"When I walked into EDCD, I was thinking to myself that this was my last chance. I was morbidly obese, had severe health issues, and felt like nothing would ever help me. I had suffered from several different types of eating disorders in the past; however, doctors and others in my life attributed it to the fact that I had no self control. This was one of the first things that I learned during my stay…it is NOT about the FOOD! I was struggling with demons from the past that I had never dealt with before and that was what truly eating me up inside. With the help of those at EDCD, including my therapists, the nutritionists, and milieu, I learned that it is not about the numbers, but instead, how I FEEL inside that matters. It was extremely hard for me to get rid of the notion that what was read on the scale didn’t matter, however, in my case, it did. I was amazingly sick and on a lot of medications just so that my body did not give up on me. I was able to trend down in weight, but more importantly, I learned how to eat healthy, handle emotions and confrontations in a more productive manner, and learned that food was merely a tool to help keep me going. Once I learned these things, it was like I was set free.
I was at EDCD for approximately three months and in those three months, I experienced greater healing than I had in the past 25 years of outpatient, inpatient, group and individual therapies. Now, I have been released from EDCD for about three months and I and my therapist would agree that I keep growing. I am feeling confident about myself and my achievements for the first time in my life. I feel beautiful and alive! That is saying a lot! The staff at EDCD helped me to resuscitate my own life! Most importantly, since leaving EDCD I am now off approximately 15 medications. My diabetes has been reversed! I no longer have high blood pressure, osteopenia, high cholesterol, but most of all I feel healthier. I also gained something huge! I was disabled due to my health conditions for several years before walking through the doors of EDCD. Now, I am healthy enough both mentally and physically to work full time! I was not sure if that would ever happen.
I want to thank everyone at EDCD for encouraging me when I didn’t believe in myself. Sometimes, you scooped me off of the floor and stood me up again and I will never forget that. To this day, I still think of the staff cheering me on when I am facing difficult moments. Everyone at EDCD, helped me get my life back, one I never thought I had, and for that there are not enough words to thank you. You cannot put a price on happiness and loving yourself! "

— Laura