Free workshops for Norfolk families and carers of people wit

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Eating disorders charity "beat".

Kim Briscoe kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
6:30 AM

Families and carers of people with eating disorders in Norfolk are being offered free workshops to help them better understand disorders and to provide them with practical skills for difficult situations.



Norwich-based charity Beat has again joined forces with the Norfolk Community Eating Disorder Service to run Collaborative Care Skills workshops in the county.

Free to attend, the eight workshops begin on Wednesday, April 30, and aim to empower families and carers to support change and promote recovery through improved understanding of eating disorders.

“We’re thrilled to offer the Collaborative Care Skills Workshops again in Norfolk,” said Louise Dunne, volunteering co-ordinator at Beat. “A strong support network is vital during recovery but it can often be difficult to know what to say or do. Just last month the government’s MindEd programme released statistics that showed 51pc of adults would fear approaching a young person about a mental health issue.

“These workshops are designed to help families feel more confident in dealing with difficult situations, gaining insight into how best to support and care for someone with an eating disorder. Recovery is a daily battle and seeing a loved one going through an eating disorder can be extremely distressing.”

Previous workshop attendee Carole said: “Before my daughter was diagnosed, I thought anorexia was something that was quite easy to fix, once the problem was recognised.

“I couldn’t have been more wrong - it is an utterly perplexing and exhausting illness for all concerned. To see the child you fed from the moment they were born seemingly deliberately starving is incredibly painful.

“Hearing that other parents have exactly the same experiences and observations help underline that it is not your fault. No, you can’t do a huge amount to make it all better yourself, but you can certainly make it worse if you don’t know how to handle it - and you can wear yourself to a frazzle trying.

“Finding the right balance between turning a blind eye and being over-controlling is crucial, and the Collaborative Care Skills workshops address this very well, in addition to emphasising the need for your own space to breathe and recharge.”

Beat runs a number of dedicated services in Norfolk, including a helpline on 0300 300 0115, email service at norfolkhelpmail@b-eat.co.uk, free training for healthcare professionals, self-help and support groups for eating disorder sufferers and carers and self-help and support groups for those with emotional overeating.

The series of eight free Collaborative Care Skills Workshops will run on Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm-9pm at The Charing Cross Centre, 17-19 St John Maddermarket, Norwich NR2 1DN. For more information or to register to attend, email norfolkgroups@b-eat.co.uk or call 01603 753338.
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