The reason I differentiate anorexia from other eating disorders is because there are two sub-types of anorexia – a restricting sub-type and a binge-eating/purging sub type. Understanding the difference is important when considering how best to approach and support someone with anorexia. Unlike most ED presentations,  a person with anorexia (restricting sub-type) does not present with recurring […]

Free to be wrong and free to be loved…woohoo! Bring on the freedom. This is a continuation of the previous post. Amazing, wonderful, mysterious, sublime how the realities of life, the vulnerability, the humbling, the movement down from our lofty ideals and self-importance are the very means by which we rise and are liberated to […]

One of the most liberating experiences of my life is to know and accept my frail, flawed, finite humanity. It reads like a misprint doesn’t it? As human beings we often spend much of our lives ‘protecting’ ourselves from this vulnerable reality but I have discovered it to be the very bedrock of  freedom. And to […]

This is a brief addendum to the episode on Beating the bully in your head. When I said get out of the environment (change your perspective) and get going (release some of the energy bound up in the mental battle with the bully ), I was not advocating that you go out and over exercise if […]

I love this play on words. I use it deliberately. Perfectionism is a losing game. The more you chase perfectionism the more it will elude you. You will find yourself chasing your tail and getting worn down in the process. And who knows what you may lose along the way…health, friends, money, time… opportunity…JOY! I have loved […]

Have you ever found yourself getting beaten up by the bully in your head? Most people are familiar with this experience. It’s good to know how your bully operates. After five days cooped up at home trying to recover from flu I was aware of a sense of ‘time’ pressure building to complete some work. There was […]

I just listened to an interview on Hack radio regarding ‘Treating Anorexia.’ Canadian professor Louis Charland (?spelling), Philosopher of Science and Bioethicist, was speaking with Sarah McFee about the merits of treating anorexia as a “passion” (an affective disorder of  feelings rather than thinking). He said current cognitive therapies are “just not effective enough” and […]

I was speaking with a young lady last night and it reminded me that when you’re in a healthy weight range it can be difficult for others to recognise that you are struggling with an eating disorder. If you need help with disordered eating please don’t think you have to get “sicker”  for others to believe you have […]

I was reading a newspaper article this morning about the doubling rates of anorexia in young people under 14 years of age in the UK. We have similar figures in Australia. I thought I’d share some thoughts about how can we (adults) can help build resilience in our kids and younger people. Here are a few […]

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by bad news and challenging life circumstances? I’m sure we all have. When wave after wave crashes in on your world or ebbs away at you over a long season it can make it difficult to rise out of the bog and see (or believe for) anything hope-full in your […]