There is support out there for people who are struggling with Disordered Eating.
Here is a list of support groups in the United States. Please contact them directly for more information:
Birmingham, AL - Free Eating Disorder Support Group: Sponsored by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. This group meets every Tuesday from 6:30-8:00pm at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church Main Building Room on 318 Kentucky Avenue, Vestavia Hills, AL. This group is designed to provide: support and recovery information for those living with any eating disorder; resources and hope to the community regarding eating disorders and recovery; a common ground for sharing experiences and honest feedback in a safe environment. The last Tuesday of each month is Family Night where the focus is on providing support to family and friends of those living with an eating disorder. For more information please contact Angela Camp at 205-871-4443. Information can also be requested via email at anadbham@aol.com.
Beverly Hills, CA - Free Weekly Drop-in Support Group meetings sponsored by Linda Blakeley, Ph.D. and ANAD. The group meets every Tuesday at 7:45pm. For more information call 310-286-9171 or visit www.drlindablakeley.com.
Del Mar/San Diego, CA- Free Eating Disorders Anonymous Meeting: Casa Palmera offers free Eating Disorders Anonymous meetings every Friday evening from 7:30-8:30pm. Meeting location: 14750 El Camino Real, Del Mar, CA. For more information, contact Kamran at 858-775-7752 or Kamran@casapalmera.com.
Laguna Beach, CA - Free ANAD Support Group. This group is held at the South Coast Medical Center on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month from 6:30-7:30pm. For more information or to RSVP call 949-240-7806.
Laguna Hills, CA - ANAD Support Group. This group meets every Wednesday at 7:00pm. The group is located at 23461 South Pointe Drive, Suite 190, Laguna Hills, CA. For more information please contact Kay Poggi at 949-498-5018.
Los Angeles, CA Support Groups: Two process groups for women, one for those over 30, and one for women 18 to 30, with all types of eating disorders. This is a safe place to talk about the issues behind calories, thinness and obsession with body image. This group will take place in a supportive, confidential setting. Develop understanding and trust with others as you work through the complexities of family, relationships, and self esteem. Groups meet Monday and Wednesday evenings. For more information call Dr. Janet K. Smith, 310-473-6169 or visit www.weighty-issues.com.
Oakland and San Francisco, CA Support Groups: New group forming in Oakland and two openings in on-going eating disorder group in San Francisco. Combining cognitive-behavioral techniques, experiential exercises and interpersonal work participants will gain: relief from constant food/body obsession, support from others, and effective ways to deal with internal critic. The facilitator, Alison McCabe, MFT, has been licensed 13 years, specializing in eating disorder treatment, anxiety disorders and depression. For more information or to schedule an initial interview, contact Alison at 510-273-9969 or email alisonmccabe@sbcglobal.net.
Oakland and Walnut Creek, CA Support Groups: Facilitator - Rose P. Phelps, MFT, Certified Group Psychotherapist and President of the Northern California Group Psychotherapy Society. This group offers members an arena in which to find support, deal with challenges and learn to nurture themselves and others. For more information call 510-658-4344 for interview or email rosepmft@aol.com.
Ongoing Compulsive Eating Support Groups meets Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons in Oakland, CA. The orientation of this group is psychodynamic integrated with cognitive behavioral techniques and imagery. Using a non-diet approach, the faciliators help clients explore the underlying emotional, familial and cultural issues that lie at the heart of compulsive eating and body hatred. Clients learn to recognize their body's cues of hunger and satisfaction, and develop a positive body image. For more information, call Caryn Gottfried, MFT at 510-531-0947 or Dana Schwartz, MFT at 510-663-8783 or email danaschwartz510@email.com.
San Diego, CA- Free Support Group. Free eating disorders anonymous group in San Diego on Wednesday nights. The group starts at 7:30pm and is located at Harmony Grove. For more information call 800-990-8052 or visit www.harmony-grove.com
San Francisco, CA - 12-week Women of Size group: The Eating Disorders Collaborative offers 12-week Women of Size group. For more information, contact Marcy Dubova at 415-987-4118 or visit www.edcollaborative.com.
San Francisco, CA Support Group: Celebrate Your Body - A Women's Support Group for Transforming Negative Body Image on Tuesday evenings from 7:15 - 9:15pm. Women have few places where they can talk openly about negative and positive feelings about their bodies. They carry these feelings alone, increasing their confusion and shame. Through writing, discussion and meditations they tell their stories, explore how they developed negative body image, share resources and brainstorm how to manage body image experiences. With the support of other women, attendees will learn to nurture, celebrate and honor the wisdom of their body. For information visit www.celebrateyourbody.com. To register call Nomi Dekel, MA, MFT at 415-457-3468 or 510-234-8458.
West Los Angeles/Brentwood, CA – Support group for women dealing with compulsive overeating. This group is for women over 40 and it is designed to explore underlying issues, family-of-origin concerns, and current manifestations of behaviors. 12-step friendly, but not required. Intake is required. The group meets Tuesday, 7:30-9 pm. For information, contact Jack Nelson Soll, MFT, at 310-471-2210 or JNSoll@aol.com.
Brevard County, FL- Free ANAD support group. The group meets every Thursday evening at 7:30 pm. The last Thursday of each month is a multi-family group for support persons to join their loved ones. For more information contact BrevardANAD@aol.com or 321-259-6842.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL- ED Support Group: This is an ongoing support group for anyone suffering with an eating disorder. The group is facilitated by a licensed therapist and takes place every 1st and 3rd Tuesday evening of each month from 6:30pm – 8:00pm at the Milestones campus in West Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For more information call 954-272-0806.
Florida- Free Support Group: The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders is holding a support group for men and women with anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorders at Florida Hospital Memorial Division, Ormond Beach Campus, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. For additional information call 386-437-9590 or email janet0409@hotmail.com.
Highland Park, IL - Group for Adults with Eating Disorders, Disordered Eating, Body Image Disturbances or Picky Eating - Unique 12 session Psychotherapy/Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement Group. Series Facilitator: Abigail Natenshon, MA, LCSW, GCFP, eating disorder specialist and Feldenkrais Practitioner. Location: 271 Hazel Ave. Highland Park, Illinois. These groups offer a unique opportunity to heal through combining traditional psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral group therapy techniques with a novel, experiential approach to self-awareness, learning, and change; each hour-long talk-therapy group experience will be accompanied by approximately one hour of Feldenkrais body movement. For information call 847-432-1795 or email anatenshon@empoweredparents.com. Groups will meet Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00pm. Starting date: Fall 2006.
Newton, MA - Free Support Group: Hope and Inspiration is a free drop-in group that takes place the first Saturday of every month from 10-11am at the MEDA (an eating disorder treatment and prevention organization) office in Newton, located at 92 Pearl Street. During the hour, a recovered individual shares his or her story of recovery, leaving time for discussion and questions. Contact MEDA at 617-558-1881 ext. 12 for more information or visit www.medainc.org.
Baltimore, MD- Largely Positive is a free support group open to adults of size. The mission of Largely Positive is to promote health and self-esteem among larger people. The group subscribes to the Health at Every Size (HAES) philosophy, and information about the real relationship between health and weight is available at group meetings. The group is not opposed to weight loss, but is opposed to dieting and other unhealthy weight loss measures. Meetings are held at 2002 Clipper Park Road, Suite 110, Baltimore, Maryland and take place on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. Please contact Deborah Kauffmann, RD, LDN for more information at 410-235-8300 or healthateverysize@comcast.net.
Baltimore, MD -- ANAD of Baltimore- A FREE weekly support group open to those with bulimia, binge-eating disorder, or anorexia. Parents, family, friends, or those wanting to learn more about eating disorders are also welcome. ANAD meets every Monday from 5:30-6:45 at Ascension Lutheran Church (7601 York Rd. Towson, MD 21204). For more information call Sharon Peterson, LCSW-C at The Resource Group 410-337-7772.
Webster Groves, MO-- Free support group: Castlewood Treatment Center:Circle of Friends Thursday nights 5-6:30 204 E. Lockwood Webster Groves, MO.For more information visit www.castlewoodtc.com.
New York, NY - Free Eating Disorder Support Group: This group meets the first Monday of every month from 8:30-9:45pm. The group is free and open to anyone suffering from an eating disorder or body image difficulty. The group is run by therapists who are trained and on staff at The Eating Disorder Resource Center in NYC. Call 212-989-3987 to reserve a spot. Support Group Location: 24 E. 12th St.
New York, NY- Eating and Body Image Groups: The Women's Therapy Centre Institute is offering six week groups on eating and body image problems. The therapist-led groups will look at the psychological issues behind the meaning of fat and thin, obsessive thinking, how to feed oneself when hungry and stop when full - as well as how to eliminate bingeing. For more information call the WTCI at 212-721-7005.
Cincinnati/West Chester, OH Recovery support/therapy groups - Two eating disorder groups forming for mid-September 2006: Sixteen session group for adults with anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa. Another, separate group is for adults with compulsive overeating/binge eating disorders. Both groups are led by clinical psychologist, with two guest lectures by nutritionist. Group members will learn and practice recovery tools, healthy coping, relationship and self-care skills, all while reducing social isolation in the group. Members must be in psychotherapy at least twice a month and have a primary care physician of record. To refer a client or learn more about the groups, call Dr. Teri Role-Warren at 513-779-9298 ext. 1 or visit www.DRTERI.COM.
Ambler, PA: Bariatric Surgery Support/Therapy Groups: For more information about support groups in your area contact Carol Signore, LMFT, at 215-540-9675 or email Carol@myselfdesign.com.
Glenside, PA - Ongoing support groups: Girls' Group Tuesdays, 4 - 5:30 p.m. Women's Group Tuesdays, 6 - 7:30 p.m. NEW: Sundays, 4:30 - 6 p.m. Explore thoughts & feelings in a supportive & safe environment. The use of art, creative writing & dialog uniquely honors each woman's struggles & triumphs. Facilitated by Michelle L. Dean, MA, ATR-BC, LPC Board Certified Art Psychotherapist & Licensed Professional Counselor 215.885.0642x1 or mdeanx2@delaware.net. Individual & family counseling, supervision and professional training available.
Philadelphia, PA - Free monthly support group sponsored by ANAD (Nat. Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders). This group is held in Philadelphia center city starting the second week of September. Group meets second Saturday of each month. Open discussion, exchanging of ideas, experiences, feelings and thoughts. All questions and inquiries are welcome. Contact Deborah Reeves at 215-732-1612 or email at dr@healing-minds.com. All calls are kept confidential.
Orem, UT Free Support Group: Eating Disorders Anonymous, 12-Step Group. This group meets at 7:00 pm on Thursdays and Sundays. Gain more desire for recovery as you, along with others, share experiences of strength and hope. For more information contact the Center for Change at 1-888-224-8250.
Salt Lake City, UT - New Life Foundation free support group: 301 (3rd Floor). Visit the website for more information www.newlifefoundation.cc or call Sabrina Martinez at 801-983-6441.
If you are a parent of someone suffering, please see the list of support groups for parents.
