We are so glad that you reached out.

I recently had an appointment at my hairdresser's. As I sat in her chair, I thought to myself, maybe I should get a different hair color and spice it up. My thoughts were a bit fearful as I didn't know what I wanted and would have to trust my hairdresser fully. Would I be able to trust her to give me a color that would compliment my skin tone? Would I be able to trust her to know what was best for me? Would I be able to trust her not to make me look funny when I was done? All these thoughts went through my mind. Even though I had fear inside, I was excited for what could be.

Some time after we began outpatient treatment at Walden Behavioral Care I put a picture on my Facebook page of my daughter in her bathing suit by the pool, eating an ice cream with her sister. Many of my acquaintances who did not know about her earlier hospitalization for an eating disorder probably glanced at the photo and said to themselves,“oh, a picture of your kid, big deal.”

With Ed, a sense of humor is pretty much non-existent. You usually don’t laugh at anything because you are so numb to your feelings. Ed keeps you close on a tight leash and if you do laugh at something it’s usually a fake laugh…like you laugh when appropriate at someone’s joke, but not really feel it deep inside. You only go through the motions to fit in and you can’t even laugh at yourself. But when you are with recovery all that changes and laughter is present in everything you do and it feels wonderful.