Thank you for your interest in learning more about being a part of our initial team to pilot our new website!
Why we created this web-based community?
We created this web-based community for several reasons.
First, we continue to be saddened by the vast percentage of individuals struggling with eating disorders who do not get access to treatment. For example, the results of an international review on this issue found that only 33% of individuals with anorexia nervosa receive treatment and only 6% with bulimia nervosa. There is a need to find ways to support individuals and their families that has a broad scope.
Second, our models of treatment delivery are rather outdated. When people need support, it is usually while they are living their daily lives, which is hard to re-create in a therapy office. It may be more effective to feel supported in one’s home or in the settings in which one is struggling.
Third, we strongly feel that as awful as eating disorders are, the management of them does not have to be. Rather, working on one’s eating disorder can be joyous and even fun.
We were approached by the Brody Brothers Foundation who shared our desire to provide more mental health resources for more people. Their vision along with ours was to create a web-based supportive and educational community space where information was reliable and trustworthy and that visiting the space was not only not traumatic, but actually restorative and sometimes even playful.
While the site is not a replacement for treatment, we do hope it will be an added resource for all families. Our goal is ultimately to provide tele-psychiatry services for individuals in all the states in the US and abroad via this site. Once the site is launched and the bugs worked out, we will begin tackling this venture state-by-state starting with North Carolina.
Thus, we are trying to create both effective and cost-effective ways for families to have access to therapist-led support on an ongoing basis. We are hoping to complement inspiring supportive communities led by families (such as www.feast-ed.org) by providing original content, therapist led Q&A sessions, and if eligible, online support groups.
What does "pilot group" mean?
The pilot group will be a team of folks who will get early access to the site in order to test its features and provide feedback. We are hoping that this initial “team” will then serve as the ambassadors to our new community, helping us to spread the word so that other families can benefit from ongoing, economical – and fun support and education.
Do I have to pay to join the pilot group?
Pilot group membership is FREE to you! You will have free access to the site until September 1st, 2019. After September 1st, we will transition to subscription memberships outlined here.
What we would appreciate from members of our initial pilot group?
This will be an interesting experiment, and we hope you’ll join us in helping to make it meaningful. Our hope is that this site will be helpful to you and your family as you dive into our resources and education materials. As part of the pilot group, you will help us by exploring this new site, testing the features, and providing valuable feedback to make our site better. The forums are up and ready for discussion! And we will be hosting webinar question and answer sessions and group support sessions. (What are those? Click here to learn more!) This site is meant to be interactive, and we hope you will visit frequently to see freshly updated content and engage in ongoing forum discussions.
We need YOUR feedback to help make the site better. As with all new things, the site is not perfect. If something doesn't seem to be working or doesn't look quite right, please let us know by posting in the feedback forum or emailing us at eatingdisorders@duke.edu (bonus points for including a screenshot of the issue!) We appreciate your patience as we work through new bugs and glitches. We are so very grateful for you and your willingness to provide valuable feedback!
What are the perks?
The first perk is getting early access to our new site! You will play a vital role in initiating this web-based community. As an added bonus, we will give pilot members free access to the subscription level of their choice through June 1st, on us!
I would like to sign up! What do I do now?
If this sounds like a team you'd like to join, please click the button below and follow the steps to become our newest member!
Click Here to Join the Pilot Group
If you have any questions about the site please feel free to contact us at eatingdisorders@duke.edu or 919-668-0398.
We are grateful for your time and consideration!
Nancy Zucker, Ph.D.
The Team at the Duke Center for Eating Disorders,
and David and Hyman Brody of the Brody Brothers Foundation