Providers
We hope that the information provided here helps in determining if Eating Disorders Anonymous is an appropriate support for your patients and clients with eating disorders.
EDA was founded in 2000 in Phoenix, AZ. The original members recognized that an “abstinence first” approach to recovery was ineffective for them. EDA’s focus is on balance and perspective rather than abstinence, distinguishing it from most other Twelve Step fellowships. EDA also welcomes atheists and agnostics, providing a path to recovery that requires each person to rely on their own truth.
In EDA, the process of recovery is based on the following:
- Taking care of basic needs as a way to develop self trust
- Focusing on balance not abstinence
- Recognizing milestones of recovery instead of counting time
- Using our feelings to guide us in taking the next right steps rather than using eating disordered behaviors to soothe our discomfort
- Taking small, incremental steps toward resolution of life’s problems
- Noticing what we are doing right (transforming negative self talk into positive action)
Specific, relevant pamphlets can be found under the Literature tab:
- FAQ’s for Healthcare Providers
- Could You Be One of Us?
- For the Newcomer
- To Friends and Families of Loved Ones with an Eating Disorder
Our book, Eating Disorders Anonymous: The Story of How We Recovered from Our Eating Disorders, also known as the “EDA Big Book” is available for free in .pdf and audio formats.
Contact
If you would like to attend an open meeting of EDA and/or would like more information, contact pcc@eatingdisordersanonymous.