Welcome

We know that holidays are a tricky time of year for those in eating disorder recovery. Stress and anxiety may increase with the constant presence of food and the extended amount of time spent with family. To make the upcoming holiday a bit easier, we’ve constructed an easy-to-follow dos and don’ts list for this holiday season.

We are in the middle of the holiday season, which means that you’ve most likely endured some degree of familial stress. From the commotion of cooking large meals for the extended family to body and food-centric dinner table talk, it’s easy to see why the holidays might just be the most stressful time of the year. For those in eating disorder recovery and those who are support people, it’s essential to know what stress is and how it functions. With an understanding of the nature of stress, we can move forward compassionately and mitigate anxiety-inducing moments by utilizing positive communication skills. 

**Trigger warning: this story mentions eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your own discretion and speak with your therapist as needed. This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences on their own path to recovery and beyond.

Katie Monsewicz is an avid writer and practicing journalist who has been through The Emily Program’s residential treatment program. She wants to help others who have struggled with eating disorders and those who are still struggling through her writing and as an advocate for eating disorder recovery. 

The Emily Program is excited to announce our new social campaign, Beside Me When. Beside Me When aims to encourage dialogue around eating disorder recovery and showcase stories of healing and hope. We believe that talking openly about eating disorders will change the culture of secrecy and shame, thus encouraging treatment and recovery.

It’s easy to doubt ourselves during recovery— to miss our eating disorder or our old bodies or our old coping mechanisms—and that’s okay. However, just because you miss your eating disorder doesn’t mean you should go back to your eating disorder, in fact, it probably means you need to fight harder for your recovery. For those who are currently struggling with their recovery, it’s important that you reach out to your therapist, treatment team, or support system. In addition, we hope you know that you can also be your biggest advocate! By making the choice to never go back to your eating disorder, you become your strongest ally. Which is why we encourage you to be there for yourself when times get tough. One simple way to reinforce your recovery is to write a “never go back” letter.

*This blog was written anonymously. This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences on the road to recovery.

“In the 27 years I’ve been alive, I have found only one truly dependable source of guidance, support, validation, and motivation.” – The Bruce Springsteen Discography.

Over “The River” and through the “Badlands,” Springsteen has always been a faithful companion on my journey to “The Promised Land.” As with all lengthy journeys, tribulations inevitably arise and when they do, if I listen closely, The Boss has left me a little hint on how to make it to the next leg of my expedition.

Understanding and choosing health insurance options is often a complicated and confusing process. We understand that navigating options during open enrollment can be complex, so here are some tips for choosing the insurance plan that best suits your needs.

One of the questions that providers often have is, “When should I refer a patient to eating disorder specialty care?” A provider may ask this if they are seeing a patient that has eating disorder symptoms such as changes in weight, a preoccupation with food and numbers, and other common symptoms. A provider may also see things in physical exams or lab results that cause concern. The bottom line is that if you are concerned that there is an eating disorder present in a patient, there almost positively is. Eating disorders live in secret and in hiding. If the eating disorder symptoms are noticeable to a provider, then the patient’s eating disorder has most likely been there for a while and may pose an immediate risk.