These reflections were submitted by members of the NEDIC community, representing a variety of perspectives on our activities over the years.
If you would like to add your own reflection to this living archive, please email us.
Reflections from the NEDIC Community
Writing for NEDIC in 2009 was a very meaningful experience for me. At the time, I was still early in my career, and NEDIC was one of the first large non-profit organizations I became connected with. The opportunity to share work on DBT for eating disorders, and later to see the piece revised and translated into different languages, reinforced for me the value of making clinical knowledge widely accessible. My involvement with NEDIC gave me a sense of community and alignment with shared values around supporting those with eating disorders, and it deepened my commitment to linking research, clinical practice, and advocacy. NEDIC has been a cornerstone in the Canadian eating disorder field, providing connection, education, and an organized referral network that links individuals, families, and professionals. Its commitment to accessible information and support has fostered a stronger, more unified community of care across the country.
I worked with NEDIC as a social media volunteer from the fall of 2022 to the summer of 2025. A project that stood out to me most during my time at NEDIC was the series of street interviews my colleague, Kat, and I filmed called “Debunking Disordered Eating.” It was such a cool way to get into the community and talk about disordered eating with people — breaking stigma and promoting NEDIC’s vision.
NEDIC has not only influenced my career but also my day-to-day life. Being involved in an organization that supports and uplifts all of its staff members was truly inspiring. It’s allowed me to approach other work environments with those same values. When I worked at NEDIC I felt that I was part of something bigger than myself.
Collaborating with the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) has been a highly impactful experience. NEDIC brings a unique combination of expertise, compassion, and leadership to the field of eating disorder awareness and mental health support. Their team is incredibly knowledgeable, thoughtful, and responsive, and they approach partnership with a strong sense of shared purpose and integrity. They’ve helped shape a more open, inclusive conversation around eating disorders, and I truly believe Canada is better because of their work. I continue to draw from their insights in everything I do, both personally and professionally.
I first became involved with NEDIC as a placement student in September 2018, and was fortunate enough to join the team as a staff member shortly after in May 2019. I am deeply thankful for the opportunity that NEDIC had given me as a new social worker — starting out in this field can feel both exciting and overwhelming, but being welcomed into such a supportive and dedicated team has made all the difference. The chance to learn, grow, and contribute in an environment that values compassion, advocacy, and lived experience has not only shaped me as a professional, but also as a person. Having had my own lived experience, but never receiving proper treatment or support, I often think about how much it would have meant to know that a place like NEDIC existed when I was struggling. Over the years, I have had the privilege of supporting individuals affected by eating disorders/disordered eating through our helpline, took part in various Eating Disorders Awareness Week events, assisted with the organization of community events, like our former Zest for Life fundraiser, and had the honour of onboarding new team members — sharing vital knowledge about eating disorders and guiding others to provide compassionate, client-centered care. As we celebrate NEDIC’s 40th anniversary, I am filled with gratitude for the compassion and dedication of this team, and feel proud to continue playing a role in its mission of providing care, education and hope!
Forty years is a tremendous milestone, and it's inspiring to see how your organization has consistently served and touched so many lives. Celebrating four decades of dedicated service is a testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone that has been part of NEDIC! We've always appreciated your team's ability to innovate, partner and adapt, which has been vital to staying relevant and effective for 40 years. BANA has been privileged over the past years to work closely with NEDIC on Eating Disorder Awareness Week cross posting, Instagram lives and committee work. Over the year’s NEDIC and BANA have worked on many different initiatives. I, along with Sara Santarossa presented at the NEDIC conference which created an opportunity for us to showcase our work/research and partnership. In addition, BANA attended every conference for many years which was extremely validating for our team and work.
BANA worked closely with NEDIC on the Eating Disorder Ontario- Prevention work for years as lead organizations. This was a monumental undertaking for us as organizations, it provided the opportunity for us to continue to strengthen our relationship and create new partnership opportunities. NEDIC has influenced BANA tremendously over the past years. We appreciate having a partner who values health promotion and the community as much as we do. It is enlightening and reassuring to work with folks who hold the same level of respect and value for the work. It has been a partnership built on trust and transparency. The kind of partnership that seems easy and honest at the core of every interaction. Working with a group that mutually shares a broad community perspective and will to put the community first would best describe the synergy between our organizations.
Thank you to the entire staff, volunteers, and board for their unwavering dedication and passion over these past 40 years, we especially want to recognize the visionary leadership that has guided this organization through incredible growth and challenges. I personally know from experience that operating for over 40 years speaks to the dedication and perseverance of the team. This level of sustained commitment, combined with your team's people centred approach, truly exemplifies the positive impact your organization has made. We look forward to many more years of your essential work!
I had the pleasure of working with Suzanne and team on the following:
I started volunteering at NEDIC in September 2015 as an outreach and education volunteer, facilitating workshops about eating disorders, body image, and self-esteem to various groups across the GTA including students, parents, educators, and service providers.
In 2018, I began volunteering on the helpline and instant chat, and subsequently worked as a direct client support worker for the next four years.
Having been at NEDIC for a decade I’ve been lucky enough to experience several milestones and special events including the Zest for Life charity fundraiser and the first World Eating Disorders Action Day. Through NEDIC, I’ve had the opportunity to present at the Ontario School Counsellors’ Association Conference, lecture at the University of Toronto and University of Guelph-Humber, and been featured on the Raw Talk podcast. During my Master’s, I also published two manuscripts showing the effect of COVID-19 on help-seeking behaviors among adolescents and caregivers using NEDIC’s helpline data.
My early experiences at NEDIC not only fueled by passion for eating disorders treatment and prevention but allowed me to develop a strong foundational skillset in active listening, crisis intervention, and client support. I have taken this with me into my career—first in public health, and subsequently as a physician. As a resident physician I still use many of the skills and resources I developed at NEDIC and look forward to integrating eating disorder treatment into my medical practice to continue to serve the eating disorder community.
I’ve been involved as a volunteer with NEDIC for more than 20 years. It’s been rewarding to see the organization evolve in line with the needs of those affected by eating disorders — continuing to be a trusted source of information and a supportive navigator for people seeking support.
I was first introduced to NEDIC through the Dove Self-Esteem Program, which led me to work with the team on our strategic partnership. Eventually, I joined the Advisory Board to contribute my skills in strategy and marketing.
During that time, I saw NEDIC expand its reach and strengthen its programs, meeting the needs of more communities across Canada.
Over 40 years, NEDIC has made a meaningful difference by raising awareness and creating safe spaces around eating disorders, body image, and mental health in Canada.
The Eating Disorders Ontario (EDO) team wishes NEDIC a happy anniversary - here's to another 40 years of exceptional dedication to our field!
NEDIC's contribution to our eating disorder system of care cannot be understated. In our work with our professional colleagues, EDO strives to apprise clinicians of NEDIC's services and resources both for their own benefit and to share with patients and families.
There is comfort in knowing that individuals affected by eating disorders have a reliable, knowledgeable, professional and compassionate resource that can be accessed quickly and privately through the call-in and chat support line resources.
Behind the scenes we understand that for many individuals, contact with NEDIC can represent the first step in their treatment journey, helping to fill an important gap in navigating the health-care system.
We thank you for all you do NEDIC!
Let me begin by thanking NEDIC for their 40 years of incredible and dedicated service to Canadians and beyond, touched by eating disorders.
My first recollection of NEDIC was over 35+ years ago as I visited their national office in Toronto. I was nervous, apprehensive and frightened. Our daughter was very ill and I had so much difficulty in finding eating disorder services for her in Manitoba and much needed parental supports for myself.
I was greeted by a wonderful woman by the name of Merryl Bear. Merryl was so gracious, listened to our family story and gave me many important NEDIC materials to help with others, in starting a parental support group back home in Winnipeg. I left their office feeling hopeful and armed with critical information that would come to be very beneficial in understanding our daughter’s anorexia.
Little did I know then that this initial meeting would continue with all the staff at NEDIC into a working relationship and most importantly friendship, lasting over 35 years.
I have great admiration for the important work that NEDIC has undertaken over the years. in particular the “Beyond Images Media Literacy for grades 4 to 8” is so urgently needed for our youth. So important for clients to understand media and learn from positive and strong media messaging.
NEDIC hosting Canada’s only Toll -Free Help Line, I believe is instrumental in saving lives. Having the ability to talk to someone when you are in crisis or need a sympathetic ear, sends a message that you are never alone and people do care about you and there to help.
The National Eating Disorder Awareness Week is coordinated by NEDIC every year. A mammoth task in creating awareness about Eating Disorders to all Canadians. They do an excellent job of bringing so many different partners together.
NEDIC excels in communication, providing safe and reliable information and service delivery.
I have so much respect and admiration for all the staff at NEDIC and the important work they do each and every day on behalf of so many Canadians with disordered eating and eating disorders. I have relied on their knowledge, support and much needed encouragement for a very long time. I am indebted to NEDIC for being there for myself and others and will be forever grateful to call them friends and respected colleagues.
Congratulations NEDIC on 40 years of outstanding service! Thankyou for playing such an integral role in supporting Canadians faced with the challenges of eating disorders.
I first joined NEDIC in 2012, as a member of the volunteer phone hotline team. At the time, I had recently completed my graduate training in counselling in the USA and had moved to Canada with my partner. It was a period of adjustment and change in my life, as I looked to start my career in the mental health field and settle into life in a new country. NEDIC provided a safe and supportive place for me to further my professional development and counselling skills through the phone lines work supporting people impacted by eating disorders and disordered eating. Through my volunteer work at NEDIC, I was able to build important relationships within the mental health field and expand my awareness of community resources, which ultimately led to my first job as a therapist working in a concurrent disorders inpatient facility here in Toronto.
Throughout the years, the community education initiatives and resource development work done by NEDIC has supported my clinical work with clients. NEDIC has acted as a community resource that I have referred clients to directly as well as acting as a community partner that has supported eating disorder awareness programming for clients and staff within the various agencies I have worked. I was excited to have the opportunity to directly work with the team again in 2022, as a consultant and editor for the “Let’s Talk About Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders in Racialized Communities” project. NEDIC has truly been a foundational organization in my personal and professional growth and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to contribute this message in celebration of their 40th anniversary.
My connection with NEDIC began in 2016, when I took on the role of Development Officer through the University Health Network Foundation (formerly the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation). From the start, I was deeply moved by NEDIC’s mission and the impact of its work.
Despite leaving the foundation in 2018,I’ve been proud to continue supporting the organization as a dedicated member of its Advisory Board, helping to champion the vital services it provides.
In 2016 we relaunched NEDIC’s annual fundraising event, Zest for Living. It was a special evening that brought together individuals with lived experience, passionate supporters, and the broader community to celebrate NEDIC’s work. The event not only raised critical funds for the Beyond Images school program, but also created a powerful space for connection, storytelling, and shared purpose. It was a meaningful way to highlight NEDIC’s impact while looking ahead to what we could achieve together.
As a fundraiser working closely with the team delivering NEDIC’s programming, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the deep passion and unwavering commitment of the staff. They weren’t simply doing a job—they were truly dedicated to supporting individuals affected by eating disorders. Their belief in NEDIC’s mission was inspiring and it deeply influenced my own work. That passion fueled my grant writing and made every dollar raised feel even more meaningful. I was able to see the tangible impact of those funds—no matter the amount—on the lives touched by NEDIC’s programs.
My own lived experience is what first drew me to this NEDIC, beginning as a placement student in 2022. I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to ground my career in giving back to the very community that once supported me through my own recovery. Since joining NEDIC, I’ve had the privilege of exploring many aspects of our work - from supporting individuals on our helpline who have felt stuck or overwhelmed in their journey, to helping create resources for both those affected and the people who support them, and most recently delivering prevention- and early intervention-based workshops to post-secondary campuses across the country in community education. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to work alongside such a passionate team of staff, students and volunteers. One of the most meaningful parts of my role has been building lasting relationships with campuses nationwide. Being invited back year after year to facilitate workshops, and hearing directly from residence life teams, peer support leaders or campus counsellors that our sessions have led to more students accessing eating disorder-informed care, has been incredibly rewarding. It reminds me that not too long ago, I was a student myself, struggling to find support and resources on campus. To now be a part of the change - bit by bit - feels like a full-circle moment.I’m forever grateful to be part of an organization that is so dedicated to providing equitable and accessible support and education for everyone affected by eating disorders across the country. It’s an honour to be a part of NEDIC for our 40th anniversary - here’s to 40 more years!
Beat have been involved with NEDIC through a collaborative partnership, where we worked together to plan and operate a mutually beneficial support service. This collaboration enabled both organisations to extend their reach and provide support to more people affected by eating disorders. During the partnership, we managed to support 408 individuals for NEDIC, while NEDIC supported 904 individuals for Beat, bringing the total number of people helped to 1,312.
One key milestone during this partnership was the successful coordination of the joint support service, which allowed both organisations to significantly expand access to support for those affected by eating disorders. Another notable aspect was the ongoing collaboration and resource-sharing between our teams, exemplified by Suzanne, who continued to stay in touch after the partnership ended, always willing to share resources, ideas, and insights to further our shared goal of reducing the suffering caused by eating disorders.
NEDIC plays an incredibly important role in the landscape of Canadian eating disorders and mental health more broadly. Seeing NEDIC’s work first hand, their passion, commitment, and dedication to supporting individuals affected by eating disorders is clear in everything they do. My experience working with NEDIC reinforced the importance of collaboration in the sector and highlighted how impactful coordinated efforts can be in reaching those in need. Their dedication has reinforced how crucial accessible, compassionate and meaningful support is for anyone affected by eating disorders.
My team and I have been involved with NEDIC since around 2021/2022. We have developed the Canadian version of JEM chatbot together after successfully launching in Australia and we established the international Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders (CoRe-ED). We are very proud to say that NEDIC was our very first international partner of CoRe-ED. The launch of the Canadian version of JEM chatbot in September 2024 and the launch of CoRe-ED also in 2024! Both huge milestones demonstrating international collaboration and innovation. It was wonderful to have Emily Tam join us in Melbourne, Australia to represent NEDIC at our CoRe-ED launch. NEDIC's reputation for innovation and collaboration is known internationally. My interactions with NEDIC have been career defining. For NEDIC to put their faith in me and my team in Australia through multiple initiatives was a major confidence boost. It has meant that our eating disorder initiatives have become known and assisted people throughout the world. Thank you NEDIC for everything and I look forward to a very bright future together!
I had and still have the privilege of working closely with NEDIC, Canada’s leading organization for eating disorder information, support, and advocacy, and consider myself a part of the NEDIC community. From the moment I met Suzanne and her team, I felt welcomed. The NEDIC team´s compassion and dedication sets the tone for every project and conversation. Our collaboration includes joint awareness campaigns and participation in educational seminars. NEDIC´s role during the pandemic was truly one of a kind and contributed to improving care for individuals with eating disorders amid the pandemic´s turmoil and isolation. I also particularly recall NEDIC´s launch of services for underserved groups and a more inclusive care. NEDIC, thank you for being a friend!
I first came to contact with NEDIC over 30 years ago. I was working as a social worker at Sheena's Place in Toronto facilitating support groups for young people and families affected by eating disorders. I visited NEDIC in person numerous times to obtain reliable and practical resources that I could share widely with the people that I was working with to guide them on their journey with an eating disorder. During this time, I learned to rely on the wonderful people at NEDIC to guide me on supports available not only in Toronto but across the country. A few years later, I had the privilege of writing NEDIC newsletter articles on how to support families of individuals with eating disorders and attended/presented at annual national conferences focused on prevention issues. I also attended the annual events organized by NEDIC for Eating Disorder Awareness week. The wonderful folks from NEDIC always valued diverse perspectives and experiencing recognizing the importance of having a strong and unified voice to fight for better services across the continuum of care and for all types of eating disorders.
In the last 15 years, I have benefited from strong partnerships with the NEDIC team who have always made themselves available to discuss emerging trends, such as socio-cultural factors, social media use and access concerns for disadvantaged populations. I appreciated having NEDIC colleagues as thought partners, research collaborators and leaders in transforming how we conceptualize eating disorders, respond to system level issues and support each other during difficult times like the pandemic. Finally, NEDIC colleagues have partnered with me as principal knowledge users on grant proposals, in which they have offered their invaluable time, expertise and resources to shaping research and disseminating knowledge for different audiences. I am grateful to the NEDIC team for their commitment, passion and relentless efforts to make the world a better place for people to feel seen and accepted regardless of their physical appearance and size.
I first became involved with NEDIC as part of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario's writing team for "Reflections of Me" in 2002. NEDIC served as part of the research team and helped ground our lessons in the research and realities of today's youth. Since that time, I have had the honour of working with NEDIC on writing the "Beyond Images" curriculum for Grades 4-8; presented at several of their conferences; and, hosting some webinars for families and teachers around the intricacies of supporting children and youth with body image and self-esteem (particularly through the COVID pandemic).
The many opportunities I have had to work with NEDIC over the past two decades has helped me work through my own disordered eating experiences as a child and as an adult, and providing me with some of the help to heal the harm and trauma that happened as a child-- when there weren't many or any supports in our schools and communities for children struggling with body image and disordered eating behaviours. My work and experiences with NEDIC and through NEDIC have made me a stronger teacher, parent, and self advocate when it comes to issues of bullying, body image and self esteem in schools and in the community.
I am so grateful and privileged to be able to work with NEDIC. I have had the honour of collaborating with them since 2001, as a member of ETFO's Reflections of Me: Body Image and Self-Esteem curriculum, working with NEDIC to co-present curriculum materials, resources, and ideas at workshops and conferences, with interested educators. This then led to the creation of NEDIC's Beyond Images: A Body Image and Self-Esteem curriculum. As one of the writers, I was able to co-create a curriculum that allowed educators and community members to infuse and address the issues with learners, allowing for open and honest dialogue and understanding with compassion and integrity.
NEDIC team members have always led with love, constantly inspiring and working tirelessly to change the lives of young people with eating disorders and body image issues. Beyond Images is a transformative curriculum that centres student voice and honours students' identities and lived experiences. Through the lessons and tasks and tip sheets and webinars, NEDIC has made space to amplify these voices and respect the perspectives of our young people.
NEDIC has changed my life. From being able to learn with, and from, them, to sharing my passion, my relationship with them has allowed me to grow and strengthen my own sense of self and has allowed me to facilitate learning with passion and confidence. I appreciate their role in placing such importance on body image and eating disorder education, and thank them for trusting me to join their journey throughout the years.
I started as a student with NEDIC in 2023 and have continued to be part of the organization as part of their Direct Client Support team. A huge milestone for NEDIC during my time here, has been the development and implementation of JEM, our website AI support. Jem has allowed for many chatters to navigate through our website with ease and in
accessing relevant resources.
My time with NEDIC has influenced my career as a future nurse. During my time with NEDIC, I have been able to support individuals of all walks of life. Being able to support individuals through our chat platform and helpline has sparked a personal interest in wanting to be part of the care teams that support families and individuals who have been impacted by eating disorders whether it be directly or indirectly. NEDIC continues to play an important role in offering a space for folks to share their struggles, the barriers they face in accessing help and, information to what resources are available.
I worked at NEDIC between 2012 and 2014. I believe I was the first Outreach & Education Coordinator - not the first to do outreach work by a long shot but the first dedicated staff title in this role, if I'm not mistaken. I was privileged to be able to help spread the gospel of NEDIC through community presentations, at schools throughout the GTA, through lunch and learns and conference presentations. I also supervised a team of awesome volunteers, who did everything from create PowerPoint templates to public speaking to social media work. I had excellent colleagues and it was such an enriching experience. I look back very fondly on these years.
The Outreach & Education department expanded significantly while I was at NEDIC, and I recall we had a dozen or so volunteers which was exponential growth and really helped to expand the prevention messaging NEDIC offers. I remember NEDIC also hired a Fundraiser who joined us in the office. We had annual fundraising events which were really special and well done. It was exciting getting to contribute to these events, and being able to learn how non-profits like NEDIC work to make every bit of funding count and go a long way! And the biannual NEDIC conferences were fabulous events with world class speakers. It was an exciting time to be part of the mission at NEDIC.
NEDIC is still in some ways a hidden gem - I constantly recommend the helpline and website to colleagues and clients all the time and I am so very grateful for NEDIC and its dedicated staff and volunteers. I left NEDIC to pursue a clinical role as a child and family therapist, and thanks to NEDIC I am able to offer a more evidence-based and well-informed approach to disordered eating and body image concerns. This is directly a result of the learning and depth of knowledge I gained from NEDIC. Unfortunately, eating disorders treatment and research remain underfunded and there is a continued scarcity of training about eating disorders which I witnessed firsthand in my MSW training. It is thanks to programs like NEDIC that we are able to educate ourselves and do better in supporting those who need prevention and education in this area. My time at NEDIC challenged me to develop public speaking and outreach skills that were formative to my professional development and led to such meaningful relationships. I would be remiss not to speak to the culture of NEDIC and how healing it was to me personally, and how it set the tone for how I wish all workplaces could be - specifically, the culture of body-acceptance and the purposeful absence of 'fat talk' - diet talk, food talk, comparisons and other body-related comments. This was, and is, a model ahead of its time. How rare and how nourishing that culture is. If only the world outside NEDIC were more like this!
Thank you for the opportunity to share these memories. Wishing NEDIC a very happy 40th anniversary (!) and here's to 40 more years 🎉☺️
I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have been a part of the NEDIC team - both in direct community support and outreach and education. What has always stood out to me is NEDIC’s unwavering commitment to learning, un-learning, and listening to those with lived/living experiences of disordered eating and eating disorders, and doing so with an abundance of compassion, dedication, and genuine curiosity. This organization proves, time and time again, to centering and prioritizing the needs of the community it serves, recognizing the importance in diversifying resources and research, as well as advocating for accessible, timely care.
The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) has been a shining light in my life for over 20 years. I first learned about NEDIC in 2004 when I referred a colleague to the centre for support. By 2005, I had read almost every printed NEDIC booklet I could get my hands on to help me on my own journey with undiagnosed eating problems.
That year I'd been a participant at Sheena's Place where I was furthering my understanding of intersectionality and how systems of oppression and discrimination, everyday fat-hatred, racism, sexism, and my experience of child sexual violence contributed to my own body awareness or lack thereof. Between my time there, and NEDIC's many resources including its national toll-free helpline which provides support and information to those directly and indirectly affected by eating disorders, disordered eating, and eating problems, I was finally on my way to finding a community where my thoughts and feelings were validated and where I felt seen.
In 2006, I produced Curvy Catwalk, a FATshion fundraiser, regarded as a first of its kind 'plus-size fashion show' in Toronto. Partial proceeds of our show went to NEDIC and Sheena's Place.
NEDIC wasn't just a centre, it was a community of staff and volunteers who truly cared about everyone who depended on them, some of whom had their own personal connections to the work. I remember heart to hearts with the former NEDIC Director Merryl Bear who always made time to hear how I was doing. I can still remember conversations with the future program manager Suzanne Phillips on issues ranging from the 'thigh gap' , which at the time was impacting little ones in our lives not even six years old yet, and we would have deep discussions on how best to engage children and youth early on so they had the supports needed to unlearn harmful body messages. In these earlier years I was also rooted in our community as an emerging child and youth worker, educator, and student equity human rights advisor at the TDSB.
NEDIC wasn't always a diverse space and we know that many BIPOC community members and gender-diverse folks have not historically been prioritized in eating disorders research, programming, and advocacy. NEDIC was no stranger to this fact. NEDIC got to work and I remember as a supporter I witnessed staffing begin to better reflect the diversity of the communities they served. I saw growing resources for our 2SLGBTQIA+ community which I'm a proud member of, and I saw strides being made to better represent Black, Indigenous and other communities of colour lived experiences, and expertise in culturally-relevant programming. There is perpetual need for improvement and I have seen NEDIC, along with other organizations like BANA, Body Brave, NIED and Sheena's Place continue to hold themselves accountable towards inclusivity and accessibility in their reach.
I cannot say enough about NEDIC's workshops for students from elementary to post-secondary, their professional development opportunities for teachers and education workers, mental health providers, and parent panels all tackling the issues, preventions and interventions from a bio-psycho-social-perspective. I remember how exciting it was when funding helped make this possible for NEDIC to reach entire school communities where they were at! I remember co-producing a body image and self esteem conference for Black girls with the support of University of Toronto Scarborough Campus in the late 2000s and again it wouldn't have been as successful without what I'd learned through my time at NEDIC. Years later I'd pitch the idea of a symposium in partnership with NEDIC on women and girls of colour, body image, and eating problems.
NEDIC's many conferences such as their Body Image & Self Esteem Conference, Shades of Grey Body Image Conference, VoicED Arts Showcase, Zest for Life Fundraiser all were opportunities I had the pleasure of either attending as audience member, workshop facilitator, speaker or as a conference advisor and their impact continues today. We learned so much in attendance but we also built community, we sharpened our organizer skills and we leaned into the strength of advocacy. NEDIC was also central to our advocacy which got Body Confidence Awareness Week (BCAW) officially recognized by the Toronto District School Board and the Winnipeg School Division two of Canada's largest public school boards in 2016.
My advocacy group Body Confidence Canada continues to advocate for the addition of size and weight as protected grounds against discrimination in the Ontario Human Rights Code among other policies. NEDIC supported our #SizeismSUCKS campaign and helped us, and at the time our campaign partners in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and North West Territories, in getting our word out.
In 2018, I was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament. I must admit this was never on my vision board. However, it provided an opportunity for me, supported by community across all party lines, to successfully bring forth legislation that NEDIC and other champions in our eating disorders, body image, body confidence and mental health communities had long called for: the formal recognition of Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) here in Ontario. My Bill 61 An Act to Proclaim Eating Disorders Awareness Week received unanimous support in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and through royal assent officially became law on December 8, 2020 making the first week of every February Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
This legislation would not have been possible without NEDIC's leadership and support. We went on to host our inaugural EDAW 2021 Eating Disorders Awareness Week Roundtable on February 1, 2021 where we were joined by the Honourable Michael A. Tibillo, then Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addictions, NEDIC and a host of other organizations, workers and survivors of EDs. From bed shortages, billing challenges, to the need for more trained ED health professionals, community-based resources, and more focus on eating problems in medical school training and more we shared our challenges and solutions.
This year NEDIC made history as a member of the Ontario Eating Disorders Community Alliance, an alliance of seven provincially based organizations, when they hosted a Legislative Breakfast in recognition of World Eating Disorders Action Day on June 2, 2025 at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Queen's Park. Again, NEDIC demonstrated its core values of inclusivity, humility, authenticity, and accessibility as they made the case for all of us directly and indirectly affected by eating disorders across Ontario to politicians of all parties and were well received!
I cannot thank NEDIC enough for their tireless heartwork and dedication to not only saving lives but to enriching, advocating for, and empowering them. NEDIC, is a member of the Canadian Eating Disorders Alliance and their co-authored publication Canadian Eating Disorders Strategy: 2019-2029 is the most comprehensive document offering key recommendations on prevention, public education and awareness, treatment, caregiver support, training and research to stakeholders and policymakers across our nation. Our communities cannot afford to wait.
As the first Queer Black person to ever be elected to any legislature across Canada, I can say wholeheartedly that NEDIC has left an indelible mark. NEDIC helped me find my way again at a crucial time in my life decades ago as a young person. That helped reignite my purpose and areas of interest which would later shape my graduate academic, journalism, and speaking career while helping to sharpen the very skills including my own reflexivity in leadership, community engagement, and advocacy I needed as a politician fighting for equitable and inclusive healthcare, education, and other basic human rights.
Over the past decades, ANEB and NEDIC have built a strong and enduring partnership rooted in a shared mission: to raise awareness, offer support, and promote prevention around eating disorders across Canada. Together, we’ve co-hosted educational webinars for teachers, such as the Supporting Teachers with Positive Body Image & Eating Disorder Prevention series in 2021, and jointly promoted the Beyond Images / Au-delà de l’image curriculum in classrooms nationwide. Our organizations have worked side by side during the annual Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) campaigns, uniting provincial and national efforts to amplify understanding and compassion.
As members of the Dove Self-Esteem Project, both ANEB and NEDIC have contributed to empowering youth with tools to build confidence and resilience. Over the years, we’ve collaborated on resource directories and referral systems to ensure bilingual, accessible support for individuals and families in every region of the country. NEDIC’s inclusion of ANEB in its national listings, and ANEB’s recognition of NEDIC as a trusted partner on its website, reflect our shared commitment to connected care.
In recent years, NEDIC and ANEB have strengthened their collaboration to expand culturally-responsive support for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour affected by eating disorders. Both organizations are committed to increasing access to services that reflect the lived experiences and realities of BIPOC communities
Together, ANEB and NEDIC continue to model the value of cooperation—bridging provincial and national initiatives to strengthen the collective response to eating disorders in Canada.
As NEDIC celebrates 40 years of commitment, ANEB would like to acknowledge the impact of our longstanding partnership and recognize the essential contribution of their entire team to the cause we proudly share.
I started volunteering with NEDIC in 2020 and had the privilege of transitioning into an employee position in 2022. When I started volunteering at NEDIC, it quickly became very clear that folks tended to be involved with the organization for quite some time. My experience working alongside the NEDIC team can be reflected through the amount of time I spent being a part of such a wonderful team. I started as a social media volunteer, transitioned into a direct client support position, then onboarded as an employee. During my time as an employee, I supported the development of added accessibility to NEDIC’s content, contributed to the organization's social media, and offered direct client support.
NEDIC’s work is imperative in the area of eating disorders. I joined NEDIC with a fairly wide understanding of eating disorders, and left with a much more comprehensive skillset and critical lens. The team members carry such passion and dedication for the work, ensuring that gaps in current eating disorder care are discussed. NEDIC’s workplace environment was welcoming to various perspectives, creating space for curiosity and growth as a collective team. As a current eating disorder psychotherapist, I feel grateful to be able to share NEDIC as an accessible resource to my clients. NEDIC has had positive impacts on my professional development, offering opportunities for growth and exploration. I feel very grateful for NEDIC, both personally and professionally, and hold so much appreciation for the work that they do.
I’ve been a volunteer with NEDIC from around its start-up in 1986 until the present (or 2023). As I sat down to write this, I realised that’s half of my life! My activities have included facilitating educational support groups in the early days, reviewing and editing resource materials, writing for The Bulletin, speaking at public events, committee work, assisting with training of staff and volunteers, chairing the Community Advisory Committee, and later being a member and then member-at-large of that Committee (now the Advisory Committee). My connection with NEDIC has enriched both my professional life – there’s nothing that contributes more to learning than having to present a subject to others, making connections with other professionals – and my personal life – making lifelong friends.
Joan Faulkner MSW, headed NEDIC at the start with two years of funding that had been secured through the Health Services and Promotion branch of Health and Welfare Canada, following a needs assessment conducted by the Health League of Canada, which also provided physical space for NEDIC temporarily. Dan Andreae was then Executive Director of the Health League, and remains an enthusiastic supporter of NEDIC’s work. In 1987 NEDIC moved to Toronto General Hospital where it benefited from professional and physical resources. It then faced the challenge of being identified with a Toronto medical hospital while having a mandate to serve the larger national and community interests.
Secure funding was granted by the Ontario Ministry of Health in 1989. I say “secure” because it was not time-limited, which the previous grant money had been. However, it was not increased year over year, and therefore it could not support the development or expansion of NEDIC’s services. This meant that eventually there was a strong need to find additional sources of funding.
In these early years, Joan along with program assistant, Sarah Dearing, and secretary, Savie Singh established several services that continue to this day:
responded to queries from across Canada about eating disorders, publishing The Bulletin, designing resources for educators, professionals, and the public; creating a service provider directory, and participating in International Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Along with the staff, I facilitated educational support groups and Donna Ciliska coordinated the Beyond Dieting Program designed to provide larger women with alternatives to dieting. NEDIC was a small organization providing important services locally and nationally, raising the awareness of eating disorders and how to think about them and respond to them.
Carla Rice became NEDIC’s coordinator in 1989 after Joan Faulkner left to return to her home province of Nova Scotia. Rachel Sheinin was programme assistant. Carla had written for The Bulletin, including writing book reviews in the previous years. Carla strengthened NEDIC’s relationship with the feminist community and made countless public presentations in addition to creating a full and creative agenda for each Eating Disorder Awareness Week. She and Rachel responded to countless phone inquiries and provided support groups for those with eating disorders, which became controversial as they bordered on becoming therapy groups and consumed a great deal of staff time.
Carla and Rachel brought a more overtly feminist approach to the work of NEDIC. Carla was especially interested in the role of childhood abuse and sexual assault in the development of eating disorders, as well as body image and eating problems of those from all cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds, and fat prejudice. She believed eating disorders to be overly medicalized and that the medical-professional community had mistakenly created a picture of eating disorders, particularly anorexia, as a privileged white-girl’s illness. Carla wanted to take NEDIC out of the hospital to a community-based location, partly to de-medicalize EDs and partly to end NEDIC’s role as a referral service for the TGH eating disorders program. After NEDIC’s move to the hospital, it had been given the role of providing this service and Carla believed it to be taking valuable staff time while being inconsistent with NEDIC’s mandate. She likely also felt that it caused NEDIC to be seen as supporting a “medical model of eating disorders” which she strongly believed it should not do. Carla worked to engage the Ministry of Health’s support to end NEDIC’s role as a referral service for TGH and to move NEDIC out of the hospital to a community-based location. She was successful in the former but not the latter. There were no funds to support paying rent for a location and no free locations. Carla and Rachel resigned their positions with NEDIC.
For about six months, NEDIC was in some disarray and counted on Maria Jacobsen, Alisa Gayle, Wendi Rockert, and Savie Singh to keep it functioning until a general plan could be identified and agreed upon and a new coordinator/director could be hired. My role at this time was as Chair of the Community Advisory Board. It was a difficult time with many different voices and strong opinions, but we were able to come together and had the great good fortune to find Merryl Bear to take the lead with NEDIC.
The short story from here is that Merryl inherited a small organization that was in some disarray and had little power within the hospital. Over her tenure, she created a sustainable, feminist, important little organization that punched way above its weight. NEDIC became a nationally active leader and an internationally recognized organization.
With the assistance of Alisa Gayle, Renee Ashe, Karin Davis and Barb Callaghan, Merryl created relationships with organizations and individuals locally and across the country. A particularly notable synergy-producing one was with ETFO in Ontario. Merryl also committed to formal evaluations of NEDIC’s educational services with all being very highly evaluated and the recommendation that the organization should be properly funded.
She elevated its media presence with, for example, Public Service Announcements that won two Bessies at the 1994 Canadian Television Advertising Festival, followed by a 3-poster campaign that went into high schools nationally. Two of these posters were finalists in the Cannes International Advertising Festival.
Merryl also increased funding for NEDIC, sometimes with grants for manuals and materials, and also through building up the Prevention Fund, holding events like Zest for Life, and later through a strong relationship with Unilever via the Dove campaign for Real Beauty and the Dove Self-Esteem Project. This generated a significant increase in income for NEDIC and increased its profile and community presence.
The Service Provider’s directory was re-vamped so that providers wanting to be listed in the directory were required to attest to having a non-dieting approach, among other things.
Merryl began the project of having a Helpline with a Live Chat function and created an interactive Beyond Images curriculum (updated in 2016). She also developed thorough training and education process for students, volunteers, and staff that assured callers to NEDIC would have an affirming, strengths-based, feminist, and knowledgeable conversation.
Suzanne Phillips - 2015 Program Manager
With staff: Ary, Emily D, Sara, Emily T, Ariel, Isabelle
Suzanne continued to make astounding steps with fund-raising. More staff could be hired to provide and improve resources and services. Developments included things like a new website and resources specifically for 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC populations as well as listing community resources that are free of charge, and guidance about how to talk with one’s physician. A transforming project is the Helpline with Live chat that is reachable through a 1-866- number and staffed daily.
The accomplishment of Suzanne and staff that is dearest to me is the development of Parent Panels in partnership with former Advisory Board member Sarah Farrell. Ary Maharaj organizes and chairs these panels that include a parent, a physician, a person with lived experience of an eating disorder, and a clinician. They are available to schools and contribute to early identification of eating disorders as well as providing parents with much needed information, support and encouragement.
I first came across NEDIC in 2011 – at that time, I thought my daughter was through her eating disorder and in a good place. She had gone off to university, and I was a stay-at-home mom. I wanted to give back, get involved and help other parents who had a loved one struggling. NEDIC was recommended to me by a doctor at MEDCAN as a great place to start.
I created a resume and then reached out to meet with the then Executive Director, Merryl Bear. Suzanne Phillips was also working there.
Merryl and Suzanne asked if I was interested in helping with an event. They had never hosted a fundraising event for NEDIC, so I thought we could organize something to raise funds for them. I love bringing people together.
Along with several other individuals, we organized an evening event at The Distillery District, in an Art Shop. It was a perfect space, and we had a fabulous turnout. Dr. Blake Woodside spoke, and I believe we raised some significant funds to help NEDIC grow.
When my daughter’s eating disorder turned, and we had to bring her home from university, I didn’t continue in the same capacity with NEDIC but kept in touch with Merryl and Suzanne.
I was grateful when NEDIC invited me to their DOVE Self-Esteem project. I also enjoyed being involved with NEDIC’s yearly conferences, which they used to hold. Whether helping prepare the plenaries or being a sponsor and listening to the presentations, these were always wonderful events to connect and network with individuals in the eating disorder space.
Since starting the WaterStone Foundation in 2014, NEDIC and WaterStone have collaborated on various projects, including initiatives to engage high schools and, more recently, efforts in the post-secondary space. I appreciate NEDIC’s involvement and collaborative approach – as we say, staying in each other's lanes and not re-creating things, but working together towards the end goal: helping individuals and their families who are struggling. As well as educating and training -
NEDIC is the most critical organization in the Canadian eating disorder space. NEDIC works on connecting across the country and not just in Ontario.
NEDIC provided me with stepping stones to create the WaterStone Foundation. My mission was different from NEDIC’s, but we need and should all be working closely together. I am pleased to see NEDIC's growth into a worldwide respected organization, collaborating with the UK and Australian organizations.
Congratulations, NEDIC, on your 40th Anniversary. Everyone in the Eating Disorder space recognizes your continued passion and determination. Well done!!
My involvement with NEDIC has been profoundly meaningful, serving as a beacon of support and connection during a time when the conversation around intuitive, weight-inclusive, and mindful approaches to nourishment was still emerging. Being part of a community that truly understands the nuances of eating disorders and mental health has been both validating and empowering. NEDIC has provided a space for sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources, reinforcing the importance of approaching these topics with empathy and understanding. It was not just a role; it was a journey that deepened my commitment to fostering an embodied relationship with nourishment and body image.
NEDIC has significantly shaped my professional practice by instilling in me the value of a holistic and compassionate approach to mental health and nourishment. The insights I gained through my involvement have reinforced the importance of creating spaces where individuals feel safe and supported in exploring their relationship with food and body. This experience has ultimately guided my career trajectory, inspiring me to advocate for inclusive practices in my work and emphasizing the need for ongoing education around eating disorders.
Our organization has been connected to NEDIC since EDSNA's inception in 2014. We've shared information and troubleshooted issues; attended workshops and conferences hosted by NEDIC; sat on working tables and action coalitions together to improve supportive offerings; and worked collaboratively on community activities like Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
The 2019 NEDIC conference sticks out as an important moment, not only because of the information shared at the conference itself but also because it connected so many support organizations and agencies. The conversations that were started and connections made helped our organization -and myself as a new (at the time) staff member- feel more connected to the work happening across the country; it made it easier to send a referral, ask a question, or provide information because you knew the other service providers operating in this space. If the ultimate goal for many of us is to close the gaps in the disordered eating support network, I think that conference was an important piece of that process.
NEDIC has been an important part of the eating disorder support landscape in Canada, helping to facilitate referrals for programming, transmission of current practice information, and a phone number to call. It has also helped groups like ours share supportive offerings even outside of the province, connecting organizations with one another to foster a more cohesive support network. We are grateful for the work that their amazing team has done!
NEDIC contributed significantly to my career and my knowledge of eating disorders dating back over 30 years. As a front-line youth worker in Toronto, working with teen girls in the early to late 90’s, there was little information about eating disorders particularly with a feminist framework. I likely first had my awareness raised by NEDIC posters, literature, and events in a pre-internet world.
Later while living and working in Winnipeg, the knowledge and skills I needed to specialize in community-based eating disorder treatment, were in part nutured by NEDIC through annual conferences, the national networks created through NEDIC and all the research and information made available on your website.
An important milestone was when NEDIC became a recipient of donations from the Dove Self-Esteem Project. I had the privilege of working closely with Dove and was hired to create resources, facilitate workshops across the country and promote the project in other ways. As a part of that, it was a delight to ensure that people across the country heard about NEDIC and knew that there was a national resource to turn to for awareness, information, and support.
NEDIC has been the national lead on EDAW and raising awareness even before there was an official week. Who can forget the glorious poster from the mid 90’s with diverse women’s bodies floating over a blue landscape? I knew women outside of the eating disorder community who framed that poster and had it on their living room walls because it of the rare body positivity imagery.
When I became a member of the Manitoba Legislature and left my counselling career in 2019, I took with me the values and passion that had been nurtured by my relationship with NEDIC. In 2022, as an opposition MLA, I successfully passed The Eating Disorder Awareness Week Act with unanimous support of the Legislature. NEDIC has always championed awareness and it was important for me to shine a light on this important health and mental health issue to encourage Manitobans to seek help and to encourage the government invest more treatment and prevention programs.
Congratulations on 40 years of groundbreaking advocacy, education, and support!
My involvement with NEDIC was a great way for me to engage in something that was deeply personal and a professional interest. And it was so cool to connect with my culture and upbringing in a different way! I spent a lot of time acting as though I was a white North American, but I’m not and my experiences reflect that. So I loved being part of the BIPOC resource creation.
My involvement didn’t influence my career - yet. I think sometimes things take some time to bloom. In any case, knowing that there were people working to open up conversations I wish I could have had during some formative years was touching. NEDIC does very necessary, very timely work.
I think NEDIC is a fantastic central resource that provides more localized connections for folks. You set the standard for compassionate and culturally relevant care, and that’s really cool (and crucial).
I first joined NEDIC as an Outreach & Education volunteer in 2013 and I later went on to become the Outreach & Education Coordinator from 2014-2017. It was and continues to be one of the most meaningful work experiences of my life!
During my time there, we did so much with so little! My team of volunteers, placement students, and I, developed and presented outreach presentations across the GTA and online. We worked with kids, educators, and healthcare professionals, and used the resources we had to create and disseminate engaging, informative, and accessible education materials about body image, critical media literacy, eating disorder awareness and prevention.
Working at NEDIC inspired me to pursue a career that actively and directly impacts mental health and well-being and I left my position in 2017 to complete an MA in Creative Arts Therapies at Concordia University. I have since balanced clinical practice with creative, and community-based work and am now pursuing my PhD with a focus on the healing and liberatory potential of neo-burlesque for queer and racialized communities. My time at NEDIC helped me to pinpoint critical gaps in the healthcare system, and taught me to think creatively about how to actively create change!
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute reflections on NEDIC’s 40th anniversary. I’ve also been involved in the for 40 years, so I guess that NEDIC and I have grown up together.
I am from the US- a clinician, writer and activist. I am a founder of NEDA and a Founding Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders as well as one of the founding members of the EDC- Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Practice and Advocacy. I was a founding and senior editor of Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention.
I have written a number of books, often the first one on a topic like Father Hunger, Body Wars, The Body Myth, Pursuing Perfection, Effective Clinical Treatment of Eating Disorders, Treatment of Eating Disorders: Bridging the Research Practice Gap, and more recently and not about eating disorders- Hair Tells a Story: Hers, Yours, and Ours.
Over all these years and projects, I have always been impressed and inspired by NEDIC. You have always been ahead of our efforts in the US when it comes to prevention, education, inclusion, and collaboration. I attended and spoke at two of the NEDIC conferences and was impressed by the level of discourse, the range of topics covered, and the spirit of collaboration and connection- so critical in the field of eating disorders and in the experience of our patients. Professional and public education are central to the mission of organizations like NEDIC and they do it well.
I am grateful to NEDIC for its leadership and commitment to the improvement of the lives of those affected by eating disorders. NEDIC has made the world a better place for all people affected by eating disorders. Please keep at it!
I was a practicum student with NEDIC when I was completing my Bachelors of Social Work.
I have such fond memories from my time at NEDIC and from the team I was able to work with. I was moved by the way that the team practiced what they preach in terms of creating an environment that was humane, supportive, caring and empowering. I'll never forget my supervisor insisting on a craftervention when multiple team members, myself included, were having a challenging mental health day. I was grateful to be a part of the VOICES fundraiser and to help facilitate presentations on body image and media literacy at elementary schools!
NEDIC has done incredible work to educate the public on eating disorders while destigmatizing the conversation, disrupting diet culture, and catalyzing healing for those impacted. The information they are providing to students and community members to prevent disordered eating and the resources they provide to those impacted are intersectional, empowering and potentially life saving. My work today, which largely focuses on sexual violence response and prevention, is strengthened by my time at NEDIC as I learned so much about accessible education and advocacy, as well as the overlap between sexual assault survival and disordered eating, Thank you NEDIC for the incredible work you're doing to spark healing and strengthen support in our world!
NEDIC is an organisation with which I have a symbiotic relationship - I grew it, and it grew me.
When I was hired in 1992, NEDIC had been shuttered for about 6 months. Behind closed doors, volunteer Alisa Gayle, supported by researcher Wendi Rockert and a nurse, Maria Jacobson - gamely responded to stacks of letters seeking advice.
Alisa became my Assistant Program Coordinator; a person whose intellectual and personal support and insider knowledge was critical as we began reinvigorating NEDIC.
The early years were characterised by long hours of outreach to diverse communities, learning and building a strong foundation of support, including an advisory committee. Among others who became long-term supporters, Karin Jasper deserves a particular mention as someone who volunteered - or was volunteered! - in multiple capacities, and, in particular, as a peer support when working through thorny issues. Some practical issues that emerged were: How to expand our database from a little green cardboard binder of expert individuals, organisations and institutions working with individuals impacted by eating disorders? Or increase capacity of our help line? Or distribute our bi-monthly Bulletin, written by experts exploring current issues in the field, more effectively? Or invigorate the in-person public education we offered?
Elsewhere, you will get a sense of the many innovative and impactful things that NEDIC has done over the last 40 years. Here, I thought to step back, and ask "what were, to me, some key shifts in my time at NEDIC?"
NEDIC was, from its inception, an eating disorder centre informed by a feminist rather than a biomedical approach to working with people impacted by eating disorders. In other words, rather than assuming the problem was rooted within the individual (yet often blamed on the mother!) – an attitude that removed agency from both impacted families and individuals– we placed a bio-psycho-social approach at the centre of our work.
This meant exploring the lived experiences of individuals within the context of current socioeconomic and political conditions. What created risk for food and weight preoccupation and eating disorders? What created resilience? What constituted recovery? What first step could a friend, a family member, an individual struggling with an eating disorder take?
We made a concerted effort to permeate this philosophy into everything we did. Our bi-monthly Bulletin and conferences, both highly regarded by professionals from diverse disciplines and accessible to the layperson too, tackled issues that weren't necessarily popular or mainstream—violence against women; the effects of homophobia, how eating disorders affected boys and men, and other intersections of identity and disordered eating. We addressed the emerging studies on the role of genes and epigenetics on the development of eating disorders. Articles touched on prevention, identification, treatment, recovery and hope.
It was also important to NEDIC that the expert treatment and support network we created worked within a non-dieting, non-appearance-based approach. We believed deeply that recovery should be built on strengths and support for individuals with eating disorders/food and weight preoccupation, not on restrictive practices, or be appearance-based.
In 1992 our technology was 'snail mail' and the telephone. Our impact was largely local and when we wanted to go wider and still be accessible, costs rose significantly too.
But the World Wide Web was soon to emerge. NEDIC explored the opportunities this new world of technology offered and fairly rapidly made two significant changes to our operations:
An organisational, creative and strategic wizard in the form of Assistant Program Co-ordinator Karin Davis streamlined, strengthened and set us up for advances in using this new technology to support all our work, and evaluate our progress.
Internet/computing technology also completely revolutionised our ability to provide individuals with support and treatment options and information. Uploading our searchable directory freed individuals to review all options and select what they felt most suited their needs, and freed NEDIC helpline workers to engage specifically with those who wanted more personal interactions. (When I left, Suzanne Phillips, then Asst Program Co-ordinator, who had the pulse of the entire organisation, was introducing support via instant chat; technological advances continue.)
This allowed us to do a better job of evaluating who was reaching out to us, how quickly we were responding, and what those responses looked like. For the first time, we could readily demonstrate concretely what we did, how we did it, and our reach. This helped significantly with both the quality of our support and the quality of our reporting -and access - to funders.
This new technology also posed challenges.
In the early and mid 1990s NEDIC was able to use a range of breakfast and talk show invitations for both community and commercial TV and radio to educate. With little effort on our part, we were regular participants on shows hungry to explore 'new' and popular issues.
Newspapers, also, were still healthy at a community level and articles I wrote were disseminated by News Canada to hundreds of community and national newspapers. I can't begin to estimate how many individuals learned about, and got support from us, through this earned media. The numbers we reached also made us more attractive to funders.
Of course, traditional in-school public and professional education and printed materials remained important. One of our most significant early achievements was updating three foundational primers - aimed at laypeople, teachers, parents, etc - on understanding and overcoming eating disorders and working with affected individuals. We increased distribution significantly through yet another grant, ensuring that two copies of each manual was placed in every library and high school in Ontario. Through another important collaboration - with ANEB Quebec - these primers were translated into French and distributed widely in Quebec.
This represented one of the first comprehensive attempts to get free, credible eating disorder information into the public domain across Canada.
But we also began experimenting with new forms of public education. And much of this was inspired by volunteers, placement students and outside collaborators:
Circumstances – there was work to be done! - and a commitment to respectful, inclusive development and collaboration drove another important dimension of NEDIC's work, namely working hard with volunteers and placement students so that their time with NEDIC was meaningful to them.
NEDIC offered placements to students from diverse college and university disciplines and allocated time to developing a cadre of professionals and individuals knowledgeable and skilled with regards to eating disorders; a new generation of leaders.
All staff, students and volunteers underwent comprehensive training programs and received close supervision with opportunities to consult staff members on challenges they faced. We never compromised on the quality of response people received when they reached out to us in crisis or seeking support.
Interaction with college and university staff, placement students and volunteers was hands down the most rewarding experience of my time at NEDIC. As we provided education and training in soft skills, so I learned about the changing preoccupations and experiences of young girls and boys, and how food and weight preoccupation factored into their lives. These individuals then went out into the world equipped with knowledge and skills they wouldn't have gained elsewhere.
Many continued to volunteer at NEDIC after fulfilling their education requirements, which, to me, is a great accolade to the mentoring provided by generations of NEDIC staff. And watching (or hearing about) them progressing in their own careers left me feeling warm and satisfied!
Despite this massive growth one challenge persisted throughout my 25 years: funding. We began with $122,000 in annual funding from the Ministry of Health and when I left NEDIC it had increased to only $128,000—effectively a decrease in funding over a quarter-century of expanded services and growing demand. This meant constant fundraising efforts – which consumed enormous amounts of time - and creative partnerships to support our work.
Without individuals like Gail Forsyth (our original ministry liaison who regularly shepherded through one-time grants) and Jan Lackstrom (our wonder-woman in administration who covered cost overruns through savings in other Global Fund programs) our financial challenges would have been even more severe.
Many of our later ventures were possible because of our partnership with Dove. I'm proud that Dove chose NEDIC as a partner from among 19 other candidates. And despite challenges – there will always be when partnering with industry who have different needs – the funding and relationships transformed what NEDIC could do and NEDIC’s reach.
And we succeeded. Now we have Suzanne who has grown NEDIC significantly since I left, in size but also in responding to a new age and new challenges. It is this intense commitment of people like Suzanne and the many other people who worked with us during my time at NEDIC, that has enabled a small voice to roar.
This is why I am so proud to join this celebration of NEDIC's 40th year. I'm proud of what NEDIC continues to accomplish: an organization genuinely open to inquiry, willing to examine its strengths and weaknesses, committed to adaptation and change while never compromising on inclusivity and equity, and, above all, providing the resources and information the many people in our society enduring the pain and confusion of an eating disorder or impacted by someone with an eating disorder, need to move forward.
I became involved with NEDIC in 2018, shortly after moving to Toronto from Boston. I met Sharon Zister and Adele LaFrance at the 2017 Renfrew Conference. After their talks, they encouraged me to connect with NEDIC so I could continue the eating-disorders work I’d been doing in the U.S. I began as a volunteer on the helpline. Not long after, Suzanne invited me in for a conversation after seeing my résumé and learning I was a trained ED therapist. Following that meeting, I was invited to join the Advisory Board, where I’ve served since 2018.
From my vantage point, NEDIC’s growth in national reach has been remarkable, especially the way the helpline and outreach efforts meet people where they are across Canada. That combination of advocacy and practical support has remained a lifeline for folks who are struggling, as well as for their families and loved ones. One initiative I’m especially proud of is NEDIC’s commitment to building and maintaining diverse, community-responsive resource guides. I’ve been honoured to contribute to these alongside several therapists from Bloom, helping surface culturally responsive, weight-inclusive, and trauma-informed options so people can find care that fits.
NEDIC is a trusted first point of contact in Canada for evidence-informed information, compassionate navigation, and early support around eating disorders. They also lead with inclusive, culturally sensitive education and information that supports not only clients and families, but very the clinicians who serve them. As a therapist of colour, I have not only found helpful resources for clinical practice, but I’ve found community, mentorship, and learning that makes the field more welcoming and sustainable.
NEDIC offers concrete ways to participate in the work: helpline support, training, community resource guides, and advocacy. This collective effort pushes for increased access to care and fewer harmful outcomes for those struggling with food and body image. Working alongside the team has strengthened my ability to connect clients with sensitive and responsive networks, and has equipped me to educate students and fellow therapists about the need for eating-disorder treatment and practice, and motivated me to continue to embed equity and cultural safety into the work.
I will always be grateful to NEDIC. In February 2001 I gave three presentations in Toronto that were sponsored by NEDIC. I had just finished a term as President of the Board of Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention, which, as I recall, was just in the process of becoming the foundation for the National Eating Disorders Association. I will always be grateful for the time I spent with Merryl and the NEDIC staff, who showed me what a first-class professionally operated non-profit eating disorders awareness, prevention, support, and advocacy should and could do and be.
My online searching indicates that NEDIC, founded/first funded in 1985, along with BANA, predate the founding of Beat (in the UK), and thus are the innovative and still very important models of the many ways in which a national eating disorders organization offering multidimensional support for people with EDs, caretakers, and professionals makes an enormous difference in the world.
I first connected with NEDIC around 20 years ago as a helpline volunteer, supporting individuals and families seeking guidance. Over time I stepped into program coordination, fundraising, writing, and outreach, collaborating with many other wonderfully passionate volunteers and staff.
I still smile thinking about the Shades of Grey conference and our work with Dove. Does anyone else remember the cheese Post-its from our sponsor, Dairy Farmers of Canada? I still have a pad of them in my office! Meeting Lyn Mikel Brown at the 2011 conference, and hearing her speak about the sexualization of youth and the impact of media on girls, ultimately sparked my own research into representations of embodiment in children’s media. I also loved presenting media-literacy and eating disorder prevention workshops with Olympic athlete Sarah Gairdner at schools across Toronto; the students' energy and engagement fostered my passion for school-based workshops, which remain an important part of my professional work. Above all, I cherish the team and colleagues at NEDIC, many of whom I’m grateful to still be in touch with more than twenty years later.
On a personal note, I’m not sure I’d be a psychologist in the eating disorders field were it not for NEDIC, and for the unwavering support of Merryl and Suzanne. Merryl modeled what comprehensive, compassionate, and curious care looks like; her client-centred style set the standard for me, and I still pause and wonder "How might Merryl have responded to this?" She and Suzanne allowed me to participate in many facets of eating disorder nonprofit work, including helpline support, training, community outreach, fundraising, program evaluation, and research, so that I could refine my interests while making a difference. These are skills I still rely and build upon today.
From a national perspective, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre quite literally saves lives. NEDIC works with people and partners in every setting. Through their helpline and chat support, advocacy, training for educators and health-care providers, client navigation, prevention initiatives, outreach, government engagements, and research partnerships, they make a meaningful difference across the continuum of sectors. They connect individuals and families to credible information and timely care, helping people find support sooner and heal more fully. I’m deeply grateful to NEDIC for the support they have provided to thousands of Canadians, as well as for their advocacy, mentorship, and continued collaboration.
Happy Anniversary NEDIC!! Thank you for all you do!
Working with NEDIC has been a special opportunity that I didn't truly anticipate. Having the opportunity to collaborate with a partner that has been in active partnership with the Dove Self-Esteem Project for over 20 years is truly impactful and inspiring. To experience the vision of reaching young people where they are at through NEDIC on the front lines, has been such a gift. I've learnt so much from the care, consideration and nuance that the team consistently exudes and it has truly been a delight to experience partnership in this way! #Northstar
I credit my first involvement with NEDIC to my dear friend and Co-Founder of our clinic, Dr. Michele Foster, who introduced to me to Merryl and Suzanne and the wonderful team at NEDIC. It was shortly after this introduction that we were invited to assist in delivering presentations to university students about the risks and realities of eating disorders. That early experience of education and advocacy left a lasting impression on both of us, and we’ve maintained a close relationship with NEDIC ever since. Today, our clinic in Toronto, which specializes in eating disorders and body image, continues to rely on NEDIC as a key resource for both our clinical team and the wider community we serve.
Over the years we''ve seen NEDIC evolve in meaningful and impactful ways. One key milestone has been the introduction of its online chat services, which significantly increased access to support for individuals across Canada, including those in remote or underserved communities.
NEDIC has been a cornerstone in shaping the national conversation around eating disorders in Canada. It’s one of the few organizations that has consistently prioritized prevention, education, and advocacy, not just treatment, which has made a real difference in how eating disorders are understood and addressed at a systems level. Personally, my early involvement with NEDIC helped solidify my passion for this field and reinforced the importance of community-based education and support in the continuum of care. Even today, our clinic benefits from NEDIC’s resources, whether we’re directing clients to their helpline or drawing on their materials in our group programming. NEDIC’s presence continues to be invaluable, both to our team and to the clients we serve.
When I first joined the Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland & Labrador, almost 13 years ago, one of the first organizations I read about was NEDIC. Right from that time I felt they did great work and we should collaborate with them.
Over the past 13 years NEDIC and the amazing folks who work there, have become trusted allies and partners on many projects. And we intend to build on, and enhance the programs we offer through ongoing partnerships and collaboration.
It is our pleasure at EDFNL to celebrate NEDIC's 40 years of working to improve the lives of individuals, families and carers, and the many health professionals who are dealing with this serious mental health issue throughout Canada.
Since May 2024, I have been a part of the NEDIC team, first as a placement student and later as a live chat volunteer.
As a frequent first point of contact for many service users, NEDIC has continued to make significant strides in making its services more accessible over the past year. The launch of the JEM chatbot and the translation of resources into different languages have helped reach more people across Canada with eating disorder or disordered eating concerns, and most importantly, have bridged the gap for those not yet ready to seek help.
My experience on the live chat service at NEDIC taught me the importance of approaching every individual with curiosity, compassion, and empathy. I have carried these principles with me into my current work, where I continue to advocate for and destigmatize mental health through frontline clinical work and research. It’s truly fulfilling to create a safe space for folks and their loved ones, encouraging them to speak openly and take further actions towards their recovery journeys!
I first became aware of NEDIC in August 2020 when my youngest daughter was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa. My husband and I had no knowledge of anorexia or eating disorders, the treatment for anorexia, or which health care professionals treated anorexia. Our family physician asked us whether we wanted a referral to the Hospital for Sick Children or North York General Hospital’s eating disorders programs, and we originally declined knowing that there were limited public resources, and, unlike other families, we had some work health benefits to help pay privately for a psychologist or registered social worker. We thought we could find a qualified professional to work with our daughter and us for a couple of weeks and get her on a path to recovery. We were terrified and so naïve.
The first place I turned for help was NEDIC. I stumbled across NEDIC’s website trying to find reputable information about anorexia, and knowledgeable psychologists, registered social workers, and registered dieticians. I called NEDIC’s helpline, explained our situation, and was given (in a follow-up email) referrals for experienced professionals in our area. NEDIC’s helpline volunteer gave me reassurance that we were on the right path to helping our daughter, resources to learn about anorexia and its evidence-based treatments, and support. I still have that email, and it includes the following two sentences: “I hope you find all these helpful and a good fit Rochelle but please contact us again if you would like anything else. We understand the impact eating disorders have on families and are happy to help however we can.” I cannot express how impactful it was to find people and an organization that understood what we, as a family, and my daughter, especially, were going through. In a world filled with diet culture, mental health stigma, and useless or detrimental advice, NEDIC was an invaluable resource that I returned to time and time again, reading articles on its website, as a portal to other resources such as F.E.A.S.T. (Families of those Affected with Eating Disorders), and “as back up” when trying to explain anorexia to family, friends, and educators. Through that NEDIC referral list, we were exceptionally fortunate to find an experienced psychologist who made space in her practice to work with our family and who emphasized the importance of a hospital program referral in my daughter’s case. Those referrals were lifesaving.
In 2024, I joined NEDIC’s Advisory Committee. I have also participated in some of NEDIC’s Outreach & Education parent panels in schools. The dedication, care, and thoughtfulness that the staff and volunteers at NEDIC bring to their work in providing education, information, resources, and support for individuals with eating disorders, their families, their teachers, their health care providers, and the public is extraordinary. NEDIC is a small organization doing extremely important, life-saving work on a limited budget. We are privileged in Canada to have NEDIC.
I first heard about NEDIC about 14 or 15 years ago. My daughter had been diagnosed with anorexia and I was lost. I was getting virtually no support from our GP at the time - only being told what the goals are with no way of knowing how to get there. I was fortunate to meet another parent who was going through the same thing - not that I would EVER wish this on anyone. She shared with me some incredibly valuable information that enabled me to have a clear picture of what we were dealing with and how to deal with it. One key part of that was NEDIC.
By reaching out to NEDIC, I was able to access proper support, information and hear success stories. NEDIC was able to help me realize that I needed to access help for myself in order to support my daughter. They also helped me see that not every person goes through this horrid disease on the same path. When my daughter was struggling, not able to gain weight or make much progress toward recovery, I was able to learn that this is normal, there is not just one way to achieve recovery and no path looks the same. My daughter would also occasionally reach out to the NEDIC online support. There is a lot of information, misinformation, programs and choices to make when going through an ED journey. And NEDIC provided a framework to see what is available, how to look for and access programs and support for my daughter and our family. The information that I sought and received from NEDIC enabled and empowered me to make the right choices for our family. It doesn’t mean it was easy, it just means I had gained the confidence to make the choices and keep going.
Although my daughter was still in the throes of the ED, about 8 years ago I started volunteering with NEDIC. I wanted to give back and support the place that was helping us. I started helping with parent panels as a way of sharing our story. I wanted other people who might have concerns about their child to feel empowered to reach out for and insist on getting help for their situation. I believe in prevention and awareness of eating disorders, how they show up and what can be done. I am proud to have been part of the education and awareness of eating disorders with NEDIC. It has been amazing to see the program grow and reach more people of all ages and stages throughout Canada. Sadly, there is still a big need for NEDIC - eating disorders are still prevalent. Although our journey was a long one (14 years) I am happy and proud to say that my daughter is doing well, very well.
I first got to know NEDIC in the mid 1990’s. I was volunteering with, and then working for the BC Eating Disorders Association in Victoria BC.
The legendary Meryl Bear was then leading NEDIC. We brought the NEDIC poster campaign for EDAW to all the schools we had been working with, and shared all their materials.
The work NEDIC has done in creating materials for traditionally underserved communities has been so well done and so needed. The phone line, and now chat have been an invaluable service for Canadians. The need is so great in Canada and resources are scarce, so when a service is being done well by one organization, we don't want to run duplicative services. Here at Eating Disorders NS, we offered an online chat for many years, but with the expansion of the NEDIC chat, and the great feedback, the decision to divest in our chat program just made sense.
We hope for a future when our organizations are not needed, but as long as folks are impacted by eating disorders, we will need NEDIC!
I’ve been involved with NEDIC since 2021 as a direct support worker, volunteering with the chat line. In 2018, I performed at the VOICED event which is how I was introduced to NEDIC. This was an incredible event where I got out of my comfort zone but was surrounded by such a great support system both with the organizers of the event, and the warm audience.
NEDIC is so important and influential - just being able to offer in-the-moment support to folks struggling or not sure where to start with regards to their recovery is huge. It takes a lot of bravery to call or chat in so I appreciate my fellow colleagues offering warmth and gentleness and meeting folks where they are in the journey. I appreciate how NEDIC never wavers in their values of being anti-diet and anti-oppressive, as eating disorders are political and require an intersectional approach to care and treatment. NEDIC has influenced my career as a social worker by giving me more understanding of the eating disorder landscape, helping me to better understand how to support folks struggling, and helping clients connect to NEDIC when they are needing support, referrals, resources, or information. I’m so grateful to NEDIC for everything they provide!!
NEDIC has given me an incredible experience as a placement student in 2025, I have experienced so much growth in my capacity to support folks affected by eating disorders and the team was very generous in sharing their knowledge with me. Struggles with disordered eating can be really isolating, NEDIC shines a light in the darkness, giving a space to be heard, helping suggest ways to move forward when the path to relief feels unclear.
I was involved intermittently with NEDIC from 1993 to 2016 as a copywriter and concept creator.
I was first introduced to NEDIC’s indomitable Meryl Bear in 1993 by the film director Sheldon Pilot who approached the charity to see if they might be interested in a pro bono TV campaign. Meryl said “yes” and this led to the creation of ongoing multimedia ad campaigns, which I created with various art directors and ad agencies over 23-years on a pro bono basis.
I am proud to say that I was involved with numerous milestones that took place at NEDIC. With the help of my art director, Michael Wurstlin, I created NEDIC’s first ever TV campaign, poster campaign and direct mailer, all of them driving awareness of the scourge of Eating Disorders. I also wrote NEDIC’S first tagline: It’s not our bodies that need changing, it's our attitudes. This tagline ran for at least ten years, which is an eternity in Canadian marketing. In 2009, I created with my art director, Marketa Krivy through the ad agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, NEDIC’s first campaign targeting the fashion industry, launching the tagline: Cast responsibly. Retouch Minimally. Over my remaining career with NEDIC, I helped write the Charity's first digital materials with Designer Mary-Ann Bedard, including those that drove people to the inaugural helpline.
My work with NEDIC didn’t only help NEDIC, it brought me recognition here in Canada and abroad. Much of the work I created with NEDIC won industry awards from the top Canadian and international shows including Cannes and Communication Arts. On a more personal note, it feels good to have been able to help bring attention to an affliction that affects so many people and to an organization that has done so much (with so little) for so many people and for so many years. I continue to donate money to NEDIC as often as I can.
1999 …. More than 20 years ago, when our daughter first showed signs of an eating disorder, we had no idea what or where to go for help or support. At the time Google was in its infancy. My husband worked downtown and literally ran to NEDIC’s offices in TGH and came home with a pile of papers.
I clearly remember sifting through all this and searching for a therapist close to where we lived. We thankfully did find someone around the corner from us. A massive relief and certainly the start of nutritional help”.
Amongst the pile there was also information for Sheena’s Place which saved my life.
As a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario I had the opportunity to engage with NEDIC as part of my work on mental health and Eating Disorder policy when I introduced my Private Members Bill, the Combating Eating Disorders in Ontario Act. This act aimed to address the harmful impacts of digitally altered images and to promote awareness and prevention of eating disorders.
Hearing directly from those who have benefited from NEDIC’s services in our community and across Ontario as MPP was both challenging due to the difficulties many people have as well as inspiring as many receive the help they need and persevere to reach a better place for both their physical and mental health.
One milestone I recall is the creation and growth of NEDIC’s helpline and live chat services, which expanded access to care for people across Canada. By making it possible for individuals to reach trained support staff from anywhere in the country, NEDIC broke down barriers for those who might otherwise have remained isolated or unable to seek help. This innovation has saved lives and continues to be a cornerstone of your national impact.
Another important milestone was the launch of NEDIC’s school-based outreach and education programs, which brought age-appropriate information about body image, self-esteem, and eating disorders into classrooms across Canada. By working with educators and students, NEDIC helped to prevent problems before they began and gave young people the language and tools to speak up when they needed support.
The National Eating Disorder Information Centre has played an irreplaceable role in Canada’s mental health landscape. Eating disorders are among the most serious of all mental illnesses, yet too often misunderstood. NEDIC has been a pioneer in breaking the silence, reducing stigma, and influencing both public awareness and policy.
As an elected representative, I am grateful for NEDIC’s leadership, which helps policymakers better respond to the mental health needs of Canadians. Congratulations once again on 40 years of extraordinary impact. I look forward to continuing to support your mission in the years ahead.