BED in the Spotlight: Focus on Treatment, Research & Stories of Hope
 
 
Learn about the Latest Topics and Trends from BED Experts

This year's agenda is packed with presentations from leading binge eating disorder thought leaders, researchers, and clinicians, including:
  • Timothy Brewerton, MD, DFAPA, FAED
  • Cynthia Bulik, PhD, FAED
  • Deb Burgard, PhD
  • Ralph Carson, PhD, RD
  • Jane Hirschmann, CSW
  • Carol Munter
  • Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW
  • Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, MD, FAED, CEDS
  • Ruth Striegel-Moore, PhD, FAED
  • Marian Tanofsky-Kraff, PhD, FAED
  • Emma Wood, PsyD

2013 Speakers
 

Marcy Anderson, MS, RD, LDN
Marci Anderson specializes in and works exclusively with clients struggling with disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image concerns. She owns and manages Marci RD Nutrition, LLC in Cambridge, MA. She is a certified Intuitive Eating Skills Coach and employs a non-diet, non-weight focus in her work. She holds a certification as a personal trainer through The American College of Sports Medicine. She has worked as a personal trainer and continues to instruct group fitness classes to a highly varied clientele with the aim of increasing strength, energy, and body confidence. Marci has taught group workshops and individuals how to heal their relationship with food, exercise, and their bodies. She believes that in the process of recovery it possible to find a peaceful balance of holistic living that includes physical activity and self-nourishment. Additionally, she is an adjunct professor teaching Nutrition Counseling for Eating Disorders for the Eating Disorders Institute at Plymouth State. She currently serves as the PR and Marketing chair for the Nutrition Entrepreneurs practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You can also find her actively engaged with social media promoting eating disorder recovery and positive body image.

Caryn Attianese, MA, NCC, LPC
Caryn is currently in private practice specializing in eating disorders and emotional eating. Most recently, she was the Director of Clinical Services at Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders Inpatient adult and adolescent units as well as the PHP program. Prior to that, she worked as a primary therapist at Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders and Sierra Tucson helping clients who struggle with eating disorders and addictions. She also worked at the Meadows where she was a survivors counselor working with trauma and eating disorders. She has extensive experience working with a team approach, most often psychiatrists, medical doctors, and dietitians. Caryn has presented on the topic of eating disorder to various professional groups multiple times including the Cape Cod and West Coast Symposium for addictive disorders. Caryn has facilitated groups on the topic of eating disorders and emotional eating, and most recently conducted a women's emotional eating retreat with a dietitian and movement specialist.

Catherine Baker-Pitts, PhD
Dr. Catherine Baker-Pitts received her Ph.D. from NYU, following four years of training in feminist psychoanalysis at The WTCI, where she is now a Faculty Member, Supervisor, and Co-Director. She is a Candidate at NYU’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, and she studies in the New Directions Writing Program at The Washington Center for Psychoanalysis. Catherine embraces the tenets of health at every size and is a member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health. With colleagues in The Body Attachment Group, her research focuses on the intergenerational transmission of body states and, as a Fahs Beck Scholar, she studies the relational experience of cosmetic surgeries. She is in private practice as a psychotherapist in Manhattan.

Chase Bannister, MDiv, MSW, LCSW, CEDS
Chase Bannister is Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer of Veritas Collaborative, a specialty behavioral health hospital for young people & center of excellence for the treatment of eating disorders, providing inpatient, acute residential, and partial hospitalization levels of care. Chase is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, credentialed as a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist by the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp). Chase earned concurrent graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & Duke University. After completing residencies in clinical social work at Duke University Medical Center & Duke University Counseling and Psychological Services, Chase joined Stacie McEntyre to establish & develop a specialized Dialectical Behavior Therapy based clinical program for Carolina House, a residential treatment center for adult women with eating disorders. He regularly trains medical providers, private practice groups, managed care providers, and counseling center staffs on best-practice eating disorder treatment. Chase holds membership in iaedp, the Academy for Eating Disorders, the National Eating Disorders Association, the Eating Disorders Legal Advocacy Forum, the Residential Eating Disorders Consortium, and the Association for the Education of Children with Medical Needs. He serves on the Medical Advisory Board of NORMAL, a national nonprofit educating the public about eating disorders, self-esteem and body image through arts and mindfulness programs. Through NORMAL, Chase is a member of The Female Athlete Awareness Program Advisory Council. Chase serves on the board of directors for New Leaf Behavioral Health, a North Carolina mental health organization grounded in the philosophy that all persons should be able to access quality outpatient mental health care without respect to financial resource.    Chase is the recipient of both The Arthur & Ida Maie Rivers Award for Integrity, Virtue, Gentleness, and Character and The L. Harris Chewning Award for Academic Scholarship and Intellectual & Moral Integrity.

Amanda Bechtel, MS, ATR, LCPC
Amanda is a registered art therapist and licensed clinical professional counselor. Amanda currently sees clients with eating disorders in private practice and through Pershing Turner Centers in Annapolis, MD. Amanda regularly presents on art therapy, eating disorders, and body image at national conferences and regional symposiums. In her spare time she works on her own art – with her current interest being mixed media and altered books.

Susan Berkow, PhD, CNS
Dr. Berkow is a nutritional scientist who has published extensively on nutrition and health, has presented invited talks nationally and internationally and presents educational workshop for allied health care professionals. In her private clinical practice she focuses on eating disorders, diabetes and obesity and weight management. She is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at George Mason University, Fairfax Virginia. Distinguishing Dr. Berkow is the landmark study that she directed while at the National Academy of Sciences on Diet and Health: Implications for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk, as well as other Academy examinations that significantly affected national public policy. Susan also served in executive positions in science and health policy with the food industry. 
 
Dr. Berkow has held elected positions in national and local professional organizations including presently serving as President of the Washington Society for the Study of Eating Disorders and Obesity. She earned her BS in Microbiology and Chemistry and Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Maryland. She served as a Fellow at Georgetown University Medical School.
 
Michelle Bermann, RD
Michelle K. Berman is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition. For 29 years, Michelle has dedicated her life’s work to helping people understand their relationship to the foods they eat and how their choices impact their health and well-being. Michelle has worked as a clinical nutritionist in a variety of settings. Presently, she has a private practice in Vienna, Virginia specializing in disordered eating and pediatrics.   Michelle incorporates her personal stories of recovery to help others with their nutritional healing process.
 
Janine Anthony Bowen, Esq
Janine’s practice focuses on strategic commercial transactions involving technology and intellectual property. Such transactions include licensing and acquisition of technology; issues surrounding the protection and exploitation of Internet-based assets; privacy and information security; and technology export compliance. Bowen counsels clients on general technology and intellectual property matters, negotiates and drafts a wide range of technology agreements, and handles technology disputes. She also serves as technology counsel on M&A transactions and has significant general contracting experience

Deb Burgard, PhD, FAED
Dr. Deb Burgard is a psychologist specializing in treating eating disorders across the weight spectrum. She created BodyPositive.com and is one of the founders of the Health at Every Size(r) model.

Ralph Carson, PhD, RD
Dr. Carson has been involved in the clinical treatment of addictions and eating disorders for over 35 years. His unique background in health science and medicine ( BS Duke University and B. H. S. Duke University Medical School ) coupled with nutrition and exercise (BS Oakwood College, Ph.D. Auburn University ) has prepared him to integrate neuropsychobiological intervention and proven psychotherapeutic treatment. Dr. Carson has honed his skills in communication and often-complicated science into enjoyable, practical and informative workshops. He currently consults with PineGrove Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment Center in Hattiesburg, MS as well as being a highly sought after speaker at various conferences, television, radio, podcast and workshops. He is an active board member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP). Working with Academy Medical Systems, he developed workshops for professional groups throughout the U. S. on topics such as exercise therapy, sports nutrition, and eating disorder. He has authored several popular books on nutrition, lifestyle practices, good health and the brain:Harnessing the Healing Power of Fruits and the recently publishedThe Brain Fix: What’s the Matter with Your Gray Matter?

Theresa Chesnut, MSW, LCSW
Theresa initially earned her undergraduate degree in Family Life and Community Services from Kansas State University and later completed her graduate degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Kansas. Theresa has been on staff at Castlewood since 2000 and has held various positions: Primary Therapist, Program Director and currently as the lead Eating Disorder Therapist. Theresa has also been on staff for the Menninger Clinic and she has over 15 years experience in lecturing on college campuses and to psychiatric professionals about the signs, symptoms and prevention of eating disorders. Currently, her area of research, focus and lecturing is on the recovery process and various intervention strategies as well as providing In-services for elite athletes, coaches and trainers.

David Christian, PhD
Dr. Christian is a clinical psychologist and consultant at Avalon Hills Residential Eating Disorders Program in Logan, Utah. Dr. Christian has developed a relapse prevention program offered to both clients and their families as part of Avalon Hills' comprehensive treatment program. Dr. Christian has served as a professor of psychology at University of Idaho and as a practicing clinician for many years. He also provides continuing education seminars for physicians, psychologists, and attorneys. He integrates the best of his academic, professional and clinical experiences into an entertaining yet highly informative and interactive learning experience.

Michelle L. Dean, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, CGP
Michelle L. Dean is a board certified art psychotherapist and licensed professional counselor who provides a warm and sincere approach in which to explore underlying contributing factors to emotional and physical symptoms of disordered eating patterns. She has over 16 years expertise in treating individuals who have addictions, eating disorders, relationship issues, somatic concerns, and traumatic experiences, including rape, incest, and victims of violent crimes. She is the Co-founder and Program Director of The Center for Psyche & the Arts, LLC with locations in Berwyn and Lansdowne, PA. She is the author of the children’s book “Taking weight issues to school” and has several professional publications to her credit. In addition to her practice, she supervises ATR and LPC candidates and is a nationally recognized educator and consultant. She is an approved NBCC Continuing Education Provider (#6302) and her work has been recognized through many distinguished awards and several interviews in print and on radio and television.

Kim Dennis, MD
Dr. Kim Dennis is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorder treatment, addictions recovery, trauma / PTSD and co-occurring disorders. As Medical Director at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, she supervises the medical staff and sets the overall vision and direction for the treatment program. Dr. Dennis maintains a holistic perspective in the practice of psychiatry. She incorporates biological, psycho-social and spiritual approaches into the individually tailored treatment plan for each resident.

Suzanne Dresdner, LICSW
Suzanne Dresdner is a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders. She has a private practice in Minneapolis, MN.

Cindy Elms, RD
Cindy Elms is currently the Nutrition Services Manager for Remuda Ranch, inpatient program for adults and adolescents with eating disorder. Prior to that, she was the Director of Nutritional Services for Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders. Her 20-year career experience also includes work at the Meadows in the Eating Wellness Program. She also has a private practice and specializes in eating disorders and emotional eating. Cindy has presented on the topic of eating disorders at multiple events to various professionals, including Cape Cod and West Coast Symposium for addictive disorders. She believes passionately in the team approach and working closely with the therapist, psychiatrist, and medical doctor to optimize client care. Cindy most recently partnered with a therapist and movement specialist to facilitate a retreat for women with emotional eating. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Rhona Epstein, PsyD, CAC
Rhona Epstein is a psychologist and certified addictions counselor with over 27 years experience counseling individuals, couples, families and groups. She provides counseling services at Life Counseling in Paoli, Pa. for the past 18 years including intensive outpatient treatment for individuals struggling with binge eating and bulimia.

Ellyn Herb, Ph.D., CEDS
Dr. Ellyn Herb is a licensed psychologist and certified eating disorders specialist in private practice in San Jose, CA. She provides both group and individual psychotherapy for people across the weight spectrum, using a Health At Every Size (R) approach. Dr. Herb has been presenting workshops for eating disorders professionals since the mid 1990's and teaches continuing education courses for John F. Kennedy University in their Eating Disorder Certificate program. She is also currently an adjunct professor at San Jose State University in the psychology and nutrition departments. 

Meryl Hershey Beck, MA, M.Ed., LPCC
Meryl is a first and foremost a teacher, whether it be in classroom, at conferences, or though her writing. As a licensed counselor (LPCC), Meryl specializes in 12-Step Recovery and eating disorders and has designed and implemented a successful outpatient Food Abuse Treatment week. Admired for her authenticity, Meryl is appreciated and respected for her perseverance in doing the hardcore work and her clarity in finding no-kidding solutions to end the misery of addictions. She spent the first half of her life as a closet eater, gaining weight and feeling overwrought. Once she became active in 12 Step support groups, the bingeing -- fueled by anxiety, low self-esteem, and the desire to escape -- started to wane. Intent on uncovering the root cause of her overeating, Meryl began to incorporate other modalities in her quest for self-understanding. She enthusiastically studied energy techniques, and has been writing about and teaching energy modalities to mental health practitioners nationwide beginning in 1998. An authority in this field, Meryl has presented at workshops and conferences internationally, including the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology Conferences. A recent attendee commented: “Your presentation was the most helpful of any that I attended at ACEP this year....both personally, and professionally.” Meryl’s book, STOP EATING YOUR HEART OUT: 21 Days to Freedom from Emotional Eating, ranked #1 on amazon in the eating disorders and drug dependency categories. As a counselor, teacher, and author, Meryl joyfully shares many tools and techniques that skyrocket personal growth and alleviate emotional eating.
 
Jane Hirschmann, CSW
Jane is a psychotherapist who for the past 36 years has specialized in the treatment of children and adults with compulsive eating problems. She co-authored OVERCOMING OVEREATING and WHEN WOMEN STOP HATING THEIR BODIES with Carol H. Munter. Formerly, she was on the Faculty of the New School for Social Research. Currently she is Co-director of the National Center for Overcoming Overeating. She has trained professionals concerned with the treatment of eating problems, lectured, toured extensively and appeared on national television and radio discussing her approach to this nation’s eating dilemma. She lives in New York City and has raised three daughters with this method. For more information go to: www.overcomingovereating.org

Carolyn Hodges Chaffee, MS, RD
Carolyn Hodges Chaffee, MS, RD is founder, owner and director of Sol Stone Center, a partial hospitalization program, and the Nutrition Clinic, a free-standing outpatient eating disorder clinic, located in Elmira, New York. Outpatient satellite clinics are located in Syracuse, Ithaca, and Binghamton, New York. Sol Stone Center specializes in the treatment of BED. Approximately 200 patients are being served at any given time. She is also nutrition consultant and case manager for Cornell’s eating disorder program. Approximately 400 students are treated annually. She is a member of ADA, AED, ANAD, ASDAH, BEDA, IAEDP, NEDA, SCAN, STDA, and Vice President on the board for Ophelia’s Place.  

Marsha Hudnall, MS, RD
Marsha is the co-owner of and vice president of programming and communications at Green Mountain at Fox Run, www.fitwoman.com , a women’s retreat in Vermont founded 40 years ago to help women stop dieting and learn how to truly take care of themselves. Marsha’s mission at Green Mountain has been to help women learn to enjoy food and eating while successfully managing their weight and health. This is an area she is personally as well as professionally versed in. Marsha has been in recovery from an eating disorder for over three decades.

Martha Ireland, PhD, RN, CS, CEDS, DCC
Dr. Ireland founded and runs The Virtual Therapy Connect, a web portal for clinicians that offers video teleconferencing and secure emailing that is HIPAA and HITECH compliant.  She is also in private practice and an IAEDP certified supervisor, located in Virginia. Her organizational memberships include NEDA, IAEDP, ANAD, AED, ANA, and ISMHO. Her 25 year career has focused on the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. She was clinical director of a multidisciplinary IOP center, and has participated in numerous media and outreach events. Currently, Dr. Ireland is focusing her career on the integration of technology communication tools in psychotherapy.

Jacqueline Jacobson, LPC
Jacqueline Jacobson, LPC, is one of the founding clinicians of The Growth & Recovery Center, Fairfax, Virginia, with 15+ years experience in private practice treating eating disorders, mood disorders and trauma.

For the past six years, Ms. Jacobson has worked as a psychotherapist for Inova Health Systems at the Bariatric Center at Fair Oaks Hospital (IFOH), Fairfax, VA, a nationally-certified “Center of Excellence” for Bariatric Surgery. She collaborates with local bariatric surgical practices providing pre-operative patient assessments, bedside patient consultations and discharge treatment recommendations. At IFOH, she designed a didactic curriculum called “Psychological Issues for the Post-Operative Bariatric Patient,” a part of their patient educational lecture series. She has written psycho-educational articles for the department’s web site and in-hospital television network. Ms. Jacobson has developed IFOH's support group programs entitled, “Recovering from Obesity” and “Continuing Your Success.” She regularly facilitates meetings for IFOH's Medical Weight Loss Program and for their bi-monthly bariatric support group meetings. She is a contributor to IFOH's “FUN & SNAP Program,” an ongoing health and fitness program for children, teens and their parents.

Ms. Jacobson has been a guest speaker at local public and private schools on the topic of eating disorders and body image. She is a certified Bariatric Support Group Leader as well as an EMDR practitioner. She has a continuing interest in working with victims of clergy abuse.

Ms. Jacobson earned a M.A. in Counseling from Marymount University and a B.A. from Connecticut College. She pursued post-graduate training at Virginia Tech.

Mindy Jacobson-Levy, MCAT, ATR-BC, LPC, HLM-DVATA
Mindy Jacobson-Levy is a board certified, registered art psychotherapist, and licensed professional counselor specializing in trauma, body image, and eating disorders. In private practice since 1980, she has numerous publications including The Art Therapy Workbook for Disordered Eating: Finding Your Voice through Creativity (Jacobson-Levy & Foy-Tornay; Gϋrze Books, 2010). She was also authored the experiential therapies section of the 2005 & 2011 adult guidelines for treatment, as set forth by the International Society for the Study of Trauma-Dissociation [International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (2011) 'Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, Third Revision', Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 12: 2, 115 — 187]. Mindy is a clinical supervisor for the graduate art therapy program at Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA), and supervises professional art therapists fo r their credentials/LPC license. Professional memberships include: American Art Therapy Association, International Society for the Study of Trauma/Dissociation, Delaware Valley Art Therapy Association (Honorary Life Member since 1996), Binge Eating Disorder Association, National Eating Disorder Association, and International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals. Creative passions include painting, knitting, music, and American Tribal Fusion belly dancing.

Annika Kahm, BS
Annika has been in private practice since 2002 in Stamford, Connecticut. She specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, disordered eating, and exercise addiction. She was also the head nutritionist at The Wilkins Center For Eating Disorders from 1982-2002. Annika’s publications include the nutritional sections of three books: Controlling Eating Disorders with Facts, Advice and Resources (Oryx Press, 1992), Eating Disorders: A Reference Source Book (Oryx Press, 1999), and Eating Disorders… New Directions in Treatment and Recovery (Columbia Press, 2001).

Lisa Kantor, Esq
Lisa Kantor is the country’s premier advocate for patients with eating disorders who have been denied health insurance benefits for treatment. For more than 30 years, Ms. Kantor has represented plaintiffs on insurance matters, and her key victories for clients with eating disorders have changed California law. In 2007, she won the first published eating disorder appeal in California, in which the court applied the state’s mental health parity law to beneficiaries who sought treatment outside California. Ms. Kantor’s client advocacy in Harlick vs. Blue Shield led her all the way to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, creating one of the most influential decisions in mental health parity litigation and paving the way to making treatment and recovery for various types of mental illnesses attainable. In addition, Ms. Kantor has joined the challenge against health plans’ use of partial hospitalization programs to deny residential treatment. She is currently working with eating disorder professionals and facilities to determine what litigation, regulatory, and legislative actions to take to maximize insurance coverage for eating disorders.

Anna Kowalski, MA, MFT
Anna Kowalski, MA, MFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University. She is the Associate Clinical Director of Monte Nido Residential Treatment Center in Agoura Hills, CA. In the 12 years Anna has been with Monte Nido & Affiliates, she has helped to open several of their programs including the re-opening of the original Monte Nido in Malibu Canyon, CA. Anna is the Program Coordinator of Bella Mar, a transitional living facility in Malibu, CA, that helps to transition Monte Nido alumni back into life after residential care. Anna's true passion is family therapy, and she leads the family therapy program at Monte Nido Vista. She helps families to reconnect with one another and open the lines of communication during what is often a long and difficult journey to recovery. Anna also has a private practice in Calabasas, CA.

Melissa Knudson, RD
Melissa Knudson, R.D., is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Therapist with over 25 years of experience in health and nutrition education, including private practice, program development, and individual and group counseling. Her areas of expertise include Adult and Adolescent Eating Disorders, Intuitive Eating, Parent Education for Raising Healthy Eaters, and Nutrition Support for women with PCOS. Melissa has a Private Practice in Bloomfield Hills, MI and Petoskey, MI. In all of her work, she provides a unique blend of mindful and intuitive eating principles with evidence-based nutrition strategies for balancing blood sugar and optimizing wellness and disease prevention. In a current cultural and health environment that is focused on prevention and treatment of obesity, it is a primary passion of Melissa’s to offer new and creative techniques for identifying and effectively supporting individuals with Binge Eating Disorder. Melissa serves as a nutrition consultant to the Hough Center for Eating Disorders where she coaches parents on nutrition strategies for success in family-based treatment of eating disorders. She has served as Nutrition Coordinator of CHIPS, a multidisciplinary family program designed to address and prevent child weight and health problems She also has been a presenter at NEDA, speaking on the role of the R.D. using a family-based treatment model for adolescent eating disorders. Melissa has completed over 40 hours of advanced training and supervision with Amy Baker Dennis, Ph.D. She is Past President of the Nutrition Entrepreneurs of Michigan, and is currently a member of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Academy of Eating Disorders (AED), Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutritionists (SCAN) and Dietitians in Functional and Integrative Medicine.

Pamela Kuehl, LPC
Pamela Kuehl is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Bariatric Behavioral Health Specialist with the Winchester Medical Center Bariatric Program. Pamela joined Valley Health Systems in 2005 as a therapist in the Psychiatry Unit at Winchester Medical Center, and later worked with Valley Behavioral Health Associates, providing outpatient individual, couples, and group counseling services. During her time at Valley Behavioral Health Associates she was afforded the opportunity to work with the Bariatric Program and in 2009 began working as a Bariatric Behavioral Health Specialist. Pamela has expanded the behavioral health component of the program extensively. She began by primarily conducting pre-operative psychological evaluations, however after working closely with the patients and Program she identified the need for a comprehensive behavioral component, including additional support groups, therapy, staff education, and patient educational classes. Pamela has appeared in interviews on the local radio and television station addressing mental health, obesity, and long-term weight management. She is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Obesity Action Coalition, and has obtained privileges at Winchester Medical Center.   

Michelle Market, LPC
Michelle Market, LPC is an eating disorder specialist with an expertise in binge eating disorder. She is an active member of BEDA, IADEP, and NVLPC. Michelle is passionate about educating on Binge Eating Disorder and inspiring individuals in their healing journey. Michelle is in private practice in Herndon, VA and offers on-going support groups for binge eating, eating disorders, and self esteem. www.michellemarket.com

J. Casey Martin, MS, NCC
Casey is a clinician at the Eating Disorder Center of Denver. When he is not facilitating their 10 week Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for BED program, he is completing Utilization Review for the patients. You can also find him assisting with meals, spending time in the milieu, or preparing research for proposals and publication. His previous professional experience involved facilitating a bariatric support group, community mental health counseling, and performing cognitive assessments at a rehabilitation hospital. Casey received his undergraduate degree in Sociology from the College of Charleston and his graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling from Central Washington University.

Susan McClanahan, PhD
Susan McClanahan is a licensed clinical psychologist, faculty member at Northwestern University Medical School, and Co-Director of Insight Psychological Centers. In her 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. McClanahan has worked with a variety of mental health problems. In particular, she has fostered specializations in the treatment of eating disorders, and pregnancy related difficulties via teaching, research and presentations at national conferences. As co-director for Insight Psychological Centers, Dr. McClanahan has worked to establish the largest multidisciplinary eating disorder outpatient treatment center in the state of Illinois.

Daisy Miller, PhD, LDN
Daisy has been in private practice for ten years, helping people with BED reach full recovery, developing teachable treatment models, and collaborating with both outpatient and residential treatment providers. Her private practice is exclusive to those struggling with eating disorders, emotional and compulsive eating, and body image disturbances. She has a Ph.D. in nutritional sciences from Penn State University, where she first started working under a family systems paradigm. Daisy is a certified IFS practitioner.

Carol Munter
Carol Munter is a Licensed Psychoanalyst. She is a member of the Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research and the co-director of The National Center for Overcoming Overeating. Carol started the first anti-dieting group in 1970. She is the co-author, with Jane Hirschmann, of OVERCOMING OVEREATING and WHEN WOMEN STOP HATING THEIR BODIES. She is in private practice in New York City.

Amy Pershing, LMSW, ACSW
Amy Pershing began her career treating the spectrum of eating and body image disorders at the Center for Eating Disorders (www.center4ed.org ) in Ann Arbor, MI, in 1991. In 1993, she developed “Bodywise™,” a comprehensive treatment program to serve a growing population of clients coming to the Center with binge eating disorder. She became CED’s clinical director in 1998. In 2008, Pershing and Chevese Turner, CEO and founder of Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA), joined forces to found Pershing Turner Centers in Annapolis, Maryland (www.pershingturnercenters.com ). Pershing Turner Centers treat the full spectrum of eating disorders in adults and adolescents using a multidisciplinary “whole person” treatment approach to recovery. Pershing has pioneered this innovative, integrated approach based on more than 25 years of clinical experience treating BED. She is a BED program consultant for several treatment centers across the US, and national speaker on BED treatment and weight stigma. She is the author of several book chapters and many articles on BED treatment, and maintains a clinical practice in Ann Arbor. Pershing also currently serves as Vice Chair of BEDA.

Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, MD, FAED, CEDS
Wendy Oliver-Pyatt received her specialty training in Psychiatry at New York University where she served as Chief Resident at for the Bellevue Hospital Outpatient Services. She has held faculty positions at New York University, Albert Einstein School of Medicine and University of Nevada School of Medicine. She is a Co-Founder of Oliver-Pyatt Centers, and in 2003 founded Center for Hope of the Sierras, both programs with a track record for successfully treating Binge Eating Disorder using an innovative and integrated treatment model, with mindful eating as the back-bone for the nutrition approach with BED patients.   Her book, Fed Up (McGraw-Hill, 2003) written to prevent dieting, eating disorders, and disordered eating, is one of the first books written by a medical professional to receive national attention for integrating mindful eating, the importance of addressing co-occurring medical issues and psychiatric illnesses associated with weight struggles, the false hoods behind equating size with health, and the impact of weight cycling on physical and mental health. Dr. Oliver-Pyatt has extensive background working with severe mental illness and co-occurring conditions. She served as the State Medical Director for the Division of Mental Health in the State of Nevada, and received Senatorial Recognition for her dedication to individuals impacted by mental health conditions. She has worked extensively in training of both psychiatry residents and medical students and presents locally, on college campuses, and at national conferences frequently. She frequently speaks on issues surrounding the BED patient including topics including the War on Obesity, Weight Stigma, and ED prevention. She is the former Advocacy Chair for the Academy for Eating Disorders, and she Co-Authored the AED Guidelines for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs. She serves on the BEDA and IAEDP Board of Directors.  

Michael Prager, BS
Michael Prager is a, nationally recognized journalist and the author of “Fat Boy, Thin Man,” which explains his 20-years-plus of binge eating from the perspective of food addiction. Prager speaks professionally about eating and other lifestyle changes that are allowing him to maintain a 155-pound weight loss for more than 20 years. 

Marybeth Quist, BS
Marybeth is considered a survivor after battling an eating disorder for much of her life. She unfortunately had to endure a traumatic experience when she was very young, followed by several difficult situations throughout childhood and young adulthood. These early experiences brought Marybeth to her breaking point in her early 20's. Over the course of the next 20 years she endured self-isolation and significant weight gain. Her mental and physical health deteriorated with both the weight gain and untreated Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2008, events conspired to motivate her to change her life. She found herself in a much happier place and was able to lose over 300 pounds. Marybeth was able to reverse the majority of the damage caused by the many years of carrying extra weight and practicing poor coping skills. She is now enjoying a functional work and social life. Marybeth possesses a Bachelor’s of Science Degree and enjoys speaking about her recovery in hopes to help others along in his or her journey.

Rochelle Rice, MA
Rochelle is President of In Fitness & In Health in New York City. A former professional jazz dancer, Rochelle brings her passion for movement and size sensitivity to plus-size women to help them develop a more integrated movement experience that removes all shame and blame, no matter what their mobility level. She is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and educator for the plus-size population and the author of Real Fitness for Real Women (Warner 2001). Rochelle earned her master’s degree at New York University, specializing in her plus-size exercise program. She is also a graduate of the CHRIS ® Technique –Cellular Harmonizing Regenerative Integration System. Rochelle has appeared on Fox News, ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, and the CBS Early Show. Her program has been featured in the New York Times, the LA Times, Family Circle, and Fit Magazine. Rochelle is a member of the National Speakers Association and Toastmasters International. She is a member of IDEA Health and Fitness Association, The Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH), and the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA). 

Suzanne Ricklin, LCSW-C, BCD, CEDS
Suzanne is a founding partner of Century Mental Health, Inc. located in Columbia, Maryland. A psychotherapist for over 25 years, she specializes in the treatment of eating disorders with adolescents and adults. Ricklin currently serves on the BEDA Board of Directors and is a Senior Consultant and Supervisor for Pershing Turner Center for Eating Disorders in Annapolis, Maryland.

Trisha Rubin, LCSW
Trisha Souders Rubin, L.C.S.W has been treating eating disorders in the Washington DC area since 1990. She held a position at Georgetown University’s Diet Management and Eating Disorder program from 1990 until 2004. Since then, she has worked in private practice. First at The Washington Center for Eating Disorders and Obesity and later in helping to establish The Growth and Recovery Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Trisha has been on the boards of The Washington Society for the Study of Eating Disorders and Obesity and more recently as a founding board member of BEDA. She served as former President of the Board for BEDA and is currently Treasurer. While treating primarily adults in her practice, she volunteers as a coach for Girls on The Run, finding passion helping children of all shapes and sizes feel good moving in their bodies.

Jeanne Rust, PhD, MC
Jeanne specializes in eating disorders and is an expert in the treatment of adult trauma. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Saybrook Graduate School, a Master's Degree in Counseling, and a Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University. Jeanne is licensed by the State of Arizona as a Professional Counselor. She has received comprehensive training in Gestalt and other expressive therapies, as well as Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), and she is a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner. Jeanne was a therapist in private practice for many years before founding Mirasol. She has worked with the University of Arizona athletic department to meet the therapeutic needs of athletes with eating disorders, has taught courses at the university level, and provides training and education for health care professionals in her areas of expertise.

Deah Schwartz, EdD, CTRS, CCC
Dr. Schwartz has more than 30 years of experience using therapeutic expressive arts in psychiatric hospitals, residential and day treatment programs with clients struggling with Eating Disorders and Body Dissatisfaction. Deah was a professor at San Francisco State University for ten years and coordinated the Therapeutic Recreation Degree program. She is the author of the size acceptance syndicated blog, “Tasty Morsels”, co-author of Leftovers, DVD/Workbook Set, a multimodality resource for therapists and educators, and has a private practice. In all aspects of Dr. Deah’s work, she strives to provide assistance in preventing and treating eating disorders by switching from a weight based to health based paradigm, defining one’s own standard of beauty, challenging the discrimination that exists towards anyone that doesn't fit the media's expectation of perfection, and finding ways to make peace with one’s body. You can learn more about Dr. Deah by visiting her website, drdeah@drdeah.com

Leslie Schilling, MA, RD, CSSD
Leslie Schilling is a master’s level, registered dietitian working in the field of disordered eating. She owns Schilling Nutrition Therapy, LLC, a nutrition therapy practice, in Memphis, TN. While caring for those across the spectrum of eating disorders, she strives to promote a non-diet approach to her clients and the multidisciplinary teams she works with. Leslie has been trained in motivational interviewing and advanced nutritional counseling skills. She has served as the Behavioral Health Nutrition Delegate for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and speaks nationally about recognizing and treating eating disorders.

Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD
Rebecca Scritchfield is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian and fitness expert specializing in helping people build healthy lifestyles through her work in nutrition counseling, professional speaking, and media communications. Rather than encouraging people to diet, she helps them learn eating skills that balance individual nutrition needs, hunger, satiety, appetite, and pleasure. Rebecca believes that a person’s self care behaviors predict health, not the number on the scale. She has helped thousands of people change their lives by finding exercise that feels great, learning to manage stress, and establishing balanced eating habits. In line with her “Me First” philosophy, which encourages daily self-care of food, movement, and fun. A graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, Rebecca has reached millions through television, radio, print, and web including: Today Show, MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, The Washington Post, O Magazine, Prevention, Women’s Health, and Runner’s World. She is an ACSM

Ellen Shuman, BA
Ellen Shuman, BEDA’s Immediate Past Chair, is Founder and Coach with A Weigh Out Life Coaching; Freedom from Emotional Eating and Weight Obsession, and Director of Acoria Eating Disorder Treatment. She runs the A Weigh Out Membership Circle; an online community for people working on recovery from emotional and binge eating, www.aweighout.com . Her expertise in the field spans more than two decades. Her research on BED has been published in Behavioral Medicine and International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Katie Thompson, MS, LPC, NCC
Katie has been a primary therapist at Castlewood Treatment Center for two years. Previously she was a therapist at Rogers Memorial Hospital in the residential program for eating disorders and anxiety disorders. At Castlewood Katie leads the following groups: Binge Group, Eating Disorder Group, CBT Eating Disorder Group, DBT skills group and Step Down core group. Katie is an active participant in the research team at Castlewood and specializes in eating disorders, anxiety disorders, specifically binge eating disorder, as well as trained in Exposure and Responsive Prevention (ERP). She is skilled in using DBT, CBT, IFS, ERP and group therapy and has earned her certification in Internal Family Systems Level 2.   Katie graduated from Marquette University with a BA in Communications, Education in 2001. She also earned a MS in Counseling Psychology in 2007 from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee.

Amy Tuttle, RD, LCSW
Amy is Director of Valley Green Counseling nutrition therapy practice. A Health at Every Size advocate, Amy has developed and facilitated mindfulness-based no-diet programs for various individuals and groups including mid-life women, families at the YMCA, and Philadelphia Police Department officers. She has completed mindfulness meditation teacher-training programs including Mindfuness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) with Jean Kristeller and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) practicums with Diane Reibel at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. As co-founder of Nourishing Connections and Feast Upon Life, she provides mindfulness-based services and resources for resolving weight and body image concerns, enhancing health and self-care, and creating community.

Kristine Vazzano, PhD
Dr. Vazzano is founder of Mindfullness LLC, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and body image concerns. Her practice emphasizes working with adolescents and families using a family based treatment approach. Dr. Vazzano supervises and lectures nationally on the role of the family in eating disorder treatment, recovery issues, and the use of technology in overcoming barriers to treatment. Dr. Vazzano is a member of the Academy of Eating Disorders (AED) and served as past co-chair of the Worldwide Charter Task Force. She is also a member of the AED’s Advocacy and Communications Committee. Dr. Vazzano’s work in these positions has focused on increasing access to specialized care for eating disorders. Dr. Vazzano is the founder of www.mindfullness.com, a global online community for eating disorder recovery.

Emma Wood, PsyD
Emma Wood is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist practicing primarily in the Counseling Services department of Baylor University. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL, where she also received her Master of Arts degree. Dr. Wood received her bachelor's degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, in Interdisciplinary studies: Art, Music, and Psychology. As a psychologist Dr. Wood recognizes the importance of holistic individualized treatment and strives to facilitate personal growth through creating a warm and accepting therapeutic space for her clients. She takes a feminist approach to her work and feels that empowerment is a catalyst for change in many clients she works with, and that social action can be an essential part of the healing process. Her specific clinical interests are in the areas of eating disorders, identity development, diversity, self esteem, and women’s issues. Dr. Wood has been featured in articles addressing mental health concerns on college campuses as well as issues related to eating disorders and self-esteem. She is a regular contributor for wearetherealdeal.com, voted a top body image and body confidence website and also contributes to FemPop, APA Division 35’s blog addressing feminist perspectives on pop culture. Dr. Wood presents nationally at conferences and special events on topics of eating disorders, body image, feminist approaches to mental health promotion, and diversity

H. Theresa Wright, MS, RD, LDN
Theresa is a nationally recognized registered dietitian known for her innovative approaches to the treatment of addictive and compulsive eating disorders.   Theresa assists individual clients in developing the skills, support, and lifestyle changes that lead to freedom from self-destructive food behaviors. For groups, she creates and teaches innovative, effective nutrition and weight management programs combining practical nutrition and food information with behavior modification, self-management techniques, and principles of personal growth. Theresa presents at regional and national conferences, workshops, and retreats; she provides programs and consulting services for corporations, treatment facilities, and professional organizations. She is a gentle and skilled nutrition therapist and a cogent and powerful presenter. In thirty-one years as a Registered Dietitian, Theresa has worked in all areas of nutrition counseling. She holds both bachelors and masters degrees in nutrition science, is a Licensed Dietitian-Nutritionist, and Founder and President of Renaissance Nutrition Center, Inc. 

Lela Zaphiropoulos, LCSW
Lela is a psychotherapist and supervisor in private practice working with individuals, couples, and groups in NYC. She is on the Executive Board and a faculty member of The Women’s Therapy Centre Institute and is Co-director of their post graduate training program, “Eating and The Body: A Cultural, Relational Psychoanalytic Framework.” She is co-author of EATING PROBLEMS: A FEMINIST, RELATIONAL PSYCHOANALYTIC TREATMENT MODEL. She is a member of Endangered Bodies NY, a global initiative to challenge the industries that promote body insecurity.