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Andrew Walen is the founder and Executive Director of The Body Image Therapy Center in Columbia, Maryland (www.thebodyimagecenter.com). He is a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders, substance abuse, body image, anxiety and depression, self-harm, and self-esteem. He is an active author, speaker, and advocate on these issues.
Mr. Walen currently serves on the board of directors for the National Association for Males with Eating Disorders (NAMED). He was also a founding board member of the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA). He has appeared on The Today Show, was featured in The New York Times, and interviewed on television and radio stations in the Baltimore/DC area as an expert in the field of eating disorders. In addition, he has authored numerous articles and presented workshops on eating disorders, body image disturbance, exercise addiction, bariatric surgery recovery, and binge eating disorder. His first book, Man Up to Eating Disorders, which is a memoir and self-help book directed at males with an emphasis on binge eating disorder, was published May 2014.
Mr. Walen is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work in Nashville. He also is a published singer/songwriter and performs regionally (www.andrewwalen.com).
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Man Up to Eating Disorders by Andrew Walen is a good self-help memoir for men and boys struggling with weight and eating disorders. The book speaks about the author’s eating disorders which he has categorized under three sections, starting with the emotional eating experience. The author’s depressive time and period of anorexia in high school sets the tone for the future sections of the book. The journey of the author’s life through his love, marriage, fatherhood and overeating habit leads him to the lowest phase in his life. His recovery phase begins after that and he starts working with a dietitian to get control over his eating habits. The author's journey from being an anorexic to that of a therapist is indeed inspirational.
The topic of eating disorders has been covered extensively and the author’s personal experiences and very methodical manner of discussing the topic make this a good book for all those battling weight problems. The sections covered sum up the topic very well and the author’s determination and willpower stand out through the narration of his personal incidents. He speaks about the root cause of eating disorders and tells readers how important it is to enjoy their food rather than abuse it. The homework exercises at the end of the chapters prove to be useful to those readers who want to reflect on and contemplate what they have read and what they need to do to change their lives.
