We are thrilled to see that F.E.A.S.T. is hosting the upcoming international conference, “The Map Ahead” to be held in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia on November 3-4, 2011. As ardent supporters of evidence-based treatment for eating disorders, we applaud your efforts to bridge the gap between “what works” and what treatments are offered in the community. We firmly believe that families play a critical and influential role in the fight against eating disorders. The very fact that your organization and this conference exist give us hope as researchers and clinicians that families will find the treatment that can help their loved ones overcome eating disorders.
Congratulations and thank you for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Angela Celio Doyle, PhD and Peter M. Doyle, PhD
The Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action (EDC) congratulate you and the members of the F.E.A.S.T. Board of Directors on your upcoming conference in November, “The Map Ahead” where the Parent Community Charts A New Course For Activism, Treatment, and Research of Eating Disorders.
How exciting and appropriate that this conference puts mothers and fathers and other family members of those suffering from eating disorders front and center rather than on the fringes. As the first international eating disorders conference organized by parents this is indeed a historic event. We applaud you for your vision and conviction.
We look forward to being part of the rich conversations and urge others to attend this empowering conference.
I offer a hearty congratulation to all involved in the realization of this inspiring vision!
Jeanine Cogan, Ph.D., Policy Director
Eating Disorders Coalition
More conference information and endorsements here.
June Alexander on F.E.A.S.T.'s "The Map Ahead" International Event in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia:
I'm travelling 10,000 miles (16,000 km) from Melbourne, Australia, to participate in The Map Ahead. No distance is too far to travel. Eating disorders are everywhere and we need a map, we need directions, collaboration and focus, to find the answers, solve the mysteries. I look forward to sharing the Australian perspective and to meeting up with everyone, soaking up their wisdom and knowledge, and bringing it back to Oz.
- June Alexander
Author/writer: A Girl Called Tim - Escape from an Eating Disorder Hell , A Collaborative Approach to Eating Disorders, My Kid Is Back - Empowering Parents to Beat Anorexia Nervosa
The most, most important thing here is your ability to find the right path to take to help your d recover from Ed. I remember thinking I wasn't as good a mom as some I had experienced here because I could not feed my d enough to keep her safe. I did what believed was best and you know what? Besides getting tremendous support from this community, my d was able to gain a good portion of of her weight and I was ready for her when she came home. I found a new perspective, a stronger one that has the confidence to believe that nothing comes before full weight restoration and nutrition and I learned that, nothing, work, school, even relationships can come before this is achieved and maintained. Little by little my d healed. I think by leaps and bounds we both grew emotionally. - ern4ever from the thread "Going for some help"
My younger (non-AN) daughter told me today that she finds it really hard at school to hear so many girls complaining about their weight. She has a tendency to exaggerate, so I asked her some pointed questions, and it seems to be a real issue, that most of the girls around her talk about being fat.
She says it's really upsetting for her to have to hear that, when she knows where it can lead, and she also worries that they (or girls like them) will say things like this in front of her sister (or other people with real eating disorders). - gobsmacked from the thread "Support for Siblings"
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