A new Dawn for people with eating disorders

Living with an eating disorder is the epitome of being totally out of control says Dawn Marron. But her new charitable trust aims to help women wrestle back control of their bodies.

Words: Judene Edgar

Dawn Marron had an enviable physique for most of her life, but it wasn’t by choice. For the best part of 25 years Dawn had an eating disorder and an obsessivecompulsive relationship with exercise that was driven by childhood trauma.

“When a child experiences serious trauma, they aren’t yet equipped with the skills to be able to handle it, so survival instincts kick in to protect them,” says Dawn. “One such survival instinct is dissociation. It’s a common trauma response that disconnects people from their bodies and surroundings and all of the shame, guilt, anger and grief they feel as a result of the trauma they’ve experienced.” Dawn numbed herself by severely controlling her food intake and with excessive exercise – running long distances, lifting weights and teaching up to six dance classes each day. She’d constantly compete with herself to surpass daily and weekly goals, pushing her body further and further. Part of her drive was the need to control her body and her fear of weakness or being vulnerable. Unfortunately, these behaviours were reinforced. As a dance instructor, people applauded her body, her fitness, and her drive, and she felt the pressure of having to deliver. She believed being invincible, indomitable and untouchable kept her safe. She felt that she had it all under control.

“It feels like control but an eating disorder is the epitome of being totally out of control.” And then it all came crashing down. Her body and mind collapsed. She couldn’t regulate her temperature, she had no strength or energy, she hit rock bottom. It took nearly three years of rest, intensive trauma healing, and deep personal work for Dawn to recover. “Eating disorder behaviours are an expression of unresolved trauma desperately seeking help,” says Dawn. “But you can only suppress your trauma for so long before it begins to surface; ultimately you’ll need to address it.” After her own journey to healing, Dawn is now determined to help others to break free and transform their relationship with food and with themselves. Dawn has become a Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach and Counsellor with additional training in trauma, somatic experiencing, Internal Family Systems and equine-assisted psychotherapy. Eating disorders are very unique and specific to the person, which is why Dawn says it’s critical to get to know the person and work through their individual issues on a deeply personal level. However, with the burgeoning numbers of people with eating disorders and the lack of trained professionals, people can end up on such long waiting lists that, while waiting for treatment, they end up hospitalised. “Unfortunately, I’ve heard lots of harrowing personal stories about hospitalisation,” says Dawn. To tackle the growing problem Dawn is establishing a charitable trust to increase awareness of eating disorders, get more people trained, and enhance service provision and collaboration between professionals. “These people and their families desperately need help, but we need more people, more information, more facilities, and we need a range of therapeutic approaches in order to help them.”

Dawn Marron is establishing a charitable trust to increase awareness of eating disorders.

To find out more about Dawn and eating disorder therapies visit recovher.co.nz

Rob Myers is graduating with a degree in social work this year.

NMIT graduate looking forward to future

While challenges caused by the global pandemic may have caused Rob Myers learning journey to be less than straightforward, it’s done nothing to dampen his excitement for his graduation this year.

Four years ago, Rob made the decision to undertake the Bachelor of Social Work at NMIT. Having tried his hand at a variety of jobs including sales, project management and landscape gardening, he was struggling to find the right career.

“I had never really found a career I felt passionate about,” says Rob. “Social work offered me the chance to find a career that was aligned with who I wanted to be as a person.” Rob was also drawn to the flexible range of career options social work would provide him in times of global uncertainty. “Social work gives you the opportunity to try a lot of different fields,” says Rob, “I’m really appreciative of the wide variety of career options now available to me.” Practical placements are an essential part of the programme and Rob worked in a number of different community agencies and organisations, gaining an insight into where he would like his career to advance upon graduation. “I spent time on placement at the ‘Male Room,’ a support service specifically for guys and then worked in mental health with older people at the Alexandra Hospital and really enjoyed that,” says Rob. “I think mental health is the area I’m looking to go down.” While slightly nervous about returning to study after a number of years away from school, Rob quickly realised it wasn’t an issue.

“Any concerns I had before I came here to study were unfounded,” says Rob, “NMIT is very supportive if you are concerned about the academic side of things.” A degree in social work will provide you with the core professional skills and attributes required to work in a range of social services including mental health and other counselling related roles. The next intake is February 2022 with flexible learning options available, including full-time and part-time study.

Visit nmit.ac.nz/social-work for more information.