About this course

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least three historical and three current medical weight loss interventions and describe two unintended consequences of each on disordered eating behaviors.
• Explain at least three ways diet culture impacts patient recovery and cite two examples of systemic weight stigma affecting wellness outcomes.
• Demonstrate at least two person-centered strategies that promote autonomy, articulate two methods to challenge weight-centric care, and outline one approach to integrate trauma-informed principles into eating disorder treatment.

Learning Levels

• Intermediate
• Advanced

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Kaila Peak-Rishel, LMFT, LCSW, CEDS-C

  Kaila Peak-Rishel is a licensed clinical social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, and a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Consultant. Kaila has over 10 years of eating disorder experience with children and adolescents as well as gender and sexuality therapy across the lifespan.

  Kaila is passionate about social justice, advocacy, and helping patients find accessible treatment. She is the lead for Eating Recovery Center & Pathlight's Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council in the virtual space. Kaila presents and consults about inclusive care for marginalized populations.

  Kaila obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Women's Studies, and LGBT Studies. She went on to receive her Master of Social Work from University of Denver and earned her Marriage and Family Therapist Certification from Denver Family Institute where she specialized in couples and families within the LGBTQ+ and polyamorous population. At this same time, Kaila was training at Children's Hospital in Colorado on the Eating Disorder Unit, specializing in the Modsley Method.

• 

  Elizabeth Wassenaar, MS MD, DFAPA, CEDS-S

  Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar is the Regional Medical Director for the West region at Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. She is Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Obesity Medicine and completed triple board training at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  Prior to her clinical career, she completed a Master of Pharmacology from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Wassenaar has completed advanced psychotherapy training in psychodynamic psychotherapy, family-based therapy for eating disorders, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. She is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and an International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor.

References

• Bartel, S., McElroy, S. L., Levangie, D., & Keshen, A. (2024). Use of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists in eating disorder populations. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 57(2), 286-293. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24109
• Wood, A. (2024). The Deep Roots of Body Image Issues in 20th Century America. Gender & Sexuality in World History: Student Writings on Primary Sources. https://genderhistory.pubpub.org/pub/sotwop4s
• Conceição, E., & Hilbert, A. (2023). Atypical anorexia nervosa after bariatric surgery and the DSM‐5 diagnostic criteria: Commentary on Walsh et al.(2023). International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(4), 831-834. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23908
• Ivezaj, V., Carr, M. M., Brode, C., Devlin, M., Heinberg, L. J., Kalarchian, M. A., Sysko, R., Williams-Kerver, G., & Mitchell, J. E. (2021). Disordered eating following bariatric surgery: a review of measurement and conceptual considerations. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 17(8), 1510-1520. doi:10.1016/j.soard.2021.03.008