Spotlight - Ruth & Helen Missen

Spotlight: Conversations with people who have useful information around eating disorders In this episode Ruth talks to Helen Missen. Helen is a retired nurse, and mother to 3 adult children.  Their family have lived on the Welsh/Shropshire borders for 17 years. At the age of 15 her daughter was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, and the family as they knew it changed tack. Helen began to learn about her daughter’s illness, whilst successfully petitioning the Welsh government for increased funding for CAMHS.  Her advocacy, petition and connection with clinicians has led her to helping change the policies in Wales, the U.K. and internationally. Helen speaks at conferences teaching about eating disorders, drawing on her lived experience and in depth knowledge for the past 12 years. Helen has also been on the board of the European Faculty of the Academy of Eating Disorders, as well as the Executive Committee for the Faculty of Eating Disorders at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. She is also the carer representative for the ongoing training of all Eating Disorder Adult Service Whole Team Training commissioned by the English Government and delivered by SLAM (South London and Maudsley).  Helen has served on the board of FEAST (Familes Empowered And Supporting Treatment) as well as being a member for 15 years. She regularly supports individual families,  and is passionate about encouraging evidence based, well delivered, timely treatment, as well as changing the landscape of eating disorder care across the U.K.  FEAST can be found on Facebook ATDT-eating disorder family carer support (Facebook) @feast_ed. (Instagram) Ruth's Website: https://ruthsteggles.co.uk Ruth's Substack: https://substack.com/@ruthsteggles