Authentically You, LLC

Breaking down financial, health care, and systematic barriers to eating disorder treatment.

"30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder. Despite this prevalence, only 20% receive treatment. The other 24 million cannot access the care they need due to insurmountable financial, insurance, and pervasive systemic barriers, resulting in serious consequences. Eating disorders are the second most fatal mental illness (after Opioid Use Disorder), with one person dying as a direct result of an eating disorder every 52 minutes.

The stereotypes of who has an eating disorder – white, young, female, thin, affluent – are not accurate or representative. They are, however, the subgroup that has been the focus of research and treatment marketing as they are more likely to have the resources to access treatment. In order to combat these stereotypes, Project HEAL has launched both BIPOC and LGBTQ+ Treatment Equity Projects to ensure support goes directly to marginalized communities who are currently underrepresented in the treatment landscape. Research is clear that people of every ethnicity, age, gender, body shape and size, and socioeconomic status struggle with eating disorders, but our broken healthcare system prevents anyone outside of the normative eating disorder narrative from utilizing the resources required to achieve recovery.