NEDA Navigators

NEDA Navigators are volunteers that have experience navigating the complex and overwhelming systems and emotions involved with the diagnosis and process of seeking help for an eating disorder. Volunteers are trained by NEDA staff and Clinical Advisors and NEDA founders Douglas Bunnell, PhD and Ilene Fishman, LCSW, to be a knowledgeable, informal source of support and guidance to those who are new to the illness.

NEDA Navigators* provide support by:

• Helping you find local resources, treatment options and support groups
• Directing you to helpful websites, books, articles, NEDA resources, etc.
• Sharing their personal stories to provide insight, strategies for self-care and hope for recovery
• Encouraging you to support your loved one to seek professional help (or seek help for yourself)
• Being a listening ear as you are going through what can be a difficult journey
• Helping you navigate insurance issues for treatment coverage
• Providing a listing of organizations that offer treatment scholarships and research studies offering free treatment
• Decreasing feelings of isolation

*NEDA Navigators are not treatment professionals and do not provide mental health services. They provide informal, personal support through a difficult journey, and direct individuals and families to the professional help they need.

Request a NEDA Navigator

Email pffnetwork@myneda.org, and include your city, state, and any specific aspects of the issue you are dealing with in order to help us determine the best NEDA Navigator match for you. We can match you by proximity to your location and/or similarity of experience (type of eating disorder, gender, co-occurring conditions such as substance abuse or depression, etc). We will send your request to a NEDA Navigator within one day of receiving your message. NEDA Navigators respond to new messages at least once per week. For immediate assistance, call the NEDA Helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

Become a NEDA Navigator

Visit the NEDA website to find out more about NEDA Navigator criteria and upcoming trainings. For questions or more information, email admin@pfn.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

To learn more about our NEDA navigator program, click here.