Eating Disorder Support Group For Black Folks
You deserve to heal with people that understand and know where you're coming from. In your healing journey, you should be surrounded by people that share your identities.
Are you coming to terms with a potential eating disorder and/or it has been difficult for you to find safe and adequate spaces to connect with others that get you?
Join Alishia McCullough and Ilya Parker for a virtual healing space centering and led by Black people re-imagining their relationship to food and body image.
FOR WHO: Black people. ALL Black people.
WHAT: Free online monthly peer support group for folks struggling with disordered and body-image.
WHEN: Third Tuesday of each month at 4pm PST/ 6pm CST/ 7pm EST. Dates may change due to holidays. Sign up for email alerts for updates.
WHERE: Zoom (sign up below for login details)
Upcoming Date:
REGISTER
Meet Your Space Holders
Alishia McCullough (she/her) LCMHC
Owner of Black and Embodied Counseling and Consulting PLLC
Alishia is a millennial Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist currently residing in the DMV. She is also an independently published author of the book Blossoming. Alishia is passionate about racial healing, and anti-colonialism within eating disorders. She is motivated to increase access and create spaces for Black, Indigenous and People of the Global Majority to come together and heal in ways that inspire holistic wellness and liberation focused healing. Outside of her clinical work, she is a Co-Founder of the AmplifyMelanatedVoices Movement and the Founder of The Holistic Black Healing Collective. Her work has been featured by Target, Bustle, Popsugar, and Forbes. You can find her work @blackandembodied and blackandembodied.com
Ilya Parker (he/they)
Owner/creator of Decolonizing Fitness
Ilya is Physical Therapist Assistant and Ace Certified Medical Exercise Specialist. He is also a grassroots organizer, witer and educator whose work centers gender, racial and healing justice. Ilya decided to merge their love for restorative based movement practices and community advocacy to create Decolonizing Fitness, LLC which is a social justice platform that provides affirming fitness services, community education and apparel in support of body diversity.
Learn more about Ilya: https://linktr.ee/decolonizing_fitness
What are Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating?
Eating disorders are holistic body illnesses that cause complicated relationships with food and can affect people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weights. While research has historically neglected the experiences of Black folks, it is assumed that Black people experience eating disorders at higher rates; however, they are not diagnosed, misdiagnosed and the symptoms have become normalized within communities. Creating a space of support, connection, and collective storytelling is the medicine that our ancestors have historically used to explore new pathways of healing.
Disclaimer: The word “disorder” is a eurocentric westernized term used to define “abnormalities of the mind that result in persistent behavior patterns that can seriously affect your day-to-day function and life.” We are also here to reimagining this term within our community to reduce stigma, and best define the biopsychosocial-spiritual disruption that we have in our relationship to food and body image.
Why are we here?
Eating disorders and disordered eating impact Black folks at higher rates than other communities! Those that exist at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities are at greater risk for developing an eating disorder. While rates are increasing, many Black folks are underdiagnosed, may not have access to treatment, and are often the only Black person in their treatment which is typically composed of non-black staff. Too often these factors expose black folks to maltreatment and poor care, and being exposed to microaggressions, racism, and other oppressions as they are seeking out recovery.
We believe in offering a supportive space for Black folks to heal within the community. This is a sacred community where we value the healing medicine within our stories and experiences.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is this group for?
This group is for Black folks.
What Online Platform is Used to Hold Meetings?
Zoom
What is the Format of the Meetings?
Style of meetings vary from presentation with slides, reflections, group sharing, & discussions. Each meeting has a different theme ranging from perfectionism and eating disorders, shame and pleasure, and uprooting of oppressive belief systems.
Who Facilitates this meeting?
Alishia McCullough (she/her)(@blackandembodied) a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and Ilya Parker (he/they) (@decolonizing_fitness) a Physical Therapist Assistant.
Can I Stay Anonymous?
Yes. Folks can opt out of using video conferencing and participation as well as change their display name.
Is This Group Confidential?
Yes. Part of the group agreements include maintaining confidentiality. We also ask participants to use a headset if they don't have privacy in their physical space.
Can Mixed Folks Join?
Yes.
Who Funds This Group?
This group is supported by contributions by https://www.thesanctuaryinthecity.org/
Is this a therapy group?
No, it is a peer support group. We recommend participants to find other forms of support alongside this community offering. Here is a list of BBIPOC therapist and dietitians who work with eating disorders from a Health at Every Size recovery modality. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oo4zMUkDlaZM63nSYqZVlFglj0XC9izfl30ybPtxJsQ/edit#gid=0
