We, at Center for Discovery, have been deeply affected by the protests and violence that are occurring across our country. The violence and injustices that have been inflicted on Black Americans demonstrate how far we still have to go as a society for liberation and freedom to exist for all people. We know eating disorders do not occur in a vacuum, and the trauma that is occurring is a cause of eating disorders and a trigger for those of us who are in recovery or currently struggling.
Center for Discovery believes in Health at Every Size® and the social justice it is rooted in. We are committed to this work and know we have a long way to go. Doing inclusion work for those of us who are coming from a space of privilege means not staying silent and knowing when to listen to the voices of those who are more marginalized.
We believe that everyone deserves to be happy and live a rewarding life. The only way we can uphold that belief is through challenging the status quo. We are pledging to find new ways to provide access to treatment for those who lack insurance or resources; to strive to recruit and hire more people of color; and to create safe and inclusive workplaces with representation as diverse as the communities we aim to serve. We are diligently working with partners to swiftly identify concrete steps that we can take. We are listening and are willing to do the hard work to get us where we want to be.
In the coming days and weeks, we will share with you additional resources we will provide and actions we are taking.
Deandra Christianson, MA, LCPC, CCMHC, CDWF
President, Eating Disorder Division
Center for Discovery