Description-

In 30 years of clinical practice, I have often heard social workers say that they avoid treating clients with eating disorders because they lack expertise. Although advanced training is recommended in treating conditions such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, therapists can become more comfortable dealing with problems such as binge-eating disorder, chronic dieting or rigid caloric-restriction, and conditions that do not meet criteria for anorexia nervosa, by acquiring information and gaining awareness and experience. Most of what is lacking for social workers in this arena is sensitivity to issues, an understanding of the underlying complexities, experience in managing these kinds of cases, and confidence that a general therapist can make a difference with weight-challenged clients.

Learning Objectives

1) To identify how cultural, gender, genetic, biochemical, metabolic, hormonal, family, stress and other factors influence clients who are overeaters and overweight;

2) To recognize how clients’ beliefs about eating, weight, and their bodies affect their food-related behaviors;

3) To understand the impact that poor emotional management has on dysregulated eating;

4) To recognize how the development of life skills supports recovery from dysregulated eating problems.