.Dawn - The Eating Disorder Recovery Workbook

.Dawn is an illustrated workbook, journal and online support network for people in eating disorder recovery.  By combining workbook exercises, expert therapeutic advice and the support of a safe online community I hope to address the gap in some current treatment plans while allowing a space for people to work through difficult emotions.

In essence, this is the workbook I wish had existed in the depths of my illness.

You can listen to me talk about my project on BBC Radio CWR and BBC Radio Leicester here 

The book holds space for one years worth of healing but doesn't use specific dates so it can be reprinted and used for years to come. By breaking down the year into manageable monthly sections, .Dawn allows its audience to stay in the present and tackle challenges on a day to day basis without becoming overwhelmed.

Each month begins with a goal setting exercise, calling upon the audience to release something negative in their life and replace it with gentle, self imposed, exposure to the things they fear. This kind of exposure therapy is something I learned about in CBT treatment and helps to break down the strength of the eating disorder over time

For example:
Something I want to let go of: I want to release my fear of foods I deem to have "too much sugar"

My goal this month is: This month I will try at least 2 foods I would usually deem as "too sugary". After trying these foods I will aim to give myself compassion and understanding and remember that no one food in isolation has the ability to effect my weight.

Each month I will also write about possible challenges and the positives that time of year gives, as well as set a challenge that can be shared online for support.

Just under half of the pages are used as a journal, giving you space to write your thoughts down each day and release any emotions that come up during your recovery.

The remaining pages are a mix of worksheet style exercises, therapeutic advice and silly illustrative posters to keep your spirits up in tough times.

My Story

This is me age 9, I was a bubbly little girl with a love for singing, baking and making lots of arty mess.


Those sweet photos were hidden in dozens of photos just like this. (here I am at Disneyland,  hiding from the camera because I was terrified of looking too fat.) After years being bullied for being the chubby child in school, I had decided I needed to lose weight. I was 9 years old when I started skipping meals, throwing away packed lunches and hiding behind the school toy shed to avoid lunch. 

I continued to be bullied all the way through school and despite my desperate attempts to loose weight it never happened. In fact what did happen was the opposite. When this photo was taken I was skipping as many meals as possible, spending hours trying to make myself sick and self harming daily. By skipping meals I had forced my metabolism to slow down so much that, whenever I did “give in” and eat,  my body held onto the extra weight to prepare for my next self-induced famine.

I was depressed, had at least 3 major panic attacks a day and was under constant supervision incase I tried to commit suicide. Medical professionals knew how much I despised my body but dismissed my disordered behaviour because my BMI didn’t match what was expected of someone with a restrictive eating disorder. In 2014 I started the year with the same resolution as I had done for years “I must lose weight.

 That year I ate as little as possible, exercised for hours on end and cut myself off from friends and family that tried to prevent the disaster I was running towards at full speed. Eventually after losing half my body weight in 6 months I was fast-tracked to an eating disorder treatment centre where I spent 5 years as an outpatient. The treatment was directed towards helping my parents helping me gain weight for physical health, while this kept me alive, my mental health still suffered.

I was terrified - but more than that, I was confused, I was a ball of emotions and I didn’t know which way to turn. 

I know at this point getting my thoughts out would have helped massively.

Skip forward a few years and I reach my ultimate low point. I collapsed, on my own, from malnutrition and later ended up in A&E with a suspected heart attack.

That day was the first time I feared death more that weight gain that would save me.

At 18 years old I got a tattoo of a feather; it had been a symbol of hope since I got seriously ill in 2014. Feathers are often recognised as a symbol of recovery and in this moment, I needed that symbol more than anything. I decided that I had to change and committed myself to living a life without my eating disorder.

The name ".Dawn" comes from the idea that recovery marks the ending of a negative chapter of your life and a dawn of a new life, without the constraints of an eating disorder.

In therapy I was asked If I had a journal. I did but I had never used it properly. It always seemed like a waste of time and I gave up before I had really begun.

What I didn’t realise was that my journaling practice was going to be crucial in my recovery.  It has helped me work through 10 years of suppressed emotions, work out why I got ill in the first place and allowed me to forgive myself and others that had hurt me. I truly believe that If I had worked through these emotions earlier my illness wouldn’t have manifested in the same dramatic way it did.

Whats included?

The workbook will include 52 double page spreads with 7 boxes in each for daily reflections and personal journaling.

Each month section will include:

An illustrated month title page, monthly goal setting, weekly journaling spreads, silly food pun illustrations, Illustrated quotes, yoga, journaling or breathing practices, Illustrated worksheets and collaborative pages with a guest writer or medical professional.



What's in it for me?

Click here to see the reward options 

If you don't select a reward your money will go towards providing a workbook to someone in need that might not have the funds to buy the book themselves.

This option is perfect for the lovely people who would want to help support eating disorder recovery but don't need the journal themselves.

For every £25 donated without a reward I will send a starter pack to someone in need. 

This person may be: in a hospital without access to money, too young to earn the money themselves, facing poverty or other circumstances that make getting this workbook impossible without help.

The Starter Pack is a great way to begin your .Dawn journey. All Journals will come with a .Dawn eco-friendly pen, access to the private online community and a thank you (and good luck) letter from me. 

If you don't have an eating disorder, or if would like something other than .Dawn related goodies,  why not treat yourself to a bespoke commission? 

Choose from either a digital, watercolour or mixed media painting of your choice.  All commissions are created based on a client/illustrator conversation and are tailored to reach all of your expectations. I love working on commissions and treating my lovely clients like royalty. If it is physically possible to achieve your vision, I will do everything in my power to make it an artistic reality. 

For more of my work click here to see my website 
or here to see my Facebook page Brush & Brew Illustrations.

If like me, you have a group of friends who struggle with eating disorders, why not all pitch in and pledge to "Recover with friends." This unique package gives you and three friends EVERYTHING from the list of rewards including a bespoke commission, a 1:1 coffee and chat as well as the journal and all the amazing bits to go with it.

Click here to claim your rewards 


If there are any unforeseen delays with postage or production I will keep you all informed and endeavour to match the planned delivery dates wherever possible. I am so passionate about this project and can't wait to put all my energy into making this as much of a success as possible. I have a reputation of going above and beyond in all of my work endevors and will carry this forward to help as many people as I can in the near future!

Thank you Medical Professionals!
Working in the field of Eating Disorders must be really hard. The work you do is so appreciated - without your support I wouldn't be here today.

Thank you to my guest writers! 
To my amazing guest writers I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have donated your time, wisdom and words for my cause and I can never thank you enough.

Thank you!
Without you, this project can't help the people that are in need. If this project goes out into the world it will be down to you.
 

Disclaimer
This product is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always seek the advice of your doctor, physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Credits

Music

Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Stock

<a rel="nofollow" href="http://videezy.com">Free Stock Footage by Videezy</a>

<a href="http://www.videezy.com">Free B Roll by Videezy</a>


Copyright © 2020 Eleanor Loseby.