Dr. Vicki Berkus Named Remuda Ranch at The Meadows Senior Fellow

We are pleased to announce that Vicki Berkus, MD, Ph.D., CEDS, has been named a Senior Fellow for Remuda Ranch at The Meadows. She will be instrumental in assisting Remuda Ranch’s efforts to maintain it’s treatment programs at the cutting-edge of eating disorder care. Dr. Berkus will also share her knowledge and expertise with patients and provide training for the therapeutic staff.

In her previous role as Medical Services Advisor at Remuda Ranch, Dr. Berkus served as a consultant, speaker, and general advocate for continued excellence in the treatment of eating disorders. Dr. Berkus specializes in adolescent and adult psychiatry, eating disorders full spectrum, and sports psychiatry. She has served as president of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp), holds eating disorders certification (CEDS) through iaedp and is a current board member and head of the iaedp education committee.


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Fear(less) bites back

Jumping out of a plane with a complete stranger on my back. Going bungee jumping. Convincing my family to go on crazy thrill rides with me. No fear of anything ever happening to me. I was invincible. Had someone asked me what being fearless meant years ago, even months ago, this most likely would have been my response.

That is until that January morning I sat on my couch and cried. I wasn’t invincible at all. I was slowly killing myself, and suddenly, that girl who was so ‘fearless’ was now fearing for her life.
After two months of treatment I realized that being fearless isn’t about any of the above stated items.
Being fearless means waking up every day and living life. Every time that I choose to eat a meal or a snack that aligns with my meal plan. Challenging myself and eating ice cream because I want to. Realizing that even though I relapsed months into recovery, I had the choice to get back on track. Being open and honest with my husband, support team and my treatment team, and letting them be open and honest with me (even if I didn’t want to hear it). Going shopping and buying clothes that fit my new body. Crying, and crying hard when I need to, not worrying about who sees me. Sharing my story with others in hopes that maybe I have impacted at least one person. Voicing my opinion and setting boundaries when I feel triggered or uncomfortable in a situation. Being my authentic self, eating what I want to eat, wearing what I want to wear and acting goofy without fear of judgement. Even when things seem bad, knowing that I am loved, I do enough and I am enough.
That is what fearless means to me.

Going Back to College with an Eating Disorder

Being in recovery from eating disorder can be a scary and isolating experience. Hannah Grice struggles with anorexia and just started her first week of college. She describes what the experience was like, and how she is staying on track with her recovery at TheMighty.com:

“As a freshman, I found myself pondering the typical dilemmas of a college student. What if I gain the “freshman 15”? How am I going to keep all of my classes straight? Can I have a social life and an extra-curricular filled schedule all while maintaining my GPA?
But, I also found myself pondering the typical dilemmas of an individual with anorexia. What if I relapse again? How am I going to keep myself ‘sane’? Can I maintain recovery? These are the “intrusive thoughts” they talked about in treatment.”
Recovery from anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, or binge eating disorder requires correcting and recalibrating your perception of your body, your food, your emotions, and the world. Only so much can be accomplished during eating disorder treatment. Maintaining recovery in an ever-changing world requires a lifelong ongoing process of adaptation and growth.

Life Beyond Your Eating Disorder Workshop

If you are stable in recovery and are ready for the next stage, The Life Beyond Your Eating Disorder Workshop is for you. It was developed by Remuda Ranch at The Meadows Senior Fellow Jessica Setnick, MS, RD, CEDRD, and will help you to identify the areas of your life that are still impacted by your past eating issues and negative body image. This workshop will encourage you to use all of your senses, learned skills, and innate talents to thrive in your life without ED. For more information call 800-244-4949 or contact us online.

An Eating Disorder Survivor Shares What She's Learned

Nicole Cowper, who began struggling with anorexia at a young age, has written an insightful and moving article about her treatment, her setbacks, and the lessons she’s learned from battling her eating disorder.

In her pre-teen years, her anorexia was so severe she had to be hospitalized. While she was in the hospital, she had a heart attack brought on by months of starvation. Even though the event was frightening and potentially fatal, it did not mark the end of her eating disorder.
She writes,
“I would like to say that this was the reality check I needed. It took a lot of work and involved me having to be admitted to an eating disorder recovery facility for nine months. My days revolved around every type of therapy under the sun: horse therapy, art therapy, music, meditation, group, family, and one-on-one. I knew so much about therapy that I was basically the Freud of 13-year-olds I’m now 21 and happy at what I’ve accomplished and who I’ve become.”
She goes on the share five lessons she learned that helped to guide her through the beginning stages of recovery and that continue to guide her today. Her hope is that if you are currently struggling, or know someone who is, her advice might help along the way.
Read more of Nicole’s story at TheMighty.com.

How Parents Can Help Prevent Eating Disorders

Eating disorders—from anorexia, bulimia, and orthorexia to binge eating disorder — are extremely complex conditions that are caused by a variety of biological and social factors. A combination of genetics, temperament and personality, traumatic experiences, societal pressures, and environmental factors each play a role to varying degrees for each individual.

Scientists are currently working to better understand the biological or biochemical causes of eating disorders. We understand more about these factors now than we did 20 years ago, but there’s still a long way to go.
There is, however, a bit more certainty when it comes to the psychological, social, and interpersonal factors that often correlate with eating disorders. Study after study has shown that low self-esteem, living in a culture that places extreme value on achieving the “perfect body,” troubled peer and family relationship, and a history of physical or sexual abuse are all strong risk factors for developing an eating disorder.
As a parent, there is very little you can do without advanced medical interventions to influence your child’s genetic make-up or biochemical processes. But, there is a lot you can do to try to mitigate the psychological and emotional risk factors for eating disorders.

Developing Body Positivity from an Early Age

Here are few do’s and don’ts that may help your child develop a healthy attitude about his or her body and prevent the onset of an eating disorder:

You Are Not to Blame for Your Child’s Eating Disorder
As a parent, it’s true that you do have a significant amount of influence on your child’s emotional and social development. However, this does not mean that if your child develops an eating disorder, it is all your fault. You can do everything “right” as a parent, and still have a child who struggles. That’s because though you are a strong influence in your child’s life, you are not the only influence. Brain chemistry, messages from the media, peers, and your child’s own personality all play a role.
It’s also important to remember that if your child does have an eating disorder, you are not alone. One of the most beneficial things about Family Week at Remuda Ranch at The Meadows is that family members get to meet other families of patients struggling with ED, and discuss their pain, their similarities, and their differences in safe, open environment. Developing these types of support networks is critical to the healing and recovery of both the patient and his or her entire family.
For more information about how Remuda Ranch at The Meadows can help, call us at 866-390-5100.