Tag: June Alexander

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...