Canadian Mental Health Association is hosting free eating disorder workshops for professionals and caregivers in Williams Lake thanks to the generosity of a local resident.
“A person who has a family member with an eating disorder is paying for us to bring Natasha Files to Williams Lake,” said Janice Breck, CMHA’s crisis and counselling program manager. “Natasha specializes in emotion-focused family therapy and uses some innovative teaching methods.”
Files is a therapist at Three Story Clinic in Vancouver with experience supporting individuals, families and groups in community, residential and hospital settings.
She specializes in eating disorders, disordered eating and compulsive exercise.
While in Williams Lake Files will lead two workshops — one with physicians and counsellors on Sunday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a second one on Monday, Feb. 16 for caregivers and clinicians.
Files will also give a free evening presentation to the public on the Sunday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
“It will be a great opportunity for people to come out and learn more about how to help,” Breck said.
Beck said about one million people in Canada struggle with eating disorders, but it is often a “silent” illness because of the stigma and shame attached.
Physician Dr. Glenn Fedor said he sees one or two patients a month with eating disorders through the Mental Health and Substance Abuse program and a few more through his private practice.
Anyone who wants a referral to St. Paul’s Hospital for an eating disorder has to be referred through him.
“I work with the family doctor, do an assessment and we try to exhaust all our local resources, which are minimal.”
If the patient cannot be helped locally they will go to Vancouver, however, Fedor said if an eating disorder happens in a community it’s ideal to try and fix it in the community.
Fedor works with adults whereas the Ministry of Children and Family works with youth who have eating disorders.
“I’m kind of a dinosaur when it comes to working with eating disorders,” Fedor said. “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years.”
During the 15 years that Breck has worked with clients at CMHA she has noticed that sometimes people won’t associate disordered eating as a problem because they are dealing with other issues.
“Often people who are out of control with other things in their lives will gravitate to eating disorders. It really isn’t about food, but about control,” she said.
She’s also learned that all family members want is for their family member to eat yet the eating is only a little piece of their struggle.
“Eating disorders really impact the whole family,” she said.
People are asked to register for the workshops by Feb. 6. They can call 250-398-8220 ext 2040 or e-mail Janice.breck@cmhawl.org.
The workshops will take place at city hall.