EDAW 2023 Panel: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

Participate in a virtual conversation about ways we can transform care for people with eating disorders from inaccessibility and inequity to healing and support.

The panel conversation will focus on:

• Barriers currently being faced by people with living or lived experience when trying to receive support, and healthcare providers when they're trying to provide care
• Where changes need to happen to help our healthcare system be better prepared to provide support for people experiencing an eating disorder (e.g., policy, education, practice)
• Solutions to work towards over the next 1, 3, and 5 years, and how to get there
• Where more resources (e.g., funding) is most needed
• What actions panelists can see themselves taking in their role as a result of our conversation today

The panel will start at 5:00pm ET (2:00pm PT, 6:00pm AT) on Zoom.

Our facilitator:

• Chloë Grande (she/her) is a communications specialist turned eating disorder recovery writer, speaker and blogger. After an anorexia relapse at the start of the pandemic, she began blogging about her eating disorder recovery to help create a sense of community for other eating disorder survivors. The blog has since grown into a full-time business where she works alongside leading mental health organizations, and facilitates body image workshops at universities and colleges across Ontario. Learn more about her work online: www.chloegrande.com.

Our panelists:

• Dr. Alison Freeland, (she/her) is a psychiatrist and Chief and Medical Director of the Mental Health Program at Trillium Health Partners. She is also Board Chair of the Canadian Psychiatric Association. She has worked across hospital, community and academic settings and has leadership experience in both health care and academic institutions. Clinically, she is currently providing clinical support to the Eating Disorders Program at Trillium Health Partners.
• Dr. Anita Federici (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist and the Owner of The Centre for Psychology and Emotion Regulation, a Clinic specializing in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders, personality disorders, and trauma. She serves an Adjunct Faculty position at York University and is a distinguished Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED). Anita has an established reputation for her work as a therapist, clinical trainer, researcher, program director, and consultant and is a recognized authority on eating disorder treatment and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Over the past ten years, she has developed a robust training program, a wide network of allied health professionals, and a treatment centre in an underserved and rural region of Ontario. Her work focuses on developing and adapting treatments for individuals with complex eating and personality disorders. Anita has had a considerable impact on the field through her leadership, advocacy work, and expertise and has provided more than 350 lectures, workshops, and invited talks. She has worked extensively with hospitals and community organizations nationally and internationally offering team training, implementation support, and program development. Her work has been presented at international conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals, and invited book chapters. Known for her engaging and authentic training style, Anita has become a highly sought-after consultant for numerous hospitals and community-based organizations across North America seeking to improve treatment programs or expand access.
• Cynthia Schoppmann (she/her/elle) is a Registered Psychotherapist working in private practice in the Ottawa area. She works with adolescents as well as individual adults and couples. Cynthia also enjoys varying her work by offering workshop facilitation and clinical supervision. Cynthia also currently serves as the Francophone Director for the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association.
• Dave Gervais (he/him) has been an educator for 24 years, having worked in private, public, elementary, secondary and international schools. For the past 10 years, he has worked as a school principal in Ontario. Dave is the father of Natalie, now 18, who is recovering from her fight with an eating disorder. He shares their experience with principals across Ontario, and in a recent NIED blog feature, in the hopes that their story will inspire change around food culture in schools and early intervention pathways for students who are struggling with disordered eating or eating disorders.
• Dr. Karen Trollope-Kumar (she/her) is a family physician based in Hamilton, Ontario. Her past clinical experience includes work in remote areas of northern Ontario and in the Himalayan foothills of north India. She has a keen interest in medical education, and has held leadership roles at McMaster University, both in the medical school and in the Department of Family Medicine. She currently works fulltime at Body Brave, a non-profit organization focused on providing first-line treatment and support for people with eating disorders. Body Brave has a clinical staff of 6 people, and services are delivered primarily online. Services include group therapy and individual consultations with a dietitian and/or a family doctor. Our online Recovery Support program provides valuable assistance to people on waiting lists for more intensive treatment.
• Margaret Eaton (she/her) joined the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) as National CEO in January of 2020. Along with a deep compassion for those facing mental health and addiction issues, she brings with her over 20 years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector.
• Paul Mackenzie (he/him) resides in Victoria with his wife (Michele) for almost 35 years, and is the proud father of two amazing daughters, ages 32 and 29. Paul and Michele are also proud nana and papa to twin boys, who will be entering the school system this fall. Over the course of a number of years during his youngest daughter’s adolescence, Paul and Michele were fully immersed in supporting their child in her eating disorder, working with the hospital, countless medical personnel, counsellors and educators. The role of the parent, and in particular for Paul, the role of the father in this often difficult and unpredictable journey has been, and continues to be of particular interest, and he wants to dedicate his humble voice and experiences (often through trial and error) to the larger conversation, in the hope that it may help families experiencing similar challenges at home.
• Paula Ng (she/her) has been a Registered Dietitian since 2009. She provides nutrition counselling services to adults, adolescents and children, specializing in: eating disorders/disordered eating; behavioural feeding issues; and picky eaters. Paula has training in motivational interviewing (MI), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), all of which inform her practice. She has worked in various hospital-based eating disorder treatment programs for many years, as well as inpatient general psychiatry, diabetes education centres and in long term care. She studied at the University of Toronto and University of Western Ontario and completed her dietetic internship at North York General Hospital.
• Shira Agam (she/her) is a mental health advocate, educator, and student living in British Columbia. Living with mental health conditions including anorexia, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder, Shira is committed to advocating for better mental health education and services, especially for those living with highly stigmatized illnesses. She began advocacy work during the pandemic serving as president of the global nonprofit students with psychosis, and since then has spoken on panels and at conferences around the world in hopes of spreading awareness.

FAQs

What is Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW)?

Eating Disorders affect people of all genders, ages, classes, abilities, races, and ethnic backgrounds. That is why, from February 1st to 7th every year, Eating Disorder groups across Canada unite to commemorate Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) with a national week of action focused on educating the public about Eating Disorders. It is a time to spread awareness of the impact of Eating Disorders, the dangerous stereotypes and myths, and the supports available for people living with or affected by them.

Recognizing EDAW helps to affirm the experiences of those individuals living with or affected by an Eating Disorder, as well as the millions of Canadians that experience food and weight preoccupation on a daily basis. By helping shed light on an issue that is fraught with stigma and secrecy, we draw attention to the need to support further research, provide better treatment options and enhanced training, engage in greater prevention efforts, acknowledge the need for caregiver support, and stigma-bust in this under-resourced area.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week is co-organized by community-based eating disorder agencies from coast-to-coast-to-coast. This year's partners on the national organizing committee include Body Brave, Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association, Eating Disorders Nova Scotia, Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta, Jessie's Legacy, National Initiative for Eating Disorders, Sheena's Place, Waterloo-Wellington Eating Disorders Coalition, and Vancouver Island Voices for Eating Disorders.

Learn more at https://nedic.ca/edaw/.

Who is this event for?

This event is for anyone interested in learning about the objectives outlined above, especially people working in policy and leadership in mental health.

What platform are you using?

This event will be offered via Zoom.

How do I join the event?

Create an account at zoom.us, then download Zoom onto your computer, tablet, or phone. You will receive an email with the Zoom meeting link one hour before the start of the event. Keep in mind that other attendees will be able to view the name that you use to register for your Zoom account. Your name can be changed in your account settings.

Zoom is used for video conferencing. Do I have to turn on my camera?

No, camera and mic use is optional. You are welcome to just listen and participate to whatever extent you are comfortable with.

Will this event be recorded?

Yes. This webinar will be posted on NEDIC's YouTube channel at a later date. Attendee names and videos will not be recorded.

Will live captioning be offered?

Yes. To use this feature, you will be able to click "Live captioning" at the bottom of your screen in the Zoom meeting.