Australian-first eating disorder recovery program, EndEd, restores hope to sufferers

The practitioner behind an Australian-first eating disorder recovery program has revealed how alternative treatment options are restoring hope to sufferers, including herself.

Laura Chamberlain senior practitioner of End Ed. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The practitioner behind an Australian-first eating disorder recovery program has revealed how alternative treatment options are restoring hope to sufferers, including herself.

The Sunshine Coast charity, EndEd, was founded in 2015 by local couple Mark and Gay Forbes to provide a much-needed residential care option for those recovering from eating disorders.

The couple realised the need for residential care after supporting their two daughters through eating disorders.

The program, which is the first of its kind in the country, currently operates two sites in the Sunshine Coast region, a 25 hectare residential property in Mooloolah Valley and the House of Hope in West Woombye.

Mr Forbes said each year more than 150 people attend the sites, which have a strong focus on rehabilitation and prevention.

However, it is not just the participants who are benefiting from the services offered by EndEd, which revolves around a wholistic, community approach with support workers who have lived experience.

Laura Chamberlain is the senior practitioner at EndEd. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Practitioner at the House of Hope, Laura Chamberlain, said helping others through their eating disorder recoveries had unexpectedly helped her with her own healing journey.

“This has become my purpose and it has really helped with my own recovery, what I’ve been through is now meaningful and able to bring hope to others, which is really powerful,” Ms Chamberlain said.

“Our team is incredible, we all have lived experience but come together with a variety of qualifications and backgrounds.”

Ms Chamberlain said providing people in recovery with a team of supporters with lived experience helped break the misconception eating disorders were lifelong.

“Often when people come to House of Hope they have quite a bit of hopelessness, coming from the medical system and hospitals stays they might have never met people who have recovered,” Ms Chamberlain.

“We can give them that hope, that is possible to have a full recovery.”

Ms Chamberlain said the House of Hope was more community-focused and individualised than traditional medical services.

“It is an inviting and warm environment, we created it to be as homelike as possible as opposed to more clinical hospital settings,” Ms Chamberlain said.

“We work with a lot of other community groups and organisations too, we aren’t doing this alone because it really needs to be a community approach.”