Eat Breathe Thrive Immersion

Informed Consent & Release

Overview

Eat Breathe Thrive is a nonprofit organization that aims to prevent eating disorders and support individuals dealing with mental health challenges. The Eat Breathe Thrive Immersion is offered by Eat Breathe staff in-person (in community spaces, yoga studios, universities, schools, etc.) and online. This training includes discussion, interactive exercises, movement, and meditation.

Risks and Benefits

The training may have benefits and risks. You should consult with your physician and obtain consent prior to beginning the program. All movement programs involve a risk of injury. By choosing to participate in the movement portion of this training, you voluntarily assume a certain risk of injury.

The following guidelines will help you reduce your risk of injury:

  • Breathe smoothly and continuously as you move and stretch.
  • Do not strain to attain any position.
  • Respect your body’s abilities and limitations.
  • Do not perform postures or movements that are painful.
  • Consult your healthcare provider if you have previous injuries or conditions.

You may also experience uncomfortable feelings over the course of the training. Some participants report feeling sadness, shame, frustration, or overwhelm during group discussion. Some aspects of the training may elicit painful memories. This training is not a replacement for mental health treatment, and it is important you seek support from a mental health provider if necessary.

This training also carries the possibility of many benefits. Many participants report reduced stress, improved self-esteem, greater satisfaction with their body, better communication skills, healthier eating behaviors, and a sense of meaning and purpose. It is not unusual for people to sometimes feel worse before they feel better. There are no guarantees of what you will or will not experience.

Medical Concerns

This training is not a treatment for any physical or mental illness. The leader(s) of this training cannot diagnose or treat physical or mental health conditions. This training should not be used as a replacement for mental health treatment.  It is recommended that you seek counsel from qualified medical and mental health practitioners for issues related to psychological and physiological illness.

Your Rights

  1. You have the right to ask questions about the process and course of the training.
  2. You have the right to voice concerns or complaints about the training. The leader(s) of this training welcome your feedback directly. In addition, you can contact the Eat Breathe Thrive Organization with any concerns about unethical or unfair treatment.
  3. You have the right to leave the program. If you wish, your training leader(s) will provide you with the names of other qualified professionals whose services you might prefer.
  4. You have the right to expect that the training leader(s) will maintain professional and ethical boundaries. The Code of Ethics your training leaders abide by are explicated in our Code of Ethics.
  5. You have the right to set your own physical and emotional boundaries. If there are any aspects of the training you do not wish to participate in, you have the right to opt out. If you do not wish to engage in activities that involve touch, you have the right to opt out.

Confidentiality

Your training leader(s) are required to maintain your confidentiality, and we ask that you also respect the confidentiality of your fellow participants. Keep what happens in the group in the group. If you want to share what you are learning about yourself with friends or loved ones, remember not to share names, identities, or in any other way compromise the confidentiality of your fellow participants.

Limits to Confidentiality

Your training leader(s) are required to maintain your confidentiality, except for a few special circumstances:

  • Instances of active or suspected abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual) or neglect of a child, an elder, or a dependent adult must be reported to the appropriate protective services
  • If you threaten to harm yourself or to harm another individual, training leaders are required to take steps to help maintain the safety of the person at risk.
  • If a judge orders a training leader’s testimony/records or, in the context of a legal proceeding, the training leader may be required to release confidential information to the court.
  • The training leader(s) may consult with the Eat Breathe Thrive Organization and its staff about what happens in the program.

Your fellow participants are asked to sign the same confidentiality agreement you do prior to entering the training. The Eat Breathe Thrive Organization and your training leader(s) cannot guarantee that fellow participants will uphold confidentiality standards.

Safety Factors

This training is not intended for individuals struggling with acute mental or physical illness. If you engage in any of the following, you will be asked to leave the training for the safety of you and your fellow participants:

  • Use of drugs or alcohol before or during sessions.
  • Purging
  • Laxative/diet pill/stimulant abuse
  • Self-harm behaviors

Attendance

Your presence in each session of the training is important. A healthy group dynamic is essential for connection, growth and change. If you are absent, this dynamic suffers and affects the experience of you and other members of the group. We ask that you make a commitment to attending the entire training.

An emergency may occur that prevents you from attending a session. If you are faced with an emergency or sudden illness, please contact your training leader(s) before group begins let them know you will not be present.

If for some reason you need to leave the training before its conclusion, we ask that you let your fellow participants and training leaders know you are leaving. We ask this because each member of the group is important, and your presence and your departure will impact everyone involved.

Emergency Contact

Your training leader(s) will make every effort to return any contact you initiate (email, phone call, text, etc) in a reasonable amount of time. Should you have an emergency that requires immediate attention or action, please call your national emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room.

Records

The Eat Breathe Thrive Organization maintains outcome data for all programs. These records include questionnaires you fill out, billing records, and copies of any professional documents (e.g., informed consent forms, media releases, etc). These records may be used for qualitative and quantitative research, but any identifying data will be removed to avoid revealing your identity.