Doris Smeltzer - Advice for Parents
Doris Smeltzer, an educator for nearly 20 years, was thrust into the world of eating disorders through Andrea, her 19-year-old daughter, who died of bulimia in June 1999.
Since her daughter’s death, Doris has earned a Masters in Counseling Psychology, is a registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern and has authored the critically acclaimed book, Andrea's Voice: Silenced by Bulimia (Gürze Books, 2006).
Doris co-founded with her husband Tom the non-profit eating disorders prevention Foundation, Andrea’s Voice. Their daughter’s story has now been told in the headlines of periodicals and in radio and television spots from New York to California. Their web site, AndreasVoice.org, receives thousands of hits each day from countries around the world—testimony to the vast expanse of these deadly illnesses. Doris serves on committees for the National Eating Disorders Association and the Academy for Eating Disorders.
In addition to the work in her daughter’s honor, Doris continues with the local school district as a Teacher on Special Assignment, K-12, focusing on Bully Prevention, Character Education and Body Image Issues. In her leisure time, she enjoys gardening and working on projects with Tom in their Napa, California home which they share with their cats and llamas. Doris treasures time spent with her daughter Jocelyn, son-in-law Tracy, and playing with her soon-to-be two-year-old grandson, Fischer Lynn.
Andrea's Voice ... Silenced by Bulimia
Author: Doris Smeltzer
with Andrea Lynn Smeltzer
256 pages (paperback)
order online at www.gurze.com
After a one-year struggle with bulimia, Andrea Smeltzer died in her sleep at the age of 19, catapulting her mother, Doris, into a journey of self-discovery. By combining Andrea’s poetry and journal entries, mother and daughter tell the story together, capturing the bond that connected them. Doris’ honest exploration of the emotional issues surrounding her daughter’s development of bulimia provide insight and guidance not only to parents, but also to any young woman who is struggling to find her independence.
