In the fall of 2019 I had the great opportunity to meet Johanna Kandel, founder of The National Alliance for Eating Disorders when we were invited to speak at the same conference.
Johanna graciously joined me on The NPRD podcast for the third time, sharing updates with our global audience on a variety of topics. She highlighted the Alliance’s incredible 25-year journey, celebrating its growth into the leading nonprofit dedicated to providing education, referrals, and support for individuals struggling with eating disorders and their loved ones.
This weekend marks Not One More Weekend, an initiative organized and recognized by The National Alliance for Eating Disorders. As mentioned earlier, Johanna has been a guest on The NPRD podcast before, and she continues to share valuable updates on the Alliance’s growth and its commitment to providing safe, supportive care for all in the community.
On the podcast, Johanna shares important insights about FindEDHelp.com, the largest and most comprehensive referral database for eating disorder treatment. This free and accessible resource serves both consumers and clinicians, offering support across all levels of care and treatment modalities.
She provides an in-depth look at the free ED Helpline, staffed exclusively by trained clinicians and available at +1 866-662-1235, Monday through Friday. Last year, the helpline experienced a 123% increase in calls, with conversations averaging 23 minutes and sometimes lasting over an hour. Many individuals reach out multiple times, finding support until they feel ready to take the next steps toward treatment.
The many groups run for free by The Alliance can be found here and are being run all day on Saturday as a Group-A-Thon on the Day of Support, March 1st.
On Sunday, March 2nd, The Alliance invites the community to participate in the Day of Recovery by sharing on social media using #WhatsYourWhy. Using this link, you can show support for those struggling with disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image challenges, as well as for the loved ones hoping for their recovery. Whether you create a video or simply watch and engage with others’ stories, your involvement can be a meaningful step toward healing and awareness. Even if you or a loved one haven’t yet discovered your why, joining this incredible community can be an important part of the journey.
Before publishing each podcast, I review them for any necessary edits. This time, my daughter and I listened together, and she found Johanna’s insights so compelling. She said, “I didn’t know there were 800 numbers for help, and now that I do, hearing this would make it easier for me to call if I ever needed one.” I’ll call that one of Eve’s wise Eveisms. She also noted how easy, comforting, and wise Johanna is to listen to—if that’s not reason enough to tune in, I’m not sure what is!
This evening MEDA (Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association) and Rock Recovery are hosting a virtual event, Healing Together: Community and Eating Disorder Recovery from 7-8 ET. As part of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, this event underscores the importance of connection in the healing process. Both organizations recognize that recovery doesn’t happen in isolation, and with this year’s theme, Unifying Through Community and Connection, this gathering offers a meaningful opportunity to come together for open, supportive conversation. Register here to be part of the discussion.