneapolis. There she was, with her lovely long hair and gorgeous smile, exactly as you see in this picture. Except
- [NEDA Joins Protest Against Jenny Craig](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/12/neda-joins-protest-against-jenny-craig/) - The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is adding its voice to the growing numbers opposed to Jenny Craig CEO, Amy Smith, being named as the keynote speaker choice for the Alliance of Girls’ Schools upcoming conference. The Alliance is a non-profit organization “which aims to promote the education of girls in single sex girls’ schools
- [Two acute beds for more than 7 million – no joke](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/11/two-acute-beds-for-more-than-7-million-no-joke/) - There is no place like home, surrounded by everyone and everything that represents ‘safety, security and stability’, when recovering from an eating disorder. Ideally, hospital is the last place we want to be, but sometimes when ED goes on a rampage, it is the place we need to be. For the sake of our physical
- [National website to fight ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/10/national-website-to-fight-ed/) - Fifty years ago this month, I was developing Anorexia Nervosa, an illness that nobody in rural Australia knew about back then. The illness sabotaged four decades of my life. For fast recovery, early intervention is critical. Today we have a national website. Nowhere for ED to hide. Get that, ED, nowhere for you to hide.
- [‘Love your body’ is not enough - we need to understand us, too](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/08/love-your-body-is-not-enough-we-need-to-understand-it-too/) - We all need to love our body but when we have an eating disorder this is not enough. We need to understand the language too. The language in our brain. An eating disorder is not a choice or something that can be switched off with a throwaway line; it is a biologically-based brain disorder that,
- [AED adds voice to Jenny Craig protest](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/06/aed-adds-voice-to-jenny-craig-protest/) - This Academy of Eating Disorders press release speaks volumes: Jenny Craig CEO Keynote Speaker at Australian Girls’ Schools Conference The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) joins the protest against Jenny Craig CEO, Amy Smith, as the keynote speaker choice for the Alliance of Girls’ Schools upcoming conference. Approximately 200 educators from all over Australia are
- [Open Letter to sign - for our girls](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/04/open-letter-to-sign-for-our-girls/) - Mother of a 17-year-old daughter fighting to recover from Anorexia Nervosa, in Victoria, responding to news that Jenny Craig CEO, Amy Smith, is to address a conference of girls' school educators in Melbourne: I have signed the Jenny Craig petition. I don’t have words to describe how this makes me feel. If they (conference organisers, Alliance
- [Expert carer coaches - a spark in the ED darkness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/04/01/expert-carer-coaches-a-spark-in-the-ed-darkness/) - By the time you guide a child to recovery from an eating disorder, you are an expert on many things, including survival. Exciting new research is revealing how your experience with caring can help other carers, and speed the process of recovery. Until an eating disorder developed in her family, Pamela Macdonald was ‘just another mother’
- [Educators, take the blinkers off](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/30/educators-take-the-blinkers-off/) - With Australia's first national eating disorder conference for families only 13 months away (May 23-25, Brisbane; can't come soon enough), it is worth watching this Channel Seven Morning Show segment to know what the eating disorder field is up against in education in Australia. If ever there was any doubt that Australia needs an eating disorder
- [When thin is normal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/28/when-thin-is-normal/) - When you are 12 years old, and anything other than 'thin' does not seem normal or acceptable, the last thing you need is a weight loss company advertising how it can help you feel wonderful and look beautiful. When thin becomes normal in the mind of a genetically-vulnerable child, the gun is loaded to trigger
- [Standing up to the diet industry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/27/standing-up-to-the-diet-industry/) - Life isn't fair. My psychiatrist said that to me, rather bluntly, years ago, when I was crying my way through a session about an injustice that had occurred as a result of my eating disorder. What he meant, when I calmed down sufficiently to reflect, was that by ceasing to expect life to be fair,
- [Once bitten, twice determined](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/25/once-bitten-twice-determined/) - "Amy Smith believes that anything is possible — her motto is 'once bitten, twice determined'." So says the updated bio for Jenny Craig CEO, Amy Smith, in the speakers' details section for the AGSA Conference. All reference to Jenny Craig has been deleted. Amy, and AGSA conference organisers, I've a message for you: People who experience
- [Sign the petition - save a life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/24/sign-the-petition-save-a-life/) - 'ED' takes no time off on weekends. We won't either. The good news is that a petition is circulating online. Let's give it wings. High five to Lydia Jade for creating this petition. As I write this, the number of signatures is about to hit 200. Let's keep this rolling, let's keep this going so
- [Diet industry has no place in school environment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/23/diet-industry-has-no-place-in-school-environment/) - What is your image of a girl? What image comes to mind first? Who do you 'see' in your mind? Do you 'see' her body size, or do you 'see' her essence, her bubbly personality? And what images do girls have of themselves? What images will give them, the mothers of tomorrow, the most freedom
- [Red Riding Hood re-visited: a nightmare that must be stopped](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/22/red-riding-hood-re-visited-a-nightmare-that-must-be-stopped/) - My three little grand daughters - the eldest is aged two years - are my sweetest inspiration. They fuel my passion in raising awareness of eating disorders. Forty-four years of my life, from the age of eleven, were scarred, marred and tortured by eating disorders - first Anorexia, then Bulimia. Forty-four years - lost. I
- [The fine line between caring and over-caring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/21/the-fine-line-between-caring-and-over-caring/) - What does a mother do when her young adult daughter calls and says: ‘I want you to move (500km) to the city to look after me while I study, I can’t cope alone.’ The mother has a job she likes, friends, and a lovely home in the town where she has raised her children and
- [You Just Don't Get It](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/19/you-just-dont-get-it/) - Six years into freedom, I remain gob-smacked at the ability of an eating disorder to twist and turn words. Not only the spoken word but also the silent words that for decades raced incessantly, like champion dodgem cars, around in my mind. Say one word and my eating disorder would grab and magnify it to the
- [A case of 'a little bit of Bulimia'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/18/a-case-of-a-little-bit-of-bulimia/) - “A little bit of Bulimia never hurt anyone.” It's hard to believe, and you surely won’t want to believe it, but a doctor said this to a young woman in an Australian country town. The doctor dismissed the young woman with this ‘advice’ eight years ago. Bulimia has been a diagnosable illness for more than 40
- [A mother with a broken heart, smiling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/16/a-mother-with-a-broken-heart-smiling/) - Becky Henry is a mother on a mission. I have had the pleasure of meeting her several times - at NEDA and F.E.A.S.T. events - Becky stood out from the crowd - her spark and brilliant smile caught my eye. I mean, she was always smiling, and her eyes were twinkling. She definitely looked like 'Fun'. We
- [There really is Hope at Every Age](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/14/there-really-is-hope-at-every-age/) - This week is 'packed to the rafters' with joyful moments. First there was the birth of my fifth grand child and third grand daughter, Amelia Jane, on Tuesday, and today the birth of an e-book - Hope at Every Age - Developing an Appetite for Recovery. This e-book has been inspired by the interest in my
- [No eating disorder is an island](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/11/no-eating-disorder-is-an-island/) - Children who develop an eating disorder deserve the opportunity to receive evidence-based treatment – that is, a treatment that has been thoroughly tested and has both runs and explanation on the board. Alas, for most people, this is not a reality in 2012. It is a dream. Recovering from an eating disorder, for many children
- [Journaling releases the voice of true self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/08/journaling-releases-the-voice-of-true-self/) - Readers of my blog know that writing has been one of my life-savers. A journal, kept from the age of 12, was a friend, confidant and haven as I passed from childhood to adolescence, to adulthood. It was a place where I put pen to paper in an effort to make sense of the eating
- [Self-compassion - with Josie Geller](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/06/self-compassion-with-josie-geller/) - ANZAED will hold an interactive "Webinar" by Dr Josie Geller, from the University of British Columbia on 21 March. The extra good news is that this event will be free for all ANZAED members. The Webinar will involve a live presentation where participants can log in and watch on the web and/or listen via telephone. Full technical details will be
- [A mother's love never gives up](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/05/a-mothers-love-never-gives-up/) - What do you do when the hospital staff say 'take your daughter home, we can do no more for her'? These words were said to K's mother. She feared she would be considered responsible for her daughter's death. Anorexia was a formidable foe. This is a story of a mother's love, shared to highlight the
- [A daughter's plea for caregivers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/04/a-daughters-plea-for-caregivers/) - I have seen eating disorders pull families apart; siblings may never forgive the child with the eating disorder. These barriers can last a lifetime .... Having the right intervention and support at the time of intervention is important. The family needs to be supported to help and promote recovery, without the sole responsibility and burden
- [ED says U said no to TwistED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/03/ed-says-u-said-no-to-twisted/) - TwistED is out, and ED says U said is in. Thank you to the many respondents who have shared thoughts on the concept and title for the upcoming book on understanding the language of eating disorders. Your insights are appreciated. TwistED was a working title and your heartfelt and evidence-from-experience observations have pointed out an ambiguity – we
- [When running is not fun](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/03/02/when-running-is-not-fun/) - Sometimes too much 'being on the run' can be a sign that something is wrong - even in young children...see pages 12 and 13 in the latest Get Ahead Kids magazine ...GetAheadKids_article_Exercise_2012 Get Ahead Kids Magazine Vol. 4. No. 2. Mar/Apr 2012
- [A 'War Cry' helps to beat ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/28/a-war-cry-helps-to-beat-ed/) - The opportunity to spread the word about eating disorders is always a pleasure - to think that one person may benefit from reading an article, and be inspired to reach out for help, is enough to keep me going! I am grateful to the Salvation Army for devoting the whole of Page Five in their
- [Insurance project responds to voice of experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/27/insurance-project-responds-to-voice-of-experience/) - Good news for Australian families who are wondering where their next dollar is coming from, and where to turn to, in meeting health care expenses. After a decade of collaborating and taking note of consumer experiences, the Mental Health Council of Australia and beyondblue: the national depression and anxiety initiative have launched the Mental Health and Insurance Project
- [Helping our doctors learn about ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/25/helping-our-doctors-learn-about-ed/) - This is a true story - a parent knows in their heart that something is terribly wrong, that their child is sick, and yet the doctor is saying 'don't worry, off you go home, she's okay'. You try to believe the doctor, who has high standing in your community, but secretly you are worried that
- [ED says U said - untwisting eating disorder talk](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/23/untwisting-eating-disorder-talk/) - Eating disorders have pretty much a language of their own. We say one thing and it is heard and interpreted as another. This can be hard to accept when our intention is noble. Something happens on the way from the speaker to the listener. The sense of the words can be twisted into many meanings, depending
- [Never too late to make a splash](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/20/never-to-late-to-make-a-splash/) - This afternoon I surprised two of my grand children, aged five and two. For the first time, they saw me in a bathing costume. They laughed, and so did I. They laughed a lot more when we entered the indoor swimming pool. The five-year-old had a large water pistol and proceeded to shoot me. The
- [The day I divorced 'Ed'](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/19/the-day-i-divorced-ed/) - Picking up the pieces of life after an eating disorder recovery can be challenging. Years, decades, may have passed. Relationships tested, scarred, and lost. Decisions made that cannot be un-made. So it was for me. For more than 40 years many of my thoughts and behaviours were at the behest of my eating disorder. My
- ['Just eat' - the doctor said](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/17/just-eat-the-doctor-said/) - Words are sometimes hard to find, when many emotions gush through one's mind. Exasperation, frustration, worry, fear, anger, pain, and everything in between. This happens when I receive a letter about a dear daughter from her parents, and know that better education and training of health professionals would have helped all three be in a
- [Offering hope - all over the web](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/15/offering-hope-all-over-the-web/) - Regaining one's life from a long-time eating disorder is an amazing feat. Imagine an unwelcome, extremely bossy person living in your home for 10 years or more; well, it's a thousand times worse when the equivalent lives in your brain, and you just can't get a moment's peace. Regaining one's true self, and pushing that
- [Taking the Anorexia Battle to the Defence Force](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/13/taking-the-anorexia-battle-to-the-defence-force/) - Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa is a battle. This mighty big, life or death battle requires much courage, resourcefulness and determination. During the ANZAED Conference in Sydney, 2011, I met a remarkable young woman who has conquered her eating disorder with flying colours. She is blossoming with life as she sets about fulfilling her life dreams. But
- [Recovery is - freedom to be](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/10/recovery-is-freedom-to-be/) - Every day I celebrate freedom from my eating disorder. The freedom is sweeter for taking so long to get. I'm a bit of a dinosaur in the eating disorder field - developed anorexia at age eleven in 1962, and transitioned into bulimia several years later - more than a decade before the wonderful Gerald Russell published
- [When knowledge is not enough - a mother's frustration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/06/when-knowledge-is-not-enough-a-mothers-frustration/) - This story is about a mother who has been alert to the early signs of 'Ed' but has been unable to get to first base in getting her daughter back. When anorexia develops in a child, recovery gets a head start when parents: a) recognise the symptoms b) know that early intervention is vital c)
- [When exercise is not fun](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/04/when-exercise-is-not-fun/) - Exercise is good, but excessive or compulsive exercise can be dangerous. At age 13, Kristen embraced the outdoors and enjoyed cross-country running at school. She was not overweight, had never been a big eater, ate little junk food and was not concerned about her body image, but she did want to improve her personal best
- [Looking in the Mirror](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/02/02/looking-in-the-mirror/) - 'We're never good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, tall enough, thin enough ... We look in the mirror and say things to ourselves that we would never say to other people ... Women are experiencing a self-esteem crisis ...' '... Why does our inner struggle with identity and self-esteem translate directly to weight and
- [When the eating disorder is all you can hear](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/31/when-ed-is-all-you-can-hear/) - I have suffered with an eating disorder (ED) for 18 years and I don't know how to break free ... I would like you to share strategies for those times when my ED is the only thing I can hear. - K. I just want to take 'K' by the hand and assure her that life
- [Maudsley in the media](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/29/maudsley-in-the-media/) - A small ripple in the mainstream media pond. Looking forward to the day we make a big splash, make waves, inspire and speed change in treatment and care for people of all ages who suffer eating disorders. Melbourne, (January 29th, 2012) The Sunday Age runs my letter: Finding hope CONGRATULATIONS to Jill Stark for balanced reporting
- [Playing tug of war with ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/25/playing-tug-of-war-with-ed/) - The Maudsley Approach is the best, evidence-based chance for most children and adolescents to nip their eating disorder - particularly anorexia nervosa - in the bud and get their life back on track in the quickest possible time. But what about those of us whose eating disorders developed before the Maudsley Approach - also known as
- [Getting your kid back](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/23/getting-your-kid-back/) - "... families talk about getting their kids back." Professor Susan Sawyer, director of adolescent health at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, is talking about the RCH's highly successful implementation of the Maudsley Approach for early intervention of anorexia nervosa in children and adolescents. Parents often feel they have 'lost' their child when an eating disorder develops. This is
- [Share the pain so that you may grow](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/21/share-the-pain-and-grow/) - The morning after the funeral I entered the kitchen of my childhood home on the farm, ready to reflect and reminisce with my parents on the sudden and unexpected loss of our loved family member. Instead, out of the blue (and totally unrelated) my mother began talking about a distant cousin facing Court on under-age
- [Hungry for an appetite](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/19/hungry-for-an-appetite/) - Does it take time for your body to reset its hunger signal? appetite |noun: * a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, esp. for food: he has a healthy appetite | they suffered from loss of appetite; * a strong desire or liking for something: an unquenchable appetite for life. - Dictionary definition. Appetite has been a big issue for me. I am eating three meals
- [An Appetite for Recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/17/an-appetite-for-recovery/) - Do you see your ED as having been a battle with your appetite, your body shape, or compulsive behaviours that have no real ‘meaning’ other than that you feel you must do them? My response to this question from Extra Long Tail is, all of the above. Eating disorders, like people, come in all shapes and sizes,
- [Aim for the full cherry of life - it's delicious](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/15/aim-for-the-full-cherry-of-life-its-delicious/) - This picture was taken the day my daughter celebrated her 21st birthday. I was 46 years' old and an inpatient at a private mental health hospital. My psychiatrist gave me four hours' leave to attend my daughter's party. I'd been in hospital more than a month and was unable to assist with the party arrangements.
- [Breaking free from thoughts that imprison us](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/13/breaking-free-from-thoughts-that-imprison-us/) - A devoted mother shared today that her daughter is restricting her food intake because soon she is to become an inpatient in a renewed effort to put her well on to the road of recovery. I understand the daughter's thoughts because for many years I had the same thoughts my self. It's all about a
- [Moving from an Eating Disorder's Half-life to Your Full Life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/11/moving-from-an-eating-disorders-half-life-to-your-full-life/) - Guest Blog By *Aimee Liu www.gainingthetruth.com What happens to people with anorexia or bulimia who don't get treatment -- or who don't get enough of the right treatment? This is an important question because, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, only ten percent of people with eating disorders are ever
- [Curve balls in recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/09/curve-balls-in-recovery/) - "Why does recovery have to have so many curve balls?" A grandmother asked today. The Christmas holiday season was not easy for her. With members of her usual treatment team on holiday, her eating disorder has had a bit of a runaway picnic in her mind, encouraging and enticing her to go to the gym
- [FEAST conference for Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/07/feast-conference-for-australia/) - Exciting news for Australian and New Zealand families and sufferers of eating disorders: we will have our first national eating disorder conference for families, carers and sufferers F.E.A.S.T. Conference in 2013. Hooray! The tentative dates are May 23-May 25 May 31st and June 1st, (circle these dates on your calendar). This inaugural event will be held in
- [Slip, slide, but hope got me over the line](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/06/slip-slide-but-hope-got-me-over-the-line/) - I’ve broken yet again. What hope have I got? I wonder, but I must have hope. Must not I, for when I think there is none, I want to die because one cannot live without hope. (1991) I'm 40 years old. Next day I regress further. I’m out of control. I am. All I can
- [No turning back](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/04/no-turning-back/) - My thoughts are that life is simply ‘life’ and it is just made up of numerous events. You may not like an event, you may rant and rave about it, but if we ever took time to look at life’s past events, with the clarity of hindsight, most of what we considered bad or unfair
- [Feeling snug in the family tree](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/03/feeling-snug-in-the-family-tree/) - ‘Life is not fair,’ my psychiatrist said rather bluntly some years ago, when I was bemoaning relationship losses. The losses – my parents, sister and extended family members - were ongoing casualties of my eating disorder and I was feeling sad. I felt very indignant and offended at first, at my psychiatrist’s dismissive phrase and
- [Freedom is three meals a day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/2012/01/01/freedom-is-three-meals-a-day/) - New Year’s resolutions for 2012? Not for me. Being vulnerable to eating disorders and anxiety, I live each moment as it comes. Embrace each second, focus on it, and the rest of the day and year looks after itself. When eating disorders ruled my life, each day was black or white. There was little or no

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- [The Early Years](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/blog/the-early-years/) - At the age of 11, when I developed anorexia nervosa, I began my first diary. In the decades since, the diary has served as a survival tool, a coping tool, a healing tool and self-care tool. My memoir, A Girl Called Tim, released in 2011, brought my diaries to life and inspired my first website,
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## Books

- [My Family is Back: Multi-Family Therapy for Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/my-family-is-back-multi-family-therapy-for-eating-disorders/) - MFT is an intensive method involving a small group of families working together towards recovery. Building on previous work that focuses on mobilising family...
- [My Kid is Back: Empowering Parents with Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/my-kid-is-back-empowering-parents-with-family-based-treatment-for-anorexia-nervosa/) - With my co-author, Professor Daniel Le Grange, I’m delighted to announce the worldwide release of My Kid is Back, Second Edition. We thank families from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand for contributing to this new book’s powerful message about Family-Based Treatment (FBT), the most effective evidence-based approach for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa. When anorexia nervosa (AN) develops in a child, it impacts the entire family. FBT offers hope by reinstating fundamental family coping principles―empowering parents and supporting them and their children in overcoming this serious psychiatric illness.
- [Community History Books](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/community-history-books/) - Writing is a valuable form of communication and expression for everyone. When natural disasters, such as drought, bushfires, and floods, occur, storytelling is one way that residents in affected communities can process and come to terms with their changed circumstances, and free themselves to move forward with their lives. I feel honoured to work with community groups in documenting first-person stories. For example, I Remember When … a government-funded recovery project comprising a series of three writing workshops, is far more than an exercise in therapy writing. Books created in this way become a testament to the wealth of wisdom, experience and talent waiting to be tapped among residents in any community. The residents’ stories create golden threads in the fabric of their community. Their stories provide a firsthand insight into their home district’s social history, over multiple generations.
- [A Clinician’s Guide to Binge Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/a-clinicians-guide-to-binge-eating-disorder/) - Advocacy is engendering the collective will to change “Ultimately, what is true for the individual is true for the community: motivation is essential for change. Unfortunately, change is expensive, consuming time, energy and money … … Effective motivation requires engagement and, while many strides have been made toward community engagement, much greater unity and broader involvement is possible. It is our hope that this volume represents a step in the direction of engagement of clinicians, researchers, patients, carers, policy makers, and members of the community in a joint endeavor to eliminate BED. To the degree that it promotes conversation among all of us whose lives are touched by BED, its purpose will have been well served.” Michael J. Devlin, Stephen A. Wonderlich, B. Timothy Walsh, James E. Mitchell; from the Afterword to A Clinician’s Guide to Binge Eating Disorder. Incidence of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) appears to be on the increase. Treating it and overcoming it is all the more difficult, especially for those living in a culture that has an intense body image focus.
- [Grief Diaries: Through the Eyes of an Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/grief-diaries-through-the-eyes-of-an-eating-disorder/) - Boldly written with graphic honesty, Grief Diaries: Through the Eyes of an Eating Disorder features the stories of 13 women who struggled from childhood into adulthood with anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Revealing the desperate secrets of their devastating illness for the first time, the women expose the painful truths they kept hidden for years, and how they found the courage and determination to overcome the destructive force of a powerful disorder before it claimed their very lives.
- [Come As You Are: Eating Disorders Can’t Wait](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/come-as-you-are-eating-disorders-cant-wait/) - Welcome to this collection of stories selected to celebrate and promote eating disorder advocacy and awareness. The compelling title of this book, Come as you are, eating disorders can’t wait, comes from the 2019 themes of two awareness campaigns – that of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) in the United States, and World Eating Disorders Day. The stories have been chosen to connect with these themes, and to encourage you to share your story, in a safe and supportive environment, too.
- [Hope at Every Age – Developing an Appetite for Recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/hope-at-every-age-developing-an-appetite-for-recovery/) - I am in Sixth Grade at school and I am developing Anorexia Nervosa. My parents are worried sick about me. They think I won’t make it to my 12th birthday. No one understands me. I don’t understand, either. I only know that I have to lose weight. I am too scared to eat. Food makes me anxious. Powerful thoughts drive me to eat less and exercise more every day. It is like something has taken over my brain, telling me what to do, and punishing me if I disobey. If in reading this you recognize yourself or someone you love – keep reading. Even though I got worse: much, much worse, I want you to know that I got better. There was no treatment for Anorexia and Bulimia in the 1960s when my illness developed. I was in my 30s when a correct diagnosis was given, and that’s when I began a 20-year journey to regain my identity.
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite – A survival kit for sufferers of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/getting-better-bite-by-bite-a-survival-kit-for-sufferers-of-bulimia-nervosa-and-binge-eating-disorders/) - Getting Better Bite by Bite is a survival kit for sufferers of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders. Every page of this self-help book carries the message that recovery from bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders is possible, at every age. Getting Better Bite by Bite does not pretend that recovery from an eating disorder is easy. Instead it arms you with skills and knowledge to make your recovery journey as smooth and rewarding as possible. Nothing Glamorous or Desirable There is nothing glamorous or desirable about bulimia or binge eating. Getting Better Bite by Bite portrays what life is really like, living with these illnesses. Much mystique remains. Misconceptions and misinformation abound about the causes, the health risks and the treatment. Accessing treatment can be difficult, and friends and relatives often have no idea how to help. Also, some doctors are not sympathetic or understanding. Their comments may leave you feeling that your problem is self-inflicted and trivial and thereby compound the illness characteristics of guilt, shame and loneliness.
- [Ed says U said – Eating Disorder Translator](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/ed-says-u-said-eating-disorder-translator/) - Ed says U said unravels the complexities of eating disorders (referred to as ‘ED’) into layman’s language that you can understand. Using avatars and the Twitter-like title and format, this book pitches to a social media-conscious-audience. ‘ED’ is portrayed as an invisible bully that develops in the mind. Its agenda is to befriend, isolate and destroy by manipulating and sabotaging thoughts and behaviours. The biologically based mental illness feeds on misinterpretation. The mind-takeover is so complete that the sufferer often doesn’t understand they are ill and family, friends, colleagues and health professionals have no idea how to respond.
- [Anorexia Nervosa – A Recovery Guide for Sufferers, Families and Friends](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/anorexia-nervosa-a-recovery-guide-for-sufferers-families-and-friends/) - The highly respected and widely known Anorexia Nervosa: A Survival Guide for Sufferers and Friends was written in 1997. This long-awaited new edition builds on the work of the first book, providing essential new and updated research outcomes on anorexia nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa: A Recovery Guide for Sufferers, Families and Friends, offers a unique insight and guidance into the recovery process for those who suffer from an eating disorder as well as advice and information for their loved ones. Written collaboratively by both an expert in the field and someone with personal experience of eating disorders, this book offers exceptional understanding of the issues surrounding the illness.
- [A Collaborative Approach to Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/a-collaborative-approach-to-eating-disorders/) - The Centre for Eating and Dieting Disorders, (CEDD) Sydney, offers this recommendation: A Collaborative Approach to Eating Disorders by June Alexander & Janet Treasure draws on up-to-date evidence based research as well as case studies and clinical vignettes to illustrate the seriousness of eating disorders and the impact on both the sufferer and their loved ones. With contributions from key international figures in the field, this book is a valuable resource for students and mental health professionals including family doctors, clinicians, nurses, family therapists, dieticians and social workers. While many aspects of eating disorders remain a mystery, there is growing evidence that collaboration is an essential element for treatment success. This book emphasises and explains the importance of family involvement as part of a unified team approach towards treatment and recovery.
- [My Kid is Back – Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa.](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/my-kid-is-back-empowering-parents-to-beat-anorexia-nervosa/) - June is travelling the world to raise raise awareness of the importance of family involvement and support in the treatment of eating disorders. This picture was taken at the Academy for Eating Disorders’ annual conference in Salzburg in 2010. My Kid is Back explains how family-based treatment can greatly reduce the severity of anorexia nervosa in children and adolescents, allowing the sufferer to return to normal eating patterns, and their families to return to normal family life. In this book ten families share their experiences of living with anorexia. Parents describe their frustrations in seeking help for their child and dealing with their behaviour and sufferers discuss how the illness gets into their mind and takes over their personality. By focusing on the Maudsley family approach and expert advice from Professor Daniel Le Grange, and including clear lists of illness symptoms, strategies for parents and carers to follow, and information on getting further treatment and support, this book proves an essential resource for families who want to win the battle with anorexia nervosa. Table of Contents Introduction. Le Grange, Family-based Treatment of Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: The Maudsley Approach. Family Case Studies. Chloe. Matthew. Kelly. Kristen. Hayley. Claire. Kylie. Billie. Annabelle. Alice. What Are Parents to Do? Le Grange, How to Tell if Your Child Has Anorexia Nervosa. Navigating the Search for Family-based Treatment. Appendix: Listing of Providers and Support Services.
- [Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/using-writing-as-a-therapy-for-eating-disorders-the-diary-healer/) - Above all, the catalyst for this book was a desire to explore and reveal through the unsolicited diaries of patients, the potential of diary writing as a therapeutic tool in self-renewal and healing. The story behind Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer began in 1962, when I developed an eating disorder and began to keep a diary. I was 11 years old and did not understand why I was too afraid to eat, or why I could not sit still. My frustrated mother, unaware that my head was filled with bossy thoughts and compelling fear, criticized my behavior and compounded my guilt. I retreated and became withdrawn. Then, for Christmas that year, the gift of a diary provided a reprieve. Becoming what seemed an immediate, trusted friend, the first little book marked the start of a literary journey that, over the next 40-plus years, would chronicle the loss and recovery of my identity and self. My healing journey took a long, long time – more than 20 years. When I healed sufficiently to be free of the eating disorder, I began to wonder about the influence of the diary in the reintegration of ‘true me’. Did my recovery experience have to be so tortuous? Could the diary have provided a more pro-active role in healing? I wanted to find out. Writing a memoir [A Girl Called Tim, 2011] had helped to place the illness in the context of my life and to relate with others. Reader interest motivated and inspired me to delve more deeply and learn about and explain the pitfalls and benefits of diary writing. I began to explore the ambivalent relationship with body and identity that can occur when experiencing an eating disorder. So began the concept for this book. In 2014, shortly after Routledge offered a contract for Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer, I also received the offer of PhD candidature in Creative Writing, at Central Queensland University, Australia. Excitingly, this opportunity enabled Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer to become the creative work in my PhD. Read more here. Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer uses a unique combination of evidence-based research and raw diary excerpts to explain the pitfalls and benefits of diary writing during recovery from an eating disorder. In a time when diary writing remains a largely untapped resource in the health care professions, June Alexander sets out to correct this imbalance, explaining how the diary can inspire, heal and liberate, provide a learning tool for others and help us to understand and cope with life challenges. The book focuses on the power of diary writing, which may serve as a survival tool but become an unintended foe. With guidance, patients who struggle with face-to-face therapy are able to reveal their thoughts through writing and construct a strong sense of self. The effects of family background and the environment are explored, and the therapeutic value of sharing diaries, to better understand illness symptoms and behaviours, is discussed. Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Diary Healer will be of interest to those who have recovered or are recovering from eating disorders or any mental illness, as well as therapists, clinicians and others working in the medical and healthcare professions. June Alexander developed anorexia nervosa at 11, where writing and her diary became a survival tool.
- [A Girl Called Tim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books/a-girl-called-tim/) - I was 11 years old, in Grade Six at primary school, when I developed a mental illness called anorexia nervosa. It starved my body and I became emaciated. Eventually I gained weight and everyone, including me, thought I was well again. But anorexia hid inside my brain, and continued to sabotage my mental and emotional health. My memoir is written almost entirely from my diaries, which I began writing at the age of 12. The process of diary writing was important for, although not aware of this at the time, it helped me stay alive. Many years on, when I summoned the courage to read my journals, I was rewarded with a heightened understanding of self, of the influences and environment that shaped my childhood. This was liberating in moving forward with my present. For decades my life had seemed like a jigsaw puzzle – there were pieces missing. I had gaping holes within. My diary contained clues to help heal and fill those gaps.

## Contributors

- [Liam Virgo](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/liam-virgo/)
- [June Alexander](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/june-alexander/)
- [Gemma Sharp](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/gemma-sharp/)
- [Jacqueline Williams](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jacqueline-williams/)
- [Alykhan Asaria](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/alykhan-asaria/)
- [Millie Thomas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/millie-thomas/)
- [Faith Manchester](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/faith-manchester/)
- [Hannah Brockway](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/hannah-brockway/)
- [Alisha Mah](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/alisha-mah/)
- [Betsy Brenner](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/elizabeth-brenner/)
- [Jeannie Park](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jeannie-park/)
- [Jenella Dickson](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jenella-dickson/)
- [Jenny Langley](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jenny-langley/)
- [Karen Louise](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/karen-louise/)
- [Pauline Ninck Blok](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/pauline-ninck-blok/)
- [Jennifer Kurtze](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jennifer-kurtze/)
- [Pernille Bülow, PhD](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/pernille-bulow-phd/)
- [Hayley](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/hayley/)
- [Jane Rowan, EDFA Executive Director](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jane-rowan-edfa-executive-director/)
- [Millie Plotkin](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/millie-plotkin/)
- [Celeste](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/celeste/)
- [Christopher Bantick](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/christopher-bantick/)
- [Nancy Manther](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/nancy-manther/)
- [Addie Uhl](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/addie-uhl/)
- [Ziba Redif](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/ziba-redif/)
- [Victoria Stockwell](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/victoria-stockwell/)
- [Sam Tench](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sam-tench/)
- [Tanya Motiani](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/tanya-motiani/)
- [Tanya Gilmartin](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/tanya-gilmartin/)
- [Sydney Elizabeth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sydney-elizabeth/)
- [Sophie Szew](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sophie-szew/)
- [Sophie Smith](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sophie-smith/)
- [Sondra Kronberg](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sondra-kronberg/)
- [Shannon Cutts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/shannon-cutts/)
- [Scarlett Croce](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/scarlett-croce/)
- [Sarah Bailey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sarah-bailey/)
- [Sarah Simon](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sarah-simon/)
- [Sam Thomas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/sam-thomas/)
- [S Bryn Austin, ScD](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/s-bryn-austin-scd/)
- [Ruth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/ruth/)
- [Rosangelo Caruso](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/rosangelo-caruso/)
- [Susan Ringwood](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/susan-ringwood/)
- [Dr Richard Kreipe](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/dr-richard-kreipe/)
- [Rachel Egan](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/rachel-egan/)
- [Olivia Soha](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/olivia-soha/)
- [Nina Tejs Jorring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/nina-tejs-jorring/)
- [Min Dean](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/min-dean/)
- [Michael P Levine](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/michael-p-levine/)
- [Melissa Wilton](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/melissa-wilton/)
- [Masae Yasuda](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/masae-yasuda/)
- [Mariana Moll](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/mariana-moll/)
- [Margo Maine](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/margo-maine/)
- [Marcela Nunes Paulino de Carvalho](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/marcela-nunes-paulino-de-carvalho/)
- [Mandy Scott](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/mandy-scott/)
- [Lynn Garvey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/lynn-garvey/)
- [Louise Adams](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/louise-adams/)
- [Lotta](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/lotta/)
- [Loretta Wellard](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/loretta-wellard/)
- [Lisabeth Kaeser](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/lisabeth-kaeser/)
- [Lauren Muhlheim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/lauren-muhlheim/)
- [Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/laura-collins-lyster-mensh/)
- [Kylie van der Veer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/kylie-van-der-veer/)
- [Kristen Gleeson](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/kristen-gleeson/)
- [Kitty Thatcher](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/kitty-thatcher/)
- [Kate Lane](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/kate-lane/)
- [Katarina Prnjak](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/katarina-prnjak/)
- [Karen Braveheart](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/karen-braveheart/)
- [Juliana Winik](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/juliana-winik/)
- [Judy Rabinor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/judy-rabinor/)
- [Judy Krasna](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/judy-krasna/)
- [Joey Liang](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/joey-liang/)
- [Joanne Vuknic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/joanne-vuknic/)
- [Jessica Kline](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jessica-kline/)
- [Jennifer Hamer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jennifer-hamer/)
- [Jenni Schaefer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jenni-schaefer/)
- [Jacki LaRusso](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/jacki-larusso/)
- [Iris Ruth Pastor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/iris-ruth-pastor/)
- [Hannah Rose](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/hannah-rose/)
- [Fiona Luca](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/fiona-luca/)
- [Fiona Luby](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/fiona-luby/)
- [Erin Huston](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/erin-huston/)
- [Emily Troscianko](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/emily-troscianko/)
- [Dr Jake Lardon](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/dr-jake-lardon/)
- [Dr Eva Trujillo](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/dr-eva-trujillo/)
- [Dr David Epston](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/dr-david-epston/)
- [Dr Jessica Podkowka](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/dr-jessica-podkowka/)
- [Dina Davis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/dina-davis/)
- [Diana Beaudet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/diana-beaudet/)
- [Christine Ramsey-Wade](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/christine-ramsey-wade/)
- [Carey Cronin-Guevara](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/carey-cronin-guevara/)
- [Bharati Lall](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/bharati-lall/)
- [Anthea Fursland](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/anthea-fursland/)
- [Anne Parker](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/anne-parker/)
- [Alyssa Sterry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/alyssa-sterry/)
- [Alyssa Morales](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/alyssa-morales/)
- [Alice Ringelstein](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/contributors/alice-ringelstein/)

## Episode

- [Epilogue](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/epilogue/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11. It wasn't until I was 55 that I regained my healthy self, and my life since then has been super-charged and super-wonderful. My message
- [Chapter 18: Soaring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-18-soaring/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at the age of 11, and I did not regain my healthy self for many years, until I was age 55. But my life since that age
- [Chapter 17: Weddings, a Bird and Me](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-17-weddings-bird-me/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and I was in my 30's when I started my recovery journey. I did not regain my healthy self until age 55, and my
- [Chapter 16: Filling in the Gaps](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-16-filling-in-the-gaps/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at the age of 11, and I had a long, long journey to recovery. At age 55 I regained my healthy self, and life since then has
- [Chapter 15: First Step to Restoration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-15-first-step-to-restoration/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and it wasn't until the age of 55 when I regained my healthy self. Life since then has been absolutely super-wonderful. My message is
- [Chapter 14: Illness Isolates and Conquers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-14-illness-isolates-conquers/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and I did not recover my authentic self until age 55, and life since then, however, has been absolutely, absolutely super-wonderful. My message is
- [Chapter 12: Childhood Secret Revealed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-12-childhood-secret-revealed/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11. It wasn't until age 55 that I regained my healthy self, and my life since then has been super, super-wonderful. My message is that
- [Chapter 13: Move to the City](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-13-move-to-the-city/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and I was 55 when I regained my healthy self. Life since then has been absolutely wonderful. I want everybody to have that full
- [Chapter 11: Seeking Help](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-11-seeking-help/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and after a long journey I regained my healthy self at the age of 55. Life since then has been absolutely super-wonderful. My message
- [Chapter 9: Return to the Lindenow Valley](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-9-return-to-the-lindenow-valley/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, when I was 11 years old, and recovery took a long time. I was 55 when I regained my healthy self, and life since then has been
- [Chapter 7: Log Truck Accident](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-7-log-truck-accident/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11. I took a long time to recover. Actually I was 55 when I regained my healthy self, and life since then has been super super
- [Chapter 8: Babies](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-8-babies/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and I did not really recover my true sense of self until I was aged 55. And after that, life became super-wonderful. Really, really
- [Chapter 6: Engaged at 19, Married at 20](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-6-engaged-at-19-married-at-20/) - Hello, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11 and was in my 30's when I started my recovery journey. At age 55, I regained my healthy self, and life since then has been
- [Chapter 5: On Exchange in Missouri](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-5-on-exchange-in-missouri/) - Hi, I'm June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed my eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and was in my 30's when I started my recovery journey. At age 55, I regained a connection with my healthy self, and my life since
- [Chapter 4: Sweet Sixteen](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-4-sweet-sixteen/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at the age of 11, and was in my 30's when I started my recovery journey. At age 55 I regained my healthy self, and life since then
- [Chapter 3: Patty Cake Breakthrough](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-3-patty-cake-breakthrough/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading Chapter 3 in my memoir A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I experienced Anorexia Nervosa from age 11, until I recovered at the age of 55. It was a long journey, but I got there, and life is absolutely magnificent today. I am
- [Introduction and First Chapter](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/introduction-and-first-chapter/) - Hello - I'm June Alexander, and I'm going to speak to you today about my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape from an Eating Disorder Hell. I'm going to read from my memoir, and first of all I'm going to read the introduction.
- [Chapter 2: My Illness Deepens](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-2-my-illness-deepens/) - Hello, I am June Alexander, and I am the author of a memoir called A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I am reading my book throughout chapter by chapter, to share with you. You can purchase the book online as an eBook or you can purchase the paperback, but I thought
- [Chapter 10: Losing my Sense of Self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/podcast/chapter-10-losing-my-sense-of-self/) - Hi, I am June Alexander, and I am reading my memoir, A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell. I developed an eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, at age 11, and after a long, long recovery journey, I regained my sense of self at age 55. And life since then as been super super

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- [literature](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/literature/)
- [mentee](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/mentee/)
- [Artificial Intelligence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/artificial-intelligence/)
- [AI](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/ai/)
- [Children and adolescents](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/children-and-adolescents/)
- [ethnic/racial minorities](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/ethnic-racial-minorities/)
- [socioeconomically disadvantaged](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/socioeconomically-disadvantaged/)
- [thalidomide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/thalidomide/)
- [congenital disability](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/congenital-disability/)
- [neurodiverse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/neurodiverse/)
- [Family-Based Treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/family-based-treatment/)
- [PTSD](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/ptsd/)
- [body image](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/body-image/)
- [travel](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/category/travel/)

## Tags

- [@WorldEating DisordersAction](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/worldeating-disordersaction/)
- [@WorldEDday](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/worldedday/)
- [#ACTNow4Coral](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/actnow4coral/)
- [#CoralDeservesBetterCare](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/coraldeservesbettercare/)
- [#CroalsNotAStatistic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/croalsnotastatistic/)
- [#Jenni Schaefer #eating disorders #anorexia #Life Without Ed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/jenni-schaefer-eating-disorders-anorexia-life-without-ed/)
- [#NEDA Awareness Week](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/neda-awareness-week/)
- [#thediaryhealer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/thediaryhealer/)
- [#WeFightForCoral](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wefightforcoral/)
- [#WeWontGiveUpOnCoral](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wewontgiveuponcoral/)
- [2013](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/2013/)
- [A Girl Called Tim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/a-girl-called-tim/)
- [ABC Canberra](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/abc-canberra/)
- [ABC Gippsland](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/abc-gippsland/)
- [ABC Radio National](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/abc-radio-national/)
- [abuse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/abuse/)
- [Academy for Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/academy-for-eating-disorders/)
- [acceptance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/acceptance/)
- [access to treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/access-to-treatment/)
- [accountability](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/accountability/)
- [acne](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/acne/)
- [addiction](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/addiction/)
- [addictions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/addictions/)
- [adolescent](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/adolescent/)
- [adults](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/adults/)
- [Advocacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/advocacy/)
- [advocate](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/advocate/)
- [AED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/aed/)
- [AED Forum](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/aed-forum/)
- [AED ICED 2016](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/aed-iced-2016/)
- [AED ICED 2023](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/aed-iced-2023/)
- [ageing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ageing/)
- [aging](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/aging/)
- [Alanah Dobinson](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/alanah-dobinson/)
- [Alison Kennedy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/alison-kennedy/)
- [Allison Kelly](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/allison-kelly/)
- [Alyssa Sterry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/alyssa-sterry/)
- [Alyssa Sterry and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/alyssa-sterry-and-eating-disorders/)
- [Amanda Englishby](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/amanda-englishby/)
- [ANAD](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anad/)
- [Andrea LaMarre](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/andrea-lamarre/)
- [ANGI](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/angi/)
- [Angie Viets](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/angie-viets/)
- [animals](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/animals/)
- [Ann Gardiner](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ann-gardiner/)
- [Anna Scelzo](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anna-scelzo/)
- [Anna Westin](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anna-westin/)
- [Anna Westin Act](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anna-westin-act/)
- [Anne Edwards](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anne-edwards/)
- [Anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anorexia/)
- [Anorexia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anorexia-nervosa/)
- [Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anorexia-nervosa-genetics-initiative/)
- [Anorexia Nervosa research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anorexia-nervosa-research/)
- [anorexia; healing; trauma; recovery; eating disorders; wellbeing; identity](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anorexia-healing-trauma-recovery-eating-disorders-wellbeing-identity/)
- [Anthea Fursland](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anthea-fursland/)
- [anti-fat bias](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anti-fat-bias/)
- [anxiety](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anxiety/)
- [anxiety disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anxiety-disorder/)
- [ANZAED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anzaed/)
- [ANZAED Consumer and Carer Committee](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/anzaed-consumer-and-carer-committee/)
- [app](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/app/)
- [ARFID](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/arfid/)
- [Ari Snaevarsson](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ari-snaevarsson/)
- [art](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/art/)
- [athlete](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/athlete/)
- [athlete with eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/athlete-with-eating-disorder/)
- [Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australia/)
- [Australian and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australian-and-new-zealand-academy-for-eating-disorders/)
- [Australian bushfires](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australian-bushfires/)
- [Australian clinical practice for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australian-clinical-practice-for-eating-disorders/)
- [Australian New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australian-new-zealand-academy-of-eating-disorders/)
- [Australians](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australians/)
- [author](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/author/)
- [Autism](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/autism/)
- [avoidant restrictive food intake disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/avoidant-restrictive-food-intake-disorder/)
- [Bairnsdale High School](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bairnsdale-high-school/)
- [ballet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ballet/)
- [Beat](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/beat/)
- [BED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bed/)
- [behaviours](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/behaviours/)
- [Bharati Lall](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bharati-lall/)
- [binge eating](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/binge-eating/)
- [Binge Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/binge-eating-disorder/)
- [binger eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/binger-eating-disorder/)
- [birthday](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/birthday/)
- [body building](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/body-building/)
- [body dysmorphia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/body-dysmorphia/)
- [body image](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/body-image/)
- [bodychecking](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bodychecking/)
- [bones](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bones/)
- [brain](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/brain/)
- [BULIMIA](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bulimia/)
- [bushfires](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bushfires/)
- [bushwalking](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bushwalking/)
- [Butterfly Foundation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/butterfly-foundation/)
- [caregiver](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/caregiver/)
- [caregivers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/caregivers/)
- [carers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/carers/)
- [Carolyn Costin](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/carolyn-costin/)
- [Casey Crosbie](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/casey-crosbie/)
- [CBT](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/cbt/)
- [CEED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ceed/)
- [Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/centre-of-excellence-in-eating-disorders/)
- [Channel 9](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/channel-9/)
- [Chanty Weedon](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/chanty-weedon/)
- [childhood trauma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/childhood-trauma/)
- [Children](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/children/)
- [Christchurch](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/christchurch/)
- [Christmas](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/christmas/)
- [clean eating](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/clean-eating/)
- [clients](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/clients/)
- [clinic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/clinic/)
- [clinicians](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/clinicians/)
- [cold caller](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/cold-caller/)
- [college](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/college/)
- [Community](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/community/)
- [compassion](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/compassion/)
- [compulsive eating](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/compulsive-eating/)
- [Conference](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/conference/)
- [conference workshop](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/conference-workshop/)
- [conflict](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/conflict/)
- [Confronting the Eating Challenge](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/confronting-the-eating-challenge/)
- [Connecting the Dots](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/connecting-the-dots/)
- [consumers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/consumers/)
- [counsellor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/counsellor/)
- [COVID-19](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/covid-19/)
- [CQU](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/cqu/)
- [CQUAustralia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/cquaustralia/)
- [creative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/creative/)
- [Croatia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/croatia/)
- [Curtin University](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/curtin-university/)
- [dance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dance/)
- [dancer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dancer/)
- [dancing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dancing/)
- [death](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/death/)
- [denial](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/denial/)
- [dentist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dentist/)
- [depression](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/depression/)
- [Diana Beaudet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diana-beaudet/)
- [diary](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diary/)
- [diary writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diary-writing/)
- [diary writing as therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diary-writing-as-therapy/)
- [Diary Writing Workshops](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diary-writing-workshops/)
- [diet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diet/)
- [diet culture](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diet-culture/)
- [dietitian](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dietitian/)
- [Dina Davis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dina-davis/)
- [disconnection](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/disconnection/)
- [disordered eating](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/disordered-eating/)
- [dissociation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dissociation/)
- [diversity](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diversity/)
- [dog](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dog/)
- [Domestic Violence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/domestic-violence/)
- [Dr Janet Conti](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dr-janet-conti/)
- [Dr Laura Hart](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dr-laura-hart/)
- [Dr Michael Levine](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dr-michael-levine/)
- [Dr. Rosanna Mauro de Maya](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dr-rosanna-mauro-de-maya/)
- [early intervention](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/early-intervention/)
- [Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder/)
- [eating disorder advocacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-advocacy/)
- [Eating Disorder Awareness Week](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-awareness-week/)
- [eating disorder coach](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-coach/)
- [eating disorder field](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-field/)
- [eating disorder healthcare rights](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-healthcare-rights/)
- [eating disorder recover](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-recover/)
- [eating disorder recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-recovery/)
- [eating disorder research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-research/)
- [eating disorder support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-support/)
- [eating disorder survey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-survey/)
- [eating disorder therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-therapy/)
- [eating disorder treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-treatment/)
- [Eating Disorder triggers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-triggers/)
- [Eating Disorder Voice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-voice/)
- [Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders/)
- [Eating disorders and family conflict](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-and-family-conflict/)
- [eating disorders and New Year's resolutions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-and-new-years-resolutions/)
- [eating disorders and rejection](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-and-rejection/)
- [Eating Disorders Awareness Week](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-awareness-week/)
- [Eating Disorders Coalition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-coalition/)
- [Eating Disorders Families Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-families-australia/)
- [Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-genetics-initiative/)
- [eating disorders in Italy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-in-italy/)
- [eating disorders in men](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-in-men/)
- [eating disorders research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-research/)
- [Eating Disorders Victoria](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorders-victoria/)
- [ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ed/)
- [ED voice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ed-voice/)
- [EDAW](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/edaw/)
- [EDFA](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/edfa/)
- [EDGI](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/edgi/)
- [education](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/education/)
- [EDV](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/edv/)
- [elderly](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/elderly/)
- [elders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/elders/)
- [Electro-Convulsive Therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/electro-convulsive-therapy/)
- [elite athlete](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/elite-athlete/)
- [Elysa Roberts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/elysa-roberts/)
- [Emily Carr](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emily-carr/)
- [Emily Johnson](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emily-johnson/)
- [Emily Murray](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emily-murray/)
- [Emily Troscianko](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emily-troscianko/)
- [Emotional Support Animal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emotional-support-animal/)
- [emotions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emotions/)
- [endurance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/endurance/)
- [epiphany](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/epiphany/)
- [equine therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/equine-therapy/)
- [Equine-Assisted Narrative Therapy (E-ANT)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/equine-assisted-narrative-therapy-e-ant/)
- [equitable access to treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/equitable-access-to-treatment/)
- [Eulogy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eulogy/)
- [euthanasia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/euthanasia/)
- [Event](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/event/)
- [evidence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/evidence/)
- [evidence based treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/evidence-based-treatment/)
- [evidence-based](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/evidence-based/)
- [evidence-based care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/evidence-based-care/)
- [Evidence-based therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/evidence-based-therapy/)
- [excessive exercise](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/excessive-exercise/)
- [exercise](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/exercise/)
- [exercise and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/exercise-and-eating-disorders/)
- [experts by experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/experts-by-experience/)
- [F.](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/f/)
- [F.E.A.S.T.](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/f-e-a-s-t/)
- [faith](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/faith/)
- [families](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/families/)
- [family](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family/)
- [family based treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-based-treatment/)
- [family based treatment for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-based-treatment-for-eating-disorders/)
- [family conflict](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-conflict/)
- [family dynamics](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-dynamics/)
- [family relationships](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-relationships/)
- [family secrets](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-secrets/)
- [Family-based Therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-based-therapy/)
- [fathers eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fathers-eating-disorder/)
- [FBT](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fbt/)
- [fear](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fear/)
- [feelings](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/feelings/)
- [festive season](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/festive-season/)
- [fitness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fitness/)
- [fitness influencer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fitness-influencer/)
- [fitspiration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fitspiration/)
- [Florida State University Mental Health Counselling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/florida-state-university-mental-health-counselling/)
- [FODMAP](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fodmap/)
- [food](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/food/)
- [functional gut disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/functional-gut-disorder/)
- [functional gut disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/functional-gut-disorders/)
- [Geelong](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/geelong/)
- [Geelong BayFM 93.9](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/geelong-bayfm-93-9/)
- [generations](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/generations/)
- [genetic counseling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/genetic-counseling/)
- [genetic research project](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/genetic-research-project/)
- [genetics](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/genetics/)
- [genetics eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/genetics-eating-disorder/)
- [German translation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/german-translation/)
- [Getting Better Bite by Bite - A Recovery Kit for Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/getting-better-bite-by-bite-a-recovery-kit-for-sufferers-of-bulimia-nervosa/)
- [God](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/god/)
- [Goodbye Ed](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/goodbye-ed/)
- [grandmother](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/grandmother/)
- [gratitude](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/gratitude/)
- [grief](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/grief/)
- [Grief Diaries](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/grief-diaries/)
- [Grief Diaries Series](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/grief-diaries-series/)
- [guilt](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/guilt/)
- [gut issues](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/gut-issues/)
- [healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healing/)
- [health](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/health/)
- [health care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/health-care/)
- [health professionals](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/health-professionals/)
- [health system](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/health-system/)
- [healthcare](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthcare/)
- [healthy eating](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthy-eating/)
- [healthy self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthy-self/)
- [Heather Thompson-Brenner](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/heather-thompson-brenner/)
- [holiday season](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/holiday-season/)
- [holidays](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/holidays/)
- [Holly Curtis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/holly-curtis/)
- [home](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/home/)
- [hope](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/hope/)
- [Hope NIght](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/hope-night/)
- [Hrvoje Petrovic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/hrvoje-petrovic/)
- [http://WorldEatingDisordersDay.org](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/httpworldeatingdisordersday-org/)
- [iaedp Italy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/iaedp-italy/)
- [IBS](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ibs/)
- [identity](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/identity/)
- [illness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/illness/)
- [imperfections](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/imperfections/)
- [innovation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/innovation/)
- [inpatient](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/inpatient/)
- [international students](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/international-students/)
- [International Women's Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/international-womens-day/)
- [internet](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/internet/)
- [Ironman](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ironman/)
- [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/irritable-bowel-syndrome/)
- [isolation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/isolation/)
- [Israel](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/israel/)
- [Jane Cook](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/jane-cook/)
- [Janet Treasure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/janet-treasure/)
- [Japanese eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/japanese-eating-disorders/)
- [Jenni G.](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/jenni-g/)
- [Jenni Schaefer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/jenni-schaefer/)
- [Jennifer Marsh](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/jennifer-marsh/)
- [journal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journal/)
- [journal writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journal-writing/)
- [journaling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journaling/)
- [journalling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journalling/)
- [Judy Krasna](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/judy-krasna/)
- [Julianne Elizabeth Streukens](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/julianne-elizabeth-streukens/)
- [Jumo Health](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/jumo-health/)
- [June Alexander](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/june-alexander/)
- [Karen Braveheart](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/karen-braveheart/)
- [Karin Lewis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/karin-lewis/)
- [Karyn Braveheart](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/karyn-braveheart/)
- [Karyn Rose Braveheart](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/karyn-rose-braveheart/)
- [Katie Linden](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/katie-linden/)
- [Keanu Reeves](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/keanu-reeves/)
- [Kelly Boaz](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/kelly-boaz/)
- [Kelly Romano](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/kelly-romano/)
- [Kim Travis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/kim-travis/)
- [Kitty Westin](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/kitty-westin/)
- [Korea](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/korea/)
- [Kristina Lainson](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/kristina-lainson/)
- [Large Fry Small Fry Medium Orange](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/large-fry-small-fry-medium-orange/)
- [Laura Collins](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/laura-collins/)
- [Laura Collins Lyster-Mensh](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/laura-collins-lyster-mensh/)
- [Lauren Muhlheim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lauren-muhlheim/)
- [Lead in Love](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lead-in-love/)
- [letter writing as eating disorder therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/letter-writing-as-eating-disorder-therapy/)
- [letter writing therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/letter-writing-therapy/)
- [LGBTQIA](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lgbtqia/)
- [life stories](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/life-stories/)
- [life writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/life-writing/)
- [Lilac Ribbon Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lilac-ribbon-day/)
- [Lilac Sheer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lilac-sheer/)
- [Lily Collins](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lily-collins/)
- [Lisa Burns](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lisa-burns/)
- [literary genre](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/literary-genre/)
- [live experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/live-experience/)
- [lived experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lived-experience/)
- [loneliness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/loneliness/)
- [loss](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/loss/)
- [Lynda Cheldelin Fell](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lynda-cheldelin-fell/)
- [maintaining recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/maintaining-recovery/)
- [male eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/male-eating-disorder/)
- [malnutrition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/malnutrition/)
- [marathoner](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/marathoner/)
- [marriage](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/marriage/)
- [Marti Noxon](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/marti-noxon/)
- [Mary Tantillo](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mary-tantillo/)
- [Matt Dunn](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/matt-dunn/)
- [Maudsley Parents](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/maudsley-parents/)
- [media](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/media/)
- [medical practitioner](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/medical-practitioner/)
- [Medicare](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/medicare/)
- [meditation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/meditation/)
- [Meehan Hartley Award](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/meehan-hartley-award/)
- [Meehan/Hartley Award](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/meehanhartley-award/)
- [memoir](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/memoir/)
- [memoirs](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/memoirs/)
- [memories](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/memories/)
- [mental health](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-health/)
- [mental health first aid for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-health-first-aid-for-eating-disorders/)
- [mental health first aid study](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-health-first-aid-study/)
- [mental health nurse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-health-nurse/)
- [mental illness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-illness/)
- [mental wellbeing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-wellbeing/)
- [mentor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mentor/)
- [metaphor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/metaphor/)
- [Mi Nutro Di Vita Association](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mi-nutro-di-vita-association/)
- [mind and body](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mind-and-body/)
- [mindful movement](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mindful-movement/)
- [mirror](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mirror/)
- [moon landing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/moon-landing/)
- [mother](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mother/)
- [Mother's Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mothers-day/)
- [motherhood](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/motherhood/)
- [movement](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/movement/)
- [multidisciplinary treating team](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/multidisciplinary-treating-team/)
- [Multifamily Therapy Group](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/multifamily-therapy-group/)
- [My Kid is Back](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/my-kid-is-back/)
- [narrative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/narrative/)
- [narrative therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/narrative-therapy/)
- [narrative therapy (NT)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/narrative-therapy-nt/)
- [National Eating Disorders Association](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/national-eating-disorders-association/)
- [National Eating Disorders Collaboration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/national-eating-disorders-collaboration/)
- [NEDA](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/neda/)
- [NEDC](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nedc/)
- [Netflix](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/netflix/)
- [New Year](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/new-year/)
- [New Zealand Eating Disorders Clinic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/new-zealand-eating-disorders-clinic/)
- [NHS](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nhs/)
- [Nine Truths about Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nine-truths-about-eating-disorders/)
- [non-fact phobic anorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/non-fact-phobic-anorexia/)
- [Northumbria University](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/northumbria-university/)
- [novel](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/novel/)
- [numbing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/numbing/)
- [nurse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nurse/)
- [nutrition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nutrition/)
- [nutritionists](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nutritionists/)
- [obsessive compulsive disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/)
- [occupational therapist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/occupational-therapist/)
- [OCD](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ocd/)
- [Olivia Soha](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/olivia-soha/)
- [online support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/online-support/)
- [orthorexia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/orthorexia/)
- [osteoperosis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/osteoperosis/)
- [osteoporosis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/osteoporosis/)
- [over-exercising](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/over-exercising/)
- [Oxford University](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/oxford-university/)
- [paediatrician](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/paediatrician/)
- [pandemic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pandemic/)
- [panic attacts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/panic-attacts/)
- [parent](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/parent/)
- [parental stigma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/parental-stigma/)
- [parenting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/parenting/)
- [parents](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/parents/)
- [passion](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/passion/)
- [patient](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/patient/)
- [PCOS](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pcos/)
- [peer mentor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/peer-mentor/)
- [peer support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/peer-support/)
- [Peer Support Groups](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/peer-support-groups/)
- [pen](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pen/)
- [perfect](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/perfect/)
- [perfectionism](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/perfectionism/)
- [performing artist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/performing-artist/)
- [person-centred treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/person-centred-treatment/)
- [personal boundaries](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/personal-boundaries/)
- [personal growth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/personal-growth/)
- [pets](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pets/)
- [photography](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/photography/)
- [Plate-by-Plate](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/plate-by-plate/)
- [Plymouth Eating Disorders Support Group](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/plymouth-eating-disorders-support-group/)
- [podcast](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/podcast/)
- [poems](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/poems/)
- [Poetry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/poetry/)
- [Poetry competition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/poetry-competition/)
- [Polycystic ovary syndrome](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/)
- [post-traumatic stress disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/)
- [prevention](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/prevention/)
- [Professor Cynthia Bulik](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/professor-cynthia-bulik/)
- [Professor Janet Treasure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/professor-janet-treasure/)
- [Professor Phillipa Hay](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/professor-phillipa-hay/)
- [Professor Ulrike Schmidt](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/professor-ulrike-schmidt/)
- [psych hospital](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psych-hospital/)
- [psychiatrist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychiatrist/)
- [psychologists](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychologists/)
- [psychology](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychology/)
- [psychosocial support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychosocial-support/)
- [psychotherapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychotherapy/)
- [PTSD](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ptsd/)
- [PTSD and eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ptsd-and-eating-disorders/)
- [QIMR](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/qimr/)
- [Rachel Bachner-Melman](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rachel-bachner-melman/)
- [Rachel King](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rachel-king/)
- [recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/recovery/)
- [recovery coach](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/recovery-coach/)
- [refeeding](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/refeeding/)
- [relationship](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/relationship/)
- [relationships](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/relationships/)
- [religion](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/religion/)
- [research](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/research/)
- [research call](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/research-call/)
- [research project](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/research-project/)
- [researcher](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/researcher/)
- [residential treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/residential-treatment/)
- [resilience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/resilience/)
- [restriction](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/restriction/)
- [Richard Parker](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/richard-parker/)
- [Richmond Wellbeing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/richmond-wellbeing/)
- [Routledge](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/routledge/)
- [Routledge London](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/routledge-london/)
- [Roxanne Rockwell](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/roxanne-rockwell/)
- [Royal Children's Hospital](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/royal-childrens-hospital/)
- [Ruby Magazine](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ruby-magazine/)
- [rural farming women](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rural-farming-women/)
- [sadness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sadness/)
- [Sale Memorial](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sale-memorial/)
- [Sandra Zodiaco](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sandra-zodiaco/)
- [Sarah Wirth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sarah-wirth/)
- [scale](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/scale/)
- [scales](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/scales/)
- [science](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/science/)
- [SEAN](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sean/)
- [secrets](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/secrets/)
- [self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self/)
- [self care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-care/)
- [self image](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-image/)
- [self-acceptance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-acceptance/)
- [self-belief](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-belief/)
- [self-compassion](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-compassion/)
- [self-discipline](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-discipline/)
- [self-exploration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-exploration/)
- [self-harm](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-harm/)
- [self-healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-healing/)
- [self-help](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-help/)
- [self-love](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-love/)
- [self-respect](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-respect/)
- [self-worth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-worth/)
- [senior citizens](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/senior-citizens/)
- [severe and enduring anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/severe-and-enduring-anorexia-nervosa/)
- [sexual abuse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sexual-abuse/)
- [shame](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/shame/)
- [Shannon Calvert](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/shannon-calvert/)
- [single mum](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/single-mum/)
- [social worker](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/social-worker/)
- [South Korea](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/south-korea/)
- [Špela Kranjec](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/spela-kranjec/)
- [spirituality](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/spirituality/)
- [sport](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sport/)
- [Stefano Tavilla](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/stefano-tavilla/)
- [Stephen Touyz](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/stephen-touyz/)
- [stereotypes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/stereotypes/)
- [stigma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/stigma/)
- [story](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/story/)
- [storytelling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/storytelling/)
- [strength training](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/strength-training/)
- [strong not skinny](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/strong-not-skinny/)
- [study](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/study/)
- [substance abuse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/substance-abuse/)
- [substance use disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/substance-use-disorders/)
- [support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/support/)
- [support work](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/support-work/)
- [support worker](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/support-worker/)
- [survey](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/survey/)
- [Swinburne](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/swinburne/)
- [Sydney Waring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sydney-waring/)
- [technology](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/technology/)
- [teen eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/teen-eating-disorders/)
- [teenagers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/teenagers/)
- [teeth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/teeth/)
- [Terry Fassihi](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/terry-fassihi/)
- [The Butterfly Foundation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-butterfly-foundation/)
- [The Carolyn Costin Institute](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-carolyn-costin-institute/)
- [The Diary Healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-diary-healer/)
- [The Eating Disorder Journal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-eating-disorder-journal/)
- [The Emily Program Foundation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-emily-program-foundation/)
- [The Nine Truths about Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-nine-truths-about-eating-disorders/)
- [The Pledge](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/the-pledge/)
- [therapeutic writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/therapeutic-writing/)
- [therapist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/therapist/)
- [therapist transcript](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/therapist-transcript/)
- [therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/therapy/)
- [Through the Eyes of an Eating Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/through-the-eyes-of-an-eating-disorder/)
- [To the Bone](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/to-the-bone/)
- [tough love](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/tough-love/)
- [Touyz](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/touyz/)
- [toxic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/toxic/)
- [trauma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/trauma/)
- [treating team](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/treating-team/)
- [treatment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/treatment/)
- [treatment team](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/treatment-team/)
- [triplets](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/triplets/)
- [trust](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/trust/)
- [truths about eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/truths-about-eating-disorders/)
- [two-way narrative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/two-way-narrative/)
- [two-way narrativer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/two-way-narrativer/)
- [Ulrike Schmidt](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ulrike-schmidt/)
- [UNC](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/unc/)
- [university](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/university/)
- [University of Melbourne](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/university-of-melbourne/)
- [University of Rochester](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/university-of-rochester/)
- [Using Writing as a Therapy for Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/using-writing-as-a-therapy-for-eating-disorders/)
- [using writing as therapy for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/using-writing-as-therapy-for-eating-disorders/)
- [utopia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/utopia/)
- [values](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/values/)
- [village](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/village/)
- [WA Association for Mental Health (WAAMH)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wa-association-for-mental-health-waamh/)
- [WeDoAct](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wedoact/)
- [weight gain](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/weight-gain/)
- [weight lifting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/weight-lifting/)
- [weight restoration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/weight-restoration/)
- [wellbeing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wellbeing/)
- [wellness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wellness/)
- [Wendy Sterling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wendy-sterling/)
- [Western Sydney University](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/western-sydney-university/)
- [When your teen has an eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/when-your-teen-has-an-eating-disorder/)
- [Win a book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/win-a-book/)
- [women of colour](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/women-of-colour/)
- [Women on Farms Gathering](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/women-on-farms-gathering/)
- [workbook](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/workbook/)
- [workbook for parents or care givers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/workbook-for-parents-or-care-givers/)
- [workshop for health practitioners](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/workshop-for-health-practitioners/)
- [workshop for patients](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/workshop-for-patients/)
- [workshops for caregivers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/workshops-for-caregivers/)
- [world](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world/)
- [World Eating Disorder Action Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorder-action-day/)
- [World Eating Disorder Action Day 2019](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorder-action-day-2019/)
- [World Eating Disorder Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorder-day/)
- [World Eating Disorder Day 2019](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorder-day-2019/)
- [World Eating Disorders Action Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorders-action-day/)
- [World Eating Disorders Action Day 2019](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorders-action-day-2019/)
- [World Eating Disorders Day](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/world-eating-disorders-day/)
- [WorldEDActionDay](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/worldedactionday/)
- [writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing/)
- [writing as therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-as-therapy/)
- [writing as therapy for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-as-therapy-for-eating-disorders/)
- [writing for healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-for-healing/)
- [writing mentor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-mentor/)
- [writing mentor for eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-mentor-for-eating-disorders/)
- [writing to heal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-to-heal/)
- [Workshop](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/workshop/)
- [#recovery #healing #narrative #letter-writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/recovery-healing-narrative-letter-writing/)
- [diary excerpts; journal; book creation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diary-excerpts-journal-book-creation/)
- [#writing #recovery #anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-recovery-anorexia-nervosa/)
- [#secrets #truth #writing #trauma](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/secrets-truth-writing-trauma/)
- [#life-writing #mentoring #life stories #narrative healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/life-writing-mentoring-life-stories-narrative-healing/)
- [#writing #story-telling #child writers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-story-telling-child-writers/)
- [Letter-writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/letter-writing/)
- [mento](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mento/)
- [#disability](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/disability/)
- [mentoring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mentoring/)
- [narrative healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/narrative-healing/)
- [evidence-based science](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/evidence-based-science/)
- [journaling writing mentor self](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journaling-writing-mentor-self/)
- [mothers and daughters](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mothers-and-daughters/)
- [astronauts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/astronauts/)
- [genes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/genes/)
- [Gippsland](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/gippsland/)
- [social history](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/social-history/)
- [story gathering](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/story-gathering/)
- [Country Women’s Association](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/country-womens-association/)
- [East Gippsland](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/east-gippsland/)
- [rural](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rural/)
- [rural women](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rural-women/)
- [volunteer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/volunteer/)
- [art therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/art-therapy/)
- [business](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/business/)
- [community development](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/community-development/)
- [skills](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/skills/)
- [women](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/women/)
- [belonging](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/belonging/)
- [friendship](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/friendship/)
- [teaching](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/teaching/)
- [leadership](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/leadership/)
- [mosaics](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mosaics/)
- [painting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/painting/)
- [women in business](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/women-in-business/)
- [women leaders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/women-leaders/)
- [acting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/acting/)
- [project management](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/project-management/)
- [volunteering](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/volunteering/)
- [women's leadership](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/womens-leadership/)
- [cookbook](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/cookbook/)
- [drought](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/drought/)
- [women's experience](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/womens-experience/)
- [country living](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/country-living/)
- [creativity](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/creativity/)
- [culture](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/culture/)
- [environment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/environment/)
- [farming](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/farming/)
- [agriculture](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/agriculture/)
- [business women](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/business-women/)
- [country](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/country/)
- [fibre](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fibre/)
- [textiles](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/textiles/)
- [wool](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/wool/)
- [community engagement](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/community-engagement/)
- [regional development](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/regional-development/)
- [rural education](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rural-education/)
- [rural policy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rural-policy/)
- [skill building](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/skill-building/)
- [friendships](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/friendships/)
- [local community](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/local-community/)
- [arts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/arts/)
- [leaderships](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/leaderships/)
- [rural issues](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/rural-issues/)
- [self-esteem](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-esteem/)
- [coronavirus](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/coronavirus/)
- [love](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/love/)
- [poem](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/poem/)
- [adventure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/adventure/)
- [book](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/book/)
- [discovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/discovery/)
- [empowerment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/empowerment/)
- [lessons](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lessons/)
- [travel](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/travel/)
- [fairy tale](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fairy-tale/)
- [creative writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/creative-writing/)
- [fairtale](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fairtale/)
- [childhood](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/childhood/)
- [relationship with food](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/relationship-with-food/)
- [children story-telling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/children-story-telling/)
- [horse riding](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/horse-riding/)
- [June's Writing Clan](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/junes-writing-clan/)
- [50](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/50/)
- [middle-aged woman](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/middle-aged-woman/)
- [writer's block](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writers-block/)
- [Australian Society of Authors (ASA)](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/australian-society-of-authors-asa/)
- [publicist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/publicist/)
- [self-publishing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-publishing/)
- [co-morbidities](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/co-morbidities/)
- [collaboration](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/collaboration/)
- [existence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/existence/)
- [purpose](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/purpose/)
- [survival](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/survival/)
- [blog](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/blog/)
- [blogging](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/blogging/)
- [memoir writing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/memoir-writing/)
- [self-discovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-discovery/)
- [legacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/legacy/)
- [online writing classes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/online-writing-classes/)
- [listening](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/listening/)
- [story-sharing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/story-sharing/)
- [lifestories](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lifestories/)
- [diarist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diarist/)
- [sharing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sharing/)
- [self-paced memoir mentoring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-paced-memoir-mentoring/)
- [story-mapping](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/story-mapping/)
- [safety](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/safety/)
- [memoir writer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/memoir-writer/)
- [psycho education](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psycho-education/)
- [Mind Blossom](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mind-blossom/)
- [mental health literacy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-health-literacy/)
- [terminal illness](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/terminal-illness/)
- [Journal of Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journal-of-eating-disorders/)
- [palliative care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/palliative-care/)
- [end-of-life care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/end-of-life-care/)
- [career choices](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/career-choices/)
- [stillborn](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/stillborn/)
- [divorce](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/divorce/)
- [dentistry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dentistry/)
- [pedodontist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pedodontist/)
- [childcare](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/childcare/)
- [moving house](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/moving-house/)
- [career path](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/career-path/)
- [journalism](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/journalism/)
- [opinion](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/opinion/)
- [power of words](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/power-of-words/)
- [high-functioning](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/high-functioning/)
- [freelance](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/freelance/)
- [activism](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/activism/)
- [editor](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/editor/)
- [determination](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/determination/)
- [catalyst for change](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/catalyst-for-change/)
- [family support](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-support/)
- [emotional empowerment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/emotional-empowerment/)
- [life map](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/life-map/)
- [connection](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/connection/)
- [librarian](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/librarian/)
- [informationist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/informationist/)
- [employment](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/employment/)
- [publications](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/publications/)
- [polio](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/polio/)
- [mental asylum](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mental-asylum/)
- [father](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/father/)
- [personal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/personal/)
- [self-paced](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-paced/)
- [writing therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/writing-therapy/)
- [lived experience experts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lived-experience-experts/)
- [Prof. Daniel Le Grange](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/prof-daniel-le-grange/)
- [researchers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/researchers/)
- [connecting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/connecting/)
- [Fill The Gap](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fill-the-gap/)
- [FTG](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ftg/)
- [Dialectical Behavioural Therapy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dialectical-behavioural-therapy/)
- [DBT](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dbt/)
- [bingeing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bingeing/)
- [purging](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/purging/)
- [medication](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/medication/)
- [coping skills](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/coping-skills/)
- [SE-AN](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/se-an/)
- [diaries](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diaries/)
- [counselling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/counselling/)
- [child](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/child/)
- [FTG counselling service](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ftg-counselling-service/)
- [stories](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/stories/)
- [octogenarian](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/octogenarian/)
- [adolescence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/adolescence/)
- [healthy relationships](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthy-relationships/)
- [reflection](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/reflection/)
- [epistemic justice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/epistemic-justice/)
- [epistemic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/epistemic/)
- [First Aid](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/first-aid/)
- [weight](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/weight/)
- [personal trainer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/personal-trainer/)
- [creative arts](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/creative-arts/)
- [pebble painting](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pebble-painting/)
- [self-expression](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-expression/)
- [boys](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/boys/)
- [New Maudsley](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/new-maudsley/)
- [Prof. Janet Treasure](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/prof-janet-treasure/)
- [post-traumatic growth](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/post-traumatic-growth/)
- [carer skills](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/carer-skills/)
- [epistemic injustice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/epistemic-injustice/)
- [diets](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diets/)
- [self-control](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/self-control/)
- [hospital](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/hospital/)
- [National Library of Australia](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/national-library-of-australia/)
- [library](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/library/)
- [ongoing healing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ongoing-healing/)
- [midlife eating disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/midlife-eating-disorder/)
- [recovery book club](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/recovery-book-club/)
- [control](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/control/)
- [body](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/body/)
- [food challenges](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/food-challenges/)
- [calories](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/calories/)
- [food portions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/food-portions/)
- [family dinners](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/family-dinners/)
- [mother-daughter relationship](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mother-daughter-relationship/)
- [biological](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/biological/)
- [NIMH](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nimh/)
- [NEDA Hope Fund](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/neda-hope-fund/)
- [President Kennedy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/president-kennedy/)
- [quality of life](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/quality-of-life/)
- [recovery centres](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/recovery-centres/)
- [hospitals](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/hospitals/)
- [ED units](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ed-units/)
- [healthy weight](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthy-weight/)
- [quality living](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/quality-living/)
- [understanding](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/understanding/)
- [pen friends](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pen-friends/)
- [nursing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nursing/)
- [lived experience instructors](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/lived-experience-instructors/)
- [psychiatric nursing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychiatric-nursing/)
- [prejudice](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/prejudice/)
- [inpatients](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/inpatients/)
- [nursing students](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nursing-students/)
- [sibling](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sibling/)
- [caring](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/caring/)
- [neurodivergent](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/neurodivergent/)
- [chronic fatigue syndrome](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/)
- [socially awkward](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/socially-awkward/)
- [genetic link](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/genetic-link/)
- [diagnosis](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diagnosis/)
- [fat-phobic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fat-phobic/)
- [recovering](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/recovering/)
- [binge purge](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/binge-purge/)
- [Phd](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/phd/)
- [NLA](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nla/)
- [Canberra](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/canberra/)
- [Trove](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/trove/)
- [curator](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/curator/)
- [midlife](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/midlife/)
- [apathy](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/apathy/)
- [ED recovery](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ed-recovery/)
- [triggers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/triggers/)
- [weight-loss](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/weight-loss/)
- [thin ideal](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/thin-ideal/)
- [positive](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/positive/)
- [negative](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/negative/)
- [mist](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mist/)
- [gym](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/gym/)
- [weightloss drugs](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/weightloss-drugs/)
- [psychiatry](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/psychiatry/)
- [diet pills](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diet-pills/)
- [hospitalisation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/hospitalisation/)
- [restraints](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/restraints/)
- [human rights](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/human-rights/)
- [feudal expertise](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/feudal-expertise/)
- [neurolinguistic](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/neurolinguistic/)
- [affirmations](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/affirmations/)
- [puberty](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/puberty/)
- [nutrition labels](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/nutrition-labels/)
- [vacation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/vacation/)
- [seaside](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/seaside/)
- [compulsive](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/compulsive/)
- [BMI](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/bmi/)
- [Body Mass Index](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/body-mass-index/)
- [eating disorder memoirs](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-memoirs/)
- [Impressionism](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/impressionism/)
- [people-pleaser](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/people-pleaser/)
- [Eating Disorder Aware](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/eating-disorder-aware/)
- [compliments](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/compliments/)
- [Kryptonite](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/kryptonite/)
- [pets and people](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/pets-and-people/)
- [social connection](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/social-connection/)
- [health and wellbeing](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/health-and-wellbeing/)
- [Cherished Pets Foundation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/cherished-pets-foundation/)
- [companionship](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/companionship/)
- [human-animal bond](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/human-animal-bond/)
- [community care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/community-care/)
- [Global Board for Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/global-board-for-eating-disorders/)
- [worldwide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/worldwide/)
- [organisations](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/organisations/)
- [mentee](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/mentee/)
- [CoRe-ED](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/core-ed/)
- [advocates](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/advocates/)
- [not-for-profits](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/not-for-profits/)
- [industry leaders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/industry-leaders/)
- [academic institutions](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/academic-institutions/)
- [healthcare and clinical research leaders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthcare-and-clinical-research-leaders/)
- [techology and digital health pioneers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/techology-and-digital-health-pioneers/)
- [dysfunctional society](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dysfunctional-society/)
- [EDAW 2025](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/edaw-2025/)
- [underserved groups](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/underserved-groups/)
- [gender-diverse](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/gender-diverse/)
- [sexual](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/sexual/)
- [males](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/males/)
- [socioeconomically and socio-geograpically disadvantaged people](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/socioeconomically-and-socio-geograpically-disadvantaged-people/)
- [comorbidities](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/comorbidities/)
- [people with higher weights](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/people-with-higher-weights/)
- [under-recognised eating disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/under-recognised-eating-disorders/)
- [young children](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/young-children/)
- [older-age eating disorder sufferers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/older-age-eating-disorder-sufferers/)
- [access to eating disorder care](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/access-to-eating-disorder-care/)
- [labels](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/labels/)
- [Italian healthcare system](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/italian-healthcare-system/)
- [carer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/carer/)
- [Artificial Intelligence](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/artificial-intelligence/)
- [AI](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/ai/)
- [ChatGPT](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/chatgpt/)
- [My Kid is Back Second Edition](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/my-kid-is-back-second-edition/)
- [Diabetes](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/diabetes/)
- [atypical anorexia nervosa](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/atypical-anorexia-nervosa/)
- [healthcare providers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healthcare-providers/)
- [thalidamide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/thalidamide/)
- [healing; trauma; recovery; wellbeing; identity](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/healing-trauma-recovery-wellbeing-identity/)
- [memoir; book creation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/memoir-book-creation/)
- [thalidomide](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/thalidomide/)
- [constipation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/constipation/)
- [ABC Radio Victoria](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/abc-radio-victoria/)
- [health providers](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/health-providers/)
- [forgiving](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/forgiving/)
- [Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/consortium-for-research-in-eating-disorders/)
- [selfcare](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/selfcare/)
- [FND](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/fnd/)
- [Functional Neurological Disorder](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/functional-neurological-disorder/)
- [dream](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/dream/)
- [motivation](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/motivation/)
- [seniors](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/tag/seniors/)

## Testimonial Categories

- [A Girl Called Tim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/a-girl-called-tim/)
- [Down Memory Lane at Yarram](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/down-memory-lane-at-yarram/) - A two-day Down Memory Lane workshop at Yarram, Gippsland, Victoria, produced a social history book rich in stories now preserved for families and the district in generations to come. Here participants, aged 65 to 88, share their experience:
- [Mentor Services Feedback](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/mentor-services-feedback/)
- [Morningside Chats](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/morningside-chats/)
- [The Diary Healer](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/the-diary-healer/)
- [Writing Workshop Feedback](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/writing-workshop-feedback/)
- [Life Stories Diary Feedback](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/testimonial-cats/life-stories-diary-feedback/)

## Book Categories

- [Community & Social History Books](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books-cats/community-social-history-books/) - Social history helps us to visualise what life was like in another time for a community or group. Social history records the lived experience of the past. First-person accounts help to preserve everyday life for succeeding generations to study, identify with, and enjoy. Collaborating with community groups in writing and preserving record their individual stories in book form is a rewarding experience for all involved.
- [Memoir](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books-cats/memoirs/) - A memoir is a historical story or biography written from personal memories or special sources such as diaries or journals. It’s a book about your life, the lessons learned, and key moments that shaped who you are. My memoir, A Girl Called Tim, is about my experience with an eating disorder.
- [Eating Disorders](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/books-cats/eating-disorders/) - Eating Disorders are a very serious illness. The books here will help you understand the illness, and the challenges in recovery. Several titles detail evidence-based treatments available for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

## Podcasts

- [A Girl Called Tim](https://lifestoriesdiary.com/series/a-girl-called-tim/) - A Girl Called Tim is the shocking, painful story of living with an eating disorder and reveals how triumph over this crippling disease is possible.