Self Help & Recovery Tools
Support for Wherever You Are in Recovery
Recovery can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying to figure out what kind of support you need, where to start, or whether your struggle is “serious enough.” You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out. And you do not have to recover alone.
This page includes books, tools, and resources that may be helpful for people navigating eating disorder recovery, disordered eating, body image distress, chronic dieting, binge eating, restriction, purging, compulsive exercise, or a difficult relationship with food.
These resources are not a replacement for professional care, but they can be a supportive place to begin or return to throughout the recovery process.
If you are in immediate danger, experiencing medical symptoms, or having thoughts of harming yourself, please seek urgent medical or crisis support right away.
*A Gentle Note: Self-help tools can be meaningful, but eating disorders often thrive in isolation. If reading, journaling, or trying recovery strategies on your own starts to feel overwhelming, confusing, or unsafe, that may be a sign that more support is needed.
You deserve care that is compassionate, weight-inclusive, and informed by the complexity of eating disorders. Recovery is not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about having enough support to keep moving toward safety, connection, nourishment, and a life that feels more like your own.
Self-Help Books for Eating Disorder Recovery
These books may be helpful for learning more about eating disorders, recovery, body image, emotional coping, mindfulness, intuitive eating, and healing from dieting.
Eating Disorder Recovery
Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too by Jenni Schaefer and Thom Rutledge
Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from Your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life by Jenni Schaefer
Restoring Our Bodies, Reclaiming Our Lives by Aimee Liu
Gaining: The Truth About Eating Disorders by Aimee Liu
Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering From Your Eating Disorder by Joanna Poppink
The Eating Disorders Sourcebook by Carolyn Costin
Binge Eating, Bulimia + Emotional Eating
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Bulimia: A Guide to Breaking Free from Bulimia Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Emily K. Sandoz, Kelly G. Wilson, and Troy Dufrene
Crave: Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop by Cynthia Bulik
The Food and Feelings Workbook: A Full-Course Meal on Emotional Health by Karen R. Koenig
Eat, Drink and Be Mindful: How to End Your Struggle with Mindless Eating and Start Savoring Your Food With Intention by Susan Albers
50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food by Susan Albers
Body Image, Dieting + Intuitive Eating
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
The Diet Survivor’s Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care by Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel
Moving Away From Diets: Healing Eating Problems and Exercise Resistance by Nancy L. King, Karin Kratina, and Dayle Hayes
Some books may be more helpful for certain stages of recovery than others. If you are currently medically unstable, severely restricting, purging, or feeling unable to nourish yourself consistently, we encourage you to seek professional support in addition to self-help resources.
Online Eating Disorder Resources
National Eating Disorders Association
The National Eating Disorders Association offers educational resources for individuals, families, and loved ones affected by eating disorders.
Visit:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/
Helpful areas to explore may include:
Eating disorder signs and symptoms
Treatment options
Support for families and caregivers
Screening tools
Recovery information
Ways to support someone you care about
Help for Maine College Students
Most colleges in Maine have a health center, counseling center, wellness office, or student support service. If you are a student struggling with eating, body image, exercise, or food-related distress, your campus health or counseling center may be a good place to begin.
If more specialized eating disorder treatment is needed, campus providers may be able to help connect you with local therapists, dietitians, medical providers, or higher levels of care.
Bowdoin College
Self-help and self-assessment info: http://www.bowdoin.edu/counseling/self-help/eating-disorders.shtml
Counseling Center: http://www.bowdoin.edu/counseling/services/index.shtml
Colby College
Health and Counseling Center: http://www.colby.edu/administration_cs/healthservices/
College of the Atlantic
Counseling Center: https://www.coa.edu/student-life/health-wellness/counseling/
Maine College of Art
Counseling Services: http://www.meca.edu/meca-life/student-affairs/health-services#tab-counseling
Maine Maritime Academy
Student Health and Counseling Center: http://www.mainemaritime.edu/health-services
St. Joseph’s College
Counseling Center: http://www.sjcme.edu/student-life/counseling
Thomas College
Health Center: https://www.thomas.edu/campus-life/student-affairs/health-wellness/health-services/
University of Maine Augusta
Counseling Centers (Augusta and Bangor campuses): http://www.uma.edu/counseling.html
University of Maine Farmington
Student Health Center: http://studenthealth.umf.maine.edu/
University of Maine Fort Kent
Campus Health Center: http://www.umfk.edu/wellness/clinic/
University of Maine Machias
Counseling Services: http://machias.edu/counseling_services
University of Maine Presque Isle
Counseling Services (requires a MaineStreet portal account to log in for info): http://www.umpi.edu/offices-services/counseling-center
University of New England
Counseling Center (Biddeford and Portland campuses): http://www.une.edu/studentlife/biddeford/counsel
Student Health Center (Biddeford and Portland): http://www.une.edu/studentlife/shc
University of Southern Maine
Health and Counseling Center: http://usm.maine.edu/uhcs/eating-disorders
University of Maine, Orono
Self-help information: http://umaine.edu/counseling/students-self-help/worried-about-eating-disorders/
Counseling Center: http://umaine.edu/counseling/counseling-services