Journey offers support
Nyshicka Jordan
Staff Reporter

The goal of the new disordered eating support group is to provide a confidential place to find strength, hope and help for TCU female students struggling with eating disorders, said Monica Kintigh, licensed professional counselor for Mental Health Services/Counseling and Testing.

“(My goal is) for them to feel like they have a safe place to be who they are where they don’t have to hide what they are feeling,” Kintigh said.

Journey, a TCU anonymous disordered eating support group, began Monday and will meet every Monday at 3 p.m. in a confidential location, and all meetings’ discussions are confidential as well, Kintigh said.

Journey is the brain child of the Disordered Eating Networking Team. DENT consists of students, faculty and staff and other community professionals who collaborate to educate the TCU community and prevent disordered eating, said Marcy Paul, Women’s Resource Center coordinator.

Disordered eating means an individual is not following a healthy food plan, Kintigh said.
She said disordered eating can turn into an eating disorder once food controls the individual’s will. Some eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating.

Paul said disordered eating for women may stem from striving to be the best.

“Part of it is we never feel good enough,” Paul said. “We never feel accomplished. We never feel success.”

Kintigh said the submergence of an eating disorder in college can be linked to a transition from living with a parent who prepares meals. She said when students become more in control of what they eat in college, they learn that eating is one thing they can control out of other things they can not.

Kintigh said there is proof that disordered eating is a problem at TCU because the Counseling Center has received referrals from student organizations, athletics and Campus Life.

Karrie Queal, a senior special communications major, said she has been in recovery from anorexia for the past two years. She said support groups are a positive experience for those that suffer.

“It’s a very positive thing because you realize you are not the only one struggling,” Queal said.

Kintigh said the Health Center does not give out statistics of students suffering from eating disorders, but in the United States, conservative estimates indicate that after puberty, 5 to 10 million girls and women and 1 million boys and men are struggling with eating disorders, according to (www.nationaleatingdisorders.org).

Kintigh said Journey may provide therapeutic benefits, but that it is not a therapy group. Female students can come to seek support from others in a similar situation whether they have concerns that they may suffer from an eating disorder or are currently in recovery from a diagnosed eating disorder, Kintigh said.

During meetings, students should expect to discuss their feelings, their sense of self and ways in which to learn what they can and can not control, Kintigh said.

Queal said that in her support group, others who had been in recovery would come to share their stories.

“That let’s you know recovery is possible,” she said.

Recovery for Queal included attending a weekly support group and seeing a therapist and a nutritionist.

Students interested in Journey should call (817) 257-7863 to find out meeting locations.

Kintigh said there is no commitment to continue meetings, but that she encourages participants to attend at least three meetings before they decide it is not for them.

Although the group is only open to females, males who believe they suffer from disordered eating may also call for references.

n.d.jordan@tcu.edu