News
How do I recognize the signs of an eating disorder?
Ask The Expert : Nanaimo News Bulletin: Thursday, August 18, 2011
By Angela Slade, Director of Program Development, Shore Counselling Society
Healing Your Body from the Inside Out
The next date for Healing Your Body from the Inside Out education/support group in Nanaimo for adults is set for Wednesday, September 28, 2011 to December 14, 2011 (6:30 pm – 8:30 pm).
“Manorexia” on the Rise, Experts Say!!!!
Fox News: Men’s Health
For years, eating disorders have been viewed as a problem affecting only teenage girls, but a so-called “manorexia” is on the rise as more and more men begin to the feel the pressure of developing the perfect image, experts say.
Read more (Link)
Program will help adults with eating disorders
The vast majority of programs aimed at addressing eating disorders are focused on teenage girls or young adult women.
There was nothing available in Nanaimo for older women until one month ago when Angela Slade joined forces with Shore Counselling Services to create “Break Free.”
Slade, who lives in Lantzville, was previously associated with Parksville’s Associated Family and Community Support Services and realized that because of Vancouver Island Health Authority stipulations, she couldn’t help the many requests that organization received from Nanaimo.
“VIHA funds that program in Parksville for 10 hours a week and there was a (waiting) list to join,” said Slade. “Nanaimo patients would have to be put on the wait list because of the geographical restrictions VIHA placed on the program.”
Slade approached the non-profit Shore Counselling Services to see if she could establish a similar program in Nanaimo.
The need in Nanaimo for more help for eating disorders has already been demonstrated. “We have a (waiting) list for our group educational program called Healing Your Body From the Inside Out.”
She tries to keep the group to 12 people but already five people are on the waiting list.
Eating disorders are becoming more common among older women, Slade said. “It’s this whole looking-younger-for-longer thing and middle-aged women are buying into it.”
© Harbour City Star 2011
Is Eating Disorder Spectrum just a FEMALE issue?
By: James Latour, Executive Director
There is a lot of talk out there that says this is just a female issue. That is so wrong. Let me show you some interesting quotes and statistics:
Though it is more common for homosexual men to suffer from Eating Disorders such as Anorexia and Bulimia (because of the tendency in the male gay community to place a high level of importance on success and appearance), there are still many heterosexual men out there who suffer. This contributes back into the shameful feelings a heterosexual male sufferer has — he may be afraid that people will think he is gay — or that a homosexual and heterosexual male can feel — that the illness is considered to be a “female’s problem”. I have often received e-mail from men who are suffering in silence because of these two issues. http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/issuesformen.php
As many as 1 million men & boys suffer from an eating disorder; gay & bisexual males are at increased risk of such disorders. http://www.eatingdisordershelpguide.com/manorexia.html
“The number one misconception is that all males with eating disorders are gay,” Gallant says, noting that research shows that fewer than half of men affected are homosexual. http://www.straight.com/
Gay men are a population who are at-risk for physique picture and eating disorders. http://www.earthcharterazerbaijan.org/ 
Now don’t get me wrong here! I’m not saying that men who have EDS are gay/bi/trans/etc. Statistics show that EDS among men are evenly spread between the heterosexual and “queer” population. So were is the support needed for men?
Why not get in contact with us and see! We are running a pilot project that may be right for you. If you don’t like the “group thing”, then there is one-on-one subsidized counselling available too.
You may contact Angela Slade for more information.
BREAK FREE of EDS!
New Program Helps with Eating Disorders
Walter Cordery, The Daily News
Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 (Link)
The vast majority of programs aimed at addressing eating disorders are focused on teenage girls or young adult women.
There was nothing available in Nanaimo for older women until one month ago when Angela Slade joined forces with Shore Counselling Services to create “Break Free.”
Slade, who lives in Lantzville, was previously associated with Parksville’s Associated Family and Community Support Services and realized that because of Vancouver Island Health Authority stipulations, she couldn’t help the many requests that organization received from Nanaimo.
“VIHA funds that program in Parksville for 10 hours a week and there was a (waiting) list to join,” said Slade. “Nanaimo patients would have to be put on the wait list because of the geographical restrictions VIHA placed on the program.”
The Parksville organization had some remarkable success dealing with eating disorders, said Slade.
She approached the non-profit Shore Counselling Services to see if she could establish a similar program in Nanaimo.
“We talked to VIHA about helping fund the program called Break Free but the health authority wanted proof that there was a need for an eating disorder program in Nanaimo.”
Slade said she believes that’s because people with eating disorders who end up in hospital may not show signs of an eating disorder.
“For instance, someone who has bulimia may present with acid reflux or someone with anorexia with organ failure, or someone who purges may have rotting tooth enamel,” she said.
The need in Nanaimo for more help for eating disorders has already been demonstrated.
“We have a (waiting) list for our group educational program called Healing Your Body From the Inside Out.”
She tries to keep the group to 12 people but already five people are on the waiting list.
Eating disorders are becoming more common among older women, Slade said.
“It’s this whole looking-younger-for-longer thing and middle aged women are buying into it. Frankly, it’s not just a female problem, young men are buying into this perfect image the media portrays. It’s one reason why they are taking steroids and want to get six-pack abs.”
© The Daily News (Nanaimo) 2011
New eating disorders program starts in Nanaimo
Published: July 10, 2011 1:00 PM
A non-profit society is looking to fill the gap in outpatient services for adults dealing with eating disorders in Nanaimo.
Angela Slade, a certified child and youth care counsellor, is co-ordinating the Break Free adult eating disorder pilot program at Shore Counselling Society.
Slade, who recently completed an eight-month practicum at the adult eating disorders program in Parksville, said she approached Shore to donate space for Break Free, because there is no outpatient program for adults dealing with eating disorders or disordered eating in Nanaimo.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority funds the Parksville program, but there is no publicly funded equivalent in Nanaimo. NARSF Programs Ltd. runs a program for children with eating disorders.
“I just know from being in this community for the last 20 years that the need is there,” said Slade, adding people registering told her they’ve hoped for a program like this for a long time.
Only a few weeks after she began registering people for the free workshop series beginning this week, the program is now full – a dozen women have signed up and two more are on a wait list.
“This has just been through word of mouth,” said Slade.
If the program is successful and can demonstrate a need in the community, her hope is the health authority and other sources might fund an ongoing program.
A 12-week workshop/support series started this week and explores topics like stress management, positive relationships, coping with setbacks and social pressures.
Slade said participants learn about the underlying issues that lead to eating disorders and coping strategies.
The other component of the Break Free program is one-on-one counselling, which will be offered on a sliding scale.
“If they can pay something, they’re encouraged to pay it,” said Slade.
The money goes back into the counselling programs Shore provides.
Slade got interested in eating disorders counselling after working at an all-girls private school on the Island about six years ago and seeing some of the issues that arose there.
She does preventative work as well – she developed a self-esteem and body image empowerment summer program for girls, which runs out of the Oliver Woods Community Centre this July.
James Latour Retegno, Shore executive director, said the group gave Slade about $6,500 to offer the program and the society has been busy writing grant proposals to a variety of different groups.
He hopes a successful pilot of the program will secure funding to continue Break Free as a sustainable, ongoing program.
Kelly Reid, VIHA’s director of mental health and addictions services, said the health authority would be open to hearing from the group and would be willing to explore any opportunity to partner with a group offering a valuable program.
“We do have some services and we would like in the future to grow our eating disorder services,” he said.
Sider
A Nanaimo father who fought to get treatment for his daughter last year is happy to see some help is available for people struggling with eating disorders in Nanaimo.
Bryan Dubinsky, whose daughter Samantha was near death last winter when she was refused treatment in B.C.’s only public, inpatient medical program for adults with eating disorders, took his daughter’s story about struggling with an eating disorder to the media in hopes that public pressure would get her the help she needed.
He believes she was refused treatment until she was alarmingly ill – she was 40 pounds underweight – because there simply wasn’t room for her at the seven-bed program at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.
While Samantha eventually got treated at St. Paul’s, Dubinsky has fought for more support for people with eating disorders.
The program that Angela Slade has put together – and her willingness to run this program for free for people who need it but can’t afford it – is going to help fill a service gap in Nanaimo, he said.
“Because there was nothing before,” said Dubinsky. “I think what this woman is doing is nothing short of fantastic.”
But, he added, he’d like to see the province step in.
While the province decided last winter to partially fund a private residential treatment facility for eating disorders, Dubinsky wants funding for more beds at St. Paul’s and more education and outpatient support in communities.
The province developed an action plan for provincial services for people with eating disorders last year, which sets out goals such as analyzing services provided and identifying gaps in the continuum of care, and Dubinsky is worried this plan has stalled out.
Shore Counselling AGM
A word of thanks to all who made our 2011 AGM a success! A special thanks to our guest speaker, Lynne Brown who spoke to us on the them of Change. If anyone understands change both personally and in the work place and in NPO’s it is Lynne Brown.
Welcome to our newest Board Members: Alita Madisen and Frances Gregg (more here). We do have other folk who wish to join the Board but were not able to attend. Watch for more news here!
If you want to know more about our Team go here.
Soothing the Storm – A Women’s Anger Management Group
Take charge of your life!
“Soothing the Storm” is a 20 hour workshop dealing with anger, during which women will have the opportunity to explore their feelings, to listen to the messages these emotions bring, and to learn ways to take care of themselves. With the group’s support, the women will be encouraged to accept responsibility for themselves and to claim the power to influence their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
A group for women about turning negative energy into positive power.
June 18th, 19th, 25th, & 26th, 2011 (2 weekends)
4 Sessions, 11:30am – 5:00 pm
Donation:$50-$200 (according to your ability to pay)
Deposit required to hold a seat
200-1585 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, B.C., V9S 1G4
Facilitator: Jena Finetti, R.C.C., M.A.
Family Day Declared in Nanaimo
FTC has also created a proclamation for a Family Day in Nanaimo. This proclamation was presented to the Nanaimo City Council on January 25, 2010 and accepted. Family Day is now recognized in Nanaimo on the third Monday of February.
To Mayor Ruttan and City Council of Nanaimo
The Family Time Connections team has come together through the Ministry of Housing and Social Development to promote the importance of family. With the understanding of this, we respectfully request that the City of Nanaimo proclaim the third Monday of February as Family Day.
Family Time Connections has already planned and executed a family based event to raise awareness in our community of our promotion goals. The event was a great opportunity for the organizations that participated to meet and make connections that could provide helpful in future meetings with clients while creating a better web of services to help individuals and families alike.
The health of society depends heavily on the success and health of the family. A successful positive promotion on the importance of family could make way for changes of immeasurable consequence.
This is your chance to take step one, and join the other provinces and even countries around the world that have recognized the importance of a day dedicated to the families that build our communities. The state of Arizona set the precedence for this in 1978 by implementing a holiday. Alberta followed suit in 1990, soon followed by South Africa in 1995. Since then Saskatchewan has joined in 2007, and Ontario in 2008. This holiday is even observed in the Republic of Vanuatu.
Therefore, we as Family Time Connections request the official recognition of the third Monday in February as Family Day for all families to take part in, and use to truly focus on each other.