Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorder Conference Offers Expert-Led Professional Education

Outstanding opportunities for professional development and intensive exploration of the latest in research and innovative eating disorders treatments are highlights of the 5th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference

Denver, CO, June 11, 2013 — Outstanding opportunities for professional development and intensive exploration of the latest in research and innovative eating disorders treatments are highlights of the 5th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference, to be held in Denver, Colo., August 23-24, 2013. Nationally recognized eating disorders experts and behavioral healthcare professionals dedicated to understanding and treating eating disorders will converge in the Mile High City to discuss the medical and clinical breakthroughs and treatment best practices, providing an invaluable opportunity for attendees across various disciplines to learn from and connect with thought leaders in the field.

“Supporting the dedicated professionals in the eating disorders treatment field through education, networking and collaboration is a key tenant of the Eating Recovery Center Foundation,” said Julie Holland, MHS, CEDS, chief marketing officer at Eating Recovery Center. “This conference is intended to foster best practice sharing from which our colleagues from across the country can learn and grow as treatment professionals.”

The 5th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference features an interactive educational program alongside collaboration among all areas of the eating disorders treatment community. Physicians, therapists, dietitians, nurses and advocacy organizations will gather to provide attendees access to the latest information on developing industry standards, recent trends and evolving treatment while allowing them the opportunity to increase their knowledge, build on their clinical treatment skills and accrue continuing education credits. The 2013 eating disorders conference will explore topics including:

* Medical care of patients with anorexia and bulimia

* New developments in the field of eating disorders treatment

* Understanding and addressing patient resistance

* Eating disorder causes, treatment and the recovery process

* Sustainable eating disorder recovery for children and adolescents

* Ethical challenges in the treatment of eating disorders

* Nutrition and meal plan compliance in eating disorder recovery

* Expert panel featuring Ken Weiner, MD, FAED, CEDS; Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS; Ovidio
Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, FAED, CEDS; and Emmett Bishop, MD, FAED, CEDS

A pre-conference workshop, “Understanding and Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in the Treatment of Eating Disorders,” on Friday, August 23, is offered in advance of the standard conference program, and will be led by a multidisciplinary team of Eating Recovery Center experts. The workshop includes conference handouts and resources and provides four education credits. Workshop registration is $50 with conference registration and $75 without conference registration.

On or before July 26, 2013, registration for the 5th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference is $175. Registration includes all sessions, up to 16 continuing education credits, conference handouts and resources, lunch and dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday, as well as refreshment breaks. Discounted rates are available for student registration and single-day attendance. Early registration is recommended. Download the full conference invitation at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com, or register online here.

Continuing education credits for conference attendees are available for any master’s-level professionals through National Board for Certified Counselors, registered dietitians through Commission on Dietetic Registration, registered nurses through Colorado Nurses Association, California MFTs and LCSWs through California Board of Behavioral Sciences and Psychologists through American Psychological Association. Applications are pending for physicians through the American Medical Association (continuing medical education) and social workers through National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Established in 2012, the Eating Recovery Center Foundation is a 501c3 seeking to achieve a three-fold mission: provide professionals in the eating disorders field with education and development programs that increase their knowledge and strengthen clinical treatment skills; support research initiatives that deepen understanding of these illnesses and how they can best be treated; and provide scholarships to Eating Recovery Center patients requiring additional financial resources to complete a course of treatment.

For more information or to register for the 5th Annual Eating Recovery Center Foundation Eating Disorders Conference, visit http://bit.ly/EatingDisordersConference2013 or call 720-258-4021.

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the leadership of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In an effort to increase patient access to care throughout the United States, Eating Recovery Center partners with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program in Sacramento, Cali., and The Moore Center for Eating Disorders in Bellevue, Wash. Summit offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. The Moore Center offers Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, Colo., 80206
303-433-7020
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Eating Recovery Center Offers Guidance to Help Individuals Avoid Eating Disorders Relapse

International treatment center encourages four strategies for living a life of recovery

Denver, CO, February 20, 2013 – Tens of millions of Americans struggle with eating disorders, including a growing population of baby boomers, adolescents and children. For individuals in recovery from these complex illnesses, a frightening reality is the possibility of eating disorders relapse. In fact, a 2005 study in the European Eating Disorders Review found that more than one-third of individuals who have struggled with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa will experience an eating disorders relapse in the first two and a half years after leaving a treatment center.

With National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2013 taking place next week, February 24-March 2, Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, seeks to highlight the skills and support structures that help men, women and children live a life of recovery. Recognizing that the hardest work of recovery often begins upon returning to “real life” following intensive eating disorders treatment, Eating Recovery Center offers these four strategies to help individuals protect their health and avoid eating disorders relapse.

1. Remain actively engaged with the aftercare plan. Discharge planning and the development of a recovery-focused post-treatment strategy are critical in creating sustainable recoveries and preventing relapse. These individualized aftercare plans are created by licensed therapists who work closely with a patient’s treatment team to identify emotional, behavioral and situational discharge challenges, and outline personal and recovery-focused goals.

2. Develop a strong supportive network. Friends, family and colleagues who have been educated about eating disorders and understand how to support a loved one in his or her recovery can be very helpful in sustaining recovery. Many individuals find a strong recovery-focused community through the alumni programming offered by many treatment centers. These programs generally provide ongoing education, events and a sense of community to support a life of eating disorders recovery.

3. Identify values and pursue valued life directions. Values not only serve as a compass for people’s lives, but also help individuals with eating disorders understand why change is necessary and pursue that change, even when it feels overwhelmingly difficult. Not surprisingly, identifying values and valued life directions are key components of the eating disorders recovery process. Taking time to be in touch with values and align thoughts and actions with valued life directions can help sustain recovery, even in times of stress or challenges.

4. Seek help. Sustainable recoveries do not just happen. Individuals and families in recovery from eating disorders must work diligently to protect and maintain a healthy weight and body image. The need for additional support – through support groups, outpatient therapy or an intensive treatment program – does not indicate failure, but rather underscores an ongoing commitment to doing whatever it takes to sustain eating disorders recovery.

“By nature, individuals with eating disorders tend to be perfectionistic and high achieving—they like to do things right, and they like to be the best at their endeavors,” explains Julie Holland, MHS, CEDS, chief marketing officer at Eating Recovery Center. “Their approach to recovery is generally no different, and patients often struggle to understand that life without an eating disorder looks different for every individual and there is no ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ way to live a life of recovery. In addition to developing recovery skills and implementing effective support systems, patients must also accept that challenges are likely to arise and understand that they have not failed even if recovery lapses occur.”

For more information about National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2013, visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedawareness-week.

Join Eating Recovery Center and its partner programs, The Moore Center and Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, at the following events during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2013:

* National Eating Disorders Association Walk, hosted by The Eating Disorder Network of Central Florida; Sunday, February 24, Orlando, Fla. (Eating Recovery Center sponsoring)

* Mind and Body Fair, hosted by the University of Northern Colorado’s Women’s Resource Center; Monday, February 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Greeley, Colo. (Eating Recovery Center exhibiting)

* Eating Recovery Center Patient Artwork Exhibit; February 25-March 1, Eating Recovery Center lobby, 1830 Franklin Street, Denver, Colo.

* Eating Recovery Center Patient Artwork Exhibition Reception; Thursday, February 28, 5:30-7:00 p.m., Eating Recovery Center lobby, 1830 Franklin Street, Denver, Colo.

* Amber Sokoll, MA, NCC, RYT, speaking at Beyond the Mirror’s professional networking event; Tuesday, February 26, Fort Collins, Colo.

* Jennifer Lombardi, MFT, speaking at the Celebrate Your Body Week event, hosted by the University of California Davis; Wednesday, February 27, Davis, Calif. (Summit speaking, exhibiting)

* Jennifer Lombardi, MFT, speaking at the Love Your Body event, hosted by California State University Sacramento; Thursday, February 28, Sacramento, Calif. (Summit speaking, exhibiting)

* Celebrity Dance Challenge, hosted by the Eating Disorders Information Network; Thursday, February 28, Atlanta, Ga. (Eating Recovery Center sponsoring, attending)

* Jen Sommer, RD, speaking at Eating Disorders Coalition of Iowa event; Saturday, March 2, Des Moines, Iowa. (Eating Recovery Center speaking, exhibiting)

* National Eating Disorders Association Walk, hosted by the University of Nevada Reno; Saturday, March 2, Reno, Nev. (Summit sponsoring, exhibiting)

* Binge Eating Disorder Workshop, hosted by The Moore Center; Saturday, March 2, Bellevue, Wash.

Editor: Nationally recognized eating disorders experts, including Julie Holland and Drs. Kenneth L. Weiner, Emmett R. Bishop, Ovidio Bermudez and Craig Johnson, along with patients in recovery, are available for interviews to supplement your National Eating Disorders Awareness Week stories. Contact Molly Koch at (303) 433-7020 or mkoch@csg-pr.com to arrange an interview.

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In an effort to increase patient access to care throughout the United States, Eating Recovery Center partners with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program in Sacramento, Cali., and The Moore Center for Eating Disorders in Bellevue, Wash. Summit offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. The Moore Center offers Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, Colo., 80206
(303) 433-7020
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Childhood Stress is Rising, Eating Recovery Center Offers Insight to Help Prevent Eating Disorders

Center cites the connection between rising anxiety and stress-initiated mental illnesses as likely factor driving increased child and adolescent treatment inquiries

Denver, Colo, January 29, 2013 – Stress among children and adolescents is on the rise, and mental health professionals are seeing the impact as more families seek treatment for their children and adolescents to address stress-initiated behavioral illnesses such as eating disorders. At Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, more than 20 percent of the Center’s total inquiries for treatment in 2012 were for children or adolescents ages 17 and under, of which 35 percent related to boys and girls ages 10 to 14.

Children today are growing up in what experts say is a more stressful environment than ever before.

“As an outcome of globalization and the information age, children and adolescents are more aware of their surroundings than they ever have been,” said Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, FAED, CEDS, chief medical officer and medical director of child and adolescent services at Eating Recovery Center. “This access and exposure can pose serious challenges as children and teens are inundated with fear-inducing global news and anxiety-causing social media interactions.”

Studies confirm this increase in stress among children and adolescents. Forty-five percent of teens (ages 13-17) say they were more worried in 2009 than they had been the previous year, according to a 2009 report from the American Psychological Association (APA). The study also found that 27 percent of tweens (ages 8-12) and 39 percent of teens reported eating too much or too little due to stress. However, only 28 percent of parents thought their teen’s stress had increased and a mere 8 percent reported being aware of their child’s eating issues.

Due to the connection between anxiety and stress-initiated mental illnesses like eating disorders, Eating Recovery Center encourages parents to take proactive steps to understand the impact of stress on their children, identify events and situations that may induce stress and recognize patterns of thinking and behavior that may indicate anxiety:

1. Childhood stress generally fits into one of four categories: personal, interpersonal, interfamilial and global (a stress reaction to national or world news).

2. Children of all ages are vulnerable to the effects of stress. Although they may internalize stress differently, children at different ages – from toddlers to teenagers – can all suffer from anxiety.

3. There is no universal response to stress. Children at different developmental stages and under different life circumstances will respond to stress differently.

4. The burden of stress is cumulative. Just like adults, children and adolescents can only “take so much,” and multiple stressors can become increasingly difficult for a young person to manage.

5. Even positive change can be stressful. For children and adolescents, change can be difficult, even perceived positive changes such as starting at a new school or joining a new sports team.

To help parents minimize stress in their children, Eating Recovery Center recommends following these four guidelines:

1. Be aware of your own stress as a parent and recognize how your words and actions can directly or indirectly affect your child.

2. Make yourself available to discuss their perceptions of stressful situations.

3. Talk to your children if you feel that something is causing them anxiety; do not wait for them to vocalize their feelings to you.

4. Provide age-appropriate information regarding their questions or concerns.

“While everyone feels stress at some time or another, individuals with a genetic or temperamental predisposition toward behavioral disorders will often adopt unhealthy coping mechanisms as a tool to manage their anxiety,” said Dr. Bermudez. “Because disordered eating behaviors such as restricting calories and purging actually release chemicals that minimize anxiety, many children and adolescents use these behaviors to experience relief due to their inability to identify feelings, articulate causes of stress and manage their anxiety appropriately.”

Eating Recovery Center encourages parents whose children have begun exhibiting troubling eating behaviors or body image issues as a potential outcome of stress to seek help from a qualified professional. Early intervention maximizes the likelihood of lasting recovery. For more information about eating disorders treatment resources, visit EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is an international center providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In an effort to increase patient access to care throughout the United States, Eating Recovery Center partners with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program in Sacramento, Cali., and The Moore Center for Eating Disorders in Bellevue, Wash. Summit offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. The Moore Center offers Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
mkoch@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Eating Recovery Center Warns New Year’s Resolutions to Lose Weight Can Lead to Disordered Eating

Internationally Recognized Treatment Center Encourages Americans to Shift the Focus of Their Resolutions from “Looking Better” to “Feeling Better”

Denver, CO, January 03, 2012 - Americans’ top 2013 New Year’s resolution is to become more physically fit and the fourth most popular resolution is to lose weight, according to a recent survey published by Franklin Covey. Because dieting and over-exercise are two activities that commonly contribute to the development of eating disorders, Eating Recovery Center, an international center providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, cautions against diving headfirst into a resolution focused on reducing body size, particularly for individuals with a family history of eating disorders.

“Eating disorders have a strong genetic component, and seemingly harmless – even seemingly healthy – New Year’s diet, exercise and weight loss regimens can quickly spiral out of control, especially for someone who has a family history of disordered eating thoughts and behaviors,” said Bonnie Brennan, MA, LPC, clinical director of the adult partial hospitalization program at Eating Recovery Center.

To reduce risks for eating disorders development related to 2013 weight loss goals, Eating Recovery Center recommends turning the focus away from changing perceived shortcomings in appearance and instead focusing on prioritizing the things in life that you value. More often than not, these resolutions emphasize how you feel rather than how you look, and can include:

1. Be more kind and compassionate to yourself. Practice at least one method of self-care daily, even if you have to schedule it into your day. Pamper yourself with a hot bath, a yoga class or a manicure, or simply spend some time journaling or practicing a hobby that brings joy or special value to your life.

2. Treat yourself as you treat others. Make a point to practice the “golden rule” on yourself. Try to not be as hard on yourself this year, and remember that you deserve happiness, just like everyone else.

3. Try one new activity or take one small risk each month. Gradually approach your fears and try new experiences in life to broaden opportunities for enjoyment and engagement with others.

4. Ask for help more often. Do not be afraid to let someone know when you need a shoulder to lean on, a supportive ear to talk to or even just a friendly hug. Although others may not be able to “fix” your struggles, you do not have to be alone as you explore your feelings and frustrations.

5. Take time to appreciate the beauty around you. Practice mindfulness and commit to being present in the moment. Celebrate the wonders of the world around you by spending time in nature or with supportive family and friends, both of which can be grounding and peaceful when you feel stressed and chaotic.

While New Year’s resolutions that emphasize feeling good over looking good can support a life of balance, not all appearance-focused resolutions are harmful or dangerous. However, severely restricting calories to an unhealthy level, engaging in an excessive and rigid exercise regimen, withdrawing from family and friends, displaying extreme anxiety about gaining weight or “being fat,” or bingeing and purging behaviors in the pursuit of a weight loss-centric resolution can indicate the development of an eating disorder.

“If a friend or loved one begins exhibiting troubling weight loss behaviors in the execution of his or her New Year’s resolutions, it is important to seek help as quickly as possible,” said Brennan. “Early intervention significantly increases the chances of lasting eating disorders recovery.”

For more information about eating disorders treatment resources, visit EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

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Contact:
Shannon Fern
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-433-7020
sfern@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Children and Teens Point to Summer Camp as the Place Where Eating Disordered Behaviors Often Begin

Eating Recovery Center Urges Parents to be Proactive in Planning a Healthy Summer Camp Experience and Vigilant for Signs of Eating Disorders Once Children Return Home

Denver, CO, June 26, 2012 - More than 10 million American children attend a camp each summer. Because these children often spend weeks – and sometimes months – away from parental supervision, Eating Recovery Center, an international center for eating disorders recovery, urges parents to be aware of summer camp triggers that may contribute to the development of an eating disorder in their camp-going children.

“Every year, Eating Recovery Center sees many young patients who cite summer camp as the place where their disordered eating behaviors either began or intensified,” said Jamie Manwaring, PhD, primary therapist at Eating Recovery Center’s Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents. “It is important to recognize that summer camps do not ‘cause’ eating disorders; however, camps’ environments can often be triggering for a child with the genetic or temperamental predisposition for an eating disorder.”

The onset of puberty, typically occurring between the ages of 10 and 14 for girls and 12 and 16 for boys, is one of the two most common times when eating disorders develop. Children in this age range who have a family history of eating disorders, who have previously engaged in disordered eating or who have highly sensitive, perfectionistic temperaments may be more likely to be triggered by camp activities or situations.

Potentially triggering activities or situations may include a competitive athletic environment, exposure to bunkmates’ or friends’ disordered eating behaviors, an intense focus on health and nutrition or anxiety about trying to “fit in” with new camp friends. Without ongoing parental supervision, children who begin engaging in disordered eating behaviors will often maintain, or intensify them throughout the duration of camp without their parents’ knowledge.

To help parents plan a healthy, fun camp experience for their children and proactively practice eating disorders prevention, Eating Recovery Center offers these five tips:

1. Look into the way meals are structured at your child’s camp. Are mealtimes staffed so that camp counselors sit with campers and are available to notice if a child has stopped eating or drastically changed his or her eating habits?

2. Do some comparative research if you intend on sending your child to a sports camp. Children with a family history of eating disorders may be better suited at a camp that is focused on recreation and fun, rather than one that is focused on competition and intense fitness.

3. Send your child to camp with positive messages. Emphasize to your child that the goal of summer camp is to have fun and meet new friends. Remind your children that you love them for who they are, not what specific activities they excel at, and that it does not matter if they are the fastest runners or strongest swimmers at camp.

4. Check in with your child while he or she is at camp. Use phone calls, emails and letters as an opportunity to ask open-ended questions about his or her camp experience. Look and listen for any sudden changes in your child’s overall outlook.

5. Keep an eye out for signs of eating disorders when your child returns home from camp. Is your child eating smaller portions or restricting certain foods altogether? Has eating become a power struggle? Has your child’s exercise regimen significantly increased or have you “caught” him or her exercising in secret? Do you suspect purging after meals? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it may be time to seek help for a potential eating disorder.

“When parents see children after they have been away at a month- or summer-long camp, changes in body weight, overall health, general demeanor and outlook can become that much more noticeable,” explains Dr. Manwaring. “If your child exhibits worrisome behaviors after returning home, do not wait to seek help. With eating disorders, the earlier the intervention, the more successful the treatment will be. Early intervention saves lives.”

Parents are encouraged to seek an eating disorders assessment if they notice troubling behaviors in their children or adolescents when they return home from camp. Eating disorders recovery is entirely possible with early intervention and proper treatment from qualified professionals.

About Eating Recovery Center

Eating Recovery Center is an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change.

Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services for Adults, and the Partial Hospitalization Program for Children and Adolescents. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, partnering with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in Sacramento, California, as well as Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Services in Fresno and Roseville. For more information, please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:

Shannon Fern

Communications Strategy Group

3225 East 2nd Avenue

Denver, CO 80206

303.433.7020

sfern@csg-pr.com

http://www.csg-pr.com

Eating Recovery Center Raises Awareness of Eating Disorders in “Nontraditional” Groups During NEDAW

Men, Older Women and Children are Increasingly Developing the Deadliest Mental Illness

Denver, CO, February 21, 2012 - Four in 10 Americans have either suffered from or know someone who has suffered from an eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 26-March 3), Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com), an international center for eating disorders recovery, highlights eating disorders’ pervasive impact on Americans of all ages and genders.

“A classic misconception of eating disorders is that they are a teenage girls’ disease, when in fact, we are seeing more older women, younger children and men of all ages entering treatment,” said Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, FAED, CEDS, founding partner, chief executive officer and chief medical officer of Eating Recovery Center. “Genetic risk factors and environmental triggers for these diseases don’t discriminate based on age or gender.”

The 2012 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week theme is “Everybody Knows Somebody,” which is truer now more than ever, as eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction continue to experience what experts term “epidemiological drift,” which is marked by a condition’s swift growth in incidence in new populations.

Older women: Eating Recovery Center has seen a marked increase in older women seeking treatment for eating disorders. From 2010 to 2011, admissions of women over the age of 30 increased from 27 percent of total admissions to 33 percent of total admissions. In the same timeframe, admissions of women over the age of 40 increased from 13 percent of total admissions to 15 percent of total admissions.

Men: A recent British study shows that more than 80 percent of men regularly engage in conversation about their bodies, that three in five men are unhappy with their muscularity and that more than one-third of men would trade a year of their life to achieve their ideal body weight or shape.

Younger children: From 1999 to 2006, hospitalizations for eating disorders increased sharply – 119 percent – for children younger than 12 years of age, according to recent analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

“It’s important to be aware that eating disorders can happen to anyone—men, older women and younger children,” continued Dr. Weiner. “Do not discount disordered eating behaviors or concerning body image issues just because they are displayed by an individual believed to be outside of the traditional ‘eating disorder demographic.’”

Eating Recovery Center encourages individuals to quickly respond if they notice troubling food- or body image-oriented behaviors in their loved ones, regardless of age or gender. Eating disorders recovery is entirely possible with early intervention and proper treatment from qualified professionals.

If you notice troubling behaviors in an adult friend or loved one, find a quiet time and place for a private, respectful meeting to discuss your concerns; and ask if he or she has considered whether or not he or she may have an eating disorder. While you continue to express your support, offer to help your friend or loved seek treatment.

If you notice troubling behaviors in your child or adolescent, engage your child in conversation and speak to what you have noticed instead of making accusations; visit a medical provider if you are concerned about your child’s physical health; and identify a mental health provider for an eating disorders assessment.

For more information about National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Join Eating Recovery Center at these events during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week:

An annual candlelight vigil honoring those who have passed away from eating disorders, hosted by The Eating Disorder Foundation, Thursday, March 1, A Place of Our Own, 1901 E. 20th Ave., Denver, Colo.

Mind and Body Fair, hosted by the University of Northern Colorado’s Women’s Resource Center, Monday, February 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Greeley, Colo.

Eating Recovery Center Patient Art Show, February 27 to March 2, an exhibition of patient artwork, 1830 Franklin Street, Denver, Colo.

A National Eating Disorders Awareness Week informational table in the Colorado State University Student Center, Wednesday, February 29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

National Eating Disorders Association Walk, hosted by The Eating Disorder Network of Central Florida, Saturday, March 3, Orlando, Fla.

About Eating Recovery Center

Eating Recovery Center is an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, and the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, in partnership with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in Sacramento, California. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, our collaborative programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults. Our integrated programs offer patients a continuum of care that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. For more information please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:

Shannon Fern

CSG|PR

East 2nd Avenue

Denver, CO 80206

303.433.7020

sfern@csg-pr.com

http://www.csg-pr.com

Parents’ New Year’s Resolution Weight Loss Behaviors Can Contribute to Eating Disorders in Children

Eating Recovery Center Urges Parents to Model Healthy Behaviors While Tackling Weight Loss and Fitness Goals

Denver, CO, January 17, 2012 - As millions of Americans resolve to lose weight in 2012, parents’ new diet and fitness regimens may have an unintended, negative outcome—triggering disordered eating behaviors or body image issues in their children. Because children often will mirror what they observe in their adult counterparts, Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com), an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, urges parents to be mindful with their food- and body-focused words and behaviors while undertaking New Year’s resolutions.

“Children and teens are very susceptible to picking up value judgments about body shape and size,” said Elizabeth Easton, PsyD, clinical director of Child and Adolescent Services at Eating Recovery Center. “If we teach them – through dieting, over-exercise behaviors and critiques of our own bodies – that there is a ‘good’ body type, then that is exactly what children will strive for at all costs if they are susceptible to an eating disorder or poor body image.”

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, weight and body consciousness among children begins at very young ages, with research finding that 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat and 46 percent of 9- to 11-year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets.

More than one-third of “normal dieters,” many of whom begin dieting at young ages, progress to pathological dieting, a condition marked by continual dieting and from which 20 to 25 percent of individuals develop eating disorders. When considered alongside a recent Thomson Reuters and National Public Radio poll, which reveals that one-third of Americans have made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight in the last five years, this research illustrates the perfect storm parents can unknowingly initiate by adopting aggressive or unhealthy weight loss regimens.

Eating Recovery Center encourages parents to follow these four tips to model healthy behavior, help their children embrace healthy attitudes about their bodies and minimize the chances that children will adopt negative thoughts and behaviors related to food and body image.

1. Do not diet. Instead, resolve to eat healthier, well-balanced meals. Through their own behaviors, parents can teach children how to focus on moderation without rigidly labeling foods as “good” or “bad.”

2. Shift your perspective on exercise. Instead of looking at exercise as a dreaded weight loss tool, approach it as a fun activity for feeling good and improving overall health. Plan family outings and activities and children will follow their parents’ example.

3. Be aware of comments you make about your body. Children are far more astute than parents may give them credit for, and they often mirror observed behaviors. Offhand comments about having a “fat day,” failing at your weight loss resolution or feeling too snug in an old pair of jeans can have a bigger effect on a developing child’s body image than many may think.

4. Be aware of comments you make about others. Criticizing others for “gaining a few pounds” over the holidays or complimenting someone for resolution-driven weight loss can lead children to believe that there are “good” and “bad” body shapes and sizes.

“Because eating disorders have a genetic component, children with a family history of anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder are particularly susceptible to negative diet- and body-focused words and actions,” explains Dr. Easton. “In these children, seemingly innocent body image comments or dieting behaviors can quickly spiral out of control.”

Parents are encouraged to seek an eating disorders assessment if they notice troubling food- or body image-oriented behaviors in their children. Recovery is entirely possible with early intervention and proper eating disorder treatment from qualified professionals.

About Eating Recovery Center

Eating Recovery Center is an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder. Denver-based facilities include the Behavioral Hospital for Adults, the Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, and the Partial Hospitalization Program and Outpatient Services. In addition, Eating Recovery Center, in partnership with Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program, offers Partial Hospitalization and Outpatient Services in Sacramento, California. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Kenneth Weiner, Craig Johnson, Emmett Bishop and Ovidio Bermudez, our collaborative programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults. Our integrated programs offer patients a continuum of care that includes Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. For more information please contact us at 877-218-1344 or info@EatingRecoveryCenter.com or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

Contact:

Shannon Fern

CSG|PR

3225 East 2nd Avenue

Denver, CO 80206

303.433.7020

sfern@csg-pr.com

http://www.csg-pr.com