Tag: #thediaryhealer

advocacy The private diary: from life coping tool to research resource

The private diary: from life coping tool to research resource

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Until a few months ago, my diaries and I had been inseparable for more than 60 years. We had stuck together despite moving house more than 24 times in my search for peace within. Never a day apart. The diaries were my one constant from age 12. They were my...

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

A decade of eating disorder stories in The Diary Healer archive

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

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advocacy The Evolution of my Diary Journey

The Evolution of my Diary Journey

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

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Anorexia The benefits of exploring identity through diary writing practice

The benefits of exploring identity through diary writing practice

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

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Anorexia Understanding the healing power and teaching potential of daily diary-writing

Understanding the healing power and teaching potential of daily diary-writing

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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...

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Books June Alexander in podcast with Karin Lewis on eating disorder recovery and the diary

June Alexander in podcast with Karin Lewis on eating disorder recovery and the diary

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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...

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Eating Disorders Sixty years on, my diary has evolved from a private survival tool to an open family record

Sixty years on, my diary has evolved from a private survival tool to an open family record

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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,...

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Books The healing power in writing your memoir

The healing power in writing your memoir

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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...

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Never under-estimate the story-telling power of a French fry

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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...

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