EDEN was inspired and founded by 3 women, Alice Grisham, Kathryn Fant and Kim Wiza, in 1995 as a result of their own personal battles with serious eating disorders. These women believed that if they had access to a positive, community-based program, like EDEN, their own recoveries would have been accelerated.
The organization began with a simple vision to help women attain more timely and complete recovery from eating disorders by offering a safe place to come to and by offering resources and referrals to professionals that specialize in eating disorders. After a few years of offering these services in Ann Arbor, Michigan EDEN decided to expand their support to those who were struggling and the EDEN Process was born. The EDEN Process is an educational program that is based on Prochaska’s Trantheoretical Behavioral Change Model. We help participants assess where they are in the five stages of change, then help them create a plan and support their progression through the stages toward recovery. The EDEN Process is a 17 week educational support group that has proven to strengthen and accelerate individuals recovery when they have a treatment team consisting of a physician, therapist, dietician and psychiatrist.
After offering the EDEN Process in the Ann Arbor, Michigan and seeing the continued success of the program, EDEN decided to expand the reach of the program. EDEN was able to partner with other professionals around the country and train them on the EDEN Process for them to facilitate this dynamic program in their own community. Today, EDEN is offered in 9 different states and in Canada.
About Betsy:
I became the Executive Director of EDEN in September of 2007. I was first introduced to EDEN in 1997 when I utilized their services and went through the EDEN Process to help assist in my own recovery from a 10 year battle of an eating disorder.
My goal as EDEN’s Executive Director is to be able to offer HOPE to others that RECOVERY is possible and that MEN AND WOMEN do not have to live being dissatisfied with their bodies and/or being controlled by an eating disorder. I hope to reach as many individuals as I can that are suffering with an eating disorder and be able to offer the services that EDEN offered me in my recovery from an eating disorder.
I received my educational training at Siena Heights University with my Bachelors in Social Work and the University of Michigan with my Masters in Social Work.
I pray and hope that today you are inspired to start and/or continue your journey to freedom from your eating disorder.
Blessings,
Betsy Vickers, LMSW
About Lida
Lida has been involved in EDEN for 12 years. Lida found EDEN in 1998 in a desperate attempt to receive support while struggling with her eating disorder. Through the EDEN Process and professionals who specialized in eating disorders Lida attained recovery. Lida does not believe once anorexia always anorexic-there is hope! In 2000-2001 Lida did volunteering for EDEN as well as some fundraising. In 2002 Lida began working for EDEN. Today Lida is EDEN’s Program Director and truly enjoys the work she does.