2012 will be a year of challenges and opportunities; unfortunately these two often travel together in life. In my travels and interactions with treatment centers, clinicians, and organizations we are each facing challenges, but to an Eating Disorder therapist that's our daily mission. This mission, much like a space mission is one that requires highly trained, and skilled therapist, as we endeavor to journey with our clients to areas of health and wholeness that some have never experienced.

 

This journey as a therapist started for me some 35 years ago but I have never lost the passion and excitement of working with my clients and working in training groups to enhance the treatment process. The field of knowledge in eating disorders continues to expand and that's what makes our symposium so exciting. This year we have another cutting edge conference planned where we all come together to learn, to grow, to encourage, to have fun and to challenge each other. I have been a member of IAEDP since 1987 and I have always walked away from the conference challenged with new ideas. In addition I have made new friends and had great fun.

 

A gentle reminder, take care of yourself, don't give more than you can afford of your time, energy, and resources, and remember to laugh at yourself occasionally, our clients need this role model.

 

Over the next few months I will feature what I call

STAR POINTS.  I have started interviewing some of the stars in our field and will be sharing helpful hints that have been part of their success.

 

Star: Ralph Carson PhD, RD

Anyone who knows Dr. Carson knows that Ralph is brilliant and has a gift of memory.  

 

Ralph's helpful hints:

He subscribes to several search engines: Med Line Plus, Med Scope, and Public Medicine. Ralph uses these search engines to flag topics that he wants to know more about. He then goes in and copies the articles that are flagged that he wants to read, puts them in a folder and keeps them with him. When he's traveling, waiting for his wife Ellen, or for an appointment he pulls out the article, reads it, and highlights anything significant and when he has time goes back to his computer, adds the highlight, the reference under the subject, so the next time he has a presentation those references are ready and the information is available.   Ralph takes 25-50 minutes a day to read 10-20 articles using this method. Sounds brilliant, maybe we could read 5-10 articles per week, just by organizing our interest, our search engines, and our files.  

 

If you have some helpful hints that have helped you be successful in any area please let me know and I will share them with our membership. Email me 

 

Gratefully yours,

Mary Bellofatto MA, LMHC, CEDS, NCC, TEP