Increasing access to care for people experiencing eating disorders is possible. During EDAW, community-based organizations across Canada are offering free or reduced-cost programming to expand access to support for underserved communities and create space to discuss topics often left out of conversations about eating disorders.
Explore these opportunities to connect, share, and heal.
Program description: This group is designed to provide a safer space for those in the disability community to explore their unique experiences of body image and disordered eating in an ableist society that is often preoccupied with a narrow definition of “health”.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services. This group prioritizes space for persons who identify as disabled (includes visible/invisible permanent/episodic disabilities) and it is run by facilitators who identify as disabled. Please contact Sheena’s Place if you require any accommodations to participate. This group ascribes to the social model of disability, and thus uses identity-first language. We also acknowledge that language is fluid and personal, and everyone has the right to determine their preferred way of identifying.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Monday at this time from January 6 to March 17.
Program description: Eating disorders do not discriminate and it is possible to develop this complex illness at any stage in life. This session will focus on eating disorders in midlife, including the triggers that are prevalent at this stage in life, and the twists and turns in the recovery journey. It will be a safe and supportive space to discuss strategies for navigating treatment at a stage in life when there are so many responsibilities. Betsy Brenner, author of “The Longest Match: Rallying to Defeat an Eating Disorder in Midlife”, will share her story and the lessons learned in her own recovery journey.
Eligibility: This workshop session is intended for any individual affected by an eating disorder in midlife, whether you are a caregiver, loved one, or struggling yourself. Our Speaker Series is open to anyone across Canada who is 17+.
Program description: A peer support group for adults who struggle with disordered eating or eating disorders. This EDAW-themed meeting is a safe, inclusive, and judgement-free space to connect with your peers across the nation.
Eligibility: Open to all Canadians 18+ who struggle with disordered eating or eating disorders. No diagnosis required. NOTE: This is not group therapy. Facilitators are peers with lived and living experience. Some topics of discussion may be triggering and we encourage you to plan for extra support if you need it.
Program description: This group aims to hold space for neurodivergent folks who would like to explore the intersection of neurodivergence and eating disorder experiences. Topics may include barriers to treatment, masking, sensory experiences, executive functioning, etc.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services. This group is intended for people who identify as being part of the broader neurodivergent community, including, but not limited to, people with self-identified or diagnosed ADHD, autism, HSP, etc. This group is run by facilitators who identify as being neurodivergent.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Tuesday at this time from January 7 to March 18.
Program description: This group offers a supportive environment for 2SLGBTQI+ identified folx to give and receive support while discussing the challenges of living with an eating disorder and sharing insights, strategies and accomplishments.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services. This group is intended for people who identify as being part of the broader 2SLGBTQI+ community and is led by Queer and Trans facilitators.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Tuesday at this time from January 7 to March 18.
Program description: This group is designed to hold space for those who want to discuss how race and culture impacts our relationship with food and our bodies. We aim to co-create a culturally humble space, where people can feel safe navigating (often) messy conversations about systemic injustices, identity, eating disorders, and healing.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services. Note: When registering, please be mindful that this space is intended for and led by members of the BIPOC community (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour).
Program description: This drop-in group is a casual space to connect with others who are 40 years old and up. Topics may include concerns specific to a more mature age group like caring for children/older parents, balancing careers, retirement, partners, divorce, the pressure of youth and diet culture, and more. Discussions are facilitated by our trained Peer Mentors who have experience with eating disorder recovery. Participate in whatever way you feel comfortable - use the chat, use your mic, or turn your camera on - it’s up to you.
Eligibility: Anyone across Canada who are 40+ and identify with experiencing body image or ED concerns.
Program description: This workshop is designed to support individuals navigating eating disorders by focusing on the critical connections between sensory modulation and interoception. Participants will explore how sensory experiences and the awareness of internal body signals impact emotional regulation, self-awareness, and behaviors related to food, eating, and body image. Through practical exercises and guided mindfulness techniques, we will help participants better understand their sensory processing patterns and learn how to tune into internal cues, such as hunger, fullness, and emotional states.
Eligibility: Anyone across who are 18+, no diagnosis required.
Program description: Our Online Peer Support (OPS) chats provide a safe, anonymous space for individuals who are affected by an eating disorder or disordered eating to connect to a recovery community and receive support in real-time. Our 2SLGBTQIA+ OPS chat is available to people who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We know that it can feel safer for individuals to be in a catered space where their identity and experiences are similar and the intersectionality of multiple identities someone experiences can be better understood.
Eligibility: Canadian residents aged 16+ who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Individuals must be registered for our OPS program in order to access the 2SLGBTQIA+ OPS chat.
Program description: This group provides a safer space for folks in fat, larger, plus-size, thick, voluptuous, rotund, corpulent, monarchsized, zaftig, chubby and fluffy bodies (or any other language you might use to describe your embodied experience moving through the world in a bigger body) to explore topics and experiences related to living life in the fat lane. Topics may include (but are not limited to) experiences with distressed and disordered eating, weight-based discrimination, addressing internalized fatphobia/sizeism, strategies for self-advocacy in relationships and in healthcare settings, and resisting diet culture through Body Liberation.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Wednesday at this time from January 8 to March 19.
Program description: NIED, the National Initiative for Eating Disorders, understands the unique struggles of caring for a loved one with an eating disorder. The journey can be incredibly challenging and isolating. We are pleased to announce the launch of a dedicated Male Caregiver Support Group, designed specifically for male caregivers. Our goal is to create a safe, supportive space where you can share experiences, gain insights, and find the strength to continue your vital role.
Eligibility: Open to fathers, male siblings, grandfathers, uncles - all male caregivers across Canada
Note: This group is offered monthly.
Program description: This session will explore the unique challenges transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse individuals face during eating disorder recovery. Topics will include the intersection of eating disorders with gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia, the role of gender-affirming care in recovery, and advocating for your needs while finding affirming recovery support.
Eligibility: This session is specifically designed for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people (14+) experiencing disordered eating or eating disorders who live in Canada.
Program description: This group offers a safe space for folx to discuss the complexities and interconnectedness of gender identity and body image. Providing a supportive environment to explore topics and share insights/ strategies related to navigating the world as a Trans individual with an eating disorder.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services. This space is facilitated by folx who identify as non-binary and trans and is intended for anyone who identifies as part of the broader trans community.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Thursday at this time from January 2 to March 20.
Program description: This group aims to be a supportive space for people with ARFID and ARFID-like traits to discuss their experiences, challenges, and successes. The group aims to embrace a neurodivergent affirming approach, where autonomy and agency are valued, and where different brains and ways of being are validated. Potential topics include creating supportive eating environments, sensory differences, challenging the idea of "normalcy", experiences of infantilization, and the impact of ableism on those with eating differences.
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Thursday at this time from January 2 to March 20.
Program description: This group holds space for participants to join an openstudio art-making BIPOC creative community. Working with the materials/modality of your choice (drawing, painting, writing, poetry, clay, collage, textiles, etc); we will engage the arts as way of being with and responding to the impacts of race, culture, and identity on ED experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to share and process their work while nurturing creative capacities as part of a holistic approach to recovery. No previous artistic experience required!
Eligibility: 17+, must be in Ontario to access services. When registering, please be mindful that this space is intended for and led by members of the BIPOC community (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour). Participants will be asked to provide their own basic art supplies.
Note: This group is part of a drop-in program that will be run every Thursday at this time from January 2 to March 6.
Program description: This drop-in group is a casual space to connect with others who are trans, non binary or gender diverse and are 18 years and up. Together we will explore our relationship with food, body image, dysphoria, dysmorphia and eating disorders recovery. Discussions are facilitated by our trained Peer Mentors who have experience with eating disorder recovery and are trans, non-binary, or gender diverse. Participate in whatever way you feel comfortable - use the chat, use your mic, or turn your camera on - it’s up to you.
Eligibility: Anyone in Canada who are 18+ and identify as being a member of the trans community
Program description: This workshop explores the complex intersection of substance use and disordered eating, shedding light on the shared psychological, emotional, and social factors that contribute to these struggles. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these behaviors often serve as coping mechanisms for stress, trauma, or emotional regulation.
Eligibility: This workshop session is intended for any individual affected by the intersection of substance use and eating disorders; whether you are a caregiver, loved one, or struggling yourself. Our Speaker Series is open to anyone across Canada who is 17+.