Table of Contents

News: 

New York Funds Eating Disorders Centers - ALBANY, NY (AP) - Gov. George Pataki committed the state to $1 million a year to help fund three centers to care for patients with eating disorders. The centers will create the first government-supported public centers in New York for the treatment of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. Pataki said the treatment will be covered for the poor under Medicaid. Pataki said the funding won't be cut by budget constraints, as an obesity program had been, because the eating disorder centers will be funded from the state's settlement fund with major tobacco companies.
 

Research:

National Institute of Mental Health - International study seeks to determine whether a gene(s) might predispose individuals to develop anorexia nervosa. Investigators need families with at least two members who have or had anorexia nervosa and who would be willing to participate. The study involves the completion of interviews, questionnaires and a blood draw. For additional information call 1-888-895-3886, email EdResearch@msx.upmc.edu or visit http://www.angenetics.org.

Physician Awareness of Eating Disorders From the Patient’s Perspective: If you have been diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, have been in some kind of treatment for your eating disorder, and are 18 years old or older, you are invited to participate in this research study. The study involves completing 2 surveys, which should take between ½ to 1 hour to complete. The purpose of the study is to examine the role primary care physicians play in the detection and treatment of eating disorders. If you would like to participate, please visit www.evms.edu/survey/cubic-ed.html, complete the questionnaires and submit them anonymously online. If you have any questions, please email carolyndvd@aol.com, Carolyn Cruse, B.S., Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.

Physician/Patient Interaction Research: The CEDRIC Centre, an eating disorder centre in Victoria, BC Canada, is working on a study about the relationships between people with eating disorders and their physicians and how doctor patient interactions impact their eating disorder. To participate or learn more about this study please visit The CEDRIC Centre at www.cedriccentre.com.

Conferences/Professional Trainings:

Henderson, NV - The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Symposium, July 29-August 1, 2004 at Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas. This exciting program features Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., author of Slim Hopes: Advertising and the Obsession with Thinness. Special events include Celebrity Keynoter Speaker: Kathy Najimy (Sister Act 1 and 2), Hollywood Insider: Beating the Box-Office Beauty Myth, a photography exhibit and workshop presentation on photo therapy by renown photographer and childrens play therapist Ellen Fisher Turk, co-author of Making Peace with Your Body. Pre-conference three hour, in-depth trainings are offered by Andrea Pennington, MD, Medical Director, Discovery Health Network/ Discovery Health Online who will address "Calming the Body: Alternative Treatments for Eating Disorders and Obesity" and Craig Johnson, Ph.D. offering a Supervisory Session for Difficult Cases. In addition, there will be two practical pre-conference sessions dedicated to helping those new to the field of eating disorders treatment: Eating Disorders 101 and Nutrition Education and Intervention for the Eating Disordered Client. Additional keynotes are: Michael Levine, Ed.D., Ages and Stages of Eating Disorders: Is There a Place for Prevention?; Mark Schwartz, Sc.D., and Lori Galperin, LCSW, Working with Attachment Deficits with Eating Disordered Clients; Craig Johnson, Ph.D., Anorexia Research: Update from the National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Genetic Study; Ovidio Bermudez, MD and Ralph Carson, Ph.D., RD, The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: The Therapist's Role in Making a Difference. Nine exciting, 3 hour Advanced Training Institutes and a Master Training Institute featuring George Cowan, MD, Merri Goldberg, LCSW, BCD, CEDS, Cathy Reto, Ph.D., and Jarole Boan Knowles, MD on Bariatric Surgery Training for the Eating Disorder Professional: An Informative, Useful, and Practical Institute. In addition to this exciting lineup, there are over twenty-five concurrent workshops. Email your request for a brochure to iaedpmembers@earthlink.net, call 800-800-8126 or visit www.iaedp.com.

Austin, TX - Retreat and Professional Training on July 23-26, 2004 at the Crossing Spa: Join Anita Johnston, Ph.D. author of "Eating in the Light of the Moon" and Francie White, MS, RD along with guest speaker Michelle Cross RD, licensed social worker, for a long weekend of intensely stimulating eating and body related topics as well as spa activities alongside evening soul work. For more information call 800-263-4217 or visit www.innerescapes.com.

Hawaii - Retreat and Professional Training, September 18-23, 2004 at the Kalani Oceanside Retreat (on the big island of Hawaii):  Join Anita Johnston, Ph.D., Carolyn Costin, LMFT and Francie White, MS, RD alongside Julie Samuels, a therapist, body movement/yoga/nia teacher, for 6 days that will change your life. Bring your partner along for the excursions while you participate in soul work, mythology group activities, journal, art, and music. For more information call 800 263-4217 or visit www.innerescapes.com. Watch for information for a Costa Rica retreat during their summer/our winter February 20th, 2005!

The Center for the Study or Anorexia and Bulimia is offering the following trainings:

1. CBT for Eating Disorders Training to be held on Monday evenings beginning in September for 15 weeks. For more information or to register, please call Jaclyn at 212-333-3444.

2. Two-year Training Program in the Psychodynamic Treatment of Eating Disorders - to be held on Monday evenings beginning in September. For more information please contact Jaclyn at 212-333-3444.

Online Interactive Recovery Tools: MySelfHelp.com Introduces New Programs for Guilt and Self-Esteem -- Family of Online, Interactive Programs Continues to Grow: MySelfHelp.com has introduced Overcoming Guilt and Working on Low Self-Esteem – the latest additions to its family of online, self-help Internet programs, which also includes Defeating Depression, Stop Binge Eating, and Take Control of Bulimia. MySelfHelp.com members now receive all available programs for a $15 monthly subscription rate, enabling healthcare professionals whose clients are using the programs to deliver a more comprehensive treatment program. Overcoming Guilt features tools that enable members to identify and change negative thoughts and beliefs associated with guilt. It includes dozens of exercises to help members practice new skills and improve their relationships. Working on Low Self-Esteem enables members to identify the causes of low self-esteem, change negative thoughts and beliefs, develop solutions to current issues and problems, learn strategies and techniques to avoid negative thoughts and behavior, and improve relationships. Take Control of Bulimia provides information, tools, and exercises that enable people who suffer from bulimia to identify underlying issues and problems, and learn techniques to identify triggers, eliminate bingeing and purging, and prevent a relapse. The program also includes sections on nutrition, body image, psychotherapy, medication, and personal stories. The Stop Binge Eating program provides exercises that enable members to overcome misconceptions about dieting, and weight loss; identify and manage triggers for binge eating; and develop strategies to prevent overeating. Defeating Depression is a comprehensive, interactive program that provides information, tools, and exercises that help members to identify and change negative thinking, interrupt negative cycles of behavior, learn a variety of coping strategies, and prevent a relapse. MySelfHelp.com programs emphasize evidence-based strategies, drawing heavily of cognitive-behavioral treatment techniques. The self-help programs are meant to be used in conjunction with treatment, not as a substitute for it.

MySelfHelp.com also has a number of other programs in development, including Hope for HIV and Depression, Como Derrotar a la Depresión (Latino Depression Program), Help for Compulsive Buying, Considering Medication, Panic and Agoraphobia, Grief: Moving Ahead, and Battling Substance Abuse. If you would like to take advantage of our free 30-day program preview for healthcare professionals, please send an email to info@myselfhelp.com and identify yourself as a healthcare professional. MySelfHelp.com also provides Clinician Tip Sheets for each program that identify the parts of the programs that can be used to address specific treatment goals. Healthcare professionals interested in viewing these tip sheets should go to http://www.myselfhelp.com/About/providers.htm.

Eastham, MA August 23-27, 2004 Course on Eating Disorders and Self Harm. Sharon K. Farber, PhD is teaching a week-long course at the Cape Cod Institute on Self-Harm.  The Body Speaks of Trauma: Eating Disorders, Self-Injury, Body-Modifications  "When the body weeps tears of blood, we need to wonder what terrible sorrows cannot be spoken. When food that had tasted good suddenly feels
like poison and has to be purged from the body, we should wonder what traumatic experiences exist that cannot be contained, metabolized, and integrated. . . . The body speaks of that which cannot be said in words, of secrets, lies, and trust that has been broken." Dr. Farber can be reached at 914-478-1924 (www.cape.org).

Treatment Center News:

Florida Treatment Center News - "Reality Based Treatment for Eating Disorders." Milestones Eating Disorders Program offers residential treatment for anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating, and related disorders. The program is unique in so far as offering a supportive and structured environment while providing real world experiences such as preparing meals, grocery shopping, and participating in an array of activities simulating one's at home setting. Participants live within an apartment setting and are afforded opportunities to attend a variety of evening support groups while attending group and individual therapies during the day. The program is part of a facility, which is JCAHO accredited (Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) and licensed by the State of Florida to provide residential treatment as well as intensive outpatient services. The overall philosophy of Milestones is one of providing the treatment within a less restrictive setting than the traditional hospital environment and providing people with ample opportunities to put into practice those skills necessary to maintain their recovery when they return home. Milestones is intended for those who are not in need of a hospital setting and are able to demonstrate a sincere desire to recover from their eating disorder. You can learn more about the program at the Milestones web site at www.milestonesprogram.net or by calling Milestones at 800-347-2364.

Arizona Treatment Center News: Mirasol, a residential program for adult women located in Tucson, AZ, is launching a program for adolescent girls ages 12-18. The program is slated to open August 2004 with a custom designed program for girls struggling with anorexia, bulimia, and obesity. The adolescent program will utilize the integrative approach to treatment, which is a Mirasol signature. Mirasol is dedicated to providing a safe haven for girls, to heal through a highly successful approach that respects and nourishes the body, mind and spirit of each individual. The adolescent program will be limited to eight adolescent girls to ensure exclusive, personalized attention to every detail of the recovery process. Featured therapies include: Neurofeedback Intensive 5- day Family workshops; 4-Day Mother & Daughter workshops; Cognitive-behavioral; Adventure therapy; Rocks and ropes; Challenge courses; Animal therapy; Martial arts; Expressive arts therapy; Body image and movement; Whole food diet and nutritional counseling; Focused Continuing Care and intensive one-year aftercare.

Colorado Treatment Center – Eating Disorder Center of Denver introduces Healthy Me©. Healthy Me© is community based program collaborated by the YMCA, The Eden Club, and Eating Disorder Center of Denver. It focuses on clients’ needs to achieve and maintain healthy weight management. Clients learn and practice healthy long-term, life changing choices around nutrition, exercise, and new healthy skills to deal with life’s ongoing stressors. Healthy Me© is a one-year program that works to change behaviors that have been present for a long time. Healthy Me© offers: 1.Annual YMCA Single Membership (options available for Family or Adolescent Memberships) 2.Group and Individual exercise programs specifically designed for each client. 3. One on one consultations with a Registered Dietitian to create a personalized nutrition program. 4. A twenty-one week educational component teaches the practice of healthy boundary skills, goal setting, stress management and relaxation, relationship building, limiting beliefs and more. 5. Daily online worksheets are provided to reinforce learning. 6. A ten-week educational component teaches clients the practice of healthy nutrition and “creating a new you”, delivered by a Registered Dietitian. 7. This program is a total package solution for one cost-effective fee. 8. Referrals to knowledgeable treatment specialists such as EDC-Denver professionals are provided when needed. To learn more about Healthy Me© please visit: http://www.edenprocess.com/ or contact Robin Colson, Program Facilitator and Registered Dietitian at EDC-Denver. Phone: 720-889-4221.

Missouri Treatment Center News – Castlewood Residential Treatment Center: Castlewood's treatment philosophy is to provide the highest quality, multi-modal intervention to facilitate the fullest recovery possible. Their treatment approach combines a nurturing therapeutic community with a strong individual and family psychotherapy-based treatment model, including Expressive, Gestalt, Cognitive, Dialectical Behavioral, Object-relations, Self-psychology and Ego state therapies. The result is a residential treatment program for eating disorders that allows for the unique treatment of each individual with an emphasis on compassion, respect and empowerment. For more information visit www.castlewoodtc.com.