Welcome
There’s Help. There’s Hope! The Emily Program is a warm and welcoming place where individuals and their families can find comprehensive treatment for eating disorders and related issues. This blog is a place for us to share the latest happenings at The Emily Program, as well as helpful tidbits from the broader eating disorder community. Subscribe via RSS to receive automatic updates. We want to hear your story. Email us (blog@emilyprogram.com) and ask how you can become a contributor!
When the Lyrics Quieted the Noise
**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.
By Nicole, a former Emily Program client
As I have grown up and entered the new chapter in my life that has begun my years as a young adult, I have had many obstacles thrown my way before reaching the age of 21. I am happy to say that I am living a happy, healthy, productive, and recovering life in my house up north with my mom and dad. However, it took many years of therapy, medication adjustments, and support from my loved ones to get to where I am today. Things weren’t always promising for me.
Middle School Emotional Problems May Result from Weight-Based Discrimination, Not Weight
Promoting body acceptance and weight diversity can be helpful not only for supporting recovery from eating disorders but also for reducing the risk of emotional problems for all teens. In a study published in September in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Jaana Juvonen and colleagues found that perception of weight-based peer discrimination in middle school contributed more than BMI to emotional problems. They also found that the effect of BMI itself on emotional problems in middle school is indirect, as it is mediated by peer mistreatment.
Young Adult Intensive Outpatient Program Now Open in St. Paul, MN
The Toogood Adolescent Outpatient treatment center in St. Paul, MN provides a variety of adolescent and young adult services, including individual therapy, family-based therapy, nutritional counseling, medical services, and group therapy.
Recently, Toogood launched a new program called the Young Adult Intensive Outpatient Program (YAIOP) specifically for clients dealing with the unique challenges of transitioning into adulthood.
Eating Disorder Study: Could Yoga Reduce Negative Emotions at Mealtime?
Although the beneficial effects of yoga have long been observed in individuals with eating disorders, research on yoga as an eating disorder treatment intervention is still in its early stages.
Is Your Health Plan Working For You?
‘Tis the season for open enrollment – your once-a-year chance to make choices and changes to ensure your health insurance plan is tailored to your needs.
Navigating your options can be complex and confusing. Below are some tips that might help.
Chewing and Spitting: A Little-Known Eating Disorder Symptom
What is it?
An eating disorder topic that’s been getting a lot of media attention lately is Chewing and Spitting (CHSP). It’s exactly what it sounds like— the habit of chewing food to enjoy the taste, then spitting it out to avoid unwanted calories, or the guilt of eating a “bad” or feared food. CHSP can occur on its own but is more often seen alongside other eating disorders symptoms. A cross-sectional study has shown that there is a strong association between being diagnosed with an eating disorder, like anorexia or bulimia, and lifetime CHSP behavior.1
Some Things I Like About My Body
**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.
By Liz Rognes, a former Emily Program client in recovery. She is a teacher, writer, and musician who lives in Spokane, WA.
When I was a kid, I suffered a traumatic injury to my face. I was kicked by a horse. I still remember which shirt I was wearing—it was a white T-shirt with a green square that said “H20” all around the perimeter. It became immediately soaked in blood. The doctor who stitched my lip back together told my parents to be prepared for the suggestion of plastic surgery to my face. But, to everyone’s surprise, my body healed itself quickly and gracefully. Now, decades later, the only evidence of the injury is a small, barely visible scar on my lower lip.
Eating Disorders Coalition Roundtable at the White House
by Kitty Westin, eating disorder activist
(Reprinted with permission from The Emily Program Foundation.)
It felt like I was in a dream this week when I was standing in line for security clearance to get into the White House for a meeting with top-level White House staff, key government agencies, and eating disorders leaders from across the United States. I wondered if I would wake up and realize that I was having a really good dream. I didn’t wake up, it was real! It was a dream come true!