Eating disorders affect 29 million Americans (9 percent of the population). Every 52 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies as a direct result of their eating disorder. Guided by Domenica Feraud’s rapturous play RINSE, REPEAT, this week we delve into eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, and every eating disorder on the spectrum.
Host Ruthie Fierberg and Feraud unite with experts Dr. Mae Lynn Reyes-Rodriguez (researcher and clinical psychologist and fellow at the Academy for Eating Disorders) and Johanna Kandel (founder and CEO of The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness) to understand how to recognize if you or a loved one suffers from an ED; the stigma surrounding EDs; the true spectrum of EDs; the gaps in the medical system in treating EDs; EDs across cultures, particularly in the Latinx community; the economy and effects of diet culture; how and where you can find help for yourself or a loved ones; and legislation that will make ED treatment more accessible.
About Our Guests:
Ruthie Fierberg, Host
IG: @whywetheater / T: @whywetheater
IG: @ruthiefierceberg / T: @RuthiesATrain
Domenica Feraud, playwright
Dr. Mae Lynn Reyes-Rodriguez, PhD., FAED
Johanna Kandel, founder and CEO of The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness
Follow her on Instagram: @johannakandel @allianceforeda
Create the change
- Call The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness (866-622-1235 or click here).
- Join a free weekly clinician-led support group through the Alliance.
- Please do not comment on the way anybody looks.
- Do not label food “good” or “bad” or “junk”. All food in moderation.
- Listen when someone tells you they are struggling with eating, especially if you are a medical practitioner.
- Sign up for Action Alerts from the Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC) to easily sign petitions when legislation reaches Congress.
- Donate to the EDC.
- Support the bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act. (Learn more here.)
- Support the SERVE Act. (Learn more here.)
- Advocate for culturally sensitive treatment of eating disorders across cultures.
- Learn more about Health At Every Size.
Referred to in this episode
- 2019 Playbill interview between Ruthie and Domenica
- Understanding the word “recovery” relating to EDs
- Statistics and research on eating disorders from National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
- Racial and ethnic bias in ED care, specifically for Latinx people