Growing Your Eating Disorder Treatment Practice
Presentation Information
Decreasing Avoidance: Integrative Treatment of PTSD & Eating Disorders
Melissa Coffin, Ph.D., CED-S
Sponsored by Monte Nido
This workshop will review the concurrent model of treating trauma and eating disorders in an integrated fashion using Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Main tenants of CPT will be discussed including the cognitive model, core beliefs connecting trauma and eating disorders and socratic questioning. Lastly, this presentation will review specific case examples and preliminary empirical data on changes in trauma reactivity and eating disorder symptomatology.
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Objectives:
Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. List the main tenants underlying Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
2. Describe the difference between a consequential and concurrent model of treatment for trauma.
3. Discuss the importance of an index event in CPT.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Melissa McLain Coffin is a licensed psychologist and a certified eating disorder specialist with extensive experience in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and compulsive over-exercise. Since 2008, she worked at Oliver-Pyatt Centers in Miami as a Clinical Director of residential treatment and eventually moved into the role of Senior Director of Clinical Programming and Development, overseeing adult residential, partial and intensive outpatient programming as well as Clementine adolescent residential programs. This role expanded in 2016 as Dr. Coffin became the Senior Director of East Coast Clinical Programming for Monte Nido and Affiliates. She currently oversees Monte Nido residential and day treatment programs as well as Clementine adolescent facilities on the East Coast. She also presents nationally on eating disorders at conferences like the National Eating Disorder Association, the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and the Multiservice Eating Disorder Association. Her daily work is dedicated to supporting the successful treatment of people working towards a full recovery.
The Intersectionality of Eating Disorders
Katya Viswanadhan, Psy.D.
Sponsored by Rogers Behavioral Health
This workshop will explore the intersection of eating disorders as they relate to various socio-political identities.
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Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Learn about the theory of intersectionality in the context of mental health
2. Understand applications of this theory
3. Identify concrete assessment tools and clinician strategies to work with eating disorders in a socio-politically aware manner
About the Presenter:
Katya Viswanadhan, PsyD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and clinical supervisor at Rogers Behavioral Health in Skokie. Dr. Viswanadhan trains and supervises behavioral specialists and therapists who work in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient levels of care. They have specialized training in working with eating disorders, anxiety, and LGBTQ+ issues. Dr. Viswanadhan has spoken at conferences organized by the American Psychological Association and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. They are also active in community prevention and education, including presenting at workshops and seminars on eating disorders and culturally sensitive therapy. Dr. Viswanadhan completed their clinical psychology residency at Stanford University Counseling and Psychological Services, and their postdoctoral fellowship at New York University. They earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mount Carmel College, a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Christ University of India, and a PsyD from University of Indianapolis.
Maggie Richmond, MS, RD, CEDRD, CD, CISSN
Sponsored by Rogers Behavioral Health
This discussion will highlight the Female Athlete Triad, broadening the scope to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), which will include definitions, problematic symptoms, effects on health and performance levels, along with prevention and treatment. The purpose is to provide foundational knowledge for multidisciplinary team members to better recognize the signs and risk factors to support early measures for prevention.
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Objectives:
1. Identification of Female Athlete Triad symptomology and the additional physiological impairments with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.
2. Understanding recovery methods for treatment success.
3. Understanding the Risk Assessment Models and return to play evaluation.
About the Presenter:
Maggie Richmond is a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) and Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSN), specializing in eating disorders and exercise science-sports nutrition. Maggie is the Lead Registered Dietitian for the Regional Division of Rogers Behavioral Health, serving as the primary resource for clinical needs, collaboration with medical leadership to enhance care, developing standard work, overseeing dietitian staffing, while aiding recruitment and retention, and continuing to provide comprehensive patient care in the partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care settings. Additionally, Maggie serves the outpatient community through her private practice, Richly Nourished, LLC., assisting individuals both virtually and in-person, as well as the Dietetic Internship Coordinator with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Prior to these experiences, Maggie spent five years under the direction of the Director of Performance Nutrition with the Green Bay Packers professional football team, supporting the players and coaches with their nutritional needs and requirements. Maggie’s nutrition philosophy centers around building an inclusive relationship with food that feeds (pun intended) a client’s emotional and physical connection to the world around them while keeping their mind and body nourished. She is a Health at Every Size and Intuitive Eating advocate, believing that with compassionate support, we can all have a joyful relationship with food, movement, our bodies, and our overall self.
Eating Disorders and the Female Athlete
Treating Eating Disorders in the LGBTQ+ Community
Lisa Constantino, LPC, CEDS-S
Sponsored by ERC and Pathlight
This presentation will provide an overview or working with clients in the LGBTQ+ community that suffer with Eating disorders. It will present the health disparities of the LGBTQ+ community and help providers understand the reasons that these clients struggle to access mental health services. The topics covered will include how underlying stressors contribute to these struggles, provide clinicians with applicable practices that promote health for this community, and identify ways to be competent and more inclusive clinicians. 
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Objectives:
Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify health disparities that prevent people in this community from accessing services. 
2. Apply practices that don’t further stress or marginalize clients in this community.
3. Identify aspects of one’s clinical practice that are not inclusive of this community.
4. Describe practices that allow clients to develop their gender and sexuality identities at their own rate.
About the Presenter:
Lisa is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and has been treating patients with eating disorders for 9 years. As Clinical Director at Eating Recovery Center, Lisa is responsible for the oversight and clinical leadership of adult inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient levels of care. Lisa is passionate about personal growth and development, working with emerging adults, and with LGBTQIA folks. She loves to do community outreach, is passionate about trauma informed care and uses creative, somatic approaches to help facilitate change and recovery.
Somatic Approaches in Treatment
Melissa Nord, LMHC, TIYT
Sponsored by Amy's Gift
In this 1.5-hour continuing education training, Melissa Nord will provide an overview of trauma-informed yoga practice and how somatic approaches can be combined with traditional treatment approaches to better benefit clients. This training will shed light on the somatic approach of incorporating mind, breath, and body through the use of body movement and intentional breathwork. This training will support practitioners in their own self-regulation and offer tools one can use with patients and/or clients. Through lecture and practice, we will cover:
- Breath awareness, practices, and its relation to trauma-informed yoga
- What trauma is and how it occurs from a body-based perspective
- Symptoms of trauma and applicable trauma-informed practices to support nervous system regulation and interoception
- Tools to increase heart-rate variability, vagal tone, the relaxation response, and nervous system regulation - Essential components of a trauma-informed yoga class, including how it differs from “regular” yoga
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Objectives:
Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Participants will articulate an understanding of trauma and how these experiences impact mental and physical health.
2. Participants will demonstrate an understanding of the basics of trauma-informed yoga therapy and how it differs from "regular" yoga.
3. Participants will grow their clinical skills and learn how one could integrate yoga, body movement, and mindful breathing techniques into current treatment.
About the Presenter:
Melissa is a licensed mental health counselor and owns her own practice in Ankeny. Her areas of focus include anxiety, sexual abuse and other traumas, body image and disordered eating, relationship issues, and general life adjustments. As a therapist, she uses a combination of talk therapy and nontraditional approaches, incorporating art, writing, play, mindfulness, breathing exercises, and yoga/body movements into sessions with clients. When Melissa isn't working, she likes to spend her time playing in nature with her husband and two daughters, cuddling with her cats and reading psychological thrillers, and enjoying craft beer and chocolate.
Binge Eating/Eating Disorders within the Latino/a/Latinx Culture
Dolores DeVargas-Schoonover, LPC, CACII, CEDS/Approved Supervisor
Sponsored by EDCare
Join us to gain practical awareness and effective, culturally sensitive treatment approaches to binge eating disorder in the Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx culture. Improve treatment outcomes by establishing a culturally aware therapeutic relationship and success treating a population that often does not access treatment. This presentation will discuss symptoms of binge eating disorder (BED), cultural approaches, medical aspects to binge eating disorder, and the treatment approaches that have been shown to be effective. Other eating disorders will also be explored as connected to behaviors that may lead to binge eating disorders.
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Objectives:
Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Participants will learn clinical presentations and culturally sensitive treatment approaches to binge eating disorder in the Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx culture
2. Participants will learn how other eating disorders and their behaviors are connected to and may lead to binge eating disorder.
3. Participants will gain a better cultural understanding of eating disorders within the Hispanic community, barriers to treatment, and treatment outcomes.
About the Presenter:
Dolores DeVargas-Schoonover, MA, LPC, CACII, CEDS/Approved Supervisor, is a bilingual professional counselor who has extensive experience in working with individuals very resistant to treatment, history of trauma, eating disorders, neglect/abuse, substance abuse, poverty, and homelessness. Ms. De Vargas-Schoonover received her Bachelor of Arts from Regis University in the area of Spanish/Secondary Education, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Colorado/Denver. Dolores believes that the family unit is an important component of the recovery process and incorporates Family Systems Theory. Dolores values meeting the needs of each patient’s individual treatment. Dolores has worked 25 years as a therapist. Prior to EDCare she was employed at another local facility for 10+ years treating eating disorders, previous 14 years in Child Protective Services in the unit that supported the reunification of families, ongoing private practice at a limited capacity. Dolores is considered an expert at working with dual diagnosed individuals. Her interests outside of providing therapeutic services include baseball-Colorado Rockies, spending time with her husband and pet poodle Charlie, visiting extended family in her native state of New Mexico, exploring turquoise jewelry, reading, and occasionally knits.
