Remuda Ranch- Hungry for Hope: A Christian Approach to Disordered Eating and Body Image Issues   July 17-19, 2008Download basic itinerary--PDF file (subject to change) Download conference brochure (PDF file)  About the conference: In their own wordsGlen Eyrie: Joining us today are Travis Stewart and Constance Rhodes, two of the speakers for our upcoming eating disorder/body image conference for counselors and ministers. Travis, how would you describe to someone what this conference will focus on?Travis Stewart: This conference is somewhat of a dream come true for me. I have a rich history with The Navigators and Glen Eyrie (since 1988) and love participating in conferences there. Additionally, I've been focused full-time on eating disorders since 2003. Bringing these two passions together is very exciting. Outside of that, this conference is a focused effort to bring exceptional training for professionals and ministry leaders on a critical topic. Eating Disorders are the leading cause of death among all mental health issues (including suicide) and yet there is a great fear among Christians when faced with this issue. Additionally, chronic dieting, body image struggles and media pressure is something that nearly every women in the Western world faces daily. In light of this you would think there would be a great deal of training and literature on the topic. There's not, at least from a biblical perspective. This conference is about changing that. Our desire is to produce a training conference on the issues of disordered eating, body image and eating disorders of the highest caliber and make it available to both professionals such as therapists and dieticians as well as ministry leaders. We believe this conference will be unique in that it is coming from a thoroughly biblical perspective and it is taking place in a location where God regularly meets with people in personal and transformative ways. GE: This isn't a conference for those who personally struggle with these issues. Specifically, who do you consider your main audience for this conference? TS: Both professionals in the field of eating disorders (therapists, dieticians, physicians) and ministry leaders who want to learn more about these issues from a biblical perspective. We will have some joint sessions and many of the workshops will be in two tracks (professional and ministry). Those who desire will be able to receive 11 Continuing Education Credits for their licensure. GE: This next question is for both of you. Why are you passionate about this subject? Constance Rhodes: Eating issues have had a huge personal impact in my life. My mother struggled with bulimia for more than twenty years, and I, too, wrestled with various forms of disordered eating for more than a decade. As God was leading me toward freedom in my own issues, I began to understand that most of the women I knew (and many men as well) struggled in some way with eating, weight and body image concerns, but felt alone in their struggles. Today, I am convinced that disordered eating, chronic dieting and body image issues are the most common struggle that women face, and I count it a privilege to help broaden discussion of this subject so that all who struggle can find the hope, healing and freedom they seek. TS: I never envisioned myself working in this field before 2003. God kind of snuck up on me. But since then I've grown tremendously as a person professionally and personally since that time. But even more than that, my heart was captured by the adolescents and ladies I worked with while a therapist. This struggle consumes and destroys lives and I want to be a part of redeeming women from it. GE: Wow, it's so amazing to hear how God has called you to this work in such unique ways! What are two things you want attendees to take away from your conference? TS: Wow, tough question. First I guess I would say "hope." There is hope and freedom from the all-consuming nature of the struggle and that hope is found in Christ and his work of redemption. Secondly, I want people to better understand what Scripture says about the physical body. So much of what we believe and react to is untrue. We are not called as Christians to hate our bodies, and yet we are not to invest our hope in them either. I want people to walk away with a biblical relationship with their body and better understand how to incorporate that into helping women with this struggle. CR: From my sessions, I want people to understand that disordered eating comes in many forms, including chronic dieting, organic food obsessions, and frequent overeating, in addition to the types of disorders we hear more frequently about, such as anorexia and bulimia. This is important because until we can be honest with ourselves about the hold food has on us, we can’t begin making moves toward freedom. And, of course, I look forward to sharing with them a model of balance that they can put to practical use in their lives. GE: Ok, one last question for both of you--a fun one! What's one thing in your day-to-day life that is normal for you but is probably pretty unusual for most people? TS: Every morning after I shower I like to "dry" my ears out with a Q-tip. Aaaah. Feels fresh. CR: To keep my speaking/singing voice in good working order, I have to do vocal warm-ups every day. This means that anyone who happens to come to the office early will likely have to endure hearing me sing, ‘me, me, me, me, me… fee, fee, fee, fee, fee…” at the top of my lungs for about fifteen minutes. I feel silly but know that it’s worth it in the long run. GE: Travis, Constance, thanks so much for sharing. We look forward to seeing lives changed through this conference! Phone registration for this conference is currently available. SESSION TOPICS INCLUDE (subject to change):
SPEAKERS Constance Rhodes
is the founder and president of FINDINGbalance, Inc., a faith based
health and wellness organization with an emphasis on eating and body
image issues. She is the author of two books, Life Inside the Thin Cage: A Personal Look into the Hidden World of the Chronic Dieter, and The Art of Being: Reflections on the Beauty and the Risk of Embracing Who We Are,
and also appears on the new Music for the Soul recording “Tell Me What
You See”. Constance’s passion for addressing disordered eating comes
from more than 25 years of personal experience, including her mother’s
battle with bulimia and her own decade-long struggle with binging and
chronic dieting. Today her organization is focused on broadening
awareness and resources for all who struggle with eating and weight
issues. Much of this work is done through their website,
which features more than 500 videos of top experts in the field,
including several from Remuda Ranch, the nation’s leading eating
disorder treatment center, offering hope and healing to disordered
eaters. Constance resides in Franklin, TN with her husband and three
children.
Travis Stewart (L.P.C.) is
currently working for Remuda Ranch in the role of Ministry Relations
where he focuses on educating churches, ministries and Christian
schools on eating disorders and related issues. Prior to that he spent
four years as a therapist at Remuda Ranch, working with adolescent
girls and their families who are struggling with eating disorders. He
graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary in 2001 with a Master of
Arts in Counseling and again in 2003 with a Master of Arts, Theological
Studies. Prior to that he worked in the campus ministry of The
Navigators at the Universities of Nebraska and Kansas, ministering to
college students and training staff. He now lives outside of Phoenix
with his wife Susan and two kids, Laura and Spencer.Additional speakers include:
About Remuda Ranch Remuda Ranch offers programs and settings that are distinctively different from the traditional, institutional format offered at hospitals and clinics. We provide a balanced approach, which produces a continuing lifestyle change through individualized, Biblically based programs designed to treat the whole person and meet her unique medical, nutritional and psychological needs. Remuda’s programs are geared toward overcoming the habitual response patterns of an eating disorder and uncovering the issues at the core of the illness. Throughout treatment, Remuda’s medical, psychiatric and clinical staff give each patient the tools to return to her family with the confidence, courage and determination to live a healthy and productive life. The treatment provided at Remuda Ranch has been found to be extremely effective, due to their unique methods of treatment. In fact, a reliable outcome study indicates that over 95% of Remuda residents were successfully recovering one year after completing treatment. For more information about the programs, visit their website.  PRICING AND REGISTRATIONDATES: July 17-19, 2008Conference Fee (program only):
For group rates, please call 1-800-944-4536 x7449 View our new cancellation policy. |
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