On Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 7:00-8:30 p.m., there will be a panel discussion about eating disorders in the lobby of the Poling Center for Global Learning and Leadership at Spring Arbor University (SAU). Called “Mind-Body Connections: Understanding Eating Disorders,” the panel will feature four speakers.
Tammy Dindoffer, dean of the School of Human Services, will talk about her experience as a parent of a child with an eating disorder, and her daughter Emily Hervey will speak from personal experience as a sufferer of an eating disorder. Deb Varland, assistant professor of health, human performance and recreation, will explain how an eating disorder affects a person physiologically. Betsy Vickers, a therapist from Jackson, Mich., will speak about how an eating disorder occurs and community resources that are available to sufferers.
Sarah Soltis, academic advisor to the Department of Social Work, said that she has heard that eating disorders are a problem at SAU.
“It’s definitely something that needs to be addressed,” said Soltis.
Ama Larsen, assistant professor of social work, said that anyone can benefit from attending this panel, including those who have dealt with an eating disorder, those who want to help sufferers and those who just want to raise their level of awareness about eating disorders.
The panel is sponsored by Love, a group for women of minority races at SAU, in partnership with the Social Work Association.
Larsen said that there may be similar panels about other topics, such as premarital sex.
“My vision is for it to be like a talk host show where people can really come out and discuss and make it something that’s not necessarily fun, but something that’s light, and just [something] that they can be a part of,” said Larsen.
If you have an idea for a panel topic, please email Soltis at Sarah.Soltis@arbor.edu or Larsen at Ama.Larsen@arbor.edu.
By Dana Van Doren
