Online Peer Support (OPS) for Eating Disorder

Child Services, Mental Health - Adult & Senior, Mental Health - Child & Youth, and Youth Services

Provided by Looking Glass Foundation

Online Peer Support (OPS) chats provide a safe, anonymous space for individuals who are affected by an eating disorder or disordered eating to connect to a recovery community and receive support in real-time.
The Online Peer Support (OPS) service provides an accessible, anonymous, and non-threatening alternative to conventional support groups - letting sufferers ease into a recovery community with greater comfort and at their own pace. It is available to people of ages 14 and up, anywhere in Canada, who are experiencing disordered eating, weight, or body image issues. OPS is intended to provide support, rather than therapy. Recovery-focused online conversations are non-judgmental and avoid sensitive subjects such as weight, diet, and specific eating disorder behaviours. Participants are welcome to chat or simply observe the flow of dialogue -- whatever feels right for them.

How it works:
  • OPS chats are facilitated by trained Looking Glass Moderators who ensure the chats remain welcoming, non-judgmental and recovery-focused.
  • Each chat session offers a confidential space for people to post about their experiences and benefit from the empathy and understanding of their peers while avoiding sensitive subjects such as weight, dieting, and specific eating -disorder behaviours. The Chat Rules can be found here.
  • There are eight live chats per week, and participants can join as many as they like. They are welcome to chat or simply observe the flow of dialogue—whatever feels right for them. Some chats will be busier than others, and participants may drop in and out during the 1.5-hour sessions.
  • OPS is not a crisis service, and individuals must be medically and psychiatrically stable in order to participate in this program.
  • OPS is a text-based chat service, and participants pick a display name when signing up. This can be the individual’s first name or another name of their choosing.
  • OPS chats are hosted on a secure Program Hub.
Chat Session Times:
All times are in Pacific Standard Time (PST).
  • Monday: 7:30-9:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 4:30-6:00 PM and 7:30-9:00 PM
  • Wednesday:  6:30-8:00 PM* and 8:30-10:00 PM
  • Thursday: 4:30-6:00 PM and 7:30-9:00 PM
  • Friday: 7:30-9:00 PM
  • Sunday: 7:30-9:00 PM

*Binge Eating OPS Chat: takes place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month. Open to individuals wishing to receive support related to bingeing behaviours and the thoughts and feelings that accompany them.

How to Sign Up:
To join the OPS chats, you will need to register and create a profile on the Program Hub (fields with * are required and you must choose a Display Name as this is what is visible in the chats).

Public email: programs@lookingglassbc.com

Website: https://www.lookingglassbc.com...

Service is available in English.

Cost: No cost

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Availability

Service area: Province-wide + show cities

Service area cities: 100 Mile House, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Aldergrove, Alert Bay, Alexis Creek, Anahim Lake, Anmore, Armstrong, Ashcroft, Atlin, Bamfield, Banff, Barriere, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Black Creek, Blue River, Boston Bar, Bowen Island, Brentwood Bay, Burnaby, Burns Lake, Cache Creek, Calgary, Campbell River, Canmore, Castlegar, Cathedral Grove, Cawston, Chase, Chemainus, Chetwynd, Chilliwack, Christina Lake, Clearwater, Clinton, Cobble Hill, Comox, Coombs, Coquitlam, Cortes Island, Courtenay, Cranbrook, Crawford Bay, Creston, Cumberland, Daajing Giids, Dawson Creek, Dease Lake, Deep Bay, Delta, Denman Island, Duncan, Edgewood, Elkford, Enderby, Fanny Bay, Fernie, Fort Langley, Fort Nelson, Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Fraser Lake, Fruitvale, Gabriola Island, Galiano Island, Gibsons, Golden, Gold River, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Hanceville, Hazelton, Hope, Hornby Island, Horne Lake, Houston, Hudson's Hope, Invermere, Kamloops, Kaslo, Kelowna, Keremeos, Kimberley, Kitimat, Kyuquot, Ladner, Ladysmith, Lake Country, Lake Cowichan, Langford, Langley, Lantzville, Lethbridge, Lillooet, Lions Bay, Logan Lake, Long Beach, Lumby, Lytton, Mackenzie, Maple Ridge, Masset, Mayne Island, McBride, Merritt, Merville, Midway, Mill Bay, Mission, Nakusp, Nanaimo, Nanoose Bay, Nelson, New Aiyansh, New Denver, New Westminster, Nitinaht, North Delta, North Saanich, North Vancouver, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Oyama, Parksville, Peachland, Pemberton, Pender Harbour, Pender Island, Penelakut Island, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Port Alberni, Port Alice, Port Coquitlam, Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Port Moody, Powell River, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Princeton, Quadra Island, Qualicum Beach, Quathiaski Cove, Quesnel, Revelstoke, Richmond, Riske Creek, Rock Creek, Rossland, Saanich, Saanichton, Salmo, Salmon Arm, Salt Spring Island, Sardis, Saturna Island, Sayward, Scotch Creek, Sechelt, Shawnigan Lake, Sicamous, Sidney, Skidegate, Slocan, Smithers, Sointula, Sooke, Sorrento, South Surrey, Sparwood, Spences Bridge, Squamish, Stewart, Summerland, Sun Peaks, Surrey, Tahsis, Tatla Lake, Telkwa, Terrace, Tofino, Trail, Tsawwassen, Tumbler Ridge, Ucluelet, Valemount, Vancouver, Vanderhoof, Vernon, Victoria, West Kelowna, West Vancouver, Whistler, White Rock, Williams Lake, Winlaw, Witset, and Yale

Service Types Provided
Child Services
Mental Health - Adult & Senior
Mental Health - Child & Youth
Youth Services
Ways to Access
  • Provided online: email / video / on-line

The listing of this service in Pathways is not a recommendation or endorsement by Pathways.

Pathways does not provide medical advice. If you have an emergency please call 9-1-1. If you require assistance navigating services please call 8-1-1.

For general inquiries or for assistance, please email us:

community-services@pathwaysbc.ca

If you are requesting clinical access to medical Pathways, please provide the following information via the email above:

  1. First Name
  2. Last Name
  3. Email
  4. In which city/town do you work?
  5. What is your role? E.g. Family Physician, Office Staff, Medical Resident
  6. Employer Name (for office staff)
  7. Office Phone

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