Good News, Good News,
Vol. 12, March 2007
...a supportive e-zine for those whose lives are touched by eating and mood disorders
Feature Article: Living Life 'On the Fly'Feature Article: Living Life 'On the Fly'
The first time I strapped on an apron and went to work waiting tables, it was all I could do to keep up with this demanding new race of people better known as ‘customers’. And, given that I’d never waited tables a day in my life before this particular job (leading me to wonder to this day why they hired me) my skills were, how shall we say, less than perfect…..
for the full article click
HERE Feature Column: "Dear Shannon" Launch!Feature Column: "Dear Shannon" Launch!
This month I have the great good fortune of announcing a wonderful partnership with a very inspiring lady - Lisa Palmer, MFT, CHT, Ph.D. Cand., and founder of MyEDHelp.com.
We together announce the launch of the
'Dear Shannon' Q&A Column as a service to MyEDHelp members and YOU!
As always, you are welcome to submit your questions to me
HERE for possible inclusion in future editions of
Good News. But now you have an additional way to get your questions answered and take advantage of some other very cool resources - more questions, more often, and plenty of inspiring articles and insights into making your recovery journey the achievement of a lifetime!
To be one of the first to submit a question to
'Dear Shannon' click
HERE - your question submission also gives you one entry into a drawing to win one of Shannon's CD's FREE! So enter your questions now, enter often, and get ready to WIN!
Questions of the monthQuestions of the month
Questions continue to pour in, and as always I will answer as many as I can, in first come first serve order. If you don't see your question in this month's edition, stay tuned and I will get to it as soon as I can!
Q1: I've been serious about recovery for a few months now, and was making a lot of progress. Now, I've hit a major bump in the road and I'm afraid of going back to where I was before. I know recovery is a bumpy process, but this is the biggest ditch I've fallen into so far. Any words of wisdom? Thanks....
A1: Recovery is a journey – and you are right, an often bumpy one at that. In my experience, we fall into ‘big ditches’ (good way to describe it!) when we discover something new and unexpected about why we have turned to our eating disordered behaviors for so long. New information usually causes travel delays ....
to read Shannon's full answer click HERE
Q2: Hi Shannon - I saw your presentation at my college, bought one of your CD's and have looked at your website. I am currently fighting bulimia, much like you I started out with anorexia and then developed into bulimia when my family was encouraging me to eat. I have had this problem now for 8 years.....
A2: Hi – thank you for writing to ask about this very important topic – finding the right treatment team who will support you in your quest to recover.... to read Shannon's full answer click HERE
Q3: Can one really recover without ever having gotten in touch with what initially triggered the disorder?
A3: This is an excellent question – and while I recognize that opinions may differ based on the treatment methodology used, I for one believe that no true recovery is possible without digging down to the root foundation of what caused all the trouble in the first place..... to read Shannon's full answer click HERE
Q4:
I have a daughter-in-law who has bulimia. She has had this illness for as long as I've known her, which is 6 years. She has never discussed this with me but her husband, my son, has. My son says she wants to talk to me about this on an upcoming visit. I think she realizes she needs help....
A4: I appreciate your heartfelt concern for your daughter-in-law and am moved by
your deep desire to support her. Eating disorders are serious, serious business,
and she is lucky to have you in her life to see so clearly what she needs and be
so willing to be there for her! .....to read Shannon's full answer click HERE
Q5: I'm writing you today for some advice....I've had several of my kids talk to me about cutting. Can you shed some light on this for me?
A5: Hi - Cutting happens for similar reasons to any other
addiction - it is a way to displace feeling onto something with immediate,
measurable results. I do not know if, like eating disorders, it has any genetic
basis to it or not. But I do know that, once started, it is habit-forming......to read Shannon's full answer click HERE
Q6: Dear Shannon, I heard you speak some time ago and tucked your card away in case we ever needed it. Well, a neighbor and friend seems to have a problem and none of us knows what to do.
A6: Hi - Well, these days (unfortunately) I always tell people that if it looks like, talks like, walks like and acts like an eating disorder, it probably is. However, the most important thing is to get your friend to a medical doctor for a thorough physical evaluation to rule out any other issue that may be contributing......to read Shannon's full answer click HERE
Open Call for Song & Story Submissions!Open Call for Song & Story Submissions!
We continue to accept SONG IDEAS from you for the You Are Not Alone, Vol. 2 Companion CD Project. This project will feature a compilation CD of inspiring original songs written by women, for women, in support of recovery from eating disorders. For this project I am working with Andrea Roe, author/editor of the wonderful new book You Are Not Alone. If you want to know more about the project visit her website HERE
PLEASE NOTE: Song submissions must be directly related to recovery from disordered eating, and written by songwriters with first or second-hand personal experience of how eating disorders have impacted their lives. They may be songs you have written, or songs written by others that have supported you in your recovery journey. All songs MUST have professional-grade production quality in order to be considered.
If you would like to submit your story for consideration, please click HERE for details
Creativity Heals: Spotlight on Lori Henry's 'Silent Screams'Creativity Heals: Spotlight on Lori Henry's 'Silent Screams'
I am so privileged to announce that my friend Lori Henry has re-released her powerful book, 'Silent Screams'. Lori sent a special message to
Good News readers about 'Silent Screams':
I wanted to announce the re-release of my book of poetry, which was written during my 6-year struggle with bulimia.
Silent Screams is now in its second printing and has just been re-released this month. It has toured across North America and is used in school curriculums, research, eating disorder programs and workshops from here to the UK.
I added a new preface to the beginning and updated the resource information at the back.
It has been such a personal journey to see this book from start to finish and I am so happy that it continues to touch so many people along the way.
I would really appreciate your support by buying your own copy or purchasing one for someone you know. You can buy it and read excerpts HERE
For those of you who are new this month to the
Good News community, you may not be aware that Shannon also offers one-on-one recovery coaching and mentoring through
Key to Life. To find out more about scheduling individual time with Shannon, or to set up your individual meeting with Shannon now, click
HERE
Until We Meet AgainUntil We Meet Again
Do you have a related question or topic, or an inspirational poem or story you would like to share with other readers in a future edition of
Good News?
Would you like to send a message of encouragement and support to those who contributed questions for this month's e-zine? Click HERE
(NOTE: all messages of support will be received and published anonymously)
And don't forget that you have THREE ADDITIONAL WAYS to connect withShannon by joining MySpace.com *
-To join Shannon's Key to Life MySpace page, click HERE
-To join Shannon's Lift Me Up Music MySpace page, click HERE
-To join Behind This Mask: There is Someone Real, Shannon's monitored support community, click HERE
* membership is FREE, but you must create a free MySpace profile first.
with much love,with much love,ShannonShannon
REPRINTS: You may reprint any of the content found in Good News in your own ezine or website. Simply send an email requesting permission by clicking HERE. Please be sure to include the full Key to Life bio box at the end of any reprint, as follows:
Shannon Cutts is known as a compassionate and charismatic advocate of our right to feel good about ourselves, our bodies and our lives. Reaching out to students, youth, parents, educators, healthcare professionals, and communities, her unique and powerful Key to Life programs bring personal transformation and life fulfilment into sharp and exciting focus. As the author of Letters to a Young Anorexic: Recovering the Lost Art of Mentoring in the Age of Eating Disorders, Shannon has dedicated her life to 'bringing healthy back' into the lives of families at home and around the world. Visit www.key-to-life.com to learn more!
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