Feb. 25th-through Mar. 4th is Eating Disorder Awareness Week. This is a week where Health Centers and different organizations around the valley take time out to educate the public. There are many organizations that offer help, confidentiality and information for you or someone you know that deals with an eating disorder.

One program that is going out in the streets to educate will be Summit Eating Disorder Program. Summit Eating Disorder Program is a program dedicated to prevention and treatment of eating disorders. They are in association with Summit Psychotherapy Associates of Sacramento.

“This team has treated disorders for 10 years now,” said Michelle Matoff who is head of Summit Eating Disorders Program.

The outreach center is a multidisciplinary team of professionals who talk about eating disorders, which may include anorexia, bulimia, or over eating. They have dietitians, licensed clinical social workers, therapists, and psychologists, who are there to help and to educate.

They provide a variety of services that include essential assessments, group therapy, family therapy, nutrition counseling, nutrition seminars, and psychiatric evaluation for medication, family and group therapy.

During the week of February 25 – March 4, their team will participate in helping educate the public by doing a number of activities. They plan on writing to letters to Sororities, talking with different high schools and colleges, talking at PTA meetings and going on the air with Radio Talk Shows about public health.

Here on campus at the Student Health Center, they have had eating disorder groups for many years now. They have put together a Body Imaging group that meets Mondays in the Student Health Center on the second floor, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It?s an outreach and treatment program for eating disorders.

“It?s a semester long confidential group, that has qualified people to speak about difficulties in a supportive atmosphere,” said Miranda Hoffman, a post- doctoral intern at the Health Center.

This is a group where women can come to talk about the difficulties with body image. It is not a requirement to speak; they are there for support. Also available in the counseling center are therapy sessions on an individual basis. The first eight visits are free.

“We are helping the public become more educated. There are places to go,” Hoffman said. “One percent of adolescents develop anorexia, and two to three percent are diagnosed with Bulimia Nervosa.”

Cultural and psychological issues, personality traits, and learned behavior contribute to eating disorders. In addition, some people may have biochemical imbalances that make them prone to these disorders.

Here are some things to look for:

Anorexia: perfectionist ways, low self-esteem, irrational thought process of the body image, difficulty dealing with emotions, compliant, and refusal to maintain body weight.

Bulimia: vomiting at a minimum of two times a week, distorted body image, weight control, low self-esteem, depression, suicide, and a lack of self-control over eating.

For more information on Eating Disorder Awareness Week contact Matoff of the Summit Psychotherapist Associates at 920-5276. To learn more about the Student Health Centers group meetings or any other information regarding eating disorders, please contact Cathy Shannon at 278-6416, or e-mail her at [email protected].