I will be going along to the Eating Disorders Research Society meeting this year. It’s a bit closer to home in Porto, Portugal and promises to be the usual intense programme of high quality research presentations, alongside an excellent social programme. Hope to see some of you there!

The conference is jointly organised by NELFT Eating Disorders Service, NELFT R&D Dept and UCL Research Dept of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology. The theme is ‘Meeting the Challenge of Eating Disorders in the Community’. Please email me for a full programme and booking form.

The day will open with presentations from our keynote speakers, Professor Ulrike Schmidt and Professor Simon Gowers who will be speaking on the latest developments in treatment and research with adults and children/adolescents respectively. Scientific papers, contributions from service users and a complex case discussion will follow. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to attend a skills focused workshop. Topics will include Working with Body Image, Managing Medical Risk, Dietetics for Non-Dieticians and using Cognitive Analytic and Art Therapy. The day will end with a debate on ‘What is Recovery from Eating Disorders’, involving service users, clinicians and researchers.

We are lucky to have secured the Jeremy Bentham Room, a large, light and airy conference room within the ancient buildings of UCL. Seating will be around a number of large tables and refreshments will be served in the lecture theatre during breaks, allowing ample opportunities for networking.

Registration will be £100 to include tea and coffee but not lunch. A reduced rate of £50 will be available to NELFT and UCL staff/students on production of proof of employment/UCL student status. I hope to see many of you there.

Our confirmed keynote speakers are Professor Ulrike Schmidt and Professor Simon Gowers who will be speaking on the latest developments in treatment and research with adults and children/adolescents respectively. We will also have a full programme of presentations including contributions from service users, debates and skills workshops. Please email me for a flyer and booking form.

We have tried to keep costs to a minimum - registration will be £100 to include tea and coffee but not lunch. A reduced rate of £50 will be available to NELFT and UCL staff/students on production of proof of employment/UCL student status.

Lucy

It should take 15-30 mins to complete, and we will be incredibly grateful for your help.

Here’s the small print: The study is being conducted at UCL as part of Rachel van Schaick’s doctoral thesis. The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of University College London. To find out more about B-eat, the Eating Disorders Charity, or to make a donation, please visit their website.

Many thanks

Lucy

This study is looking for any relationship between symptoms of eating disorders, beliefs people hold about themselves, and the ways in which people protect themselves against stress. Therefore, the study will involve asking questions about people’s thoughts and feelings about eating and about the relationships in their lives, as well as questions about people’s attitudes. It is hoped that this study will further understanding of the characteristics of individuals with symptoms of an eating disorder, and this information would be useful in order to inform therapeutic practice. In addition, this study will hopefully contribute to the body of research involving men with symptoms of eating disorders. However, please note that people of any gender can take part in this study.

You are eligible for the study if you are between the ages of 18-65 and you are fluent in English. Please note that you do not have to have a diagnosis of an eating disorder to take part in this study.

If you decide that you are willing to take part in this research and you fit the eligibility criteria, please click on this link. This will take you to the surveymonkey.com website. On this website you will find more details about the study. If, after reading the study information, you are still willing to take part in this research then you will be directed to complete the questionnaires. This will take approximately 30 minutes. On completion of the questionnaires you will have the option of entering a prize draw to win £50.

Back in London, on 2nd and 3rd Dec, the CAMHS Eating Disorders Service at the Maudsley are presenting a conference on working with children and adolescents with EDs. It looks like a great programme. For more info contact Shirley Beguinot, T: 020 3228 3835 F: 020 3228 5011 E: shirley.beguinot@slam.nhs.uk

Next March, the 10th London International Eating Disorders Conference will be held at the Institute of Education in London. I’ll be there, co-presenting a workshop on working with chronic and complex clients.

BEDA advocates for individuals with all eating disorders, from those who are underweight to those who are overweight.

“We see the shame, distress, depression, anxiety, and pain that result from eating disorders,” states Chevese Turner, BEDA chief executive officer. “Individuals and our society at large are affected, and we believe it is vitally important for fashion industry leaders to commit to promoting healthier images of women and men enjoying fashion and a broader definition of beauty. While we appreciate the fashion industry’s talent, we must also realize that it has a tremendous influence on our culture. We must understand that including realistic shapes and sizes helps counter the body dissatisfaction, illness, and even death that is a reality for those who are predisposed to and struggling with eating disorders. We must protest the messages based on body size and shape that undermine the self worth of girls and women, and boys and men worldwide.

“On behalf of BEDA and the Academy for Eating Disorders, I congratulate the courageous fashion industry professionals who challenge the belief that the only way to be beautiful is to be thin,” Turner continues. “BEDA urges people around the world to support those who dare to defy the unhealthy standard of “rail-thin” beauty; we encourage you to use your purchasing power and your voice to make change happen and save lives.”

Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) is a national organization focusing on the need to increase prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for binge eating disorder. Through education, outreach and support, and resources, BEDA is committed to facilitating awareness, quality of care, and recovery for those who live and those who work with binge eating disorder. For more information, visit www.bedaonline.com.

I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in eating disorders and I work using a primarily cognitive behavioural approach. For more information please email me