Befriending

Our befriending service provides regular, long-term peer support connecting adults who are currently recovering from an eating disorder or eating distress with trained volunteer befrienders who have recovered.

How befriending works

When you are trying to recover from an eating disorder it’s often hard to believe that you will ever get through it. The negative feelings and disordered thought patterns are difficult to challenge, and you might feel that they will always be there. Whilst support from family and friends is an important part of recovery, sometimes it can feel difficult to share the challenges you’re experiencing with those close to you. At times like this it can be really helpful to be able to talk to someone who truly knows what it’s like to be working towards recovery.

A befriender can support your journey by:

offering real hope and encouragement from a place of empathy and understanding
providing practical guidance and coping strategies to manage fear and anxieties related to food and eating
helping you to make small, positive changes towards recovery, including eating well again

You’ll work together at your own pace on several agreed goals around self-esteem, isolation, food and eating, to measure the progress you are making.