Today, Kathy welcomes Karen Samuels, Ph.D, and their topic is eating disorder recovery using the support of sisterhood at middle age. We know eating disorders isolate people but in this episode we see how support and sisterhood can bring people together and significantly help in the recovery process.
Karen Samuels is a licensed psychologist in Ormond Beach, Florida. Her career has been dedicated to empowering women and other forgotten populations through her community involvement, psychotherapy practice, and lectures and consultation. She is the founder and President of COPE: Community Outreach to Prevent Eating Disorders, a nonprofit since 2001. She is a consultant to the Halifax Health Family Medicine Residency Program, training physicians in interprofessional treatment teams. She is also an affiliate and key contributor to the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College. Utilizing Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), she spearheaded media literacy programs for middle schools in two entire school districts, as well as conducted eating disorder groups with midlife women. She has published widely, highlighting eating disorders and related health concerns in midlife and beyond. She serves as the resident psychologist and body image specialist, promoting size acceptance and diversity with online videos and blogs, on the wellness platform OneOEight.com. Dr. Samuels received the 2014 National Eating Disorders Association Westin Family Award for Activism and Advocacy in recognition of her community and social justice work.