Midlife Eating Disorders and Body Image

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"Dr. Heidi Dalzell's, Clinician's Guide to Midlife Eating Disorders and Body Image is an informative, comprehensive and practical new resource for treating eating disorders in this often-neglected age group. She shares both research and her own clinical experiences treating midlife eating disorders, both identifying and delineating critical factors to consider in individualizing treatment for clients in this age group. It is a must-read for any clinician in the field and includes practical exercises to use in treatment sessions. Treating eating disorders in midlife is not 'one size fits all' and with the knowledge gained from this guide, clinicians will be able to provide informed care with a sensitivity to the treatment needs for this age group."

Betsy Brenner, author of The Longest match: Rallying to Defeat an Eating Disorder in Midlife (2021)

"Dr. Heidi Dalzell, Ph.D., has provided an invaluable resource for clinicians, clients and anyone interested learning more about the long-overlooked needs of older adults struggling with recovery with Eating Disorders and related Disordered Eating and body image distress at Midlife and Beyond! This "invisible, but in plain sight" population often feel left out and overlooked, so thank you for this much needed addition.

A Clinician's Guide to Midlife Eating Disorders and Body Image should be on the bookshelf for anyone involved in the field of Eating Disorders. I look forward to recommending this to those who have longed for more understanding and guidance in their journey to recovery! Dr. Dalzell has melded a thoughtful relational perspective with many stories of healing that highlight the many ways later life is a vital time to learn and grow towards making peace with their relationship with their aging bodies. It's NEVER too late!"

Karen Samuels, PhD, CEDS psychologist and specialist in midlife eating disorders

"In A Clinician's Guide to Midlife Eating Disorders and Body Image, Heidi Dalzell shares her wisdom, gained from decades of working with eating disorders and trauma and she is able to support her clients through a new lens specifically designed for those who are in mid-life. Most importantly, Heidi instills hope that recovery is possible at any age. She thoughtfully weaves in her clients' stories throughout, and I really felt like I got to know them and understand their struggles through her treatment lens. These diverse stories reflect the unique challenges of living in a body in midlife as well as working toward eating disorder recovery.

Heidi defines the eating disorders most prevalent in clients in midlife, the most common comorbidities as well as other unique challenges, including medical concerns. I learned about the challenges faced when a client has a lifetime of trauma as well as the body image concerns that present at midlife. Heidi highlights what is missing in treatment today for midlife clients and offers solutions.

Heidi offers tangible tools in her Clinician Resources at the end of each chapter! These are creative, tangible skills you can use with your clients today, whether that is in the assessment process, or an activity to do in a therapy session. Heidi also asks you, the clinician, to self-reflect with thoughtful questions.

Personally, as a woman in midlife, I feel incredibly seen by Heidi in this book. I have lived experience with an eating disorder, sobriety, trauma, and chronic illness. Thank you for giving voice to so many things that have gone unspoken."

Tamie Gangloff, MA MFT, author of Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders: Assessments, Clinical Skills and Lived Experiences (Routledge)

"A Clinician's Guide to Midlife Eating Disorders and Body Image, by Heidi Dalzell, does a great service to the mental health field.

Heidi Dalzell presents a compelling and thorough understanding of eating disorder and body image concerns that are specific to the midlife population. She explores added complexities of trauma, identity, age range within midlife, timelines of eating disorder onsets, and a broad variety of circumstances.

Dalzell demonstrates how this population tends to get overlooked, misunderstood, or treated without discernment. In addressing this population's needs, Heidi adapts existing concepts, tools, frameworks, and modalities toward midlife-specific concerns. She highlights treatment protocol considerations that I believe all professionals should have at their disposal.

This book is succinctly, clearly, and practicably organized. Heidi incorporates case examples, diagrams and charts, and applicable practices. She includes prompts for professionals to reflect on themselves and their clients. This reflection renders client work meaningful and sustainable.

A Clinician's Guide to Midlife Eating Disorders and Body Image paves a novel path toward meaningful eating disorder recovery for the midlife population. It is certain to enrich the breadth of knowledge and wisdom of those who read it, and it is guaranteed to have a profound impact on the mental health field. Dalzell's care and compassion reverberates throughout her book, as she gently and directly guides the reader through her understanding of this topic. I felt like both a professional and a student as I was reading."

Jenn Friedman, LMHC - Mental Health Counselor, author of Veganism and Eating Disorder Recovery (Routledge)