Synopses & Reviews
"
Infused with humor, rich in vivid imagery, and deeply compassionate, this book brings hope to those who suffer from eating disorders, offering them creative tools.” -- David B. Herzog, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School "Jennis quick wit and brilliant honesty are an inspiration to anyone trying to divorce themselves from an eating disorder ... an accessible, helpful must-read!” -- Lindsey Hall, author of Bulimia: A Guide to Recovery
Jenni had been in an abusive relationship with Ed for far too long. He controlled Jenni's life, distorted her self-image, and tried to physically harm her throughout their long affair. Then Jenni met psychotherapist and author Thom Rutledge. He taught her how to treat her eating disorder as a relationship, not a condition. By thinking of her eating disorder as a unique personality separate from her own, Jenni was able to break up with Ed once and for all.
Inspiring, compassionate, and filled with practical exercises to help you break up with your own personal E.D., Life Without Ed provides new hope for the disorders that plague millions of women and young girls. Beginning with Jenni's "divorce" from Ed, this supportive, lifesaving book combines a patient's insights and experiences with a therapist's prescriptions for success to help you live a healthier, happier life without Ed.
Synopsis
The 10th Anniversary Edition of the book that has given hope and inspiration to thousands who are dealing with eating disorders
"If you or someone you love has an eating disorder, this is the book to read."
--Dr. Phil
Jenni had been in an abusive relationship with Ed for far too long. He controlled Jenni's life, distorted her self-image, and tried to physically harm her throughout their long affair. Then, in therapy, Jenni learned to treat her eating disorder as a relationship, not a condition. By thinking of her eating disorder as a unique personality separate from her own, Jenni was able to break up with Ed once and for all.
Inspiring, compassionate, and filled with practical exercises to help you break up with your own personal E.D., Life Without Ed provides hope to the millions of people plagued by eating disorders. Beginning with Jenni's "divorce" from Ed, this supportive, lifesaving book combines a patient's insights and experiences with a therapist's prescriptions for success to help you live a healthier, happier life without Ed.
This 10th anniversary edition features a new afterword as well as sections devoted to family, friends, and supporters; how treatment professionals can use the book with their patients; and men with eating disorders.
"Of all the great books written on eating disorders, none has had a wider reach than Life Without Ed. Those suffering have found connection and hope, family members have found understanding and empathy, professionals have learned from it and praised it. It will remain a classic for decades to come."
--Michael E. Berrett, PhD, psychologist; CEO and cofounder of the Center for Change; coauthor of Spiritual Approaches in the Treatment of Women with Eating Disorders
" Life Without Ed] was the first book] to teach readers that they can not only separate from their eating disorder, but also disagree with and disobey it. I wholeheartedly recommend this witty, hopeful guide to patients, carers, professionals, and anyone else who wants to understand what it's really like to live with an eating disorder and ultimately triumph over it."
--Jennifer J. Thomas, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the Harvard Medical School; co-director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital
"This uplifting book's intimate inner dialogue has energized countless young women--and men--in their own recoveries from eating disorders."
--Leigh Cohn, MAT, CEDS, coauthor of Making Weight: Men's Conflicts with Food, Weight, Shape & Recovery
"Jenni is truly a remarkable woman. She unselfishly shares her struggles and triumphs in something that will probably affect all of us in one way or another in our lifetime. Her candid and inspiring story will truly help those suffering from their own "Ed." I feel privileged to know her and her story."
--Jamie-Lynn Sigler, actress
Synopsis
"
Infused with humor, rich in vivid imagery, and deeply compassionate, this book brings hope to those who suffer from eating disorders, offering them creative tools.” -- David B. Herzog, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School"Jenni’s quick wit and brilliant honesty are an inspiration to anyone trying to divorce themselves from an eating disorder ... an accessible, helpful must-read!”-- Lindsey Hall, author of Bulimia: A Guide to Recovery
Jenni had been in an abusive relationship with Ed for far too long. He controlled Jenni's life, distorted her self-image, and tried to physically harm her throughout their long affair. Then Jenni met psychotherapist and author Thom Rutledge. He taught her how to treat her eating disorder as a relationship, not a condition. By thinking of her eating disorder as a unique personality separate from her own, Jenni was able to break up with Ed once and for all.
Inspiring, compassionate, and filled with practical exercises to help you break up with your own personal E.D., Life Without Ed provides new hope for the disorders that plague millions of women and young girls. Beginning with Jenni's "divorce" from Ed, this supportive, lifesaving book combines a patient's insights and experiences with a therapist's prescriptions for success to help you live a healthier, happier life without Ed.
Synopsis
A unique new approach to treating eating disorders Eight million women in the United States suffer from anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia. For these women, the road to recovery is a rocky one. Many succumb to their eating disorders. Life Without Ed offers hope to all those who suffer from these often deadly disorders. For years, author Jennifer Schaefer lived with both anorexia and bulimia. She credits her successful recovery to the technique she learned from her psychologist, Thom Rutledge.
This groundbreaking book illustrates Rutledge's technique. As in the author's case, readers are encouraged to think of an eating disorder as if it were a distinct being with a personality of its own. Further, they are encouraged to treat the disorder as a relationship rather than as a condition. Schaefer named her eating disorder Ed; her recovery involved "breaking up" with Ed
- Shares the points of view of both patient and therapist in this approach to treatment
- Helps people see the disease as a relationship from which they can distance themselves
- Techniques to defeat negative thoughts that plague eating disorder patients
Prescriptive, supportive, and inspirational, Life Without Ed shows readers how they too can overcome their eating disorders.
About the Author
Jenni Schaefer appears regularly on television and national radio to raise awareness about eating disorders and recovery. She writes for self-help/recovery publications nationwide and has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Cosmogirl, Publishers Weekly, and Woman’s World. A talented singer and songwriter living in Nashville, Jenni devotes much of her time to speaking around the country about eating disorder awareness. For more information, visit jennischaefer.com.
Thom Rutledge is a psychotherapist and the author of Embracing Fear: How to Turn What Scares Us into Our Greatest Gift. For more information, visit thomrutledge.com.