13 Jun Member Journey Spotlight: Deirdre Reddan – Embodying Hope and Advocacy through Lived Experience

Every iaedp™ member has a journey, and while each one is unique, many of our paths are marked by similar experiences of healing, career pivots, and the search for deeper meaning. Deirdre Reddan’s journey is a powerful example of how personal experiences can fuel professional changes and realign one’s professional purpose.

After a 27-year career in banking at the senior level, Deirdre made a courageous pivot following her daughter’s struggle with an eating disorder. As a parent navigating the emotional and clinical complexities of supporting a loved one, Deirdre immersed herself in workshops, literature, and training to become an informed and compassionate advocate. Her lived experience gave her not only insight but direction.

Deirdre, now in her second career, dedicates her work to helping families cope, heal and support their loved ones through coaching. She works one-to-one with parents, drawing from formal training as a coach and a youth mental health first aid instructor, as well as her eating disorder training. Her story underscores the idea that skills are transferable and that it is never too late to shift into work that aligns with your values and lived truths. “I left the corporate world behind,” she shares, “because I needed to find work that made a difference, and I found that in supporting others through their recovery journey.” She trained as a coach and received technical knowledge to help parents and families. 

Supporting Families

Deirdre co-leads family support programming alongside iaedp Foundation member Zuzanna Gajowiec, the Ireland Chapter Chair, and together they center families as a crucial, yet often overlooked, part of the healing process. (Home – Supported Families). “We call them the untapped superpower,” Deirdre says. Their joint work includes peer programs, webinars, and a powerful campaign advocating for eating disorder-informed care (Edinformed – Supported Families). She believes early intervention, awareness, and myth-busting are critical for progress.

What fuels her? Hope. “I embody hope for the families I support,” she says. “It is one of the hardest things a parent can go through, but it is possible to come out the other side.” Her daughter’s recovery inspired not only a career shift but a deep belief in helping other families find light in their darkest moments.

As a member of iaedp, Deirdre values access to evidence-based learning, a global community, and opportunities to educate others. “It gives me comfort to know the information I’m sharing is current and correct,” she notes. She has also found personal uplift through connecting with other passionate professionals across the globe. “It is a community in itself, and that sense of belonging and shared mission really matters.”

The Triumphs

“Sometimes the uncomfortable paths bring us to the places we are meant to be.”

Deirdre Reddan

One of her favorite moments? Receiving messages from the parents of those she helps, months after working together, celebrating milestones they never imagined possible, such as eating out as a family, going on vacation, or seeing their child head off to college. These triumphs, both big and small, are reminders that healing is not only possible but also within reach.

Her advice to others entering the field? Get the right training. There are so many myths perpetuated around eating disorders, and some people are not as informed as they should be.  Being a member of iaedp has supported Deirdre in her journey of attaining quality and vetted knowledge and training.  It is important to surround yourself with like-minded collaborators and recognize that past work experience, no matter what the industry, can equip you to lead with heart, skill, and compassion.

Creating a Toolbox

Deirdre notes that while working in the banking industry, her corporate “toolbox” created opportunities to lead big teams, be an agile communicator, deliver presentations, and engage with individuals at every level. Today, she coaches parents, builds awareness around the need for eating disorder training amongst first responders and healthcare professionals.  She is drawn to her work because she sees that families can be neglected sometimes. So, her passion to help them see hope is important. She also encourages eating disorder professionals to be mindful of the emotional demands of the work: “Supporting yourself is just as important as supporting others.”

Looking ahead, Deirdre is hopeful about new research, especially in areas like neurodiversity, male eating disorders, and treatment models that emphasize cultural context and family inclusion. She is excited to see iaedp’s presence grow in Ireland and across Europe, opening new doors for community-based learning, cultural collaboration, and professional advancement.

She imparted that being a member of iaedp is valuable. Zuzanna introduced her to iaedp. It has provided a safe space for practitioners to build relationships and to share information. The opportunity to meet other members of iaedp or participate in a webinar to share our knowledge and experience in supporting families has been a great opportunity and uplifting.

Discovering Your Team

You can also discover people to include as part of your working team. An example, for instance, is the collaborative work done with Deirdre and Zuzanna. Zuzanna works with the individual, Deirdre works with the family, and a dietician would work with the family and individual as well. They work as a team without breaching any confidentiality while helping families positively and effectively support their person.

Having the right team and being confident in the knowledge you are receiving is critical to the work.

“I look forward to continuing this journey because the field is evolving.”

Deirdre notes that she looks forward to seeing where iaedp goes in the future, how it evolves and grows with the changes and some of the unknowns in the eating disorders discipline.

“I have learned to be okay with not knowing how the story ends,” she says. “Sometimes the uncomfortable paths bring us to the places we are meant to be.”