Our mission is to become the premier advocacy organization related to body image disturbances and eating concerns within the university community.
Our vision is to support college students in any stage of the recovery process, while simultaneously providing guidance to university staff in the role of identifying, assessing, and/or treating college students with eating disorders on their respective campus.
Hynes Recovery Services created the “ED Recovery on Campus” campaign to not only address the lack of support for those in crisis, but also the crucial need for on-campus practitioners to receive guidance on how they can most effectively treat this challenging student population. To help us achieve these important objectives, we’ve established a National Advisory Board which includes some of the most well-respected clinicians and advocates in our community, both within and outside of the university community. We have also been collaborating with several non-profits and treatment facilities nationwide who have been instrumental in guiding us towards achieving our overall mission.
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Hynes Recovery Services is available to help any student in crisis - whether they are in the Boston area, or across the country. Our team will be available to support college students during all stages of the recovery process. Services include Individual and/or Family Assessments, Intervention Consults, and Clinical Case Management Services (establishing outpatient treatment teams in their campus community, residential placement services, the development of a comprehensive treatment plan and ongoing family support). In addition, we are also available to offer Transition Support (from home to campus and/or after discharging from a residential or inpatient facility).
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Equally important is to support those on campus responsible for these students in crisis, many of whom have limited training and experience with this mental health issue. Over the years, Hynes Recovery Services developed all of the provider resources in this section, which can be accessed by clicking here. This includes the following materials: ED Poster, three online treatment directories, University Clinical Guide and Support Group Outline.
In addition, our team also wanted to create an opportunity for on-campus providers to be aware of important developments in the field, research findings relevant to the college student population, new treatment options and training opportunities nationwide. One of our most effective outreach efforts in this area includes the development of our monthly newsletter series, which highlights initiatives in the mental health, eating disorders and addiction fields.
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Struggling with an eating disorder can be an incredibly isolating experience. It is often accompanied by feelings of shame, guilt, and even self-hatred. At the same time, one's eating disorder may provide a safety-net, taking on the persona of a friend who you simply cannot survive without. Ironically, letting go of that "friend" is the only way to survive. There are many misconceptions about eating disorders that contribute to the stigma experienced by those who struggle with them. It is commonly thought that eating disorders are simply about food, appearance or beauty ideals. Dispelling such myths and educating the public on the reality of eating disorders is critical to decreasing the stigma associated with these illnesses and increasing help-seeking behavior.
As Program Director of Advocacy Initiatives for Hynes Recovery Services, I am excited to contribute to the much needed advocacy efforts in the field. In order to effectively enact change, eating disorder survivors, allies, clinicians, and researchers will need to work together to generate increased awareness and improve patient outcomes. Additional research initiatives, participation in lobbying efforts, and openly sharing personal experiences are a few examples of the multitude of advocacy efforts necessary to bring attention to the critical needs of individuals and families affected by eating disorders. (To learn more about this initiative, and/or download our Advocacy Toolkit, please click here).
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Join this campaign!
If we all work together, we can significantly increase awareness of this important issue throughout the university community, while also sharing with practitioners the most up-to-date and effective treatment approaches currently available in the eating disorder field. There are numerous ways to participate - writing articles for our newsletter, creating a webinar, sharing a video blog with our student community and so much more! Campuses interested in this initiative have the additional option of becoming a “University Affiliate” - showcasing their school as an educational institution committed to supporting students struggling with body image and/or eating concerns. (Click here to learn more about this wonderful opportunity). Please consider joining this "ED Recovery on Campus" initiative, so that the increasing number of young people with eating disorders will have a wonderful support system in place to guide them on their journey to full recovery.
Eliza Lanzillo