welcome!
WHO ARE WE
The Eating Disorder Centre of the Students Society of McGill University is a service that provides peer support by doing advocacy work, providing accessible educational resources and raising awareness around eating disorders.
We create a safe space for McGill students to learn more and seek support regarding disordered eating, body image, and eating disorders.
Throughout the year, we host events to educate and discuss the public on these topics. We annually host an Eating Disorder Awareness Week to raise awareness for these topics as well. In addition to the services and events we host, we also provide training for any volunteers that work within the centre and any external student groups.
WHAT WE OFFER
A long-term virtual, confidential, messaging platform for individuals interested in having space to exchange with our McGill volunteers on their experience. Relationships are long-term, with responses sent back within 72 hours.
We provide free training for any groups on campus. Our training covers harm reduction, disordered eating, diet culture, workout culture, underrepresented experiences of marginalized communities in eating disorder care, and more. Any student groups can register for these training sessions!
Safely Connected McGill organizes confidential support groups for individuals interested in having a space to discuss their experiences with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image issues and connecting with a community support space.
OUR MOST RECENT EVENT
EATING DISORDER AWARENESS WEEK CONFERENCE
On February 22nd, 2023 the Eating Disorder Centre of SSMU hosted a conference for Eating Disorder Awareness Week with a variety of professionals, organizations, and students coming together to discuss various forms of ED care, lived experiences, and research. The conference events included a workshop, panel, speed networking and booths from our sponsors, and a research showcase from the McGill BEEP Lab. The workshop was lead by the centre’s own Natasha Kamara and Yuvika Dandiwal. The panel included representatives from SOOMA nutrition, Sex and Self, ANEB Quebec, and a local wellness advisor. In the middle of the day, we had a complimentary lunch provided by the wonderful Midnight Kitchen. After lunch, students had the opportunity to speed network and explore our sponsorship booths (see our sponsors below)! We ended the day with a showcase from researchers at the McGill Biopsychosocial Examination of Eating Patterns (BEEP) Laboratory. We also had a table with art supplies to give attendees the opportunity to take a break, decompress, and create some art. The conference had 120 sign ups and over 100 attendees throughout the day.
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PRESS
"The Importance of Eating Disorder Awareness"
February 4th, 2019
An interview with EDRSC founder Cody Esterle on the importance of eating disorder awareness and SSMU's annual Eating Disorder Awareness Week, featured in the McGill Daily.
"SSMU Eating Disorder Resource and Support Centre provides crucial support to students"
November 3rd, 2020
An interview in the McGill Tribune with EDRSC training coordinator Paloma Helper about our organizational history and how we've adapted services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"'It means the world': Why peer support is crucial to students struggling with eating disorders"
January 28th, 2020
An article on the importance of peer support for eating disorders, and the EDRSC's emphasis on active listening in our services.
A NOTE FROM US
Previously known as the EDRSC and Safely Connected, The EDCSSMU strives to center the experiences of those that are traditionally excluded from narratives and media around eating disorders, however, due to limited resources, time and the pandemic, we were unable to have a variety of actors outside of the filming team to create content that reflects this. We want to emphasize that eating disorders are experienced by everyone, and our trainings include specific education and focus on marginalized communities that highlight the intricate ways in which marginalization, erasure and coping mechanisms impact each other, especially because systems of care exacerbate and perpetuate this discrimination. We are always in the process of learning and changing to make our services as accessible as possible, and welcome any feedback from folks at eatingdisorder@ssmu.ca.