Short description:

Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders addresses the intersection of eating disorders and the importance of treatment of clients with eating disorders and chronic illness, specific interventions, and resilience in a body that continues to change.

Long description:

Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders addresses the intersection of eating disorders and the importance of treatment of clients with eating disorders and chronic illness, specific interventions, and resilience in a body that continues to change.

This book explores the intricacies of those with chronic illness, and how it can lead to disordered eating. Chapters cover lifelong and acquired illnesses and conditions, visible and invisible disabilities, sports injuries, chronic pain, grief, and more. The author examines how each of these conditions can affect appetite, body image, and overall perception of food and health. Treatments such as EMDR and CBT are discussed alongside mindful approaches such as body neutrality.

Therapists, dietitians, and other medical professionals will gain a deep understanding of body image disturbance and how that is different than body image distortion.

"Finally, those with concurrent chronic illnesses and eating disorders have a validating piece of representation that thoughtfully, authentically, and compassionately evaluates all aspects of this complex relationship. Tamie shares her own beautiful, challenging, real story throughout, as well as others?, while interpreting it through the lens of her extensive clinical experience. The result is a resource that will improve individuals?, loved ones?, and clinicians? understanding about how best to show up for those who have been mostly invisible to eating disorder and health care systems."

Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-C, FAED, is the founder and medical director of the Gaudiani Clinic and author of Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders

"Tamie has written a powerful resource for clinicians who work in the field of eating disorders and for anyone who lives with or knows someone who lives with a chronic disability. She gently opens the door for us to discover misperceptions we hold about living with a chronic illness to change how we interact and communicate within personal and professional settings. The reader is invited to explore the impact a chronic disability has on mental health, body image, personal relationships, professional interactions, and co-occurring conditions. Practical guidelines based on evidence-based research and lived experience are abundantly offered."

Tammy Beasley MS RD CEDS-C, National Director of Nutrition Programming, Odyssey Eating Disorder Network

"Tamie delivers an important piece of work for clinicians and clients, offering information and tips for navigating the recovery journey. Tamie covers a wide range of topics, such as weight stigma and how this can impact body image, increasing the risk of developing or perpetuating an eating disorder. Well-researched and informed suggestions are given to clinicians and clients to navigate eating and body image issues as well as several other critical areas such as embodiment, grief, resilience, medical trauma, exercise, and advocacy."

Carolyn Costin, MA, M.ED.MFT 13192 FAED, CEDS, The Carolyn Costin Institute, and author of 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder

Table of Contents:

Part 1: My Story with Chronic Illness, an Eating Disorder, Substance Abuse, and Trauma 1. My Backstory: Scoliosis, an Eating Disorder, Alcoholism, PTSD, and Spine Fusion Surgery  Part 2: Definitions  2. What Is a Chronic Medical Condition and How Does It Relate to an Eating Disorder?  3. Chronic Pain and Pain Psychology  4. The Intersection of Body Image and Chronic Illness  Part 3: Challenge  5. Invisible Disability  6. Grief  7. Pre- and Postoperative Mental Health Care  8. Chronic Illness, Medical Trauma, and PTSD  Part 4: Managing and Treating Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders  9. Navigating Weight Stigma, Health System Pressures, and Self-Care Amid Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders  10. Recommended Treatment Modalities  11.From Specialists to Support: Key Steps in Finding the Ideal Medical Team  12. Sports Injury Versus Chronic Medical Condition?What?s the Difference?  Part 5: How Individuals Can Live with Chronic Illness and Manage Eating Disorders  13. Managing Energy Reserves for Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders  14. The Spectrum of Movement: From Fear to Joy  15. Impact of Chronic Illness on Relationships  16. Resilience and Quality of Life