Body Brave - Julie Shea

Julie will be talking about Body Brave an organization she has helped to establish that addresses eating disorders in young people.

Without Body Brave, individuals would have no other support options aside from hospital treatment programs that often have long wait lists. We are the only community organization that provides access to a medical doctor on site. Our wait list frequently hits 5-6 weeks because of high demand for services.

Body Brave is a newly registered charity. We do not currently receive any government funding. All of our services are free of charge as we try to ensure our programming is as accessible as possible. We are hoping to expand our offering. We deeply appreciate donations and 100% of all donations received go directly towards programming for individuals affected by eating disorders. Please note that we can now issue tax receipts

Mission:

To plan and deliver innovative local and national services that address the major gaps in resources for eating disorders, in collaboration with those with lived experience and our community partners. Body Brave also works to create a bold national recovery-focused, inclusive community, committed to body liberation as well as raising awareness and reducing stigma around disordered eating and/or eating disorders.

Vision: 

All people affected by body image issues, disordered eating, and eating disorders are able to access high quality information and support, experiencing a sense of self-efficacy, dignity and connection.

Values:

Accessibility and Inclusivity- We strive to reduce barriers to recovery by providing resources for all people struggling with these issues, in-person and online.

Innovation- We are bold, creative, flexible and responsive.

Awareness- We strive to reduce stigma, raise awareness and improve understanding about eating disorders.

Empowerment- We strive to provide a braver space that empowers and celebrates people of all shapes and sizes.  

Collaboration- We aim to collaborate with local, national and international partners.