About the Conference
Conference Description
MEDA’s 2024 Conference, our 29th, is designed to provide training in the medical, psychological, nutritional, social and cultural aspects of eating disorder treatment. The Conference will provide the latest treatment modality updates for eating disorder diagnostic criteria per the revised edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) and how this impacts people across all populations. The 2024 MEDA Conference will highlight various evidence-based treatment modalities, while working within a multidisciplinary team approach and educating providers about how to advocate for patient care across all populations. We organize the event to offer education to meet the needs of both highly experienced providers and those new to the field.
Who Is Invited?
MEDA’S 2024 Conference is a course designed for doctors, nurses, psychologists, mental health clinicians, social workers, dietitians, other healthcare professionals, students, and other professionals who focus on the treatment and care of patients with eating disorders and subclinical eating disorders. We organize the event to offer education to meet the needs of both highly experienced providers and those new to the field.
| Types | Single Day | Both Days |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird Registration (Ends April 12, 2024 at Midnight) | Thursday: $310 (7.5 CE)
Friday: $290 (6 CE) | $500 (13.5 CE) |
| Normal Registration (Available Through NOON ET May 15, 2024) | Thursday: $360 (7.5 CE)
Friday: $345 (6 CE) | $560 (13.5 CE) |
| Day of Rates | Thursday: $400 (7.5 CE)
Friday: $375 (6 CE) | $575 (13.5 CE) |
| Full Time Students | $175 | $300 |
Scholarships & Discounts
- Current MEDA Professional Members will be sent information on registration to receive their discount.
- Scholarships have been made available for BIPOC attendees through the MEDA Memorial Scholarship Fund. Interested, please email us at conference@medainc.org
- Some additional scholarships are available. Contact us at conference@medainc.org
Schedule: Thursday, May 16, 2024
Registration & Breakfast
Welcome – Room A
Keynote
Da’Shaun Harrison (They/Them)
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Da’Shaun Harrison (They/Them)
Da’Shaun Harrison is an experienced lecturer, editor, and media/narrative strategist with a strong background in community organizing. They specialize in Black Fat Studies and lecture on blackness, fatness, and gender. Winner of the 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction and several other accolades, Harrison has delivered keynotes and guest lectures at prestigious universities and colleges. Harrison has also published work in various anthologies and media platforms. They are a public intellectual engaged in critical conversations with notable thinkers and always seeking new opportunities to share knowledge and contribute to the field.
Antifat Antiblackness: A Timeline
Antifat Antiblackness: A Timeline
Fat Black folks experience the harms of anti-Blackness as anti-fatness, with profound psychological and health implications, including under service by healthcare professionals. Several studies highlight that Black people struggling with eating disorders are less likely to be diagnosed, referred, and treated, despite similar or identical presentations to their white counterparts. These dangerous effects are compounded for Fat Black people with eating disorders, as fat people often die from being misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. These troubling trends illustrate an urgent need for action.
Several factors contribute to the multi-layered marginalization of Fat Black people. This includes the pervasiveness of antifatness rooted in anti-Blackness, slavery and colonialism, and the historical contexts of psychological diagnosis and health perpetuated in the present. Mental health professionals play a vital role in interrogating the contexts marginalizing our bodies and beings, dismantling the structures perpetuating violence against Black bodies, and facilitating healing relationships rooted in liberation.
In this talk, we will review give a timeline to “antifatness as antiblackness” — from the Enlightenment Era, to the War on Drugs (and Ob*sity), to today. Participants should expect to engage Sabrina Strings’s Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia and Da’Shaun Harrison’s Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness, as well as several other integral works in fat, black, and fat black studies. This talk explores how eating disorders and antifatness are based in antiblackness and white supremacy by, in part, creating exclusive healthcare practices.
Learning Objectives
- Define “anti-fatness as antiblackness” and its relevance to mental health.
- Identify the era in which anti-fatness becomes a coherent ideology (through the transatlantic slave trade) and how this ideology persists today, globally and in psychological practices.
- Identify the ways anti-fat antiblackness subjugates Black fat subjects in today’s society and may show up among fat Black, Fat, and Black clients.
Refreshment Break
Session 1
1A
Anita Dharwadkar RD LDN (She/Her)
, Anna Sweeney MS RD CEDS-S LDN She/Her
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Anita Dharwadkar RD LDN (She/Her)
Anita is an eating disorder dietitian who specializes in supporting adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorder recovery. Anita has a special interest in serving clients with co-occuring medical conditions and eating disorders. Anita identifies herself as a chronically ill provider.
Anna Sweeney MS RD CEDS-S LDN She/Her
Anna Sweeney MS, RD, CEDS-S, LDN identifies as an eating disorder dietitian and has dedicated her career to the treatment of and care for humans with eating disorders. Anna is a nationally and internationally regarded eating disorder expert and owner of Whole Life Nutrition. Anna identifies as a full time disabled and chronically ill person.
Chronic and Disordered: Exploring the Intersection of Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders
Chronic and Disordered: Exploring the Intersection of Chronic Illness and Eating Disorders
In this presentation we will discuss the challenges and opportunities of treating clients with co-occurring eating disorders and chronic illness. We will speak about the challenges that wellness culture offerings impact the way that humans with chronic illness navigate the eating disorder recovery process. Additionally, we will speak about the realities of being chronically ill practitioners working with members of this specific patient population.
Learning Objectives
- Define intersectionality and conceptualize patient care beyond a single diagnosis.
- Identify multiple avenues of connection between chronic illness and incidents of eating disorders.
- Navigate self- disclosure strategies to foster boundaried and human-first relationships while maintaining awareness of transference and countertransference.
1B
Stacie Fanelli LCSW She/Her
, Emily Rubenstein LMFT She/Her
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Stacie Fanelli LCSW She/Her
Stacie Fanelli is an AuDHD therapist working in the intersection of neurodivergence and eating disorders. She supports individuals with their personal visions for recovery in outpatient treatment and has worked at all levels of care. She is committed to providing learning opportunities to support fellow professionals in understanding and de-pathologizing clients’ neurodivergent characteristics as well as collaborating in effective alternatives to carceral treatment.
Emily Rubenstein LMFT She/Her
Em has been working in the eating disorder world since 2008, where she started as a design intern and college fair presenter for MEDA. In 2014, she began working in residential treatment for co-occurring eating disorders and substance use disorders and has since worked at all levels from outpatient through residential. In 2023, she moved into private practice providing care to those with eating disorders and related diagnoses through a client-driven lens that honors autonomy and agency.
Dueling Diagnosis: The Conflicting Nature of Co-occurring Eating Disorder and Addiction Treatment and What We Can Do About It
Dueling Diagnosis: The Conflicting Nature of Co-occurring Eating Disorder and Addiction Treatment and What We Can Do About It
This presentation will explore what we currently mean as a field when we talk about “dual diagnosis” treatment for eating disorders and addiction, where we fall short, and how we can be more effective. Providers will learn about not only the similarities and differences between the eating disorder and chemical addiction but also the mixed messaging folks receive and feel confused by in 12-step programming. Recommendations for more seamlessly integrating ED recovery and sobriety approaches from an anti-oppressive lens will be shared in addition to autonomy-focused harm reduction strategies.
Learning Objectives
- Identify three contradicting messages in traditional eating disorder and substance use treatment.
- Educate clients on the potential risks and benefits of 12-step programming to assist them in making a fully informed decision about their treatment.
- Name at least two strategies they can incorporate into their practice with dual diagnosis clients that prioritize autonomy.
1C
Sheri Damon LMHC She/Her
, Amanda Kravitz LICSW She/Her
, Sarah Garrity LCSW She/Her
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Sheri Damon LMHC She/Her
Sheri Damon (she, her) LMHC, LPCC, LCMHC, NBCC, Founder/President of the Foundation for Learning & Inspiring Health & Healing (FLIHH) applies her over three decades of experience working with all ages and genders to teaching, consulting, treating and managing her extensive team of providers at FLIHH. Damon is an expert in treating eating disorders and other mental health issues. Damon brings a unique perspective for working with people across the lifespan. All these experiences have inspired creative interventions, a cognitive-behavioral, “mind-body-spirit-environment”, animal/nature-assisted approach to therapy, and attention to the numerous intervening life factors in health and healing. Damon regularly presents on wellness, intuitive eating, and other mental health concerns at community events, parent events, as well as school and professional organizational training. Damon’s authored COPER and TheraFarm Manuals and Models are used throughout programming at FLIHH with corresponding meditation books and workbooks.
Amanda Kravitz LICSW She/Her
While specializing in eating disorder recovery, Amanda also helps individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues. Amanda enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults, utilizing techniques such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practice and more. Understanding that each person comes to therapy at different stages of readiness, Amanda empowers and guides clients to move toward their “life worth living” at a comfortable pace, while focusing on continual personal growth.
Sarah Garrity LCSW She/Her
Sarah (she/her) is a social worker who specializes in trauma, eating disorders, and related challenges, including low self-esteem, relationship challenges, and maladaptive coping behaviors. Sarah takes an active, collaborative approach in therapy and enjoys helping people realize their innate capacity to heal. As a therapist, Sarah understands how difficult it can be to feel “stuck” in old patterns, and strives to empower clients to make change. This empowerment creates space for self-actualization, inner peace, and deeper satisfaction in relationships with others. Sarah utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and EMDR. For those seeking support for disordered eating, Sarah practices from a health-at-every size model.
Beyond Thinking and Behaviors for Eating Disorder Recovery
Beyond Thinking and Behaviors for Eating Disorder Recovery
This presentation illustrates the limitations of focusing solely on cognitive change or symptom reduction as the means of treating eating disorders. The presentation illustrates the mind-body-spirit-environment driven principles of the COPER Model for lasting recovery. The COPER model stands for Connection, Optimism, Play, Empowerment, and Resilience (COPER). The model uses person-centered ideas of recovery, concepts from positive psychology, ecotherapy and what is currently known about resiliency in eating disorder recovery. This presentation will incorporate didactic and experiential elements to help clinicians develop more expansive, holistic ideas of recovery and build new skills to help their clients at all stages of recovery.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and explain limitations of both practice relying solely on symptom reduction.
- Identify the role connection, optimism, play and empowerment have in recovery from eating disorders.
- Identify the dimensions of well-being that have been illustrated to be necessary for recovery and symptom remission.
1D
Ron Ifrach Atr LPC He/They
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Ron Ifrach Atr LPC He/They
Fat, Queer, Mixed Race, Jewish Background, Chronic Illness
Ron holds a Masters in Art Therapy and Counseling from Albertus Magnus College. He previously participated in a local artist collective committed to art that encompasses and invites everyone. through art critiques, art shows and promoting artists work. Ron has served in many positions throughout his career including running an art therapy program for a nationally accredited Substance Use Treatment facility, aiding veterans in recovery for C-PTSD, doing community based art therapy and supporting people through the gender affirmation process. Currently Ron serves on the board of MEDA, Multi-Service Eating Disorder Association and is an adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University. Regardless of the position, Ron works to bring a level of compassion and witnessing to his clients where they can feel safe to be vulnerable and heal. Ron’s current specialties include substance use treatment, gender affirming care, LGBTQ+ issues, disordered eating and body image.
But Sex Makes Me Uncomfortable
But Sex Makes Me Uncomfortable
This presentation aims to address a topic consistently missing in eating disorder treatment: Sex.
Talking about sex continues to be an often uncomfortable topic for clinicians and clients alike and is often missing in the treatment environment. Adding culturally competent sex therapy (embracing the kink, poly, sex worker community) into body image work can transform the way we provide eating disorder care and body image interventions.
Learning Objectives
- Verbalize a topic consistently missing in eating disorder treatment: Sex.
- Integrate sex therapy as part of the standards of care for body image.
- Recognize how implicit biases and personal opinions impact the ability to provide appropriate clinical discussion surrounding the intersections of sex and sex positivity.
Lunch
Session 2
2A
Rachel Millner PsyD CEDS-S CBTP She/Her
, Monika Ostroff LICSW CEDS-S She/They
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Rachel Millner PsyD CEDS-S CBTP She/Her
Rachel Millner (she/her), Psy.D., CEDS-S, CBTP(R) is a psychologist and fat-activist in Philadelphia, PA. She utilizes a fat positive, health at every size(R) framework to support people in their healing from eating disorders, disordered eating and their relationship with food and body. Dr. Millner has appeared on many popular podcasts and publications such as Food Psych and the New York Times.
Monika Ostroff LICSW CEDS-S She/They
Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S is the Executive Director of MEDA. Prior to leading MEDA, she directed several residential, partial hospital and intensive outpatient eating disorder programs in addition to having owned a thriving private practice. With more than 25 years of experience in the field of eating disorders, Monika has co-authored two books, presented at many national conferences, taught at the university level, and appeared on many media broadcasts, publications & podcasts. She has subspecialties in complex dissociation, ASD & sensory processing disorders. Practicing from a trauma informed, social justice and staunchly HAES® aligned lens, Monika is a dedicated ally and strong advocate working to ensure access to equitable, compassionate, and affirming care for all.
The Intersection of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Eating Disorders: How All ED Providers Treat Clients With DID Without Knowing It
The Intersection of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Eating Disorders: How All ED Providers Treat Clients With DID Without Knowing It
Many providers in the eating disorder field believe that they don’t/have never worked with anyone who has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD). With a global prevalence of ten percent nearly every eating disorder provider has worked with someone with DID/OSDD and likely not known it. This means that many people with these disorders are being left undiagnosed, not accessing treatment, or being harmed in the course of treatment. This workshop will define what DID/OSDD are and provide you with the foundational skills necessary to recognize and begin to competently treat DID and OSDD in your clients with eating disorders. We will discuss the unique ways it impacts the presentation of eating disorders, often impeding our clients’ progress in their recovery.
Learning Objectives
- Identify at least 3 red flags for DID/OSDD in initial assessments.
- Identify how undiagnosed, untreated DID/OSDD prevents eating disorder recovery
- Implement at least 2 strategies to begin competently treating clients with complex dissociation.
2B
Krista Crotty LMFT PsyD She/Her
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Krista Crotty LMFT PsyD She/Her
Dr. Krista Crotty is the National Director of Brain Based Therapies and Director of Clinical Outreach Education for Accanto Health. She earned her Master of Science from Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in family and pediatrics from Azusa Pacific University. She trained at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in the Dept of Early Intervention Neuropsychology and Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in Neuropsychology. Krista is a level 3 Temperament Based Treatment with Supports Certified Treatment Provider offering TBT-S in module format in outpatient care and 5-day Intensive weeks in WA state. Beyond TBT-S is trained in and clinically draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, family-based treatment, and acceptance and commitment therapy. She is a firm believer in the incorporation of Support and family members in the treatment process and enjoys brining activity and creativity into the clinical arena.
Away from work, Krista loves being a mom to her three boys, being outside exploring the world and always finding ways to learn new things!
Brain Based Treatment: An Interactive Treatment Modality
Brain Based Treatment: An Interactive Treatment Modality
This session will teach how to integrate emerging neurobiological research in eating disorder treatment. Using experiential activities (that you can use with clients) we will explore a deeper understanding of the impact of neurobiology of symptom presentation(s) in eating disorder patients/clients.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the basic brain areas and functions and how they are related to eating disorders and eating behavior.
- Describe the recent neurobiological findings on eating related reward and how they related to eating disorders and eating behavior.
- Detect brain-based treatment interventions and learn application of interventions to be used with clients.
2C
Katherine Jordan RD LD CEDS-S She/Her
, Mary Elizabeth Akinaka LPC-S CEDS-S She/Her
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Katherine Jordan RD LD CEDS-S She/Her
Katherine began her career at Alsana as an intern in 2014 and joined the team full-time as a dietitian in 2016. Katherine moved from the dietitian role into the lead dietitian role ultimately ending up in her current role as the Director of Clinical Services at a 20-bed residential facility in Birmingham, AL. She feels very called to the field of eating disorders and is encouraged daily by clients’ bravery and courage. She is honored by the reality that clients let her, and her team, be a part of their story and recovery journey. As a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist, she is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor, a member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In her free time, Katherine loves to cook, box, and travel.
Mary Elizabeth Akinaka LPC-S CEDS-S She/Her
Mary Elizabeth Akinaka currently serves as Regional Executive Director at Alsana Eating Disorder Recovery Community in Birmingham, AL. She is an LPC and CEDS-S and has been working in the eating disorder community and with Alsana for almost a decade. Mary Elizabeth is passionate about leading a team who have a compassionate drive for serving clients with intentional, effective, and individualized care.
Mary Elizabeth received her bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Special Education from Auburn University. She received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and a Certificate of marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
In her spare time she loves spending time with her husband and two boys.
Utilizing Compassion and Motivation to Challenge Fears, Blocks, and Resistances in Therapy and Nutrition
Utilizing Compassion and Motivation to Challenge Fears, Blocks, and Resistances in Therapy and Nutrition
Studies over the past 20 years have highlighted the importance of integrating self-compassion into the treatment of eating disorders. By developing and demonstrating self-compassion, individuals are able to decrease levels of shame and perfectionism that often interfere with recovery-giving activities. Through lecture and discussion, this presentation aims to introduce Compassion Focused Therapy and Motivational Interviewing techniques to challenge the shame, fear, and resistance that often paralyze individuals with eating disorders. Additionally, the presenters will emphasize the importance of collaborative therapeutic and nutrition interventions to better serve the needs of individuals.
Learning Objectives
- Identify Overview Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) in the context of treating clients with eating disorders and examine how main principles of MI are intertwined with CFT.
- Introduce fears, blocks, and resistances as a concept within CFT and how they present in the therapeutic and nutrition process.
- Identify specific interventions utilizing the concepts of both CFT and MI in the therapeutic and nutrition process.
2D
Amani Joseph BS Research Assistant She/Her
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Amani Joseph BS Research Assistant She/Her
Amani Joseph is a college junior, majoring in Psychology at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York. She is a research assistant at the College of Staten Island, researching ethnic and racial health disparities in eating disorders. Amani’s research interests include eating disorders in the African American and Orthodox Jewish female communities.
Eating Disorders within Marginalized Populations: Treating African American and Orthodox Jewish Communities
Eating Disorders within Marginalized Populations: Treating African American and Orthodox Jewish Communities
African American and Orthodox Jewish female clients are one of the 28.8 million Americans that have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. African American [teenage] clients are 50% more likely to be diagnosed with bulimia or binge eating disorder compared to their white counterparts. Orthodox Jewish females [within a religious community in Brooklyn, NY] had an eating disorder diagnosis rate of 1 in 19, 50% higher than the national average. This presentation is meant to educate providers on the cultural and ethnic implications that involve African American clients. As well as the cultural and religious nuances involving Orthodox Jewish female patients in eating disorder treatment settings and beyond. Components of treatment planning, and holistic review will be analyzed and dissected.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the concept of holistic treatment planning, cultural humility, and how to integrate such concepts into one’s own practice. / Learn what is, where to locate, and how to utilize the Cultural Formulation Interview in the DSM.
- Identify the framework of the Orthodox Jewish faith, Jewish Law (halacha), and how these things apply to eating disorder treatment/recovery.
- Recognize African American culture and diversity in eating disorder care, especially that revolving around racial trauma and its various facets.
Refreshment Break
Session 3
3A
Wendy Oliver-Pyatt MD She/Her
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Wendy Oliver-Pyatt MD She/Her
Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, MD, is a world-leading expert on mental health and eating disorder treatment who has founded several highly regarded treatment centers, including Galen Hope in Coral Gables, Florida. A board-certified psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience, she is known for her innovative, humane, and dignity-enhancing approach to care. Her unique treatment approach delves into the underlying issues that contribute to the development of mental health conditions. By treating the whole person, Dr. Oliver-Pyatt helps empower individuals with the skills, tools and support they need to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Dr. Oliver-Pyatt received her specialty training at New York University- Bellevue Hospital. She has held faculty positions at New York University, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, and University of Nevada School of Medicine. She is a fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). A dedicated and passionate mentor, educator and advocate for those struggling with mental health and eating disorders, she received senatorial recognition for her commitment to the mental health community.
She is the author of two books, and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. Described by colleagues as warm and wise, Dr. Oliver-Pyatt matches her comprehensive training with an unwavering belief in compassionate and scientifically sound treatment.
Binge Eating Disorder and ADHD
Binge Eating Disorder and ADHD
In this presentation, we will explore the recovery process for patients with BED. We will delve into the nuances of symptomology and treatment for patients with co-occurring BED and ADHD. We will explore how the struggles with executive functioning specific to patients with ADHD can be part of a cycle of low self-esteem, learned helplessness, poor self-care, and agitation/angst, that further complicates co-occurring BED. We will learn about how weight stigma, trauma, shame, and social mediators influence the development and maintenance of BED. Additionally, we will learn about how psychology and biology interface to drive BED symptoms. We will also highlight the dangers of weight cycling and diet-focused treatment. We will discuss why utilizing integrated treatment approaches, such as Bio-psycho-social-spiritual and self psychology approaches, is necessary to more thoroughly understand our patients’ experiences and how they have adapted to life circumstances. Lastly, we will define HAES and mindful eating, and learn how we can implement these approaches into treatment.
Learning Objectives
- Identify 2-3 examples of the impact of stigma on patients with BED and/or ADHD.
- Describe the Shame Cycle and identify 1-2 ways in which shame and associated emotions contribute to the development and maintenance of BED.
- List 3 examples of how co-existing ADHD can impact development and treatment of BED.
3B
3C
Shaun Riebl PhD RDN He/Him
, Mary Dye MPH RDN CEDS-C She/Her
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Shaun Riebl PhD RDN He/Him
Dr. Riebl, the Chief Nutrition Officer at Within Health, provides trauma-informed nutrition therapy to individuals struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders. His passion for this population began with his master’s thesis studying eating disorders in male cyclists, and he continued to explore eating behaviors during his doctoral work. Dr. Riebl has held assistant professorships at UNC Chapel Hill and The University of Mississippi as well as research positions with Duke University. With nearly 10 years of clinical experience, he promotes freedom, flexibility, and nourishment with food while providing compassionate, evidence-based treatment for all people.
Mary Dye MPH RDN CEDS-C She/Her
Mary is an approved consultant and certified eating disorders specialist who actively supervises and mentors RDNs across the country. She has held leadership positions in multiple eating disorder treatment centers across levels of care from residential through outpatient. Mary has educated and consulted on the assessment and treatment of eating centers throughout the US and abroad, maintaining an eating disorders specialty private practice throughout her career. She is currently the Director of Nutrition for Prosperity Eating Disorders and Wellness in Norfolk, VA.
Science Amidst Stigma: Carving New Lines in Setting and Supporting Recovery Weight Goals
Science Amidst Stigma: Carving New Lines in Setting and Supporting Recovery Weight Goals
More often than not, marked distress accompanies conversations about weight and weight goals, not only when speaking with clients, but also with their support systems and practitioners. Care team members, specifically registered dietitians/nutritionists and nurses, must exercise patience, utilize science, and believe in the wisdom of the client’s body – its ability to heal and to land at weight needed for physical and psychological recovery. Clients cannot trust their own body to heal if we do not trust their body to heal. The overall aim of this presentation is to help attendees navigate the challenges when determining target weights, discussing this with clients, and educating supports/loved ones.
Learning Objectives
- Explain at least two commonly used practices to set weight goals in eating disorder treatment and the rationale for their use.
- Describe at least one physiological mechanism at play during the nutrition rehabilitation process.
- Construct and communicate justification for a recovery weight goal to clients, their support system, and/or care team members even when it is above what the medical model may consider a “healthy” weight.
3D
Sandi James CEDC CCIEDC She/They
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Sandi James CEDC CCIEDC She/They
Sandi James is a registered psychologist with more than 20 years’ experience working in mental health services, eating disorder treatment, addiction treatment, and trauma recovery, firmly based in harm reduction, HAES, and LGBTQ++ spaces and communities.
Experiences of Eating Disorder Treatment: Identifying, Responding to, and Addressing Harm Experienced Throughout the Treatment Process
Experiences of Eating Disorder Treatment: Identifying, Responding to, and Addressing Harm Experienced Throughout the Treatment Process
Co-occurring and complex diagnoses in clients seeking treatment for eating disorders can significantly impact the effectiveness of traditional treatment approaches. This research will provide valuable insights into the complexities and individual needs of those with co-occurring disorders. We will identify challenges in current evidence-based treatment approaches, shifting the focus towards addressing the complex needs of individuals with eating disorders and co-occurring psychiatric conditions. By examining ways to overcome challenges and building on successful practices, the study will contribute to improving outcomes and quality of care for this population.
Learning Objectives
- Increase understanding of current challenges in eating disorder treatment
- Explain the harms that can be caused through current evidence based care approaches
- Identify ways to work with complex needs in group based treatment
10 Minute Break
Session 4
4A
Sharon Maxwell She/They
, Shira Rosenbluth LCSW She/Her
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Sharon Maxwell She/They
Sharon Maxwell (She/They) is a mental health advocate and fat activist. She works as a weight inclusive consultant, providing education to treatment centers and healthcare providers on the immense harms of weight stigma. Due to her lived experience facing weight stigma, Sharon provides unique insight and offers practical tools to make treatment centers and healthcare settings safe and accessible for fat folks. Sharon has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, on News Nation, The Tamron Hall Show and more.
Shira Rosenbluth LCSW She/Her
Shira Rosenbluth, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker treating clients in New York and California. She specializes in the treatment of disordered eating, eating disorders, and body-image dissatisfaction using a weight-neutral approach. She’s also a fat activist and has been featured in The New York Times, Insider, The Cut, The Everygirl, InStyle, and Healthline.
Our Big Fat Recoveries: Addressing Weight Stigma at All Levels of Care
Our Big Fat Recoveries: Addressing Weight Stigma at All Levels of Care
Using lived experience through both personal recovery journeys and professional expertise in the eating disorder field, presenters will discuss the impacts of weight stigma in all levels of eating disorder care. Themes will include stigmatizing interventions, inadequate nutritional rehabilitation, fatphobia in group settings, and accessibility and safety in treatment for folks in higher weight bodies. Presenters will share themes from research and their lived experience highlighting the life-saving effects of weight inclusive care.
Learning Objectives
- Identify three ways that higher weight patients may experience weight stigma in higher levels of care for eating disorders.
- Describe the principles of Health at Every Size in treating higher weight patients with eating disorders.
- Discuss how patients intersecting identities (e.g., race, gender, body size, socioeconomic status) may impact experiences of higher levels of care.
4B
Heidi Dalzell PsyD She/Her
, Jillian Loyas-Stryker MA NCC R-DMT She/Her
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Heidi Dalzell PsyD She/Her
Heidi J. Dalzell, PsyD, is a Licensed Psychologist, specializing in eating disorders and trauma. Dr. Dalzell has a busy private practice. Particular areas of interest include mid-life eating disorders, the intersection of trauma in eating disorders and addictive behaviors, and gender/gender identity as it relates to body image. Dr. Dalzell works from an insight-oriented lens. She is also certified in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, which has applications to trauma, eating disorders/body image, addiction and mood disorders.
Jillian Loyas-Stryker MA NCC R-DMT She/Her
Jillian Loyas-Stryker, MA, NCC, R-DMT is a Masters Level Therapist. Jillian is grateful and passionate to serve clients of all ages and identities in both individual and group settings as a clinical mental health counselor and a creative arts therapist. Jillian’s trauma-informed, arts-based, therapeutic approach includes bringing many tools to the table for her clients to choose from which integrate the creative arts with mental health counseling for purposes of cultivating lasting healing, healthy coping, and facilitating mind-body awareness.
Somatic Synergy: EMDR & DMT for Trauma-Related Eating Disorder Recovery
Somatic Synergy: EMDR & DMT for Trauma-Related Eating Disorder Recovery
It’s been well-established that many eating disorders have their foundations in earlier trauma. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is often an excellent way to resolve trauma. Some clients, however, have blocking parts which keep them cut off from the body and feelings. For those clients, adding in somatic approaches such as dance/movement can connect them in a way that enables fully embodied processing. We’ll present a case and tips clinicians can use to incorporate these approaches into their own practices.
Learning Objectives
- Define EMDR and DMT as standalone mental health treatments
- Identify characteristics of restricted processing and how this can interfere with EMD
- Discuss how combining somatic approaches with EMDR can be effective
4C
Serena Nangia BA She/Her
, Jason Wood He/Him
, Jessica Thiefels She/Her
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Serena Nangia BA She/Her
Serena Nangia (she/her) is a Body Activist, long-time advocate for eating disorder recovery, and Senior Marketing & Communications Manager for the eating disorder nonprofit Project HEAL. She has spent close to a decade building expertise on the way body image, media, and eating disorders affect people’s daily lives, as well as how Fatphobia and weight stigma create issues of access and discrimination systemically and interpersonally. Serena has taught twenty-four classes with over 800 participants and continues to educate herself. She recognizes the integral role Black, Fat people have played in her growth and actively works to elevate diverse voices of People of Color and Fat people. Serena’s inspiration comes from her sister, Ellen, who struggled with an eating disorder for over a decade and is now in long-term recovery.
Jason Wood He/Him
Jason Wood turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health by publishing his memoir Starving for Survival. He is proud to serve on the board for two eating disorder recovery organizations, Running in Silence and SoulPaws Recovery Project in addition to his role as the Marketing & Communications Manager at ANAD. Through speaking engagements, his writing, and his work, Jason strives to start an important conversation that encourages everyone–especially men–to speak up, share their stories, and get the help they deserve.
Jessica Thiefels She/Her
Jessica Thiefels is the founder and CEO of Echeveria Organic. She’s also a podcast host, published author, and anti-diet and mental health advocate. After nearly 15 years of working in content marketing, Jessica is on a mission to amplify the reach of mental health champions through intentional and authentic content. She’s grateful to work with many impact-driven organizations and entrepreneurs including Project HEAL, Lindywell, SES WAVES, and Christy Harrison.
Intentional, Authentic, & Non-Tokenizing Storytelling: Tangible Marketing in the Eating Disorder World
Intentional, Authentic, & Non-Tokenizing Storytelling: Tangible Marketing in the Eating Disorder World
Marketing for clinicians, treatment programs, and non-profits alike is…a bit difficult, especially in the eating disorder world. As we move into a new generation of communications, authentic representation is especially paramount, but it’s easy to fall into tokenizing language and storytelling – even when we’re trying our best to avoid it. In this session, engage with three marketing professionals who have specific expertise in the eating disorder field – from living recovery day-to-day themselves, to running accounts with tens of thousands of followers, to everything in between. Learn how individual clinicians, group practices, treatment programs, and beyond can do better and tell the stories that aren’t being told. Support the creation of more inclusive marketing without sacrificing your brand, honest representation, or your healing community. This workshop will include both lecture-style information sharing and time to practice your own marketing with the support of the speakers.
Learning Objectives
- Develop tools for facilitating and creating non-tokenizing, authentic partnership and storytelling.
- Integrate inclusive marketing theory into tangible steps for effective and high-yielding storytelling on platforms such as social media, blogs, and websites.
- Identify organizational values, staff and board representation, existing biases, operationalized systems, etc, and how they impact your marketing and brand.
4D
Emma D’Arpino MS-HPEd RD LDN
, Molly Robson LCSW She/Her
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Emma D’Arpino MS-HPEd RD LDN
Emma is a compassionate and dedicated Registered Dietitian (RD) with a Masters in Health Professions Education (MS-HPEd) and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor (CIEC). With a strong focus on trust and vulnerability, Emma’s approach to care revolves around helping individuals find peace and acceptance with food and their bodies. She challenges societal norms and works to dismantle fatphobia and diet culture, guiding her clients through the process of unlearning harmful beliefs and behaviors tied to food and appearance. While pursuing her PhD, Emma’s ultimate goal is to facilitate positive change within research and education, creating a safe and evidence-based environment for individuals in all bodies.
Molly Robson LCSW She/Her
Molly has been working with individuals and groups as a licensed clinical social worker since graduating from Simmons University with an MSW in 2021. Prior to her therapeutic work, Molly was a nutritionist with a special interest in intuitive eating and Health at Every Size. As a therapist, her work centers body image support, eating disorder recovery, and gender affirming care, with a liberatory and anti-oppression lens.
Curating Community: A Non-Traditional Group Approach to Helping Clients Heal Their Relationships with Food and Bodies
Curating Community: A Non-Traditional Group Approach to Helping Clients Heal Their Relationships with Food and Bodies
This presentation focuses on the benefits of a non-traditional approach to group offerings in the eating disorder space. From an interdisciplinary approach, we combine the corners of nutrition and mental health in disordered eating care to facilitate an accessible weekly group community. As facilitators, learners will develop skills incorporating various elements like group norms, open discussion, and ongoing support to foster trust and a sense of belonging among participants.
Learning Objectives
- Develop and apply diverse approaches to enhance accessibility in your group programs, including location, scheduling, delivery methods, formats, and affordability.
- Cultivate skills establishing boundaries, fostering open discussions, active listening, demonstrating positive role modeling, and employing motivational interviewing techniques.
- Analyze comparisons and distinctions between traditional and non-traditional group and delivery methods, empowering the learner to make informed decisions that align with their values and their goals.
Schedule: Friday, May 17, 2024
Registration & Breakfast
Welcome – Room A
Session 1
1A
Scout Silverstein MPH They/Them
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Scout Silverstein MPH They/Them
Scout (they/them) creates necessary changes in the health care landscape by building inclusive programming and strengthening policy. A specialist in gender affirming eating disorder care with a Masters of Public Health, they provide training to health care professionals, supervision and consultation to clinicians, and coaching to parents of transgender youth.
Eating Disorder Treatment Futures: What We Can Learn from Interventions for SMI
Eating Disorder Treatment Futures: What We Can Learn from Interventions for SMI
What might eating disorder researchers and treatment providers learn from our peers working cross-diagnostically? This presentation will discuss treatment paradigms that eating disorder providers may adopt, drawing from the strengths of interventions such as the psychosocial clubhouse model of care, community health services, peer support, harm reduction, gamification, and twelve-step programs. Centering the power of shared-decision making, particularly for individuals who have engaged with eating disorder treatment multiple times, this presentation will demonstrate how meeting people where they are is more than theory, but rather an actionable step that can be taken to reduce eating disorder health disparities.
Learning Objectives
- Identify three interventions to incorporate into the delivery of eating disorder treatment.
- Describe the connection between sense of purpose, sense of belonging, self-esteem, and eating disorder symptomatology.
- Explain why “treatment resistance” may be a misnomer for explaining poor treatment outcomes.
1B
Matt Stranberg MS RDN LDN CSSD CSCS He/Him
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Matt Stranberg MS RDN LDN CSSD CSCS He/Him
Matt Stranberg is a registered dietitian, strength and conditioning coach, board-certified sports dietitian, and owner of Matt Stranberg Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the field, Matt Stranberg has cofounded research-based programs and initiatives to treat clients struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and problematic physical activity. He aims to distill the knowledge and wisdom needed to translate nutrition and exercise science into practical solutions and looks forward to contributing to MEDA’s ongoing commitment to continuing education.
Effective Strategies for Treating Eating Disorders in Adolescent Males
Effective Strategies for Treating Eating Disorders in Adolescent Males
This presentation aims to explore the theory and practice of treating teenage male clients, ages 13-19. Areas of focus will include understanding gender role conflict within our current societal context, a discussion of the theory and treatment of teenage male clients as well as a brief case study illustrating aforementioned themes. Time will be made available at the end for questions and concerns related to best practice of treatment with this population.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and assess the risks to teenage male clients within our current societal context, primarily in relation to Gender Role Conflict.
- Identify and assess how to best treat teenage male clients including developing an appropriate treatment plan with related appropriate interventions, specific to the unique challenges experienced by this demographic.
1C
Robert Keane PhD LICSW He/Him
, Kaitlin Vulakh She/Her
, Lachlan Crawford ND She/Her
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Robert Keane PhD LICSW He/Him
Robert J. Keane Ph.D., LICSW is a senior administrator and clinician with over forty years’ experience in behavioral health. He is the Assistant Vice President for Program Development and Training at Walden Behavioral Care and has over a decade of experience working with eating disorders. Dr Keane is a co-investigator in the study Impact of Integrative Therapies Participation on Eating Disorder Symptoms and is an Adjunct Professor at the Boston College School of Social work where he teaches Health Policy.
Kaitlin Vulakh She/Her
Kaitlin (she/her) is an inpatient group facilitator and trained HRV Biofeedback practitioner currently working at Walden Behavioral Care. Her educational background is in experimental psychology, neuropsychology, and gender studies and she is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Recently, she introduced the first LGBTQ+ group at Walden’s inpatient unit and is coordinating data collection for the study on Impact of Integrative Therapies Participation on Eating Disorder Symptoms.
Lachlan Crawford ND She/Her
Lachlan received her Doctorate from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and a certificate in Contemplative Psychotherapy from the Nalanda Institute of Contemplative Science. She completed an advanced fellowship training in Integrative Psychiatry with Dr. James Greenblatt MD. She is Director of Integrative Medicine at Walden Behavioral Care, and also sits on the board of the Psychiatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians (PsychANP). Her publication history includes other pilot studies aimed at improving mental health with integrative therapies in various populations.
Original Research: Impact of Integrative Therapies Participation on Eating Disorder Treatment Outcomes (preliminary results)
Original Research: Impact of Integrative Therapies Participation on Eating Disorder Treatment Outcomes (preliminary results)
This investigation team, along with co-investigator Jennifer Muehlenkam at University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire, is conducting an original research program looking at the impact of participation in integative therapies such as art, yoga, and biofeedback, on the treatment outcomes in an inpatient ED population. This presentation will describe the importance of the work, the methodology used, and preliminary results of the study. This is a novel area of investigation and an important doorway for creating evidence-based standards of care for integrative therapies in the ED world.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the methodology for initiating and carrying out a research study, including IRB approval, informed consent, data collection and analysis, etc.
- Explain the initial results of a very exciting study, predominantly looking at the impact of integrative therapies on treatment outcomes.
- Evaluate the importance of research, and of reading/contributing to the body of scientific literature that informs our field.
1D
Lauren Dear MS RDN She/Her
, Beth Rosen MS RD CDN She/Her
, Emily Arkin MS RD LDN She/Her
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Lauren Dear MS RDN She/Her
Lauren Adler Dear is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a private practice in Boston. She specializes in digestive health and eating disorders, and has developed a keen interest in how the two overlap. She treats a wide range of clients with digestive disorders including IBS, SIBO, MCAS, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and gastroparesis. Lauren is also trained in clinical hypnotherapy and offers this modality as an adjunct treatment to help manage digestive symptoms.
Beth Rosen MS RD CDN She/Her
Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN is a weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian specializing in GI nutrition and disordered eating and has been working in the field of nutrition for over 27 years.. Beth helps clients find relief from digestive disorders such as Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Gastroparesis, and Celiac disease, as well as shares her knowledge with other health professionals via webinars, seminars, and peer mentoring. Beth is currently the chairperson of the Dietitians in Gluten and Gastrointestinal Diseases (DIGID) subgroup of Dietitians in Medical Nutrition Therapy dietetics practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition, she is the Director of Nutrition and Dietary Services for GI OnDEMAND and a co-founder of the EDGI Project, a comprehensive training for practitioners to become proficient in treating GI disorders in those with eating disorders.. Beth has also written for major online and print media publications, such as Practical Gastroenterology, Huffington Post, VeryWell Fit, and FabUPlus Magazine.
Emily Arkin MS RD LDN She/Her
Emily has worked at IOP and PHP levels of care for eating disorder treatment and is a member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. She is a member of Dietitians in Gluten and Gastrointestinal Disorders (DIGID), a dietetic practice subgroup within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, under which she contributes to the “Disordered Eating” working group. Emily is also involved with the EDGI Training Project, a group of clinicians developing MNT resources for GI dietitians who encounter eating disorders in their practice.
“I Believe You”: When Client Stories Outpace Current Research and Clinical Practice of Treating Lesser-Known Medical Conditions
“I Believe You”: When Client Stories Outpace Current Research and Clinical Practice of Treating Lesser-Known Medical Conditions
Clinicians who work in the eating disorders field are likely to have observed instances where the physical impact of an eating disorder is minimized or downplayed due to weight stigma or in favor of alternative explanations. As such, many clinicians hold fast to the idea that reported fatigue, food intolerance, GI distress, and other vague symptoms will resolve under robust eating disorder treatment. This bias has the potential to interfere with the therapeutic relationship, undermine a client’s body attunement and discourage proper diagnosis, medical understanding and appropriate therapies. This session will highlight client stories involving the intersection of eating disorders and underappreciated comorbid conditions, such as dysautonomia/Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).
Learning Objectives
- Describe the following conditions and their paths to diagnosis: dysautonomia/Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).
- Identify potential symptom overlap between active eating disorders and dysautonomia/Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).
- Incorporate new knowledge into personal practice regarding how a myopic focus on the eating disorder and/or body size may harm clients.
Refreshment Break
Session 2
2A
Fiona Sutherland MSc APD RYT She/Her
, Marci Evans MS RDN LDN She/Her
, Lisa Pearl MS RDN LDN
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Fiona Sutherland MSc APD RYT She/Her
Fiona is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, Yoga Teacher and Clinical Supervisor from Naarm (Melbourne), Australia and is committed to Weight Inclusive, Trauma Informed Care. She brings over 20 years experience of clinical, consultancy and supervision work to the Eating Disorder and broader healthcare field. Fiona has contributed to the development and delivery of education and training to hundreds of Dietitians worldwide from undergraduate training through to an extensive array of live and online professional courses on Eating Disorders, Body Image, Trauma Informed Care and Supervision for Dietitians. She co-designed and delivered the first ever Supervision training for Dietitians in 2022 and 2023 to US Dietitians with Lisa Pearl. Most recently, Fiona has been highly involved in advocating for, and contributing to, workforce development strategies including design and delivery of training and Supervision with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (Australia)
Marci Evans MS RDN LDN She/Her
Marci identifies as a Food and Body Imager Healer® practicing from a Health At Every Size® and anti-oppression lens. She has dedicated her career to counseling, supervising, and teaching in the field of eating disorders. In addition to her group private practice, in 2015 Marci launched an online eating disorders training platform for clinicians. In 2016 she joined the Simmons nutrition department to co-develop a specialized eating disorder internship and teach graduate level courses on nutrition counseling for eating disorders.
Lisa Pearl MS RDN LDN
Lisa Pearl is an eating disorder specialist and educator who has been working in the field for over 40 years. She feels incredibly fortunate to have worked with amazing supervisors throughout her career. She has also provided supervision for several decades now under the philosophical umbrella of HAES & Anti-fat bias, Mindfulness & Intuitive Eating, Cultural Relational Theory, and the principles of embodiment.
From Rupture to Repair: Dietitian Supervision as an Innovative Vehicle to Healing
From Rupture to Repair: Dietitian Supervision as an Innovative Vehicle to Healing
The experience of relational and learning-related ruptures can be common amongst Eating Disorder Dietitians, and is proposed to be a limiting factor in willingness to engage in self reflection and growth-oriented learning in Supervision. Additionally, Supervision as a practice is not well established within the Dietetics in general, nor within the ED Dietetic field. This workshop will first briefly establish a shared understanding of the key purposes and functions of Supervision. We will then move beyond the surface to explore the link between experiences of learning ruptures and how Supervision can contribute, in innovative and significant ways, to workforce sustainability, repair and healing that directly benefits the clinician, our clients, our communities and our field.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key experiences which can contribute to relational and learning ruptures.
- Describe specifically how Supervision can contribute towards healing, repair and growth.
- Identify and develop specific skills to take into practice as a Supervisee and/or Supervisor.
2B
Wednesdae Reim Ifrach REAT ATR-BC ATCS LPC NCC CLAT LCMHC TPMH LPCC They/Them
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Wednesdae Reim Ifrach REAT ATR-BC ATCS LPC NCC CLAT LCMHC TPMH LPCC They/Them
Wednesdae is a trans/non-binary art therapist, fat activist and artist whose work focuses on body justice, intersectional social justice and eating disorder treatment equity access.
They also co-own and operate Rainbow Recovery where they support people through the gender affirmation process, complex trauma recovery, eating disorder recovery and body image issues using art, creative expression, and traditional talk therapy. They also founded the countries first 2sLGBTQIA+ Eating Disorder Program and work to ensure all Queer people can access eating disorder care.
Wednesdae melds the world of art therapy, social justice, trauma recovery and eating disorder recovery into a unique opportunity for people to expand their understanding of the world. Wednesdae also had the honor to participate in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)’s Artful Practices for Well-being and has had artwork on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art as part of Art as Activism.
They have presented at national and international conferences, are an adjunct professor with Moravian University teaching Advance Training in Queer & Trans Studies, Human Sexuality, and Telehealth Courses. They are currently working toward their PhD in Integrative Social Work and also serve on the Board of Project HEAL, a non-profit whose mission is to create treatment equity access in the eating disorder field.
Paint the Rainbow: Expressive Arts as Eating Disorder Treatment With the Queer Community
Paint the Rainbow: Expressive Arts as Eating Disorder Treatment With the Queer Community
This presentation will cover the use of expressive arts therapy as an intervention for eating disorder treatment in the 2sLGBTQIA+ community. The use of expressive arts is well documented academically but rarely fully discussed and often seen as “in addition to” rather than the main treatment. This presentation will outline how expressive arts therapy can become more central to eating disorder healing and elevate the deep introspection often needed in Queer Eating Disorder clients.
Learning Objectives
- Integrate expressive arts into their eating disorder treatment practice.
- Integrate these practices with 2SLGBTQ+ clients in eating disorder treatment in a safe and healing way.
- Blend the use of art and traditional eating disorder treatments to enhance 2SLGBTQ_ client’s self-concepts.
2C
Tamie Gangloff MFT She/Her
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Tamie Gangloff MFT She/Her
Tamie is an MFT and Senior Regional Director of Clinical Partnerships for Odyssey Eating Disorder Network. Tamie is an adjunct professor at West Chester University teaching Eating Disorder Psychology. Tamie has worked at all levels of care, for eating disorders and substance abuse.. She completed her Master’s in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University Santa Barbara. She is also an advocate with the Eating Disorders Coalition, President of Southwest Philly IAEDP chapter and a group leader for The National Alliance for Eating Disorders. Tamie utilizes her personal and professional experience to help others and advocate for change and offer support to others.
Chronic Medical Conditions, Body Image, Eating Disorders and Resilience
Chronic Medical Conditions, Body Image, Eating Disorders and Resilience
How do we recover from an eating disorder and trust our body, in a body that is differently abled? Many develop an eating disorder as a result of body image disturbance and being in a body that “doesn’t work the way it is supposed to”. Chronic medical conditions and trauma associated with complex surgeries can lead to PTSD and other psychiatric co-morbidities. It is important that clinicians be able to identify trauma and body image disturbances as a result of medical conditions. We can then assess, and properly treat, clients with these complex issues leading to resilience and recovery.
Learning Objectives
- Identify 3 symptoms of medical trauma and PTSD and how to identify this in a client with a chronic medical condition.
- Identify 3 ways to develop resilience and body positivity in those with invisible disability and chronic medical conditions.
- Identify the difference between body dysmorphia/distortion and body image disturbance as well as body reality vs body ideal.
2D
Akiera Gilbert, She/Her
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Akiera Gilbert, She/Her
Akiera (she/her) is a social innovator, healing justice advocate, and the CEO of Project HEAL – a nonprofit focused on equitable access to eating disorder care. Prior to Project HEAL, Akiera founded Body Reborn, an intersectional healing community for BIPOC who struggle with disordered eating.
Identity-Informed Recovery: Understanding the Role of Social Identities in Treatment
Identity-Informed Recovery: Understanding the Role of Social Identities in Treatment
This session provides a comprehensive exploration of the nuanced interplay between various social identities, such as race, gender, and sexuality, in the context of eating disorder recovery. The presentation will delve into the unique ways these intersecting identities influence an individual’s experiences with eating disorders and their journey toward recovery. Emphasis will be placed on practical strategies for attendees to recognize and effectively incorporate these diverse identities into their treatment approaches.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and discuss at least three key intersectional factors (e.g. race, gender, sexuality, etc.) that influence eating disorder recovery.
- Demonstrate skills to effectively incorporate an individual’s diverse social identities into their existing treatment approaches. Each attendee will demonstrate an increased ability to practice intersectionality with clients with majority and marginalized identities.
- Identify additional empathetic communication skills in order to foster agency in recovery.
Lunch
Session 3
3A
Allyson Ford LPCC She/Her
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Allyson Ford LPCC She/Her
I am a multiracial, queer and neurodivergent Eating Disorder and OCD therapist who applies a social justice approach to healing and recovery. I come from a place of lived and professional experience and am deeply passionate about helping others find freedom from food and body struggles. I have a group private practice and offer supervision and consultation in addition to therapy.
Ketamine Assisted Therapy and Eating Disorders
Ketamine Assisted Therapy and Eating Disorders
Folks who attend my talk can expect to learn about how Ketamine is being used as a cutting edge treatment for a variety of mental health conditions including mechanisms of action, changes to the brain, stages of treatment and its current effectiveness for Eating Disorders and related conditions such as compulsive behaviors and mood disorders. Attendees will also learn about how ketamine combined with psychotherapy improves outcomes for clients and provides hope for new treatment in the Eating Disorder field that seeks to get to the root of suffering rather than current models of care that focus mostly on behavior change with limited long term success. Case studies from my practice will also be presented.
Learning Objectives
- Describe how Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy works to change neural pathways in the brain and provides psychological relief to various mental health conditions.
- Explain the stages of Ketamine Assisted Therapy: Preparation, Dosing and Integration.
- Describe how KAP can work to facilitate one’s eating disorder recovery by getting to the root causes of suffering on an individual basis, in less time and with less resources than current models of care.
3B
Dana Sturtevant MS RD She/Her
, Hilary Kinavey MS LPC She/Her
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Dana Sturtevant MS RD She/Her
Dana Sturtevant, M.S., R.D. (she/her) is the co-founder of the Center for Body Trust and the co-author of the book Reclaiming Body Trust: A Path to Healing and Liberation. As a registered dietitian, she helps people divest from diet culture, explore what it means to be embodied, and move toward more compassionate forms of radical care. Her work as a speaker, educator, and trainer focuses on humanizing health care, advancing health equity, and advocating for food and body sovereignty. For the past 20 years, Dana has trained thousands of health care providers in Motivational Interviewing. As a sought-after speaker and writer, Dana is a champion for weight-inclusive models of care and offers supervision, training, and consultation for helping professionals and health care organizations. CenterForBodyTrust.com
Hilary Kinavey MS LPC She/Her
HILARY KINAVEY, M.S., L.P.C. (she/her) has supported people who are healing from disordered eating, body shame, and the impact of weight bias and other traumas. She is the co-founder of Center for Body Trust, where her work as a therapist, educator, speaker, and writer, has been a study of what interrupts our sense of wholeness and how we can return to ourselves in a culture that profits from fragmentation. She has additional training in workshop facilitation, mind-body coaching, and radical relating. She is a sought-after speaker on topics such as weight-inclusive approaches, weight bias, and the intersections of activism and the helping professions. She offers consultation and training for organizations and professionals.
Deepening Our Roots into Body Trust: Helping People Through the Reckoning
Deepening Our Roots into Body Trust: Helping People Through the Reckoning
The Body Trust Framework is a weight-inclusive and destigmatizing approach to size in clinical practice. Holding up a mirror to what we have been taught to believe about weight and health can be confronting for our clients. In this presentation, Hilary Kinavey, MS, LPC and Dana Sturtevant, MS, RD will share the healing phases people often encounter as they work to break free from a culture of body perfection, disordered eating and other traumas. The Body Trust Framework supports clinicians and the people they serve by shifting their focus from “body as project” to a liberatory and healing paradigm.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the three narrative phases in body trust work.
- Name two clinical skills to help navigate conversations about the desire for weight loss.
- Explain how the stages of grief relate to size acceptance.
3C
Erin LoPorto Yoga Therapist/Embodiment Coach She/Her
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Erin LoPorto Yoga Therapist/Embodiment Coach She/Her
Erin LoPorto is a body positive yoga therapist, health and embodiment coach who specializes in trauma treatment, energy healing and somatic expression. After recovering from her own eating disorder she completed a two-year internship at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health where she studied with experts in the mind-body connection, yoga, Ayurveda, meditation and holistic health. She has led “yoga and movement” groups at Walden Behavioral Care and held a private practice for those with eating disorders for over a decade. She speaks on a variety of subjects surrounding mental health, body-acceptance and self-care and has also developed and led professional trainings for yoga and mental health professionals.
The Power of Embodiment: Practices to Treat Trauma, Mood and Eating Disorders and Prevent Burnout in Clinicians
The Power of Embodiment: Practices to Treat Trauma, Mood and Eating Disorders and Prevent Burnout in Clinicians
Drawn from Erin’s personal healing journey and a decade of supporting others through eating disorder and trauma recovery as a yoga therapist and embodiment coach, this presentation offers a comprehensive exploration of the most effective embodiment practices for those struggling with the complex interplay of eating disorders, trauma, anxiety, and depression. This session will examine various evidence-based embodiment practices and how they can be applied to both calm the nervous system and energize a patient’s connection to their emotional reality. This session will review the research substantiating the benefits of embodiment practices, including their potential to fortify boundaries, accelerate trauma recovery, increase resilience, foster an enhanced mind-body connection, decrease food preoccupation, and elevate self-awareness. As a bonus, we will examine how these techniques can also protect the clinician against burnout and bolster their self-care. This session promises to empower healthcare professionals of any discipline with practical tools and insights to inspire their patients towards greater embodiment so they can meet their goals quickly.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the benefits of embodiment practices for recovery from eating disorders and their co-morbidities.
- Design and implement simple embodiment interventions to support patients through intense feelings of grief, anger, anxiety and urges.
- Utilize embodiment practices to support personal self-care, stronger boundaries and burnout prevention.
3D
Kayti Protos DSW LCSW She/Her
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Kayti Protos DSW LCSW She/Her
Dr. Kayti Protos (she/her) is a white, queer, non-Christian, cisgender woman and ally to the transgender and nonbinary community, as well as a person in recovery from an eating disorder. She is the Director of the MSW Program and Assistant Professor at Moravian University, as well as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, with over 15 years of clinical experience working with and advocating on behalf of the queer and trans communities. She maintains a small private practice that specializes in helping queer & trans clients with disordered eating and eating disorders. Additionally, Kayti is on the Board of Directors for MEDA, has presented at over 75 professional conferences or invited lectures, and is the co-author of A clinician’s guide to gender identity and body image: Practical support for working with transgender and gender expansive clients.
Bias is Not a Bad Word: Identifying & Challenging Implicit Bias to Foster Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice in Eating Disorder Treatment
Bias is Not a Bad Word: Identifying & Challenging Implicit Bias to Foster Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive Practice in Eating Disorder Treatment
We are all a little bit “-ist” or “-phobic” as we are all members of a society that struggles with systemic racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, sizeism, and other forms of oppression. Providers in the eating disorder field are vulnerable to the same socio-political norms that shape our beliefs about diverse populations and marginalized communities that our clients, colleagues, and students struggle with on a daily basis. In this experiential, interactive workshop, participants will grapple with the topics of power, privilege, bias, and competing personal and professional values that contribute to implicit bias, weight stigma, structural racism, and oppression. Participants will receive instruction to replicate the activities of the session, serving as a resource for classroom education, professional development, group therapy discussions, and clinical supervision.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and define at least two areas of implicit bias, and two strategies for mitigating these biases.
- Describe three examples of how diversity and intersectionality shape eating disorder recovery, and equity and inclusion in the treatment experience.
- Identify and explain at least two activities you can replicate in your classroom/group or clinical/professional setting to facilitate conversation about implicit bias.
Refreshment Break
Keynote – Room A
William Hornby (He/Him)
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William Hornby (He/Him)
William Hornby is at the forefront of raising awareness for men with eating disorders with his advocacy on TikTok and Instagram Reels. He is a recording artist as well. (His debut single, “Clay,” is out on all streaming platforms now!) He currently holds a BBA in Business Management from Temple University and is expected to earn his BFA in Musical Theatre. He trained in classical voice at the prestigious Baltimore School for the Arts. He loves hiking, listening to NPR, and carving pumpkins.
The Power of Becoming the Advocate You Needed
The Power of Becoming the Advocate You Needed
This is a powerful presentation detailing Mr. Hornby’s own journey in advocacy in the eating disorder recovery space, the topics and identities he identified that were missing from that space, and his own approach to those topics. He started this work himself because he could not find any men advocating for eating disorder recovery when he was dealing with the worst of his own eating disorder. He advocates for people to become more discerning and aware of the ways in which they are not represented but need to be. He talks candidly about issues that he has faced and concretely offers ways for people to become more proactive in an increasingly social-media-driven culture that weighs heavily on them. His presentation and talk are refreshingly honest, timely, relatable and helpful as we teach others to become the advocate they themselves need. His social media prowess and depth of knowledge about the topics of eating disorders, intersectional representation, anti-fatness, and healthism make this a unique presentation unlike anything else on the speaker circuit today.
Learning Objectives
- Express the ways diet culture, anti-fatness, healthism, and morality influence the development of eating disorders.
- Illustrate the importance of intersectional representation in advocacy and in all walks of life.
- Identify the tools to become the advocate they once needed and/or feel compelled to support the work of other people who have done so.
Hotel Accommodations & Airport Transportation Rideshare
Boston Marriott Newton: 2345 Commonwealth Avenue Newton, MA 02466
Our conference room block at the Newton Marriott almost has sold out. if so, we are recommending the following hotels Fairfield Inn & Suites Boston Waltham -OR- Four Points by Sheraton Boston Newton
We also recommend people use our Ride Share board to coordinate conference transportation.
If you are interested in participating in a ride share please post your information HERE to coordinate.
Contact us at conference@medainc.org with any questions.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education Information
Continuing Education Credit Hours:
Single-day (Thursday) registration: 7.5 continuing education credits.
Single-day (Friday) registration: 6 continuing education credits.
Full Conference (two-day registration): 13.5 continuing education credits
Please note: It is the participant’s responsibility to check with their individual state boards to verify CE requirements for their state.
Physicians:
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of McLean Hospital and The Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association, Inc.
McLean Hospital is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. McLean Hospital designates this educational activity for a maximum of 13.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Psychologists:
Thursday one-day registration: This program is co-sponsored by McLean Hospital and The Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association. McLean Hospital is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. McLean Hospital maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This offering meets the criteria for 7.5 C.E. hour(s) for psychologists. For more information, please email Carolyn Judge cjudge@medainc.org.
Friday one-day registration: This program is co-sponsored by McLean Hospital and The Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association. McLean Hospital is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. McLean Hospital maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This offering meets the criteria for 6 C.E. hour(s) for psychologists. For more information, please email Carolyn Judge cjudge@medainc.org.
Two-day registration: This program is co-sponsored by McLean Hospital and The Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association. McLean Hospital is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. McLean Hospital maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This offering meets the criteria for 13.5 C.E. hour(s) for psychologists. For more information, please email Carolyn Judge cjudge@medainc.org.
Nurses:
This program meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00) for 13.5 contact hours of nursing continuing education credit. Advance practice nurses, please note: Educational activities which meet the requirements of the ACCME (such as this activity) count towards 50% of the nursing requirement for ANCC accreditation.
Mental Health Counselors:
Approval by the MaMHCA has been received for up to 13.5 continuing education units. Thursday single-day registration: 7 continuing education credits and Friday single-day: 6 continuing education credits. MEACP Authorization 24-0217.
Social Workers: This program has been approved for 13.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for re-licensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number Thursday D 92547: Authorization Number Friday D 92548. Thursday single-day registration: 7.5 continuing education credits and Friday single-day: 6 continuing education credits.
Dietitians: Continuing education credit has been approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration for 13.5 continuing education credits. Thursday single-day registration: 7.5 continuing education credits and Friday single-day: 6 continuing education credits. Activity number 181577
Grievance Policy: MEDA seeks to ensure equitable treatment of every person and to make every attempt to resolve grievances in a fair manner. Please submit a written grievance to: Carolyn Judge, cjudge@medainc.org 617.558.1881. Grievances will receive, to the best of our ability, corrective action in order to prevent further problems.
Conference Learning Objectives
Conference Objectives
At the end of the program participants will be able to:
- Identify and discuss at least three key intersectional factors (e.g. race, gender, sexuality, etc.) that influence eating disorder recovery.
- Identify three ways that higher weight patients may experience weight stigma in higher levels of care for eating disorders.
- Name at least two strategies they can incorporate into their practice with dual diagnosis clients that prioritize autonomy.
- List three examples of how diversity and intersectionality shape eating disorder recovery, and equity and inclusion shape the treatment experience.
- Identify multiple avenues of connection between chronic illness and incidents of eating disorders.
- Identify multiple avenues of connection between chronic illness and incidents of eating disorders.
- Identify 3 ways to develop resilience and body positivity in those with invisible disability and chronic medical conditions.
- Explain the benefits of embodiment practices for recovery from eating disorders and their co-morbidities.
- Recognize the current challenges in eating disorder treatment.
- Describe the concept of holistic treatment planning, cultural humility, and how to integrate such concepts into one’s own practice.
PLEASE NOTE: Session specific learning objectives and be found by going to the Conference Schedule and clicking on the Session Titles.
Speakers
Akiera Gilbert, She/Her
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Akiera Gilbert, She/Her
Akiera (she/her) is a social innovator, healing justice advocate, and the CEO of Project HEAL – a nonprofit focused on equitable access to eating disorder care. Prior to Project HEAL, Akiera founded Body Reborn, an intersectional healing community for BIPOC who struggle with disordered eating.Allyson Ford LPCC She/Her
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Allyson Ford LPCC She/Her
I am a multiracial, queer and neurodivergent Eating Disorder and OCD therapist who applies a social justice approach to healing and recovery. I come from a place of lived and professional experience and am deeply passionate about helping others find freedom from food and body struggles. I have a group private practice and offer supervision and consultation in addition to therapy.Amanda Kravitz LICSW She/Her
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Amanda Kravitz LICSW She/Her
While specializing in eating disorder recovery, Amanda also helps individuals struggling with substance abuse and addiction, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues. Amanda enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults, utilizing techniques such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practice and more. Understanding that each person comes to therapy at different stages of readiness, Amanda empowers and guides clients to move toward their “life worth living” at a comfortable pace, while focusing on continual personal growth.Amani Joseph BS Research Assistant She/Her
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Amani Joseph BS Research Assistant She/Her
Amani Joseph is a college junior, majoring in Psychology at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York. She is a research assistant at the College of Staten Island, researching ethnic and racial health disparities in eating disorders. Amani's research interests include eating disorders in the African American and Orthodox Jewish female communities.Anita Dharwadkar RD LDN (She/Her)
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Anita Dharwadkar RD LDN (She/Her)
Anita is an eating disorder dietitian who specializes in supporting adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorder recovery. Anita has a special interest in serving clients with co-occuring medical conditions and eating disorders. Anita identifies herself as a chronically ill provider.Anna Sweeney MS RD CEDS-S LDN She/Her
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Anna Sweeney MS RD CEDS-S LDN She/Her
Anna Sweeney MS, RD, CEDS-S, LDN identifies as an eating disorder dietitian and has dedicated her career to the treatment of and care for humans with eating disorders. Anna is a nationally and internationally regarded eating disorder expert and owner of Whole Life Nutrition. Anna identifies as a full time disabled and chronically ill person.Beth Rosen MS RD CDN She/Her
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Beth Rosen MS RD CDN She/Her
Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN is a weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian specializing in GI nutrition and disordered eating and has been working in the field of nutrition for over 27 years.. Beth helps clients find relief from digestive disorders such as Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Gastroparesis, and Celiac disease, as well as shares her knowledge with other health professionals via webinars, seminars, and peer mentoring. Beth is currently the chairperson of the Dietitians in Gluten and Gastrointestinal Diseases (DIGID) subgroup of Dietitians in Medical Nutrition Therapy dietetics practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In addition, she is the Director of Nutrition and Dietary Services for GI OnDEMAND and a co-founder of the EDGI Project, a comprehensive training for practitioners to become proficient in treating GI disorders in those with eating disorders.. Beth has also written for major online and print media publications, such as Practical Gastroenterology, Huffington Post, VeryWell Fit, and FabUPlus Magazine.Da’Shaun Harrison (They/Them)
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Da’Shaun Harrison (They/Them)
Da'Shaun Harrison is an experienced lecturer, editor, and media/narrative strategist with a strong background in community organizing. They specialize in Black Fat Studies and lecture on blackness, fatness, and gender. Winner of the 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction and several other accolades, Harrison has delivered keynotes and guest lectures at prestigious universities and colleges. Harrison has also published work in various anthologies and media platforms. They are a public intellectual engaged in critical conversations with notable thinkers and always seeking new opportunities to share knowledge and contribute to the field.Dana Sturtevant MS RD She/Her
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Dana Sturtevant MS RD She/Her
Dana Sturtevant, M.S., R.D. (she/her) is the co-founder of the Center for Body Trust and the co-author of the book Reclaiming Body Trust: A Path to Healing and Liberation. As a registered dietitian, she helps people divest from diet culture, explore what it means to be embodied, and move toward more compassionate forms of radical care. Her work as a speaker, educator, and trainer focuses on humanizing health care, advancing health equity, and advocating for food and body sovereignty. For the past 20 years, Dana has trained thousands of health care providers in Motivational Interviewing. As a sought-after speaker and writer, Dana is a champion for weight-inclusive models of care and offers supervision, training, and consultation for helping professionals and health care organizations. CenterForBodyTrust.comEmily Arkin MS RD LDN She/Her
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Emily Arkin MS RD LDN She/Her
Emily has worked at IOP and PHP levels of care for eating disorder treatment and is a member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. She is a member of Dietitians in Gluten and Gastrointestinal Disorders (DIGID), a dietetic practice subgroup within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, under which she contributes to the “Disordered Eating” working group. Emily is also involved with the EDGI Training Project, a group of clinicians developing MNT resources for GI dietitians who encounter eating disorders in their practice.Emily Rubenstein LMFT She/Her
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Emily Rubenstein LMFT She/Her
Em has been working in the eating disorder world since 2008, where she started as a design intern and college fair presenter for MEDA. In 2014, she began working in residential treatment for co-occurring eating disorders and substance use disorders and has since worked at all levels from outpatient through residential. In 2023, she moved into private practice providing care to those with eating disorders and related diagnoses through a client-driven lens that honors autonomy and agency.Emma D’Arpino MS-HPEd RD LDN
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Emma D’Arpino MS-HPEd RD LDN
Emma is a compassionate and dedicated Registered Dietitian (RD) with a Masters in Health Professions Education (MS-HPEd) and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor (CIEC). With a strong focus on trust and vulnerability, Emma's approach to care revolves around helping individuals find peace and acceptance with food and their bodies. She challenges societal norms and works to dismantle fatphobia and diet culture, guiding her clients through the process of unlearning harmful beliefs and behaviors tied to food and appearance. While pursuing her PhD, Emma's ultimate goal is to facilitate positive change within research and education, creating a safe and evidence-based environment for individuals in all bodies.Erin LoPorto Yoga Therapist/Embodiment Coach She/Her
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Erin LoPorto Yoga Therapist/Embodiment Coach She/Her
Erin LoPorto is a body positive yoga therapist, health and embodiment coach who specializes in trauma treatment, energy healing and somatic expression. After recovering from her own eating disorder she completed a two-year internship at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health where she studied with experts in the mind-body connection, yoga, Ayurveda, meditation and holistic health. She has led “yoga and movement” groups at Walden Behavioral Care and held a private practice for those with eating disorders for over a decade. She speaks on a variety of subjects surrounding mental health, body-acceptance and self-care and has also developed and led professional trainings for yoga and mental health professionals.Fiona Sutherland MSc APD RYT She/Her
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Fiona Sutherland MSc APD RYT She/Her
Fiona is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, Yoga Teacher and Clinical Supervisor from Naarm (Melbourne), Australia and is committed to Weight Inclusive, Trauma Informed Care. She brings over 20 years experience of clinical, consultancy and supervision work to the Eating Disorder and broader healthcare field. Fiona has contributed to the development and delivery of education and training to hundreds of Dietitians worldwide from undergraduate training through to an extensive array of live and online professional courses on Eating Disorders, Body Image, Trauma Informed Care and Supervision for Dietitians. She co-designed and delivered the first ever Supervision training for Dietitians in 2022 and 2023 to US Dietitians with Lisa Pearl. Most recently, Fiona has been highly involved in advocating for, and contributing to, workforce development strategies including design and delivery of training and Supervision with the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (Australia)Heidi Dalzell PsyD She/Her
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Heidi Dalzell PsyD She/Her
Heidi J. Dalzell, PsyD, is a Licensed Psychologist, specializing in eating disorders and trauma. Dr. Dalzell has a busy private practice. Particular areas of interest include mid-life eating disorders, the intersection of trauma in eating disorders and addictive behaviors, and gender/gender identity as it relates to body image. Dr. Dalzell works from an insight-oriented lens. She is also certified in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, which has applications to trauma, eating disorders/body image, addiction and mood disorders.Hilary Kinavey MS LPC She/Her
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Hilary Kinavey MS LPC She/Her
HILARY KINAVEY, M.S., L.P.C. (she/her) has supported people who are healing from disordered eating, body shame, and the impact of weight bias and other traumas. She is the co-founder of Center for Body Trust, where her work as a therapist, educator, speaker, and writer, has been a study of what interrupts our sense of wholeness and how we can return to ourselves in a culture that profits from fragmentation. She has additional training in workshop facilitation, mind-body coaching, and radical relating. She is a sought-after speaker on topics such as weight-inclusive approaches, weight bias, and the intersections of activism and the helping professions. She offers consultation and training for organizations and professionals.Jason Wood He/Him
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Jason Wood He/Him
Jason Wood turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health by publishing his memoir Starving for Survival. He is proud to serve on the board for two eating disorder recovery organizations, Running in Silence and SoulPaws Recovery Project in addition to his role as the Marketing & Communications Manager at ANAD. Through speaking engagements, his writing, and his work, Jason strives to start an important conversation that encourages everyone--especially men--to speak up, share their stories, and get the help they deserve.Jessica Thiefels She/Her
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Jessica Thiefels She/Her
Jessica Thiefels is the founder and CEO of Echeveria Organic. She's also a podcast host, published author, and anti-diet and mental health advocate. After nearly 15 years of working in content marketing, Jessica is on a mission to amplify the reach of mental health champions through intentional and authentic content. She's grateful to work with many impact-driven organizations and entrepreneurs including Project HEAL, Lindywell, SES WAVES, and Christy Harrison.Jillian Loyas-Stryker MA NCC R-DMT She/Her
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Jillian Loyas-Stryker MA NCC R-DMT She/Her
Jillian Loyas-Stryker, MA, NCC, R-DMT is a Masters Level Therapist. Jillian is grateful and passionate to serve clients of all ages and identities in both individual and group settings as a clinical mental health counselor and a creative arts therapist. Jillian’s trauma-informed, arts-based, therapeutic approach includes bringing many tools to the table for her clients to choose from which integrate the creative arts with mental health counseling for purposes of cultivating lasting healing, healthy coping, and facilitating mind-body awareness.Kaitlin Vulakh She/Her
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Kaitlin Vulakh She/Her
Kaitlin (she/her) is an inpatient group facilitator and trained HRV Biofeedback practitioner currently working at Walden Behavioral Care. Her educational background is in experimental psychology, neuropsychology, and gender studies and she is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Recently, she introduced the first LGBTQ+ group at Walden’s inpatient unit and is coordinating data collection for the study on Impact of Integrative Therapies Participation on Eating Disorder Symptoms.Katherine Jordan RD LD CEDS-S She/Her
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Katherine Jordan RD LD CEDS-S She/Her
Katherine began her career at Alsana as an intern in 2014 and joined the team full-time as a dietitian in 2016. Katherine moved from the dietitian role into the lead dietitian role ultimately ending up in her current role as the Director of Clinical Services at a 20-bed residential facility in Birmingham, AL. She feels very called to the field of eating disorders and is encouraged daily by clients’ bravery and courage. She is honored by the reality that clients let her, and her team, be a part of their story and recovery journey. As a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist, she is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor, a member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In her free time, Katherine loves to cook, box, and travel.Kayti Protos DSW LCSW She/Her
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Kayti Protos DSW LCSW She/Her
Dr. Kayti Protos (she/her) is a white, queer, non-Christian, cisgender woman and ally to the transgender and nonbinary community, as well as a person in recovery from an eating disorder. She is the Director of the MSW Program and Assistant Professor at Moravian University, as well as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Pennsylvania and Connecticut, with over 15 years of clinical experience working with and advocating on behalf of the queer and trans communities. She maintains a small private practice that specializes in helping queer & trans clients with disordered eating and eating disorders. Additionally, Kayti is on the Board of Directors for MEDA, has presented at over 75 professional conferences or invited lectures, and is the co-author of A clinician’s guide to gender identity and body image: Practical support for working with transgender and gender expansive clients.Krista Crotty LMFT PsyD She/Her
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Krista Crotty LMFT PsyD She/Her
Dr. Krista Crotty is the National Director of Brain Based Therapies and Director of Clinical Outreach Education for Accanto Health. She earned her Master of Science from Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Psychology and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in family and pediatrics from Azusa Pacific University. She trained at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in the Dept of Early Intervention Neuropsychology and Loma Linda Children's Hospital in Neuropsychology. Krista is a level 3 Temperament Based Treatment with Supports Certified Treatment Provider offering TBT-S in module format in outpatient care and 5-day Intensive weeks in WA state. Beyond TBT-S is trained in and clinically draws from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, family-based treatment, and acceptance and commitment therapy. She is a firm believer in the incorporation of Support and family members in the treatment process and enjoys brining activity and creativity into the clinical arena. Away from work, Krista loves being a mom to her three boys, being outside exploring the world and always finding ways to learn new things!Lachlan Crawford ND She/Her
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Lachlan Crawford ND She/Her
Lachlan received her Doctorate from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and a certificate in Contemplative Psychotherapy from the Nalanda Institute of Contemplative Science. She completed an advanced fellowship training in Integrative Psychiatry with Dr. James Greenblatt MD. She is Director of Integrative Medicine at Walden Behavioral Care, and also sits on the board of the Psychiatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians (PsychANP). Her publication history includes other pilot studies aimed at improving mental health with integrative therapies in various populations.Lauren Dear MS RDN She/Her
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Lauren Dear MS RDN She/Her
Lauren Adler Dear is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a private practice in Boston. She specializes in digestive health and eating disorders, and has developed a keen interest in how the two overlap. She treats a wide range of clients with digestive disorders including IBS, SIBO, MCAS, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and gastroparesis. Lauren is also trained in clinical hypnotherapy and offers this modality as an adjunct treatment to help manage digestive symptoms.Lisa Pearl MS RDN LDN
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Lisa Pearl MS RDN LDN
Lisa Pearl is an eating disorder specialist and educator who has been working in the field for over 40 years. She feels incredibly fortunate to have worked with amazing supervisors throughout her career. She has also provided supervision for several decades now under the philosophical umbrella of HAES & Anti-fat bias, Mindfulness & Intuitive Eating, Cultural Relational Theory, and the principles of embodiment.Marci Evans MS RDN LDN She/Her
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Marci Evans MS RDN LDN She/Her
Marci identifies as a Food and Body Imager Healer® practicing from a Health At Every Size® and anti-oppression lens. She has dedicated her career to counseling, supervising, and teaching in the field of eating disorders. In addition to her group private practice, in 2015 Marci launched an online eating disorders training platform for clinicians. In 2016 she joined the Simmons nutrition department to co-develop a specialized eating disorder internship and teach graduate level courses on nutrition counseling for eating disorders.Mary Dye MPH RDN CEDS-C She/Her
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Mary Dye MPH RDN CEDS-C She/Her
Mary is an approved consultant and certified eating disorders specialist who actively supervises and mentors RDNs across the country. She has held leadership positions in multiple eating disorder treatment centers across levels of care from residential through outpatient. Mary has educated and consulted on the assessment and treatment of eating centers throughout the US and abroad, maintaining an eating disorders specialty private practice throughout her career. She is currently the Director of Nutrition for Prosperity Eating Disorders and Wellness in Norfolk, VA.Mary Elizabeth Akinaka LPC-S CEDS-S She/Her
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Mary Elizabeth Akinaka LPC-S CEDS-S She/Her
Mary Elizabeth Akinaka currently serves as Regional Executive Director at Alsana Eating Disorder Recovery Community in Birmingham, AL. She is an LPC and CEDS-S and has been working in the eating disorder community and with Alsana for almost a decade. Mary Elizabeth is passionate about leading a team who have a compassionate drive for serving clients with intentional, effective, and individualized care. Mary Elizabeth received her bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Special Education from Auburn University. She received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and a Certificate of marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In her spare time she loves spending time with her husband and two boys.Matt Stranberg MS RDN LDN CSSD CSCS He/Him
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Matt Stranberg MS RDN LDN CSSD CSCS He/Him
Matt Stranberg is a registered dietitian, strength and conditioning coach, board-certified sports dietitian, and owner of Matt Stranberg Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the field, Matt Stranberg has cofounded research-based programs and initiatives to treat clients struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating, and problematic physical activity. He aims to distill the knowledge and wisdom needed to translate nutrition and exercise science into practical solutions and looks forward to contributing to MEDA's ongoing commitment to continuing education.Molly Robson LCSW She/Her
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Molly Robson LCSW She/Her
Molly has been working with individuals and groups as a licensed clinical social worker since graduating from Simmons University with an MSW in 2021. Prior to her therapeutic work, Molly was a nutritionist with a special interest in intuitive eating and Health at Every Size. As a therapist, her work centers body image support, eating disorder recovery, and gender affirming care, with a liberatory and anti-oppression lens.Monika Ostroff LICSW CEDS-S She/They
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Monika Ostroff LICSW CEDS-S She/They
Monika Ostroff, LICSW, CEDS-S is the Executive Director of MEDA. Prior to leading MEDA, she directed several residential, partial hospital and intensive outpatient eating disorder programs in addition to having owned a thriving private practice. With more than 25 years of experience in the field of eating disorders, Monika has co-authored two books, presented at many national conferences, taught at the university level, and appeared on many media broadcasts, publications & podcasts. She has subspecialties in complex dissociation, ASD & sensory processing disorders. Practicing from a trauma informed, social justice and staunchly HAES® aligned lens, Monika is a dedicated ally and strong advocate working to ensure access to equitable, compassionate, and affirming care for all.Rachel Millner PsyD CEDS-S CBTP She/Her
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Rachel Millner PsyD CEDS-S CBTP She/Her
Rachel Millner (she/her), Psy.D., CEDS-S, CBTP(R) is a psychologist and fat-activist in Philadelphia, PA. She utilizes a fat positive, health at every size(R) framework to support people in their healing from eating disorders, disordered eating and their relationship with food and body. Dr. Millner has appeared on many popular podcasts and publications such as Food Psych and the New York Times.Robert Keane PhD LICSW He/Him
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Robert Keane PhD LICSW He/Him
Robert J. Keane Ph.D., LICSW is a senior administrator and clinician with over forty years’ experience in behavioral health. He is the Assistant Vice President for Program Development and Training at Walden Behavioral Care and has over a decade of experience working with eating disorders. Dr Keane is a co-investigator in the study Impact of Integrative Therapies Participation on Eating Disorder Symptoms and is an Adjunct Professor at the Boston College School of Social work where he teaches Health Policy.Ron Ifrach Atr LPC He/They
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Ron Ifrach Atr LPC He/They
Fat, Queer, Mixed Race, Jewish Background, Chronic Illness Ron holds a Masters in Art Therapy and Counseling from Albertus Magnus College. He previously participated in a local artist collective committed to art that encompasses and invites everyone. through art critiques, art shows and promoting artists work. Ron has served in many positions throughout his career including running an art therapy program for a nationally accredited Substance Use Treatment facility, aiding veterans in recovery for C-PTSD, doing community based art therapy and supporting people through the gender affirmation process. Currently Ron serves on the board of MEDA, Multi-Service Eating Disorder Association and is an adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University. Regardless of the position, Ron works to bring a level of compassion and witnessing to his clients where they can feel safe to be vulnerable and heal. Ron’s current specialties include substance use treatment, gender affirming care, LGBTQ+ issues, disordered eating and body image.Sandi James CEDC CCIEDC She/They
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Sandi James CEDC CCIEDC She/They
Sandi James is a registered psychologist with more than 20 years’ experience working in mental health services, eating disorder treatment, addiction treatment, and trauma recovery, firmly based in harm reduction, HAES, and LGBTQ++ spaces and communities.Sarah Garrity LCSW She/Her
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Sarah Garrity LCSW She/Her
Sarah (she/her) is a social worker who specializes in trauma, eating disorders, and related challenges, including low self-esteem, relationship challenges, and maladaptive coping behaviors. Sarah takes an active, collaborative approach in therapy and enjoys helping people realize their innate capacity to heal. As a therapist, Sarah understands how difficult it can be to feel “stuck” in old patterns, and strives to empower clients to make change. This empowerment creates space for self-actualization, inner peace, and deeper satisfaction in relationships with others. Sarah utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and EMDR. For those seeking support for disordered eating, Sarah practices from a health-at-every size model.Scout Silverstein MPH They/Them
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Scout Silverstein MPH They/Them
Scout (they/them) creates necessary changes in the health care landscape by building inclusive programming and strengthening policy. A specialist in gender affirming eating disorder care with a Masters of Public Health, they provide training to health care professionals, supervision and consultation to clinicians, and coaching to parents of transgender youth.Serena Nangia BA She/Her
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Serena Nangia BA She/Her
Serena Nangia (she/her) is a Body Activist, long-time advocate for eating disorder recovery, and Senior Marketing & Communications Manager for the eating disorder nonprofit Project HEAL. She has spent close to a decade building expertise on the way body image, media, and eating disorders affect people’s daily lives, as well as how Fatphobia and weight stigma create issues of access and discrimination systemically and interpersonally. Serena has taught twenty-four classes with over 800 participants and continues to educate herself. She recognizes the integral role Black, Fat people have played in her growth and actively works to elevate diverse voices of People of Color and Fat people. Serena’s inspiration comes from her sister, Ellen, who struggled with an eating disorder for over a decade and is now in long-term recovery.Sharon Maxwell She/They
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Sharon Maxwell She/They
Sharon Maxwell (She/They) is a mental health advocate and fat activist. She works as a weight inclusive consultant, providing education to treatment centers and healthcare providers on the immense harms of weight stigma. Due to her lived experience facing weight stigma, Sharon provides unique insight and offers practical tools to make treatment centers and healthcare settings safe and accessible for fat folks. Sharon has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, on News Nation, The Tamron Hall Show and more.Shaun Riebl PhD RDN He/Him
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Shaun Riebl PhD RDN He/Him
Dr. Riebl, the Chief Nutrition Officer at Within Health, provides trauma-informed nutrition therapy to individuals struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders. His passion for this population began with his master's thesis studying eating disorders in male cyclists, and he continued to explore eating behaviors during his doctoral work. Dr. Riebl has held assistant professorships at UNC Chapel Hill and The University of Mississippi as well as research positions with Duke University. With nearly 10 years of clinical experience, he promotes freedom, flexibility, and nourishment with food while providing compassionate, evidence-based treatment for all people.Sheri Damon LMHC She/Her
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Sheri Damon LMHC She/Her
Sheri Damon (she, her) LMHC, LPCC, LCMHC, NBCC, Founder/President of the Foundation for Learning & Inspiring Health & Healing (FLIHH) applies her over three decades of experience working with all ages and genders to teaching, consulting, treating and managing her extensive team of providers at FLIHH. Damon is an expert in treating eating disorders and other mental health issues. Damon brings a unique perspective for working with people across the lifespan. All these experiences have inspired creative interventions, a cognitive-behavioral, “mind-body-spirit-environment”, animal/nature-assisted approach to therapy, and attention to the numerous intervening life factors in health and healing. Damon regularly presents on wellness, intuitive eating, and other mental health concerns at community events, parent events, as well as school and professional organizational training. Damon’s authored COPER and TheraFarm Manuals and Models are used throughout programming at FLIHH with corresponding meditation books and workbooks.Shira Rosenbluth LCSW She/Her
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Shira Rosenbluth LCSW She/Her
Shira Rosenbluth, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker treating clients in New York and California. She specializes in the treatment of disordered eating, eating disorders, and body-image dissatisfaction using a weight-neutral approach. She's also a fat activist and has been featured in The New York Times, Insider, The Cut, The Everygirl, InStyle, and Healthline.Stacie Fanelli LCSW She/Her
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Stacie Fanelli LCSW She/Her
Stacie Fanelli is an AuDHD therapist working in the intersection of neurodivergence and eating disorders. She supports individuals with their personal visions for recovery in outpatient treatment and has worked at all levels of care. She is committed to providing learning opportunities to support fellow professionals in understanding and de-pathologizing clients’ neurodivergent characteristics as well as collaborating in effective alternatives to carceral treatment.Tamie Gangloff MFT She/Her
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Tamie Gangloff MFT She/Her
Tamie is an MFT and Senior Regional Director of Clinical Partnerships for Odyssey Eating Disorder Network. Tamie is an adjunct professor at West Chester University teaching Eating Disorder Psychology. Tamie has worked at all levels of care, for eating disorders and substance abuse.. She completed her Master’s in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University Santa Barbara. She is also an advocate with the Eating Disorders Coalition, President of Southwest Philly IAEDP chapter and a group leader for The National Alliance for Eating Disorders. Tamie utilizes her personal and professional experience to help others and advocate for change and offer support to others.Wednesdae Reim Ifrach REAT ATR-BC ATCS LPC NCC CLAT LCMHC TPMH LPCC They/Them
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Wednesdae Reim Ifrach REAT ATR-BC ATCS LPC NCC CLAT LCMHC TPMH LPCC They/Them
Wednesdae is a trans/non-binary art therapist, fat activist and artist whose work focuses on body justice, intersectional social justice and eating disorder treatment equity access. They also co-own and operate Rainbow Recovery where they support people through the gender affirmation process, complex trauma recovery, eating disorder recovery and body image issues using art, creative expression, and traditional talk therapy. They also founded the countries first 2sLGBTQIA+ Eating Disorder Program and work to ensure all Queer people can access eating disorder care. Wednesdae melds the world of art therapy, social justice, trauma recovery and eating disorder recovery into a unique opportunity for people to expand their understanding of the world. Wednesdae also had the honor to participate in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)’s Artful Practices for Well-being and has had artwork on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art as part of Art as Activism. They have presented at national and international conferences, are an adjunct professor with Moravian University teaching Advance Training in Queer & Trans Studies, Human Sexuality, and Telehealth Courses. They are currently working toward their PhD in Integrative Social Work and also serve on the Board of Project HEAL, a non-profit whose mission is to create treatment equity access in the eating disorder field.Wendy Oliver-Pyatt MD She/Her
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Wendy Oliver-Pyatt MD She/Her
Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, MD, is a world-leading expert on mental health and eating disorder treatment who has founded several highly regarded treatment centers, including Galen Hope in Coral Gables, Florida. A board-certified psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience, she is known for her innovative, humane, and dignity-enhancing approach to care. Her unique treatment approach delves into the underlying issues that contribute to the development of mental health conditions. By treating the whole person, Dr. Oliver-Pyatt helps empower individuals with the skills, tools and support they need to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally. Dr. Oliver-Pyatt received her specialty training at New York University- Bellevue Hospital. She has held faculty positions at New York University, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, and University of Nevada School of Medicine. She is a fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) and the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). A dedicated and passionate mentor, educator and advocate for those struggling with mental health and eating disorders, she received senatorial recognition for her commitment to the mental health community. She is the author of two books, and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. Described by colleagues as warm and wise, Dr. Oliver-Pyatt matches her comprehensive training with an unwavering belief in compassionate and scientifically sound treatment.William Hornby (He/Him)
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William Hornby (He/Him)
William Hornby is at the forefront of raising awareness for men with eating disorders with his advocacy on TikTok and Instagram Reels. He is a recording artist as well. (His debut single, "Clay," is out on all streaming platforms now!) He currently holds a BBA in Business Management from Temple University and is expected to earn his BFA in Musical Theatre. He trained in classical voice at the prestigious Baltimore School for the Arts. He loves hiking, listening to NPR, and carving pumpkins.Interested in Becoming a Conference Exhibitor?
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