November

For those who have a family member with an eating disorder you know that just talking about ‘thee’ eating disorder can be challenging. Never the less, trying to purchase a gift for someone in recovery can be a tight rope of difficulty. Therefore your favorite eating disorder recovery blog is here to help!

While working as Support Staff I found it inspiring how many women wanted to wear T-Shirts, bracelet’s and even get tatoos’s symbolizing their eating disorder recovery. The very disease that they once hid under lock, key and piles of lies was now a badge of honor to share their own struggle and hope with others. What better way to celebrate that honor than to give a gift that ‘gives back to eating disorder recovery’?!?!

I have compiled a list of some very artsy, cool and legit products that either a.) Stand for eating disorder recover and/ or b.) Donate a portion of the proceeds of the gift to eating disorder prevention or recovery. Check out the goods here!

Happy Recovery (and Holiday Shopping!)

Irvina 

Let Them Eat Cake Tee

This top is part of the My Body ROCKS Collection.
$5 is donated to benefit eating disorder awareness.

Rewrite Beautiful T-Shirt 

This is one very sweet T-Shirt for eating disorder prevention! For one thing, It's a reversible image that the person wearing can see when looking in the mirror. The words 'Rewrite Beautiful' are across the front reminding the person wearing it that it is up to each and everyone of us to 'Rewrite' what we call 'Beautiful'. American Apparel, gray T-Shirt benefits eating disorder prevention through Street Art Workshops held by the non-profit Rewrite Beautiful.

Dragon Fly Necklace

Dragonflies symbolize strength, courage, happiness and moving past self-created illusions and so much more! If you would like to honor someone you know that battles a disease/disorder or would like to display a beautiful, meaningful and yet discreet badge of your courage and strength, this necklace is for you! Because this Necklace features a Dragonfly, 10% of the purchase price will be donated to NEDA to support and honor Eating Disorder Recovery and Awareness.

Dragonfly Bracelet

This is a hemp macrame bracelet made to show awareness of eating disorders. Whether you are suffering, recovering, recovered or know someone who has, this is a great piece for you. It is made from hemp string and decorated with a metal dragonfly charm and purple and red glass beads. Red symbolizes anorexia and purple symbolizes bulimia. The dragonfly represents both. 

 Anorexia + Bulimia Bracelet

Our blue awareness bracelet features 3 brilliant strands of bright blue lapis lazuli, freshwater pearls, and silver plated beads. Bracelet measures approx 7" and has an adjustable clasp. Silver plated awareness charm measures 1/2" from top to bottom. 

Believe Bracelet

Our blue awareness bracelet features a caged 6mm cobalt blue fiber optic cat's eye bead and silver plated charm (measures 12x23mm). The charm is stamped with your choice of 'Hope', 'Faith', or 'Believe' on both sides. Silver plated double link chain, each link is 9x6mm. Adjustable clasp (silver lobster claw) can extend bracelet to 8". Please specify which charm you would like at checkout, 'Hope', 'Faith', or 'Believe'.

 Lip Conditioner

I was approached by an amazing, smart, kind, beautiful girl named Nikki to create a lip conditioner inspired by a very serious epidemic that she is facing. The complete story & idea was written & inspired by Nikki & her loving dog named Javo (they are in the artwork). Please, see below... 'Princess Nikki & Her Hero Javo the Dog'

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who could only see ugliness and fat when she looked in the mirror even though she was thin. She would lock herself in the highest castle tower and obsess over how thick every part of her body was. She would cry every night. Then one day, a stray dog came to the tower base and whined and whined until she came down. The dog gave her big sloppy kisses and told her she was the most beautiful girl in the world and that she should eat because he would be very lonely if she were gone. They became the best of friends, helping each other along in the journey of life and never leaving one another's side. (an edited version of this story appears on the lip conditioner label)

She Decided She was Worth it, Magnet

I can't think of a better lift-yourself-up, confidence-boosting, you-go-girl saying than this one. I want to scream it from the rooftops to myself when I'm feeling crappoo. "You're worth it!" Not worth it like buying a car I can't afford, or spending money on stuff I don't need (ewww, like jewelry?), but worth loving myself. Worth knowing that I'm okay, I'm doing my best and Im' not such a bad person, anyway! That kind of worth it! 

Mosaic Scale

Made to order “Perfect” scale. You pick the colors for glass, bottom and leg finishes. See pictures for option examples from past works. The listing price is the base price. The final price for your special order scale, will depend on the completed mosaic.

 

Rewrite Beautiful Bracelet             

Keep the message going that beauty is found in your actions! Creative + Kind + Strong = Beautiful!                                            

 

 

 

See you in 2012!

You might imagine that in the midst of the exhausting fight to beat an eating disorder one doesn’t have a lot to be thankful for. Rather they are devastated at the circumstances of their disease and the outcome of their life altogether. A struggle for anyone, eating disorder or not is to have an “attitude of gratitude” even in life’s most challenging moments.

Having worked at the Victorian – eating disorder treatment center, I can say it is two things:

1.1.)     A challenging place to work.

2.2.)    A rewarding place to work.

The amount of dedication, intellect and love that is exuded from the staff at the Victorian is quite extraordinary. This Thanksgiving I would like to take a moment to thank those inside the Victorian home for making eating disorder recovery possible in our world.

Clinical Director – Michelle Smith, LVN

Michelle is one of the best Clinical Director’s the Victorian has ever seen. She is personable, intelligent, poised and down to earth. Known to personally pick up clients from the airport and welcome them  to The Victorian, Michelle goes above and beyond to make sure that not only the Victorian clients feel valued, but also that her staff is valued and cared for as well. We are so thankful for Michelle being the leader of the Victorian. She has taken eating disorder recovery to a whole new level that is admired in the field.

Program Manager – Andrea Brokaw

Andrea has brought Neurofeedback into the Victorian this year. Within the first few days at the Victorian the clients get their brainwaves scanned for the purpose of participating in Neurofeedback. This process has made the women better able to understand their emotions and their eating disorder. Andrea innovative and creative therapy has been a blessing to the Victorian.

Case Managers – Joi Prendiville,  Katie Rose Wingert and Susan Bailey

These women have the privilege of working one-on-one with the clients to map out their recovery. Helping the women set goals and achieve them takes tons of mental and physical strength. These women add so much to the recovery of women by being their confidants, cheerleaders and coaches. The Victroian simply would be non-existent without these women.

Nurse – Becky Gordon

Many eating disorder clients are in need of meds to assist them in their recovery. Becky helps the clients find the meds that are appropriate for them. Her professional demeanor and support make her a stand out.

Dietician – Dawn Navarez

Dawn helps the clients reach their recovery goals around food. Dawn is not only the Victorian dietician, but also holds nutrition groups with the women, educating them on food, vitamins and metabolism. Dawn is known to not only be a Dietician, but also a trusted confidant.

Art Therapy - Robin Lamoure, CADAC, MA, ATR

Women with eating disorders are known to sway heavily on the creative side and Robin takes advantage of that interest by holding amazing Art Therapy  sessions. Sessions are always inventive, creative and thought provoking around recovery. Robin creates a safe, non-intrusive way for women to process their emotions good/bad on an inventive level.

Intern  - Jennifer DeVore, MFTi

Eventually the baton will be passed to another generation of healers who passionately care about eating disorder recovery. The Victorian is so thankful for the interest of so many psychology majors, nursing students and new dieticians who want to contribute to our field. Their dedicated work with the Victorian clients will be rewarded in the recovery that happens in the years to come.  

The Victorian Clients

The thing we are daily grateful for is the brave Victorian clients willing to confront their eating disorder. We are humbled by the strength they have to go step into the unknown and discover the women they are without their eating disorder. The willingness of these women constantly amazes us. We are so honored to work alongside them and are incredibly grateful that we get to witness their transformations into confident, strong, successful women they are proud of.

I hope that if you are struggling with an eating disorder this Thanksgiving you would find some gratitude in the vast amount of people in the eating disorder recovery field willing to help you. On behalf of our very thankful Victorian team, we would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and a Happy Recovery!

Irvina

Whether you’re a Victorian client, parent or still on the journey to find your own eating disorder recovery, you must know that knowledge is power in combating this disease. In honor of the fall weather that is rolling into Southern California we thought we would give you a list of some of our favorite eating disorder recovery books. These books are treasures and have been included in Victorian book clubs, meetings and some are the foundation of our recovery program. Many of the authors are highly accomplished and respected professionals in the eating disorder field. Please take a look at the list and head on over to your local Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com to pick one (or a few) up!

Happy Recovery,

Irvina

 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food 

By: Psy.D Susan Albers

Anorexics & Bulimics Anonymous: Fellowship & Stories 

By: Faith Farthing

Brave Girl Eating: A Family's Struggle with Anorexia

By: Harriet Brown

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating

By: Geneen Roth

Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling

By: Anita Johns PhD

Gaining – The Truth About Life After an Eating Disorder

By: Aimee Liu

Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from Your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life

By: Jenni Shaefer

Life Doesn’t Begin 5 pounds from Now

By: Jessica Weiner

Life without ED

By: Jenni Shaefer

Starved – Mercy for Eating Disorders

By: Nancy Alcorn

The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous

 By: Overeaters Anonymous

The Eating Disorder Source Book

By: Carolyn Costin

Thin

By: Grace Bowman

Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia

By:  Marya Hornbacher 

 Why Weight? A Guide to Ending Compulsive Eating 

By: Geneen Roth

 It seems like we say it all the time, but Southern California truly is the best place to be for eating disorder recovery. Not only are the most renown eating disorder therapists and doctors based out of So Cal, but the dozens of treatment facilities and support groups far out number any other place in the world.

 Back in 1985, a few eating disorder professionals gathered and founded the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP.) Today IAEDP is well recognized for its excellence in providing first-quality education and high-level training standards to an international multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions, who treat the full spectrum of eating disorder issue.

IAEDP has grown to develop regions in Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City and beyond. I have attended the Orange County region meetings and I can attest that the most noted professionals  and leaders in the eating disorder field gather in this group. Kindly, IAEDP would like to invite you to their Winter Fundraising Event. Whether you are a professional, a student, a parent or a survivor wanting to know more about preventing and treating eating disorders this would be a great event to attend and network with others.

SAVE THE DATE!

DECEMBER 3^RD 2011

IAEDP WINTER FUNDRAISING EVENT

“CASINO NIGHT”

 AT THE CHERYL BURKE DANCE STUDIO

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA

RSVP to RaeEllen Ellis at (626) 696-­9019 or by email at ociaedp@gmail.com

Hope to see you there!

Happy Recovery,

Irvina