Last month, we invited anyone who had ever contacted us for help to come to our "Community Empowerment" training.

Why? There is a purpose to empowering clients to do community outreach. Going out to community events to talk with the public can be incredibly therapeutic for those struggling. By learning to explain disordered eating to others in simply terms that others can relate to, they can realize that people really can relate to their struggles. They don't have to feel ashamed of their disorder. The hope is that, over time, they'll become more and more accepting of their own struggles, and more and more willing to share their struggles with not only strangers, but also with close friends and relatives who can support them. The later is actually much, much more difficult than the former. Trust me. Here's an example. Last month I gave my first college talk. I was not the least bit worries until I learned that my aunt would be there. Then I was terrified. Why? Because I could care less if a stranger sees the 'real me' for moment in time. I never have to see those people again. But my aunt is a different story. What would she ask me afterwards? Would she call my Mom? Would I be bombarded with even more questions at the next family gathering? Fortunately, I've become so very accustomed to talking about my history with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorders that it just rolled off my tongue, despite my anxiety. Only after years of sharing my struggles with strangers am at a point where I can share openly with those closest to me.

I hope this helps clarify the reason that we think it's so important to invite and empower those struggling to join our community empowerment team! If your're interested, email us at volunteer@rockrecovery.net.

Thanks for reading!

Introducing Rock Recovery's Prayer Team!

In late 2009, Rock Recovery recruited and launched a Prayer Team. The team consists of over thirty individuals who committed to praying for Rock Recovery's volunteers and most pressing needs one day a month. But the team doesn't stop there...many rally friends and family to pray with them, and many pray for us throughout the month. This team is hands-down Rock Recovery's greatest asset, because we believe that God hears the prayers of His people. Just like any father who responds to the cries of his children, we believe in a God who responds to prayer. As I write this, the lyrics of song by .... come to mind. It goes (do you know the tune?)..."Praises/To the One who saves us/Through His blood He gave us/Life, and now we come/Everyone!"

So yes, PRAISES to our prayer team! Want to join in? Click here to sign up. Already a member? Click here to get daily praises and prayer requests via Twitter.

Walking to Promote Recovery - by Mary Kemp (intern)

On Sunday, February 21st, I had the opportunity to participate in a walk to raise money for the F.R.E.E.D Foundation. It was a 3.6-mile walk around the AU campus and the surrounding areas. I was super excited to participate and help raise money for this amazing organization. This foundation does a lot of work on the Hill to hopefully get the F.R.E.E.D Act passed. It also raises money for patients who cant afford treatment. Kathleen, the director of F.R.E.E.D, was there and gave a speech before the walk began. She has a beautiful survival story about her road to recovery that was truly inspiring and had many of us in tears. The group that participated in the walk was a mixture of people. There were many people present who used to have an eating disorder and others that were at the very beginning of their recovery. Other people knew a family member or friend who either suffered from or died from an eating disorder. And then there were people who just wanted to support the cause. Regardless of why people were there, it was amazing to see how many people came out for the event, especially since it was the first walk organized on campus. The organizer of the walk is Jacquie Chamberlain. I had a chance to meet her during the walk and talk about her story. She is also a survivor of an eating disorder and even has an amazing blog, Sweetest Thing DC. This blog tells her story and is a great guide to healthy living and education on eating disorders, especially about body image in the media. Needless to say, I met a lot of amazing people at the walk. Participating in events like this is always an awarding experience and always inspires me to keep learning more and keep trying to be active in the spread of eating disorder awareness. Hopefully I will keep in touch with Jacquie and continue to be an active participant in other events such as this on the AU campus and other events to support Kathleen and the F.R.E.E.D Foundation. :)

NIA and Recovery

I've been talking a lot lately about NIA - how much I enjoy it, how much it helps me in my own recovery, and the extent to which I think NIA can help many along the road to recovery. I'm not the first person to make this connection. I was introduced to NIA during my time at Harmony Grove, a residential treatment center in San Diego. I'm honestly not sure how many programs consider NIA a recovery activity, but I certainly do. Here's why.

NIA ("Neuromuscular Integrative Action") is, according to its founders, a way to "heal and express your self through movement and sensation." NIA classes combine emotive music and a climate of self-acceptance, expression, and freedom as they lead you through dynamic combinations of nine forms of movement, including Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Jazz, Modern Dance, and Yoga. The experience is liberating and exhilarating.

A single NIA dance can evoke rare moments of total self-acceptance. Acceptance of my body - its amazing abilities along with its many limitations; , love of feelings - both uplifting and disheartening; love of thoughts - rational and irrational. Over time, NIA has helped me begin to love myself for the way that God created me.

For those who don't understand eating disorders, I'll go a step further. Eating disorders, at their very core, are rooted in inability to accept oneself. Some of us act on these deep-seeded feelings of incompetence and worthlessness by believing terrible lies: that eating and/or loosing weight will make us feel better about ourselves. Thus, body image struggles are hallmarks of eating disorders, but root cause isn't body image: it's self-acceptance. Many recovery activities focus on self-acceptance. Acceptance of one's body, one's feelings, and one's thoughts. And this is precisely what NIA helps one to experience.

As a strong Christian, I feel it is important for me to admit that some may be uncomfortable with NIA's references to one's inner being - or perhaps simply NIA's lack of reference to God. Without discounting such feelings, I'd offer this: each of us has free will to pray to whatever God we believe in. Whenever I am prompted to quiet my mind, or to focus on an eternal force, I simply choose to focus on God and praise Him for who He is and how He's working in my life. And I thank Him for this opportunity - in NIA class - to connect to the Holy Spirit that gives me life.

We would *love* to hear your comments on this topic! And stay tuned - we hope to start providing NIA classes to the DC eating disorder community in the very near future!

Praying for 2010 Blessings!

Wow - January 1, 2010! What does God have in store for us this year? On this day of resolutions (which I don't believe in, because I've learned that anything I try to control eventually controls me!), I am inspired to put some of my deepest, longest-term prayer requests into writing. This will serve as the first opportunity for Rock Recovery's prayer team to pray over us, but more importantly, provide a way for us to give God the glory for answered (and unanswered) prayers! So here goes...

I pray that all non-profit and faith-based organizations who are working to prevent eating disorders and to promote recovery will come together to collaborate - to work hand-in-hand, rather than in silos, for this cause. I pray that the community that currently exists will grow and be strengthened as God calls more and more people to this mission field.

I pray for protection over everyone working in this field, and especially for those who are motivated to give back out of their personal recovery experiences (with eating disorders, or otherwise). I pray for Rock Recovery's Board of Directors and our volunteers. Many of us have already felt attacked for the work that we are doing. I believe in spiritual warfare, and I believe that Satan would relish is having the very people who are working to promote recovery fall back into the grips of their disease. God, be our shield and arm us with your sword!

I pray that Rock Recovery will begin to have an impact on the DC recovery community through the services that we will provide in 2010. I pray for Debbie Norris at the Mindfulness Center; Suzannah Weiss and Lisa Howard, NIA instructors who may not even realize the recovery that they can promote through their love of dance; Constance Rhodes of FINDINGbalance (and the True Campaign) & Kathleen McDonald of the FREED Foundation for their many contributions to this field; Mary Mannhardt and her outpatient ministry in the DC area; Deanie Jennings & Domenica Rubino for their work at the Washington Center for Weight Management & Research, Merri Goldburg & Teri Fredericks, two talented therapists; Selah House, for embracing a faith-based approach to recovery; and Peach Friedman (who I haven't even met!), for her work on UVA's campus.

Finally, I pray that God will pave the way - financially, legally, and logistically - for Rock Recovery to open the first of many low-cost recovery houses in the D.C. area. We know that options following residential/inpatient treatment are slim. Our experiences and others' stories convince us relapse can be prevented by providing a manageable step down from intensive treatment to independent, daily living. We also know that options for daily therapy, accountability, and support are expensive and slim, short of being "sick enough" to require inpatient or residential treatment. Again, our experiences suggest that by providing access to substantial care short of quitting work/school and leaving one's home community, we can help many avoid hitting rock bottom. Our mission is to fill this middle ground - to help individuals achieve recovery before they need inpatient or residential treatment, and to help individuals maintain recovery when they leave residential/inpatient treatment to return to work/school and family. Please join me in praying this vision into existence! "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, 'I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer." - 2 Samuel 7:27

Thank you in advance for your prayers - as I join you, I also pray over our prayer team: "Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day." - 1 Kings, 8:28

Blessings for a beautiful beginning to 2010!

Idea Salon Recommendation #1: Community Leadership Committee

My next few blogs will be dedicated to ideas that surfaced during Rock Recovery’s first Idea Salon (see 11/28 blog for details). The first idea I’ll present (and I welcome comments) is that of creating a Rock Recovery Community Leadership Committee. The primary goal of the committee is to share Rock Recovery’s message of hope & healing. The secondary goal is to raise support for our first recovery house.

Each member of this leadership committee would serve as an ambassador to a specific community of his or her choice. For example, a leadership committee member with a heart for Asian Americans may focus on educating that community on the realities of EDs, while a member with a passion for physical fitness may focus on sharing local ED resources with personal trainers. Rock Recovery would help each committee member craft their specific message, recruit volunteers from their community, and train volunteers to share Rock Recovery’s mission with others.

Rock Recovery would host one leadership committee meeting per month, during which members and Rock Recovery leadership would collaboratively update and bounce ideas off one another. These ideas would be submitted to Rock Recovery’s Board of Directors for feedback, and the Board could likewise submit ideas to the committee for consideration.

Once a committee member received a substantial degree of support from his or her community (e.g., once s/he had recruited a dedicated group of volunteers), s/he would be asked to coordinate one or more events to reach a larger proportion of the target community and (hopefully) raise money toward the establishment of Rock Recovery’s first house.

Rock Recovery could empower several of our current volunteers to step into the role of a leadership committee member, and could recruit additional members via Idealist.com and through word of mouth. Committee members would be asked to serve in the position for at least one year, during which time they would be encouraged to mentor someone to replace them when they step down. The ideal committee member would be passionate about sharing Rock Recovery’s message of hope and healing with other and have a strong connection to a specific community.

These are just thoughts – this leadership committee could serve a variety of purposes and could operate in other ways. So I’m curious to hear what you think! What opportunities are we neglecting to consider? What challenges might we face? If you’ve served on a committee of this nature, what worked? What didn’t? Other thoughts or suggestions?

Addendum to yesterday's post

After submitting yesterday’s post, I realized that I neglected to mention what was probably one of Rock Recovery’s greatest events. Perhaps the reason it slipped my mind is because it was so simple. But the event reminded me of the beauty and effectiveness of simplicity. The event I’m referring to was Rock Recovery’s “Non-Profit Tuesday,” compliments of a fantastic DC-based restaurant and “community gathering place” called Busboys & Poets. The concept is theirs, and reflects the organization’s generosity and heart for its community. And it’s a sweet deal! The restaurant selects a non-profit each week, and invites the group to set up a display at a centrally located table. People who come for dinner are drawn to the table, thus providing a way for the non-profit to share its mission with literally hundreds of restaurant guests. On top of that, the restaurant donates 5% of dinner proceeds to the non-profit. What a deal, right!?! Rock Recovery was blessed to be the beneficiary of a Non-Profit Tuesday. And God answered prayers by bringing in several individuals who were suffering from the effects of ED in their families. We hope we shared our message of hope and healing, and commend Busboys & Poets for proactively reaching out to organizations like Rock Recovery.

Oh the Blessings!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My heart is simply bursting with gratitude this morning. To be honest, it’s hard for me to reflect on all the people and events I’m thankful for because God has been SO GOOD to me over the past few years. God is always been good to me – don’t get me wrong there – but ever since I took a step of faith and trusted God in my own recovery process, then took a leap of faith and trusted God in founding Rock Recovery, the blessings that he has showered on and around me are overwhelming. Tears of awe and amazement…the kind that you can’t hold back at your best friend’s wedding or when you see a newborn baby for the first time…are in my eyes as I reflect on each person God has brought forward to serve Rock Recovery, on their enthusiasm and willingness to step out in faith and to believe in this mission, and on those He has prompted to donate to our cause and the resources He has provided through those gifts.

As images of people and events fly through my head, I realize that we’ve neglected to give God the praise that He deserves for all of this, because we haven’t taken the time to document answered prayers. And I want to take just a minute this morning to do just that. So here goes…in timeline form:

Fall 2007: God prompted me to tell friends and ED professionals about my vision for Rock Recovery. I thought they would tell me I was crazy, but instead each person was enthusiastically supportive.

January - April 2008: A friend bought me a “Business Plan for Dummies” book, which expressed his faith in my vision and prompted me to get my ideas on paper.

Summer 2008: 12 incredible women accepted my invitation to join our Board of Directors. Each of these women brings unique insight and passion for this cause; their dedication over the past year is unparalleled.

November/December 2008: God rescued us from the overwhelmingly complex task of getting officially incorporated and recognized as a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Jessica Furst, then working for Foley & Lardner LLP, dedicated her talents to finalizing these piles of paperwork; her colleague, Teri Champ, has since helped us with all the legal hoopla that accompanies establishing a non-profit. Praise God!

January – May 2009: The Board of Directors developed an Organizational Handbook that guides our strategies and business processes. With this in place, we felt confident in stepping out into the public space.

June – August 2009: 7 talented, dedicated interns launched Rock Recovery from a concept to a functioning organization. Wilma Fisiy, Kelsey Gvozdich, and Emily Pfister planned our three first outreach events; Melanie Spaethe, Lindsey Fogle, and Fielding Jezreel conducted research and focused on grant writing activities; Elia Pfaff created a newsletter format and produced our first newsletter. As a board, we reached out to organizations with complimentary missions in order to communicate our dedication to the common goal of ED recovery, and hopefully, to create opportunities for long-term, symbiotic partnerships. Constance Rhodes of FINDINGbalance, Inc., is particularly supportive, as are Teri Fredericks and Amos Taylor, the director of one of the few faith-based residential treatment facilities, Selah House.

September – October 2009: Through three incredible and unique events (an Arts & Crafts Auction, Singer/Songwriter competition, and benefit concert; see our newsletter, Rock Recovery witnessed an outpouring of support for our mission, forged relationships within the D.C. community, and repeatedly received confirmation that our work is both critical and timely.

I also had the opportunity to participate in the Eating Disorder Coalition’s Lobby Day. I can’t express how uplifting it was to be surrounded by men and women who came from across to country to advocate for recovery on Capitol Hill. And to top it off, I was interviewed by author and speaker Shawn Anderson as a part of his Extra Mile Tour.

In addition, God answered prayers by providing talented and passionate volunteers: Nega Teshome took charge of our accounting systems; Christine Dorman is guiding our communication strategy; Babatunde (Tunde) Ogundiyun and Sergio Herrera are taking the lead on graphic design projects, and Elizabeth Grainger is leading a research and communications initiative.

And I am extremely thankful for the extreme dedication of two friends: Molly Bauch, who has been by my side and provided so much support for each of our events, and Denita Acker, who always speaks God’s truth into my life and breathed new life into Rock Recovery last weekend by spearheading our first Idea Salon. Keep reading…

November 2009: Rock Recovery hosted what we intend to be the first of many “Idea Salons,” an opportunity to discuss how to have an impact on our community. The event resulted in an exchange of creative ideas that not only inspired everyone present, but also provided Rock Recovery with practical “next steps” in communicating our mission and goals. Our participants – Shefali Agloo, Alexis Adams-Shorter, Candice Kaup, Kathleen MacDonald, Brittany Willoughby, Signy Roberts and Jen Driggers – contributed expertise, experience, and ongoing dedication to helping Rock Recovery bring healing to the DC community, and beyond.

Looking forward: Over the past few months, I have received literally hundreds of resumes from individuals across the country who want to contribute to our mission. As we head into 2010, we plan to focus on the areas of communication, education, and fundraising. And now that I’m blogging, you have the opportunity to hear all about it! With the promise that this blog will be the longest of them all (I did have to cover the past 2 years, after all), I hope you’ll sign up for weekly blogs on Rock Recovery’s journey.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and a special thanks to everyone working to make Rock Recovery’s vision a reality.

Commitment to Communication

Bottom line - I’ve never been the journaling type. But over the weekend, I heard a message on the importance of documenting your journey. I get that. Rock Recovery is (and always was) God-inspired, and every blessing that we’ve received is an answer to prayer. And the only way to give Him the glory for each and every blessing is to tell the world what we’re doing. So here goes…I invite you to follow – better yet, become a part of, our journey!

Our Vision

Imagine being trapped in a web of obsessive thoughts and behaviors surrounding food and exercise. Imagine feeling unable to stop putting food in your mouth; unable to relinquish food phobias; unable to go a day without exercising, often for hours upon hours, numb to fatigue and notwithstanding injury. Imagine your mood and self-esteem being shackled to scales that never held anything but negative messages.

Imagine, now, the torture of white-knuckling a “normal” day amidst these thoughts and feelings. Think of the stress of a regular work day…then imagine yourself striving to excel while fighting constant, obsessive thoughts related to every opportunity to eat, neglect eating, exercise, or avoid exercising. The goodies brought in by a colleague are screaming at you, lunch is easy to skip, your morning workout wasn’t enough to take away the fat feelings, and snacking is an irresistible quick fix despite the repercussions of guilt for broken resolutions.

Imagine the day that you realize that your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are grossly abnormal…and more so, you cannot will yourself out of them. The more resolutions you make to change, the more you feel trapped and helpless. Imagine being so desperate for change that you tell a friend, call a counselor, and/or find a support group. Imagine a glimmer of light that comes with this first step, followed by a shroud of darkness that comes with realizing the difficult road ahead. Imagine the despair of finding that friends, counselors, and support groups aren’t enough to help you out of the depths of obsessive thoughts and self-destructive behaviors. Imagine the added despair of finding that the only avenues for intensive treatment will break the bank and require you to take time off work or school. Imagine the fear of financial insecurity, or worse, the guilt of draining family finances, heightened by the fear of getting behind at work or at school.

Now imagine a new avenue for recovery. A residential recovery house specifically for individuals with eating and exercise disorders, where residents can maintain jobs and studies while embracing the very best recovery-oriented activities after hours and on weekends. Imagine a house run by exceptional therapists, counselors, and staff. Imagine that finances are no barrier, because this recovery house is free of charge. Imagine coming home from work or school to an environment where engaging in self-destructive behaviors is not an option, while dedicating time on long-term recovery is paramount. This is Rock Recovery.

Rock Recovery is the birth child of my own experiences and the stories of many others I’ve heard along my path to recovery. It is not my own creation, but God’s, as there is no way that I could have created this organization without God’s providence and provision.

Just a few months after it’s founding on December 31, 2008, Rock Recovery has established a strong and diverse board of directors, gained 501c(3) status, and launched a website that communicates its mission, values, and approach to the world: www.rockrecovery.net.

We are just starting to raise funds dedicated to opening the first of many recovery houses. The location of our first house has yet to be determined and will be based on both needs and available resources. If you or anyone you know could benefit from a Rock Recovery house, please complete our needs survey: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/58105/rock-recovery

On behalf of my incredible Board of Directors, thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. Please contribute your thoughts and personal stories. For more information or to contribute resources toward this great mission, email cary@rockrecovery.net.

Rock Recovery: A New Option

Our mission is to resurrect the lives of thousands of individuals imprisoned by addictions to food and exercise (e.g., anorexia, bulimia, food obsession, exercise obsession, and compulsive overeating). Rock Recovery will achieve this mission by providing a new, affordable intensive treatment option for individuals capable of overcoming their disorders while remaining engaged in their current daytime activities (work, school, childcare). In achieving this mission, Rock Recovery will bridge a gap in existing recovery options. Currently, individuals struggling with anorexia, bulimia, food obsession, exercise obsession, and compulsive overeating have three choices: outpatient treatment options (therapists, 12-step meetings, support groups), intensive outpatient programs and intensive inpatient programs.

Rock Recovery will offer a new option: Group houses that provide individuals the ability to remain engaged in daily activities and then return home to supportive counseling, therapeutic activities, and structured eating and exercise programs.